i’m seriously considering applying to MBB and a couple solid boutiques, but i realize i don’t actually have a clear picture of what the first year looks like day-to-day or what the career progression really is. like, i know the titles—analyst, senior analyst, manager—but beyond that, it’s pretty vague.
what does an analyst actually do? how much are you coding versus presenting versus just pulling data? do you get real client exposure or are you mostly in back office for the first 6 months? and what’s the pace like? how often are you traveling? are people actually working 70-hour weeks or is that exaggerated?
also, what matters for moving up? like, is it all about billable hours and project outcomes, or does networking within the firm matter just as much? and when people talk about “exit opportunities,” where do analysts typically go after 2-3 years? PE? Startups? Back to industry?
i don’t want to glorify or catastrophize consulting—i just want to understand what i’m actually signing up for before i invest the next few months in applications.
it’s not glamorous. year one you’re cranking models, building decks, doing research—a lot of unglamorous work that partners present as their own. you do see clients, but mostly in rooms where you’re not talking. travel is real and it sucks sometimes. the 70-hour myth is sorta true in project weeks but not every week. the real move is showing you can scope a problem and own part of it, not just execute tasks.
exit ops are overblown. some go to PE, some go back to industry, some jump to startup. mostly depends on what you did, who you know, and timing. the firm brand helps, but honestly it’s about the specific skills you built and your network.
Your instinct to get clarity before committing is sound. Year one at a top firm is indeed structured around analytical grunt work—building financial models, creating presentation materials, conducting preliminary data analysis. You will interact with clients, though typically not in the room for strategy discussions. The pace varies significantly by project and engagement type, but expecting 60-80 hour weeks during active project phases is realistic. For progression, impact and visibility matter in tandem. Demonstrating capability to independently scope and solve sub-problems, combined with strong stakeholder relationships inside the firm, drives advancement. Regarding exits, most analysts move into PE, corporate development, or industry strategy roles—the latter being most common. The brand opens doors, but your specific project experience and sponsor relationships determine trajectory.
You’re asking all the right questions! A year as an analyst is intense but incredibly rewarding—you grow fast around real problems. The exit paths are genuinely excellent. Go for it!
MBB analyst roles involve approximately 40-50% analytical work (modeling, data), 30-35% deliverable creation, and 15-20% client interaction during year one. Average utilization runs 75-85%, with billable weeks typically ranging 55-75 hours. Promotion timelines are standardized—analyst to senior analyst in ~2 years based on performance ratings. Exit data shows roughly 45% move to PE, 30% to corporate strategy or PM roles, 15% remain in consulting, and 10% pursue other paths. Network quality within the firm correlates strongly with both promotion speed and exit opportunity quality, suggesting relationship investment matters significantly alongside project delivery.