I just got my dream job @ an MBB firm after three years of hard work in a non-target university. I'm ahead on credits and stepped down from many extracurriculars, so next semester, I have a super light load.
What skills/experiences should I focus on in my free time that'll help me start strong in the new role?
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also incoming analyst @ MBB in the Middle East, would love to connect. Also curious but which country/region did you study at? To answer your question, tbh I'm chilling bc I know the rigorous training programs they have so we'll be well equipped to hit the ground running. I also have a Mac laptop so can't do much to speed up my Excel & Ppt training :///
Congrats on your offer & wish you the best with the transition. Can I PM you for some advice?
drop your comments here so it can be helpful to all prospects in this forum
Yes sure
Notetaking
Jk (mostly). It'd be a good idea to be familiar with Excel, but that's about it. Tools like Tableau or Alteryx are also common, but they'll have somebody train/guide you on them in the event you need to use them, and are both very easy to learn (and IMO easier to learn on the job vs on your own)
Optimize for fun and memorable experiences. Spend a ton of time with friends & pick up some hobbies if you're interested in any
The last part, 1000%. Optimize for fun and interesting shit 1.) for the personal development and 2.) for potential future MBA applications down the road
tl;dr when I was in your shoes I was just as eager and people said "just enjoy the time" and I thought "no, that's ridiculous, I want to prepare so I can hit the desk and be the best!". In reality, MBB prefers if you don't prepare - they have trainings because they want to mold you into the consultant they are looking for. Enjoy your free time. If I could do it all over again, I would chill even harder than I did, and I chilled extremely hard after getting an offer. Seriously just push the thought out of your mind you need to keep grinding - this is one of the rare moments in life where you have nothing you really need to do. Cherish it.
Truthfully - you want to get ahead? Get really good at golf, go buy some really, really sharp clothes (I like Sid Mashburn), get in shape. If you really want to ignore my advice, learn how to index(match()) and sumifs(). Pick up a hobby that's interesting to people (board games, skiing, travel, writing.) so when you start on the job, you are cool and people want to work with you. They will not give a shit about your excel skills when you first start. Another thing you could do if desperate is if you know what sector you want to specialize in, write a few blog posts or work with a uni professor to write something in that field, and then show it to partners in the practice you hope to join.
This is helpful, thanks. It’ll be hard to switch it off and chill but I see where you’re coming from.
Love the Sid mashburn Rec. any other brands you recommend?
Theory for casual day clothes. Rag and Bone + Hugo Boss for going out in NYC. You will fit in at Le Bain in no time.
Study for the GMAT and start developing healthy habits that would be hard to start while working full-time in consulting. For example, learn how to cook, develop a consistent exercise routine, develop a healthy sleep schedule, etc.
First 6 months:
Pursue experiences that will strengthen your core business foundations. From the top of my head, I’d recommend focusing on these action items for your first 6 months on the job:
(1) Quantitative ability: Do a technical / quantitative cases early to receive mentorship and checkbox quant skills, especially on building excel models and conducting complex alteryx analysis. You don’t want to be a senior analyst staffed on a case and its your first time dealing with big data.
(2) Written communication: Focus on making clean slides. This means (1) no typos / errors (2) key points are clear on slides (3) analysis is not misleading or incomplete and (4) you know where the data came from.
(3) Resourceful: Know how to utilize firm resources. Start building your own mini-library of analysis methodologies and slide templates. It will save you tremendous time when you do similar work in a different case context.
After honing these down, then focus on client engagement and executive presence. Once you’ve earned the trust of your manager to conduct analysis and pressure test results, you’ll be “allowed in the room” to engage with clients. Learning from here is usually through mentorship as different client have different motivations, styles, and objectives. General wisdom and common sense applies ofc but consult with seniors if things get tricky.
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