MBB is the shorthand for the three biggest strategy consulting firms: McKinsey & Company, BCG and Bain & Company. I did a spring week at McKinsey, interned at BCG and worked at Bain for two years, so this is the part of the site I know best.
What they all look for on a CV
The three firms screen undergraduate CVs on very similar criteria. McKinsey is the clearest about it: it looks for leadership, problem-solving and personal drive, and if a screener can't find a clear example of any one of them, the CV is dismissed. BCG screens against similar criteria, and Bain has used a points system where leadership and other experience count for much more than the difference between a First and a 2:1.
So the job is simple to describe and hard to do: make sure each of those three is unmissable in an eight-second read.
How they differ
- McKinsey: the most famous, very structured about recruiting, and has been relaxed about two-page CVs.
- BCG: recruits early. In the past its insight programme applications opened in January of first year.
- Bain: a strong culture of team and results, and in my experience happy to help candidates practise before interviews.
MBB or the Big 4?
From my guide:
- Type of work: most firms now do strategy, operations and technology, but the Big 4 have bought smaller agencies to offer more services.
- Project size: Big 4 projects can be much larger.
- Pay: MBB charges more and pays more, sometimes more than double.
- Culture: MBB is only consulting. The Big 4 have many divisions, so a wider mix of people.
- Work-life balance: quite similar. Long hours and travel, weekends usually respected.
- Exits: both well respected; MBB is known for its training and for people going on to top business schools and C-suite roles.
If you want MBB, also apply to the tier-2 firms and the Big 4 strategy arms. Every case interview is practice for the next one.