McKinsey Alumni

If you’re going into a consulting career, McKinsey & Company is likely one of the first places you’re looking into. And why not? McKinsey is considered to be the most prestigious consulting firm in the world. And while it may seem backward, it is prudent to begin with the end in mind when it comes to consulting. You should be wanting to learn about life after McKinsey now. Which opportunities will a career at McKinsey set you up for? This isn’t thinking too far ahead – the firm follows the “up or out” model. You either get promoted at your first promotion point (2-3 years), or you are gently encouraged to leave and find employment elsewhere. It’s just the way it works.

Fortunately, McKinsey has a killer alumni program for their global network of 37,000 plus alumni. McKinsey places a huge value on alumni. This is demonstrated by how the firm consistently engages and invests in its employees long after they leave the organization. One of the reasons why? The firm expects that one day, you’ll be a client!

At McKinsey, you find yourself part of one big family – regardless of whether or not you still work there. Let’s take a look at the McKinsey Alumni Program, starting off with a few notable alumni that hail from McKinsey & Co.

Notable McKinsey Alumni

1. Sundar Pichai – CEO, Google, part of the Alphabet Group
2. Sheryl Sandberg – COO, Facebook
3. James Gorman – CEO, Morgan Stanley
4. Vittorio Colao – CEO, Vodafone
5. Jorgen Vig Knudstorp – CEO, The LEGO Group
6. James McNerney – CEO, Boeing
7. Hubert Joly – CEO, Best Buy
8. Bob Haas – CEO, Levi Strauss & Co.
9. Andrew T. Kearney – Founder, A.T. Kearney
10. Chelsea Clinton – Vice Chairman, Clinton Foundation

This list of famous McKinsey alumni is only a small sampling of the impact McKinsey alumni have had in nearly every business sector across the globe. It seems like every other day we hear about another McKinsey alum getting appointed as CEO of a Fortune 500 company. USA Today even did a study calculating that McKinsey consultants have the best odds – hands-down, no contest – of becoming CEO of a public company. Synopsis: if you want the best chance of becoming CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company, working for McKinsey might be your best shot…

McKinsey Alumni Website

The McKinsey Alumni Center is an online directory for alumni to connect after they leave McKinsey. It is McKinsey’s official platform to help its global network of former consultants remain engaged with the firm and with each other. Every year, McKinsey holds over 100 knowledge and social events to help alumni engage and collaborate with each other. As alumni build their careers post-McKinsey, the alumni program helps them sustain the relationships they started while with the firm.

The Importance of Alumni to McKinsey

There is a reason life after McKinsey is discussed in the recruiting process. Beginning with the end in mind reveals the belief that McKinsey has in building a culture that celebrates departure. They see the exit process as “see you later,” rather than “goodbye”. Consultants are actually encouraged to think about their exit. The fact of the matter is that most won’t – and won’t want to – make it to Partner.

In fact, McKinsey wants you to leave – it’s the only way you’ll become an industry leader and hire the firm to support your own organization.

Inside the directory, all alumni – regardless of seniority and rank – are available to one another. This encourages ongoing connection and collaboration with other alums within the network. In addition, McKinsey provides alumni with continuous access to its cutting-edge thinking and processes. The firm does this through regular online and in-person events. These events give alumni touch points to stay connected to what McKinsey is doing, while helping them stay competitive in their own industries.

This culture of engagement is a massive asset as a McKinsey alum. For incoming and current consultants, the alumni program is worth taking a good look at. If you want to be part of a company that values you both during and after your career with them, then you have another reason to consider McKinsey as a potential landing spot.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to learn more about McKinsey, don’t neglect to consider what will happen after your McKinsey career is over. This is where an extensive alumni program comes in, and McKinsey’s is no joke. McKinsey alumni have gone on to become CEOs of global corporations, founders of influential startups, and leaders in the nonprofit and governmental sector. They’ve influenced every corner of the world. McKinsey celebrates the fact that their people leave and go on to other ventures. It’s all part of the ecosystem. The alumni directory at McKinsey, the knowledge events, and the culture of engagement work to create one of the most compelling alumni programs at any consulting firm.

Additional Reading:

• MBB Firms
• McKinsey & Company Firm Profile
• McKinsey PST: Complete Prep Guide