Hi all,taking up on the previous accenture post, I wanted to ask a question in this forum: are people at mckinsey generally happy?If you read their recruitment site, this obviously seems to be the case. Talking to my friends who actually work there, the picture is less clear. Long hours, a lot of politics, very difficult work-life balance, many people just wanting to put the brand in their cv so that they can go somewhere else. Is this accurate, or have I been misinformed?Thanks,mc-curious

Work-life balance is nonexistent. I had the opportunity of working with very talented individuals, that's true. But you get sick of them if you have to work with them 70/80+ hours a week. Sometimes you have fun, sometimes you don't, like everywhere else. But anyway, 80% of the guys work there to put the brand in their CV. It opens so many doors.Bottom line is, although it was not my case, some of my colleagues thought it was worth it to sell a few years of their life in exchange of a good career after McKinsey....

Thanks ex-mck,you are basically confirming what I have seen from my friends, although your statement is even worse. You did not even think it was worth it to spend a few years at mck?

Been in that kind of environment, done that. In my opinion, an extra £8K a year or whatever the 'premium' is these days doesn't justify having to work what often boils down to being double the number of hours at short notice in faraway destinations with virtually no home life. The 'premium' brand only lasts for a few years after leaving in any event. Once you get to 30 or so, people will assume you were just another graduate powerpoint grunt and will almost completely discount the value of the brand on your CV. Many of them won't even know who "Mackenzies" are anyway, let alone remotely understanding what you will have learnt and gone through and how well you did to get accepted by them in the first place. Exit options and the like are in my opinion usually just a carrot being dangled that you never actually get to have a bite of. If you want cash and are willing to work all hours under the sun, I'd join a bank!Just think it through logically... given the trillions of people who are desperate to get into "Mackenzies", many of them being ultra-competitive 10 PhD and 5 MBA types, what do YOU think the work environment is going to be like? Fairly laid back or ultra-intense?

You're welcome.In my case, it was not worth it to spend 4 years at McKinsey. I am currently working in a blue-chip company and my boss did not get in mck after graduation (we went to the same university). Who cares about your CV once you're in? No one.

How about if you stay for the long haul and make it to partner? Isn´t this a rewarding career path?

It's rewarding if you like to work +90/100 hours a week (most of the partners I knew lived in the office/or in the clients' office) and if you like politics. You need so many things to make it to the top, it's not about being good at what you do. It's also about finding the right mentors, the right clients, the right office. And being extremely lucky on top of that. Consulting is appealing, and, in general, consultatns are well paid. But it's not for everyone. At least at that top level.

Let me tell you one thing.. No one in McK works 80hours a week..

Would you rather do 80+ hours at McKinsey or PA?

I'd rather be a PA at McKinsey

Ok, ok, I get the point. A stupid question then: why do people take these jobs?In my book, working 80+ hours a week is only reasonable if:1) your work is your true vocation2) you are changing the world3) you are making tons of money quicklyJudging from the answers here, McK does not qualify for either one.

mc-curious: "Why do people take these jobs?"Well, you got me there. At a guess, I'd say it's for the same reason some people buy cars that look like this: http://www.automotoportal.com/media/images/vijesti/070730001.jpgObviously McK is in a different league to that type of vehicle, but I'd imagine the thought processes leading to the 'purchasing decision' aren't too dissimilar.Or maybe it could be groupthink or some other weird social phenomenon amongst college kids? Reputation and branding is a very powerful thing, and you've got to give it to McK, they've certainly hit the nail on the head with their marketing of themselves on college campuses.

hi all, i work in accenture for 9 month, but i'd like to work in mkinsey.24 years, 110 cum laude. no response from the firm.why in u opionion?tks

ACN>McK doesn´t happen very often...sorry to say that - why stalking them with cum laude?

ex-mckinsey,Bsc: 2:2, MBA (not IV league uni): 3.9/4 and 5 years experience in IT consulting. currently in a executive management trainee program in oil & gas industry.Would like to join Mck to learn about their problem solving methods and to experience strat consulting. What would you advice me? Go for it or forget it?Thx

Forget it ;)

Why do people join McKinsey? My view is that it's not much different in reality than why someone might join the Royal Marines, climb Mt Everest, ride the Dakkar Rally, or suchlike; not really for the brand - which as SVP rightly points out only holds its cache for a few years after you leave - and certainly not for the money (compare a Partner at McKinsey and a fully fanged partner at Goldman - the Goldman partner could own the McK equiv). It's because it's there, its hard to do, and hard work to stay there. But once you have done it you know where your intellectual/physical/emotional limitations are - usually conditioned beyond what a regular joe will experience. So why join McK? Because people want to know that they could be a McK consultant, if they wanted to (and then delude themselves that it was their own choice when they break and quit or are managed out).

I'd much rather do the Dakar though.

Mars,There will always be the ego bit about going to the brand. Good luck to them, if you can make it there you are something special, no doubting that.It's just I've met dozens of people, often in their 30s, who describe themselves as "ex-McKinsey" the moment you meet them. Only when you press do you find they did 2-3 years as a grad and are still trying to cling to the brand when their star seems to have long faded.If you can make it at McKinsey, you deserve a pat on the back. However, people who quit the job before they really understand what consulting truly is (i.e. not 300 slide decks), please don't act as if you're a cut above the rest for the rest of your life - you chucked the towel in (or had it thrown in for you) before it got really hard.

The people who have worked ther for 2-3 years and left have learnt some very valuable skills nonetheless. I also believe that the majority of people plan their carreers with the intention of staying 2-3 years, learning a skill set and moving on to something less demanding. If the process works and lets you get a job then why not do that.

Ex-McK is right.I am currently working at McKinsey, and ready to leave it, now-ENOUGHToo much politics.I chose it, because I was sold the wrong expectations.As part of one "practice" I was told I would work 9am to 18/19pm at the client site.Friday normally finishing at 4pm. That made a total of about 48 hours/week. (In my industry with 8 hours overtime i coud have made about the some money- But the career progression loooked good)In summary reality has been:1) on engagement you never work less than 75-80 hours/week2) the higher you go, the more you work (it is normal from EM above to work 100 hours/week, and yes, there are regularly people in the london office saturdays and sundays3) I had to take up to 16 flights/month and still expecting to work on the planes4) feedback are as sharp and harsh as a razor blade, leaving you speechless and bleedingso are people happy? Depends who asks the questionMost of them would say to their parents :"NO"But this is a highly political place, and you need to be very very careful of what you say and who you say it to.so they will all say:"YES, I am happy,beautiful"Rewards to make it to partner:at any entry level you will sell your soul to the devil, they will own you and beware of complaining.The upper you go, the more you have to sell.Take a look at a one day in the life of an AP and Parter: it is interesting enough to put on fire all your university books, sell your house and move to the Canaries, selling postcards to the tourists and fishing your own food.You have one life only, man.None will give you a second one. And you will not be the one enjoying your millions...Another bottom line is: 97% of the "normal human beings I interact with"have vague or no idea at all of what McK is or does....

I did 2.5 years at McK in London.We worked hard, sometimes it was fun, sometimes it was rubbish.McK has many detractors. 75% are driven by prejudice or jealousy.My personal view is that it was totally worth it.I learnt a huge amount - not just techniques but general ways of doing stuff, attitude etc.It also opened the door to my next job.6 years later it is still useful on my CV - i.e. headhunters and potential employers comment on it.

with below profile do I stand any chance of getting into MCK ? kpmg consulting - 1 yrGS - 6 yrs Russell Group uni 2.2lots of other activities (e.g. internal society leaders, volunteer posts etc)IOC,IMC, qualify , CIMA half qualify

[quote]with below profile do I stand any chance of getting into MCK ? kpmg consulting - 1 yrGS - 6 yrs Russell Group uni 2.2lots of other activities (e.g. internal society leaders, volunteer posts etc)IOC,IMC, qualify , CIMA half qualify[/quote]Given you're stupid enough to revive a 6 year old thread with this nonsense... no, I doubt you stand a chance.