Hey folks,
I’m about to begin my MBA program and want to completely pivot my career from technology into management consulting. My goal is to land at one of the big three consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, or Bain). My entire work history has been in the tech sector where I’ve been a programmer, started my own company, and done some academic research in machine learning.
Since I’m totally new to the consulting world, I need help figuring out how to prepare myself for getting an internship and hopefully a permanent position at these top firms.
I’m particularly looking for advice on:
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Preparation timeline - What should my study schedule look like and when should I start different activities like case practice and reaching out to people?
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Learning resources such as:
- Case interview preparation materials
- Basic business strategy concepts
- Consulting-specific analytical thinking approaches
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Networking strategies - How do I connect with current consultants while I’m in school?
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Essential skills - What other abilities should I develop during my MBA to succeed in consulting?
I’m really committed to making this career change happen and ready to do whatever it takes. Anyone who has made a similar jump into top consulting firms or is working on the same goal, I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts.
Thanks!
Consulting recruiting runs on a super tight schedule - way different from tech hiring. Most firms start summer internship recruiting in September/October of your first year and wrap up final rounds by November. You can’t wait until you feel ready. Start working on your consulting story now. Figure out why you actually want to leave tech for consulting - and it better be more than just ‘exploring options.’ Firms smell that hedging from a mile away with tech people. Hit the behavioral prep hard alongside your case practice. Your startup background will make them wonder if you can handle the structured consulting world. Target offices in SF or Seattle where they actually get tech backgrounds and do more digital transformation work. Your technical skills plus business thinking is solid, but you need to prove you’re genuinely excited about client service and solving problems across different industries - not just the tech stuff you already know.
Tech background’s a huge advantage! Start prepping cases early and join the consulting club ASAP. Practice daily with classmates - fastest way to get better. You’ve got this!
Your tech background is actually a huge advantage right now - digital transformation makes up about 40% of projects at top consulting firms. Start prepping cases 6-8 months early using Case in Point and firm-specific materials. Don’t just focus on cases though. Work on your executive presence and presentation skills since you’ll spend around 30% of your time presenting to C-suite clients. Target practice areas where your tech expertise matters - most firms have dedicated digital and analytics teams now. The real differentiator isn’t your technical skills, it’s showing how your startup experience helps you solve client problems.
honestly, the hardest part isn’t the cases or networking - it’s unlearning how you think about problems in tech. consulting loves frameworks and structured thinking way more than the scrappy problem-solving you probably did at your startup. i spent weeks practicing mece principles and it felt so unnatural at first. also, don’t underestimate how much writing matters. had to relearn everything about making decks.
Oh man, I was in your exact shoes two years ago! Coming from engineering myself, the biggest shock was how much networking matters - way more than in tech. Don’t wait to reach out to alumni; I made that mistake and scrambled later. Your ML background is gold right now since every client wants to talk about AI. Practice cases out loud even when you’re alone - sounds weird but it helps with articulation. The transition’s totally doable, just embrace the relationship-building side early!