McKinsey Careers

McKinsey careers are in high demand in the booming management consulting field. It’s easy to see why. The company earns over $10B in annual revenue and is generally considered the premier consulting firm in the world. McKinsey works with some of the most powerful corporate clients on cutting-edge issues. Not only that, but McKinsey & Company careers are known to be rewarding, and McKinsey benefits are often described as excessively good. Of course, you must figure out how to get a job at McKinsey before you enjoy those benefits and understanding what McKinsey careers are like is a key first step.

It’s worth noting McKinsey jobs are unique. They have their own particular kinds of challenges, and McKinsey’s fast-paced culture can be challenging for some to adapt to. This means that not everyone is a perfect fit for a McKinsey career. In this article we’ve provided you with an extensive array of information on what McKinsey careers are like. This will help you determine if the environment is right for you, which you’ll need to decide before you start researching how to get a job at McKinsey.

Life at McKinsey

Working at McKinsey is unlike working anywhere else. Of course, virtually all consulting firms say they’re looking for employees who specialize in problem solving, creative thinking, entrepreneurship, and technical expertise. But at McKinsey, they really mean it, and the company culture reflects this. The collective personality has been described as excessively rational—logic and intellect are prized over emotions and instincts. This reflects McKinsey’s long standing reputation for specializing more in the strategic end of consulting services, as opposed to the execution and operational end.

As a top-tier consulting firm, McKinsey helps clients solve complex problems, develop new opportunities, and meet difficult goals. Other consulting firms do this also, but it’s the collaborative nature of McKinsey jobs that makes working there so unique. McKinsey does have a hierarchical organization, but this organization is truly designed to help everyone succeed, both in their work for clients and in their individual career development.

One notable aspect of life at McKinsey is the company’s focus on constant feedback. For lower-level employees, this means receiving (at a minimum) twenty-minutes of one-on-one feedback from a manager every two weeks. Be warned – this is the constructive kind of feedback! Preparing for a McKinsey career means growing in your capacity to receive and apply tough feedback. The company also encourages upward feedback. This means that junior and entry level employees are encouraged to provide feedback even to partners and other senior executives when it’s appropriate.

McKinsey Culture, Benefits, and Reviews

The fact is that McKinsey careers operate on an up-or-out promotion schedule, meaning that underperforming consultants are asked to leave at the next promotion point, although as we’ll examine later, there is some flexibility in when you hit that promotion point. However, promotions are not limited in number, which keeps the environment from getting too competitive. Though of course you will still encounter highly motivated colleagues focused on advancing their own trajectories. But you will also find many employees who are more than happy to provide assistance, support, and even mentorship. The McKinsey culture values being as helpful as possible, and helpfulness confers status on those employees who demonstrate it.

McKinsey jobs also entail being surrounded by world-class talent and expertise across a wide range of disciplines. It’s not uncommon to encounter successful entrepreneurs, academics, and even Olympic athletes among your coworkers.

If you’re hired to work at McKinsey, you should expect a fast-paced environment with endless opportunities for learning and challenging yourself to grow. You should also expect to be surrounded by a culture of cooperation and optimism.

Benefits

McKinsey & Company careers offer support and benefits that go beyond just career development. The company boasts widely beloved comprehensive health care coverage, which includes vision and dental. The retirement benefits for McKinsey jobs are also legendary. McKinsey contributes 5% of base salary to a 401k account automatically, regardless of employee contributions. This rises to 10% for project leaders, principals, and partners, and to 15% for managing directors.

McKinsey careers offer flexible scheduling with the option to telecommute. McKinsey is also very supportive of new parents. Birth parents are given sixteen weeks of paid time off, and non-birth parents are given eight weeks. One of the most beloved benefits of McKinsey careers is the Take Time program. This allows employees to take extra time away from work beyond their paid vacation time, usually up to five to ten weeks, which employees may use to pursue a passion or personal project. The Take Time program is complemented by the Pace program, which allows employees to choose their own rate of progress through their development and promotional path through the company. This stands in contrast to the rigid up-or-out promotion schedules at other consulting firms.

Reviews

McKinsey employees report a strong degree of satisfaction. Indeed assigns McKinsey employees a happiness score of 67/100—not stellar, but solidly above average. McKinsey employees give strong ratings for learning (72/100) as well as purpose (70/100). The compensation and benefits are rated very high, at 4.3 stars out of 5. Company culture is also rated highly, at 4.1 out of 5. Employees give slightly more mixed reviews for the work/life balance (3.6) as well as job security & advancement (3.8).

McKinsey Job Openings

Whether you are considering McKinsey & company careers in DC or McKinsey Boston jobs, you will likely find that opportunities to work at McKinsey do exist. With tens of thousands of employees, and demanding clients all over the world, McKinsey is always hiring. At the time of writing, the company was advertising over 500 total jobs on its website. To offer some examples, there are over 30 McKinsey Boston jobs currently available, 19 McKinsey San Francisco careers, 16 McKinsey UAE careers, and 12 McKinsey careers DC.

Is A McKinsey Career For You?

If you’re interested in working in management consulting, you’re almost certain to be exploring McKinsey & company careers. That’s true of many people, so the process of getting hired at McKinsey can be highly competitive. While there are many McKinsey careers to pursue, the most straightforward path involves being hired directly out of an undergraduate or MBA program via an on-campus recruiting program. That said, it’s always possible to get an interview by networking or applying online. You should also be aware of the McKinsey insight program, aimed at folks with PhDs or other advanced degrees.

In any case, if you’re able to nail the interview and land the job, working at McKinsey will be beneficial to you in many ways. You will earn a highly competitive salary with opportunities for raises and advancement. You’ll have many opportunities to broaden your expertise, to explore new interests, and to develop your own career path. You’ll also be supported with a wide array of employee benefits and a collaborative, optimistic corporate culture. And you will have a truly elite, globally recognized brand attached to your resume.

Additional Reading:

• McKinsey Problem Solving Test
• McKinsey Global Institute: What Is It?
• Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide
• Case Interview Examples: Master List