I joined McKinsey almost two years ago in Bucharest, after earning my MBA in the US. I never thought my path would take me to where I am today.
I was planning to work with McKinsey’s retail clients because I had plenty of experience in the industry. I thought this background would help me tackle the steep learning curve of becoming a consultant. Much to my surprise, I’ve ended up working predominantly in energy, focused on oil & gas. I thought my work would mostly be within my home country of Romania or around Europe, but I’ve travelled as far as Australia to support clients. The firm continuously pushes me outside of my comfort zone while presenting opportunities I never imagined. I am proud to report I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.
About a year into my McKinsey career, I started a project in Doha. It was supposed to be a relatively simple, four–week engagement. Halfway through, the client decided to extend our contract, and our mission morphed into an exciting journey for the next year. We helped set up a new department to create tangible opportunities for local business development in Qatar. Our work became so important we measured our potential impact in terms of GDP growth. Everybody was energized by the prospect of making a real difference for the country. I experienced firsthand big business problems I never thought I’d get the chance to solve.
During that project, I decided to move to Doha permanently. On top of doing the best work, I found a group of people there who quickly became my friends and role models. The intimate atmosphere and witty, entrepreneurial spirit of the Doha office are great for me. In a way, it reminds of Bucharest.
I’ve enjoyed an incredible ride over the last two years, filled with novelty, excitement, meaningful work and rewarding human interactions. My work experience before joining the firm showed me how rare this is in the corporate world. McKinsey creates the best opportunities for people, and I encourage all new joiners to take advantage of everything the firm has to offer.