How to prepare for your start at an MBB firm
Many incoming MBB consultants underestimate how critical the first months are. This guide shows how to prepare before day one to avoid mistakes and build strong momentum from your start.
You will join an MBB firm in a few months.
Congratulations!
Getting into an MBB firm is a big achievement. You should be very proud of yourself. But it’s only the beginning of your journey.
Of course, you think about how to prepare well for your start. You want to hit the ground running.
Sometimes, active consultants might tell you not to prepare. They tell you to relax and enjoy your journey. It’s impossible to prepare in advance. You will learn on the job.
But it’s not good advice. It can be a survivorship bias. What would consultants say who were fired in the first year?
Yes, of course, you can join your firm without preparation, like I did. But I don’t advise you to do that. The consulting industry is much more competitive than it was 10 years ago. You simply might not have enough time to learn organically. Nobody has patience anymore.
Your start can significantly affect your whole journey at the firm. And preparing well can make a world of difference between winning and failing.
Let’s discuss a few no-regret things you can do to prepare:
1. Learn slide-making
Slide-making will be a major part of your job.
Initially, it will be the most frequent activity you will do. Any smallest frictions will lead to new mistakes, rework, and wasted time.
When I joined McKinsey, I created my first slide on my first project. I remember consultants making jokes about how noob I was. You don’t have to do that.
You can join the firm and already know some basics, main principles, style preferences, etc.
There are numerous materials available on the internet, including YouTube videos and online courses. I don’t recommend any specific resources on purpose. Do your own due diligence. But there’s certainly no shortage of such materials.
2. Upgrade public speaking
Effective communication is a superpower in consulting. But it can be quite challenging for new consultants to learn especially concise, top-down oral communication.
For me, because English is not my native language, that was a double challenge.
Communication is absolutely critical. You will communicate with your leaders and clients quite frequently. And they will make a judgment about you based on how you communicate.
Unfortunately, it takes time to improve one's communication skills. So, start learning early. It’s a fantastic investment for you, and the returns compound over time.
3. Discover unspoken rules
MBB firms are full of unspoken rules and expectations. Some things might even look absolutely illogical and unreasonable to an outside observer.
But if you don’t know them, you will make lots of mistakes. Some mistakes can be lethal for you.
Unfortunately, I learned about some rules pretty late. Nobody told me about them early in my journey. Now I remember how much time and effort I wasted by just not knowing basic things.
Learning them in advance will help you avoid some common mistakes.
Here I can help you.
On this website, I share with consultants those unspoken rules and expectations. For effective reading, I recommend reading all posts in the Playbook section.
There, I share more detailed instructional guides on the most important topics in MBB consulting, like staffing, reviews, slide-making, problem-solving, communication, and many others. If you have any questions, there’s likely an answer already available.
If you do these three things for a few months before you start, it will significantly improve your chances of success in your new firm.
But if you want a more personalized coaching before you start:
We will discuss your pain points, challenges, and aspirations. No strings attached, just straight answers to your biggest questions.
If you want to learn more about my coaching program, read this post:
The coaching program for MBB consultants.