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

Client Testimonials

Prescription for networking with BCG

Edward, profiled and interviewed on a podcast on the Podcasts homepage, discusses the striking similarities between networking and building relationships. The podcast is a more detailed discussion, in Edward's words, on the points below. Edwards developed the most successful approach we have ever seen with clients. He was successful because he spent 3 months learning how to develop and communicate sincere interest in his interactions. Our approach to networking is the opposite of that recommended elsewhere and, as you will see with Edward, is entirely appropriate for management consulting. What is your philosophy for networking? There is a joke about how to succeed at dating in two steps: • Be attractive. • Don’t be unattractive. This is true for professional networking, but you have control over the factors that make you attractive or unattractive. Learn what they are. Learn how your actions affect them. Project an honest, accurate, positive image. What were your objectives when you planned a networking call or meeting? To build relationships with specific people in specific offices, so that when I applied, my resume stood out because it had a post-it on it from someone the recruiter knows. To seduce the target firm into asking me…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

32 year old Yale Postdoc Pursuing McKinsey NYC

Samantha is a 32 year-old Post Doctoral Fellow at Yale and a candidate in Season One of “The Consulting Offer.” Samantha discusses her experiences in the program. This interview was conducted at session 15 after Samantha had left the program. Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? Yes and No. Yes. I want to learn management consulting and like learning new things that challenge me. I learned things that I cannot learn from books, classes, or people around me through Michael’s knowledge sharing and candidness. These include tackle cases and communicating in multiple ways (how to speak, what to speak, and body language). For example, I needed to do a lot of research to find out how to tackle a case, or which ways are better to tackle cases. But through the training, Michael taught me ways not only to tackle one case, but many cases of the same type. He also explained very well about why the case was designed that way, and the interviewers’ expectation. Another example: I know I have communication problems, but didn't know what the problems were or there extent. Michael pointed my problems one by one whenever he saw them. It’s very constructive…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Experienced MBA European Interviews

Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? It was not only very interesting to work with Michael but very exciting also. When interacting with Michael you physically feel his passion to provide you with best coaching possible to strengthen your profile. Did the program meet your expectations? If yes, how? The program exceeded my expectations as I received more than expected. The techniques and overall approach to problem solving I was exposed to made me feel like my MBA was far from real life. Three months of coaching provided by Michael brought me to the real world of strategic consulting. All my approaches were challenged and with every coaching session I became stronger and stronger in problem solving and analysis. What was the most important learning’s from the program? To become a great consultant you should not only be a great performer or have an excellent skill set – you should also work on your personality and character. And Michael was able to infect me with this spirit of constant self-development. Do you feel the program provided an advantage for you versus your own/other preparation? If so, in what way? It’s just like in any eastern spiritual practice: you…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Experienced hire strategy for McKinsey London

Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? Yes. • The materials are topical and current, making it fun to compare with what I had thought previously about the subject • There is a great deal to learn and it is very exciting to open the Wistia repository for the first time and see so much material that you know will develop your skill set positively • With my current employer, the value system feels like a box ticking exercise. There is a poor level of emphasis on them. From reviewing the Firmsconsulting materials and 1-on-1’s, I’ve recognised the importance of good values again • Even if the engagement with Firmsconsulting does not result in an offer from a consultancy that I would like to work for, I know that the skills I will take away with me will serve me well, regardless of my profession Did the program meet your expectations? If yes, how? In many cases, the program exceeded expectations. I did not envisage having help with my CV, cover letter, or correspondence to recruiting firms. I expected to simply focus on my techniques for solving cases. Even the informal emails/catch ups, just to see how things were…

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

BCG consultant on getting promoted

This client was a Firmsconsulting Emerging Fellow and scholarship recipient. Only past Fellows may nominate new Fellows for consideration. Did you enjoy the program? If yes, how? I enjoyed the program tremendously for 3 reasons. Customized approach to interview training: I have little case interview practices (I mostly read cases and occasionally interviewed myself in front of the mirror) and a somewhat immature communication style (giggle/gasp during interviews, too eager to please). Michael correctly pointed all of these weaknesses out and coached me as much as possible on these issues. Excellent case prep materials: The podcasts and video case guides are extremely informative and educational. During my preparation I tried to exhaust and absorb as much knowledge as I could. There are three components of the materials: the podcasts on general consulting lifestyle/work/recruiting, the video guides for case practices, and the mining case book that walks me through an engagement. I later found out that my first and only project with MBB was very similar to what is laid out in this book. So it was a great heads-up. Quick access to Michael’s advice: I often checked in with Michael during my recruitment timeline, before starting and during my case.…

Client Testimonials