Possible to get into MBB/T2 FT Positions after graduating
So I graduate from undergrad in July 2024 and start work at a management consulting firm in Jan 2025.
In September 2024, can I apply for graduate roles at MBB/T2 London for a September 2025 start date? Is this fairly common for people to come in as an entry level graduate despite having 0-1 years experience? I see on LinkedIn it happens fairly often from T2 to MBB but am unsure if they are just applying to the standard graduate programme or are lateralling some other way e.g. after a headhunter reached out to them. And I am also not sure if you can do this from a smaller consulting firm to T2/MBB. Would appreciate any insight!
I don't think you can just apply to the same graduate programme again once you graduate. From what I've heard MBB and T2 hold recent graduates to a much higher standard than current students even if your applying for the same position.
Yes, of course you can. I graduated in 2022, started at a Big4 in Sept 2022, did MBB interviews in October 2022, and joined MBB London in 2023. I hadn't heard of management consulting until after I graduated uni, so applied to Big4 and MBB the summer after I had finished (I interviewed at B4 in August and started in September). Lots of people who join MBB in London with some experience from elsewhere.
Personally am good friends with someone who failed final round MBB, graduated and worked 2 years in another management consultancy, and then reapplied and got an offer from the same MBB (joining at entry-level).
Ah okay thanks for clarifying! Was worried that it'd be much harder to get in after graduating as i had read they hold recent grads to a much higher standard than students
There is no headhunting or recruitment outreach for MBB London. You can apply until you hit 2 YOE and you will be treated the same. Plenty of people at all MBBs in London applied after finishing uni and interviewers usually don't know or care once you make it past the CV stage (source: did it myself and so did many others in my cohort at McK)
Oh okay makes sense. So do you think recent grads are held to a higher standard at the CV stage/in the case interviews than current students? Had seem some comments on here including one in this thread saying it's a lot more difficult to join as a BA at McK or AC at BCG/Bain/S& once you've graduated
The difference isn't the interview bar, the difference is the number of spots available. For entry level, MBB and other firms will always prioritize their university hiring pipeline before looking for external hires.
Back when everyone was hiring, MBB was hiring laterals left and right. Now that even university hiring has slowed down, there are few if any lateral spots open.
Ah okay, so applying 1 year after graduating doesn't mean you are competing with other university students for the grad role but instead you are competing with other recent graduates who are already working?
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