Within the same management consulting firm, your experience can vary wildly from office to office. Choosing the right office for you is a must! You are usually ask to select it or rnak your choices when you apply. Look in your network and talk to people who work there before making a decision. Here are a few things to consider before you choose the office you will apply to.
Languages. You need to speak the local language at a business level.
Industries. Learn about the industries that your office is mostly serving. Places like London and New York will be focused on financial sectors while Houston will focus on energy. If you absolutely hate banking, don’t apply to London! Carefully browse the websites and forums to learn more about each office.
Working style. Usually uniform at the country-level but can also vary from office to office in large countries. Standard working hours, vacations, week-end work vary considerably, so you should pick what works for you. In our experience, Scandinavia, Australia have the best lifestyle, while Southern Europe and East Asia have more strenuous lifestyles.
Size. The larger the city, the larger the office. Smaller offices will feel more ‘homey’, while larger offices will offer more opportunities to work with different people.
Travel. If you are interested in industries that are not particularly concentrated in the office’s city, be prepared to travel almost every week (Monday-Thursday). If you want to go home during the week, you best chose an office with a lot of clients in your city.
What now? Check out the ZeroToMBB book for end-to-end application and interview preparation.
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