At McKinsey, we have a continuous strength-based feedback culture that I think you won’t find many other places.
Choosing McKinsey
Before starting in McKinsey, I expected to be challenged from day one in a high-paced working environment. This came to be true, but what I didn’t reflect upon before starting was the amazing support, encouragement, and inspiration I got from my colleagues. Since my first day at McKinsey, I’ve had great colleagues to turn to for advice for everything from how to solve small issues and practicalities to how to approach the greater problems of a study and how to make sure we make true impact for our clients.
Rewarding and meaningful experiences
My most memorable project in McKinsey—apart from my first-ever study—was when I and a large Swedish–German–Norwegian team took on the challenge of helping a West End–based entertainment company in London increase their attractiveness to customers and partners, thus increasing their profits. The project involved some serious thinking and analysis, but also involved a lot of fun and personal development with a truly amazing team. It was spring in London, so we had some great morning runs in Hyde Park, ate lunches in the sun, and went to three musicals and shows during the 5-week study—one of them being a world premiere.
Charting my own journey
Working for McKinsey often involves a lot of travelling, both international and domestic. However, as the parent of a small child, I decided early on to chase Oslo-based projects. This way, I would get to see my family every day (even though working in McKinsey can sometimes involve working quite long hours) and do my part of the everyday tasks, such as picking up my son from kindergarten and taking him to the doctor. And the people in the firm could not have been more supportive. The partners have included me in some very cool Oslo-based projects, and the teams I’ve worked with have shown a lot of care and compassion for me and my family. More than once, my engagement managers have said “Matias, you must go now, or you’ll be late for kindergarten!”
Developing professionally
At McKinsey, we have a continuous strength-based feedback culture that I think you won’t find at many other places. This has helped me identify skills and strengths I didn’t realize that I had before starting here, or at least strengths I hadn’t reflected much upon. The feedback culture has also led me to take a more forward leaning approach towards further developing my colleagues’ strengths than I’ve done in my previous work.
Collaboration
Every McKinsey project involves a team of diverse consultants. But it also involves working with central people at the client—people that are often driven, positive, and fully f motivated to make sure that the project is successful. This is probably one of the best things about working at McKinsey, as it also entails developing strong professional and personal relationships to people outside of the firm.
Education
King’s College London
LLM
University of Bergen
Master of Laws