BACKGROUND
My background prior to joining McKinsey nicely exemplifies my interest in becoming a management consultant- a little bit of public sector work, some financial advisory experience and a couple of years in the high-tech sector, both in Israel and the USA. For me, the best opportunity to keep exploring, learning, and developing myself in various ways was through a career in consulting.
BEING A CONSULTANT
A consultant is required to be a bit of everything –creative, great with people and have an analytical yet flexible mindset. Each new project enables you to use different areas of your brain and different muscles in your body, and that’s what makes this job interesting, exciting, and dynamic.
MAKING MY OWN MCKINSEY
In my first year at McKinsey I took, what we called, the random walk, working on studies across 5 industries, with different clients and teams. Over the last 8 months I have been focusing on financial services, working with global and local financial institutions on a variety of topics from strategy to customer service, digital offering, and project management. I found the financial services industry to be fertile soil for innovation and impact with plenty of opportunities to make a difference.
THE PEOPLE AT MCKINSEY
The people at McKinsey care about people. From the most senior colleague to the newest joiner, everyone wants you to succeed and thrive, and they're willing to take chances and go the extra mile for you. People at McKinsey are a group of smart, unique individuals who come from different places around the globe, and bring their various experiences and passions to work every day.
HANDLING WORK–LIFE BALANCE
As a father to two amazing girls, finding the right balance is not an easy task in a demanding, high achieving working environment like McKinsey. However, my teammates and managers make my life easier by being empathetic and enabling flexibility during studies and between studies.
A PLACE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
McKinsey is an organization that aspires to create a positive, long lasting impact on the world. As a McKinsey colleague, you are expected to add value from day 1. This does not mean you need to know everything, but the underlying assumption is that you can make a positive difference and impact at every level.
ADVICE FOR APPLYING TO MCKINSEY
Be prepared. The entry bar is high, but it doesn’t mean you need to burn yourself along the way. Be true to yourself and your progression and enjoy the process!