It's not so much that McKinsey consultants are smart (although they are), but that they often have a prestigious track record. At McKinsey, his colleagues are almost always from companies such as Oxford, Harvard, Stanford and Yale. I totally agree with Guennael and Sidi. You don't have to be a genius or so smart to be a consultant.
The truth is that most tasks only require you to have a basic level of intelligence and the ability to think in a structured way, along with a lot of work. Working at McKinsey can offer you the opportunity to explore diverse sectors, functional areas, and types of problems in a way that few companies can. This is why a complete profile as a consultant is needed: if it were only about cognitive intelligence, companies could offer huge salary packages to the best graduates of the most difficult doctoral programs at universities around the world. If you don't like networking and domestic politics, McKinsey, and consulting in general, it might not be your thing.
McKinsey & Company is one of the most sought-after consulting firms in all of management consulting, but it also has its drawbacks. But no company is perfect, right? And why does everyone want to work at McKinsey, anyway? Why is it the gold standard for consulting firms? McKinsey recognizes that it is a great benefit for the Firm to have alumni in leadership positions, and they help create the space (and provide job search resources) that will help you succeed in your job search. McKinsey does an excellent job of maintaining strong relationships with these alumni, providing a permanent network of outstanding people united by the shared experience of working for the Firm. McKinsey consultants are known to be among the hardest working in the consulting industry, which speaks volumes.
McKinsey consultants adhere to a certain way of thinking and communication style, and you are expected to assimilate into that culture. Learn about the BCG online case and learn how to approach this specific Boston Consulting Group test when you want to start your career in the consulting field. In addition, the firm's management places a high value on professional development, helping consultants to protect the time spent on training (so you can actively participate). I have always been impressed, and almost a little intimidated, by the degree of intelligence, speed of thinking and ability to understand complex concepts that can be observed in elite firm consultants (MBB).
For independent thinkers, McKinsey may continue to be a good place to develop their consulting toolkit for a few years, although you may not want to stay “for life.”.
