Client Testimonials

Ivy League 630 GMAT public undergrad. school to BCG

Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? I did not initially enjoy the program although it got to my objectives. I think I was not prepared for what was required, did not fully understand how to use the videos and felt that FC was not perfectly clear about how the videos should be used – truth me told, I very well may not have been listening when it was explained to me! This is not a negative reflection on FC, or Michael. My expectations were 100% out of kilter with reality and I don’t think I was a very good student at the beginning. The poor planning just made it worse. So, I did not enjoy the program but I think that FC did the best they could under the circumstances and maybe not all training should be enjoyable if one achieves the results sought. Did the program meet your expectations? If yes, how? I had a 630 GMAT, embarrassingly low on quant, a degree from a weak public university (but I graduated 1st in my class) and barely got into an Ivy League MBA program. When I signed up with FC it was made clear that I would…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Unsuccessful McKinsey intern now at Bain

Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? I enjoyed working with Michael. He is such a nice person with lots of good ideas and suggestions to improve. I thought he had a good knowledge of the German consulting market and helped me overcome my struggles after being declined at the end of my McKinsey internship. He always questions conventional wisdom and forced me to use the Harvard one-page resume format and remove my photo. I fought hard to keep this but he was adamant that it would work in Germany and it did. I found Michael’s ability to connect with me to be an interesting part of the program. I expected a dry session since he was a partner and older. That was far from it. He had views on all of the life experiences I was going through and made some good suggestions for the offices I should chose versus the lifestyle I wanted. Did the program meet your expectations? If yes, how? In every possible way. FC was my last attempt into consulting. I had been successful getting a McKinsey internship but my ratings were not good and I was not offered a full-time offer. I was…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Lawyer on importance of structures

Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? Yes I enjoyed the program immensely because it provided me with many resources such as the videos that I directly utilized for improving my case skills. Haaving Michael as my coach was very helpful because he was always responsive to my requests and provided me with helpful feedback particularly with my application strategy. Did the program meet your expectations? If yes, how? Yes the program did meet my expectations. My expectation was through this program, I would have the tools to succeed through the application and interview process. I was able to get an interview at McKinsey (second time) and also advance to the final round. Although I did not get the offer in the end, I don’t think it was the materials and guidance that were dispositive, but rather an off-day. What was the most important learning’s from the program? The importance of clear communication in both the case and fit portions of the interview; how to brainstorm and hypothesize; how to perform market-sizing effectively Do you feel the program provided an advantage for you versus your own/other preparation? If so, in what way? I feel like this program dives deeper…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

40 yr old details path into McKinsey Imp. Group

Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? I enjoyed all parts of the program. I had listened to all 180 or so podcasts before reaching out to Michael and felt like I knew him very well through the podcasts. The podcasts were superb and I liked the ones were Michael described engagements from each stage of his career: analyst, associate, and manager, associate principal and principal. They were the most interesting to me. As a 40 year-old, married with children and a daughter starting an expensive college program, I doubt I was the ideal pick for FC. I was just happy to get the acceptance letter! Prior to my screening interviews, Michael and I had an additional 5 discussions over 3 months so that he could properly understand my background and motivations. I liked this part since the calls forced me to think very carefully about my own reasons for making the switch. Michael did not trivialize anything. Assuming I knew his thinking, he painted a picture of the worst possible outcome so that I was clear I wanted to proceed. He made it clear this would be a humbling and humiliating experience to have myself assessed by much…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

McKinsey Associate on avoiding hubris

Don is an associate at McKinsey who has been in our program for 8 months, since the day he joined McKinsey. He holds a bachelors degree and an MBA from a ranked-program. Prior to completing his MBA he worked for the US Federal Government as an analyst. He had been an early contributor to Firmsconsulting before commencing his MBA studies. Why did you seek additional help for your consulting career? I knew someone who had graduated near the top of their class or at the top of their class and I looked up to him. He had received an offer from Bain and I fully expected this guy to make partner. Nine months after he joined I received a LinkedIn update email and noticed he had just changed jobs and was working at a bank. I reach out to congratulate him and express my surprise for the rapid change. He intimated there was more and we soon met for coffee where he explained he had been managed out of the firm after his 3rd study. I was pretty shocked. This was a top guy from a very good school and someone I had hoped would serve as my mentor. There…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Stanford PhD route to McKinsey Singapore

Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? I enjoyed all my sessions with Michael. I found it hard to get into the program and did not enjoy the screening interviews. They were tough and I was not given sufficient information to prepare well. I assumed they would be a simple chat so asked for very little preparation time. My training sessions were nice and I was given extra time which helped me prepare. I thought Firmsconsulting knew a lot about the Singapore offices and they seem to have placed lots of people in the region. This knowledge about the styles of each office helped me during the training and in my interview. The advice on fit questions, image management, clothing, sitting styles, hair was to the point and professionally done. I think they played a big role to make me look older than I was. I am a tiny person and I look very young. People think I am a teenager and I was hoping to change this image. I only targeted McKinsey in Singapore and was happy to get the offer. That is why I enjoyed the program. Michael helped me reach my goal. Did the program meet…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

McKinsey Business Analyst on being social

Nisha is a McKinsey business analyst in the U.S. She holds a degree in literature from a U.S. college where she graduated in the top 5% of her class, and had a strong leadership track record. She interned at a bulge-bracket investment bank and had an offer in hand before selecting McKinsey for its strong values. Nisha was a case coaching client before joining the consultants program. Why did you seek additional help for your consulting career? My experience in the case interview training was a highlight of my recruiting summer. I loved the Firmsconsulting value system of discretion, professionalism and caring for their clients’ needs. I had grown in the program, my case skills improved and I saw marked improvements in all aspects of my career planning skills. I wanted to continue this type of guidance and development and it seemed like the logical next step to apply for the consultant program. The experience has been the same and I like to consider myself more a friend of Michael and the rest of Firmsconsulting. What was your strategy for using the program? As I mentioned earlier, it was a continuation strategy. Everything was going well for me and I…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

New McKinsey BTO Manager and the Content Trap

Indren is a McKinsey BTO engagement manager. He holds an MBA from a top-ranked U.S. program and advanced engineering degrees from India. He graduated with distinction in all programs, including his executive-MBA. He spent 9 years at a services firm prior to completing his MBA and joining McKinsey BTO. He was a client of the case coaching program before joining the consultants program. Why did you seek additional help for your consulting career once you joined McKinsey BTO? I joined a rapidly-expanding office and was put onto an engagement on my 3rd day. I was told this was very unusual, never happened and the firm would support me closely through the study. I was out of place from the first minute of my first day, and whatever support there was never seemed to help me! Things were moving very fast to set me up with regards to laptop, general development, training etc. I never settled down and getting thrown into a study was the worst thing that could have happened. It was an associate, associate principal, partner and I on the case. I had no idea what was happening. I was supporting the associate principal in completing a total-life-time cost study…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

BCG Europe Associate’s success in year 1

Elijah is a BCG associate based in Europe. He is a graduate of a European university where he finished first in his class. He is one of the youngest clients we have and was accepted into Deloitte S&O, McKinsey, Bain and Roland Berger during his graduate recruitment. He was a client of the case coaching program before joining the consultants program. He has been at BCG for over 13 months. Why did you seek additional help for your consulting career? I was not predicting any problems in my consulting career. I expected it to be tough with a steep learning curve and some knocks, but manageable at the end. I joined the program to manage the upside of my career. I enjoyed the Firmsconsulting case coaching program and believe the advice was unique. Exactly what I was told would happen, happened. I was told in my mid-point feedback that I would do very well at BCG, struggle to get into McKinsey and Bain, but get there, and land Roland Berger and Deloitte S&O if I could demonstrate better competency on my teamwork skills. That is what happened. I thought that if Firmsconsulting guided me so well through the program, and…

Client Testimonials