Erica
Research Analyst, North American Knowledge Center
Expectations/Biggest
Surprise
I have gotten to do so much more than I ever expected I would, such as projects with nonprofit
organizations, learning programs with people from all over the world and various backgrounds,
and working out of offices around the U.S. and the world.
There are many people who inspire me here. There are people in my office that started at the
same time as I did but had more work experience. They have provided incredible insight into
the world and our work. There are also people who have been at McKinsey for years and
impress me with their analytical and qualitative skills. I have certainly learned a lot through my
daily work and interactions with colleagues and consultants. I now speak "McKinsey" –
always
with three points.
Impact
A request came in for information on executive education programs. After discussions with the
consultant, we learned that the client wanted to develop a program with a school for a group of
their top management. We did the research, spoke with programs, and found the schools that
could work with the client within their timeframe. The result was a pack with a recommendation
for the client. Our work allowed the team to focus on other client issues.
3 Requirements for Impact
Jenny
Information Analyst, North American Knowledge CenterChallenges
My biggest challenge here has been not being afraid of "firsts". McKinsey accepts and
expects
that you do not know everything when you walk through the door. The firm supports and
encourages your intellectual curiosity through every step of the learning curve. Your colleagues
help you hone your strengths and overcome your weaknesses, and they are patient and
supportive every day.
I remember the first time I sent out a memo without someone checking over my work. I thought
that given the impact our work can have, someone with more tenure and experience would
always double-check my work. But I was wrong. I was amazed at the trust and responsibility
put in me and felt it important to always live up to the challenge. This is a simple example, but I
still remember that moment.
Expectations/Biggest Surprise
To be honest, I did not know what to expect at McKinsey. The junior analyst role was new
when I started and it was unclear how the position would develop.
That being the case, the biggest surprise was the McKinsey culture. The firm puts a strong
emphasis on professional development and tailoring your work to meet your personal interests
and development opportunities. My managers have an open door policy and it’s not just lip
service. The firm is also non-hierarchal; opportunities are open to juniors and seniors, without
prejudice.
As a junior, I conducted outreach trips to our California offices for two weeks. I worked in the
European (Brussels) Knowledge Center for a two-month exchange. Most recently, I will work
with the Nonprofit Practice on a six-month fellowship.
I have been lucky that all the surprises were good ones.
Greatest Moment
No one moment stands out. There have been several satisfying moments. Generally speaking, I
like knowing the answers to questions. When I started, I had so many questions. Now, I know
enough to have the answers. It is satisfying to realize that you know something today that you
did not know a week, a month, or 6 months ago.
Drawing on Sources of Knowledge
There was a team comparing child care policies for various countries throughout the world. The
team asked us to explain the U.S. and Canadian child care policies. How appropriate that I
worked on this project, because in college I wrote an honors thesis on welfare mothers and the
tradeoff between educating them or mandating work force participation. I was able to call on
my earlier knowledge and build on it to provide information that the team really needed.
Julio
Junior Analyst, North American Knowledge Center
Challenges
I think the biggest challenge while at McKinsey has been to adapt to working life. It's hard to
transition from 12 hours of class a week to full work weeks. McKinsey is a lot more than I
expected. Not only do I find the work enjoyable and challenging, but McKinsey spends a lot of
resources on my professional development.
Giving a Presentation
Greatest moment was giving a presentation after a two-week engagement. It was thrilling and
satisfying at the same time. After two weeks of exhaustion, I had a great sense of
accomplishment. It also meant I could go to sleep for a while.
Applying Your Background
The greatest thing about McKinsey is that you can apply any background (both academic and
personal) to your everyday work life. I have been able to provide impact both through my own
leadership skills developed in college and my economics background.
In my first staffing, we were asked to size an "un-sizeable" market. At around 4 in the morning
I
learned what it meant to work for McKinsey. We had done enough work for the day, we were
all tired, but every team member stayed and kept thinking and debating until we came up with
the best possible recommendation for the client.
3 Requirements for Impact
Work has impact when the final product combines the best information, with good analysis and
originality.
Rafiq
Research Team Leader, North American Knowledge Center
Challenges
McKinsey is a challenging environment but lots of fun as well. I think the biggest challenge is
adapting to the global scope of the firm with the different working styles and cultures of your
colleagues. In addition, the daily realization that the person with whom you are working is as
good or better than you, can be a humbling experience.
"Team" Inspiration
It is hard to point to any single person as my inspiration. I have worked with and learned from
a
wide range of terrific people. Even to this day, as I learn something new from my junior or
senior colleagues, I am reminded that I belong to a terrific institution.
Greatest Moment
My biggest satisfaction came when the firm offered us (me and my wife) an opportunity to
move to the United States. I was amazed by the level of support provided both at my office of
origination (India) and the destination office (Dallas, Texas.) I had heard that the firm was truly
global with the same set of values and principles in every office around the world, but I got a
chance to truly live it during my transfer.
Impact
As a practice research analyst, I was brought into a growth engagement where the client was
trying to invest in innovative product lines and services that would form the killer applications in
the next decade. It was a real blue sky brainstorming exercise where we were able to identify
and recommend a number of innovative, forward-looking applications that the client
successfully invested in.
We were brought into a situation where a sudden change of regulatory environment meant that
the client had lost its status as a monopoly operator of certain services. It was a unique
experience in that we were teaching a client defensive strategies, something the client was not
trained for. We were able to help the client develop switching barriers and reduce its churn
significantly.
3 Requirements for Impact
Professional Experience
Education:
Diploma, Industrial Electronics; Bachelors degree, Electronics &Telecommunications; M.B.A.
with specialization in Finance
Experience:
Worked for one year with the European Commission in India.
Personal Favorites
Book:
The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen
Movie:
The Usual Suspects and Shawshank Redemption
Interests:
Movies, sports, and running
Rick
Research Analyst, North American Knowledge Center
Reaching Out
to Learn
McKinsey is so rich in knowledge and capabilities that it sometimes takes a while to absorb
everything, especially at the start of your career here. That was my biggest challenge. At first, I
was afraid to ask my colleagues questions that I thought were dumb. However, McKinsey puts
a premium on professional development. People are always available to answer questions or
coach you on different skills. Plus, learning opportunities are offered regularly on a number of
subjects, so no knowledge or skill is out of reach.
Expectations/Biggest Surprise
One thing I didn’t expect was the number of opportunities that are available here at the
Knowledge Center. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania to visit government officials,
have dinner with CEOs, and collaborate with colleagues from around the world. Just as
important are the opportunities that individuals can make for themselves. For example,
colleagues at the Center have designed firm-wide training programs and developed new firm
capabilities. But of course, seizing these opportunities depends on the individual and what they
want to make of their time here at McKinsey.
Greatest Moment
Just last week I had to brief a director on a staffing and cost model that I built for our client.
He
had a meeting the next morning during which he had to present the numbers I calculated and
make a case for what we were proposing. It took me a week to build the model, but the idea
that it would help determine our client’s strategy over the next ten years made the time more
than worthwhile.
Using Judgment for Impact
As a research analyst, our bread and butter is finding information, analyzing it, and synthesizing
our findings. Sometimes, though, information is not available. This was certainly the case for an
engagement where a team needed to evaluate a client’s potential entry into several niche
markets. I had to problem solve and estimate the size and future potential of these markets. The
team used my analysis to recommend that the client avoid making a potentially bad decision.
One of the keys to providing impact to the client is to be honest with findings. We had a client
that was an organizational mess. We had to make a decision about whether to recommend
making the changes that would most likely be enacted or to recommend the changes that were
really needed. We decided on the latter. By being honest with the client, we were able to
expose many of the issues that people were afraid to discuss and opened up a dialogue that led
to a number of initiatives to improve the organization.
3 Requirements for Impact
Vivien
Senior Research Analyst, North American Knowledge Center
Challenge: Taking
Advantage of Opportunities
One of my biggest challenges here has been to find the time to do everything I want to do. In
addition to one's daily responsibilities, there are so many opportunities to learn, stretch and
contribute. It's hard to find the time.
Another challenge for me was getting used to the McKinsey way of doing things. I was at first a
little resistant to being told how to talk on the phone, how to write memos. After all, I had
worked for many years and had a style that worked for me. I soon came to realize that the
McKinsey way of doing things is extremely well thought out, sensible, and "right". What was
a
challenge at first quickly transformed into comfortable behavior.
Commitment to Each Other
McKinsey is even better than I expected, particularly in the areas of professional development,
team work and the quality of the people. Overall, I love the professionalism here and the
commitment everyone has to maintaining the firm's reputation. I also love the fact that everyone
is willing to help everyone else be better at what they do. I've never seen that anywhere else
I've worked and didn't expect it before I came based on my pervious experiences.
Inspiration
I am truly inspired by the directors I have come in contact with. They are humble, well-
mannered, and brilliant. I also have been inspired by several consultants in nonprofit who have
managed to apply techniques in the for-profit world to the nonprofit one in interesting, creative,
and impactful ways.
Using Judgment for Impact
I am more open to constructive feedback than I used to be. I am more sensitive to other
people's work styles. I work better in teams. Indeed, I have found that I actually prefer
working with other people rather than alone which was my preferred style pre-McKinsey. I
have learned to be more comfortable sharing responsibilities rather than trying to do everything
alone and that "80-20" is acceptable. While it was hard for me to let go of projects when
I first
got here, I can do it easily now.
Greatest Moment
I don't think I've had it yet. That said, I was very pleased to find a person with whom working
together is effortless. We designed and delivered a joint presentation nearly flawlessly,
complementing each other's skills. It was great!
Impact
I have been able to bring my economics background into play several times on requests. While
consultants are generally familiar with company data, they are less familiar with information on
the business environment and the kinds of data available at the broad industry level. Just today I
provided a consultant with data on how much money an industry spends on consulting services
using a fairly unknown database from the U.S. government, the Input-Output Accounts.
3 Requirements for Impact
Professional Experience
Education:
B.A., Psychology, Simmons College; M.S., Economics, University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
Experience:
20 years as an economist including managing economist of a US industry forecasting service
and content leader for a new web initiative providing data and analysis on global industries.
Personal Favorites
Book:
I have many. One of my favorites is Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. I also liked Interpretation
of Dreams by Sigmund Freud.
Movie:
I love film. I especially like indie films, foreign ones and those by directors including Woody
Allen, Robert Altman, and Alan Rudolph. Some of my favorites are Red, White, Blue, and the
Double Life of Veronique by Polish filmmaker, Krzysztof Kieslowski. I also like Husbands
and Wives, The Player, Monsieur Hero, Hairdresser’s Husband and Antonia’s Line.
Interests:
Going to art museums, plays, ballets, concerts. I love the arts. I also like taking long walks and
working out with my husband. I am getting into cooking. I like doing art projects at home and
shooting pictures, too.
1. McKinsey Research
