Client Testimonials

IESE MBA preparing for McKinsey interviews

My Michael Moment was the collective screening rounds to get into the program. I was blown away by the time, energy and cost to screen people and find just a few clients. I applied with a class colleague and we went through the same process. When I received the 5 page feedback letter my admiration for Michael only grew. He provided very detailed advice on what I needed to do. Sadly, my class mate was unsuccessful but this impressed me more. To think that Michael went through all that trouble and provided a feedback letter made me realize Michael was serious about his intent. I am still in the program and loving every minute of it. I learn new things every day and feel I am growing professionally and ready to take on MBB come March 2013. We have published the most useful client feedback. Our commitment to confidentiality prevents us from disclosing the identity of our clients and other confidential information, and we may alter details to prevent such disclosure. Some client feedback may be lightly edited for grammar, spelling or prose, though we never alter or remove any information. Clients in our consultants coaching program are forbidden from…

Client Testimonials

My Michael Moment was the collective screening rounds to get into the program. I was blown away by the time, energy and cost to screen people and find just a few clients. I applied with a class colleague and we went through the same process. When I received the 5 page feedback letter my admiration for Michael only grew. He provided very detailed advice on what I needed to do. Sadly, my class mate was unsuccessful but this impressed me more. To think that Michael went through all that trouble and provided a feedback letter made me realize Michael was…

Client Testimonials

Haas MBA pursues BCG ignores case competitions

I asked Michael about the MBA case competition and he said I should forget about it. I did not believe him and he provided a long explanation which went something like this... "To win a case competition requires skills very different from that required to obtain an MBB offer. Case competitions require research, power point, formatting and team work skills which will not be required in a case interview. It will also take up a lot of my time, effect your grades and lead to no meaningful reward." Michael also pointed out that people who win case competitions generally do not get MBB offers. That was a statistic I found hard to believe at the time, especially since so many other major sites were telling me to do it! I am sad to say I did not believe Michael, entered 4 major case competitions, hurt my grades and ended up with no offers. That was the last time I ignored Michael’s advice. For round 2 at MBB, at least I hope to get a round 2, I follow his advice like scripture! Thanks for believing in me Michael. We have published the most useful client feedback. Our commitment to confidentiality…

Client Testimonials

I asked Michael about the MBA case competition and he said I should forget about it. I did not believe him and he provided a long explanation which went something like this... "To win a case competition requires skills very different from that required to obtain an MBB offer. Case competitions require research, power point, formatting and team work skills which will not be required in a case interview. It will also take up a lot of my time, effect your grades and lead to no meaningful reward." Michael also pointed out that people who win case competitions generally do…

Client Testimonials

Thai experienced-hire to Bain

Question: "Is it weird if a candidate has to pay the travel expense? I got an interview invite for an in-person interview in a foreign office (my top choice). They informed me that I would need to pay all travel expenses myself. With international flights, hotels, taxis, and food, it is a lot. I am glad, though, to get this invite as I am applying from a non-target school, and my grades are good but not great. My fear was I would not get any invites, and I had to network heavily using the approach Michael taught in The Consulting Offer to land this interview invite in the first place. But should I try my luck and ask them to pay for at least the air tickets or a portion of the expense, or should I not look into the teeth of a gifted horse and be glad they invited me? I don't want to affect my chances of getting this job, but it is a lot of money for me." Today, we will answer a question concerning whether you should incur costs when going through management consulting recruitment. A similar logic will be applicable to many senior jobs in other industries. This is something I…

Client Testimonials

Question: "Is it weird if a candidate has to pay the travel expense? I got an interview invite for an in-person interview in a foreign office (my top choice). They informed me that I would need to pay all travel expenses myself. With international flights, hotels, taxis, and food, it is a lot. I am glad, though, to get this invite as I am applying from a non-target school, and my grades are good but not great. My fear was I would not get any invites, and I had to network heavily using the approach Michael taught in The Consulting Offer to…

Client Testimonials

Motivating a Wharton MBA through Christmas

I think it is a swell idea of your team to collect the best moments with clients. I hope you will publish some of these stories. You will probably not recall this moment but it was a turning point for me. I was alone at Wharton, no family in the U.S., I had no money to fly home, all my friends were away for Christmas and I was planning my applications. I sent you a message at 6:15pm EST on Christmas day and never expected a reply. You sent me a message on Skype and offered to call me. That was a pretty amazing response to take your clients so seriously. We had a short call but you told me something which placed my situation in perspective and gave me the energy to push through. You said that great people are never happy. “They are extremes with no friends. They have sharp edges and they have no friends. They see things others cannot see and are ridiculed for it until they can make their ideas work. One of the great myths of the media is that successful people are happy. No successful person is happy. Successful people are flawed – deeply so.” You…

Client Testimonials

I think it is a swell idea of your team to collect the best moments with clients. I hope you will publish some of these stories. You will probably not recall this moment but it was a turning point for me. I was alone at Wharton, no family in the U.S., I had no money to fly home, all my friends were away for Christmas and I was planning my applications. I sent you a message at 6:15pm EST on Christmas day and never expected a reply. You sent me a message on Skype and offered to call me. That…

Client Testimonials

Picking McKinsey over BCG with a 15% lower salary

My Michael Moment occured after I had received offers from BCG and McKinsey and was trying to debate the best choice. BCG offered me 15% larger package overall and a higher signing bonus. I sent Michael a short note on Skype explaining my decision and intimating that the extra money would pay for a nice vacation with my wife. I received a note saying that money was not everything and I should choose the firm which I felt had a partner who could personally mentor me. Michael gave me 4 things to think about: • I would only progress to partner if a partner took me under his wings and mentored me. I should think about which firm was not more likely to do that. • 15% + higher immediate salary translates into very little over a 5 to 10 year career. I should think about the lifetime value of the decision and not the short term value. • A firm that pays more will have a reason for doing that. No one is that generous. I needed to think carefully about the gap for which the money was compensating. Was it training, the type of engagements etc.? • Don’t…

Client Testimonials

My Michael Moment occured after I had received offers from BCG and McKinsey and was trying to debate the best choice. BCG offered me 15% larger package overall and a higher signing bonus. I sent Michael a short note on Skype explaining my decision and intimating that the extra money would pay for a nice vacation with my wife. I received a note saying that money was not everything and I should choose the firm which I felt had a partner who could personally mentor me. Michael gave me 4 things to think about: • I would only progress to…

Client Testimonials

Client not placed in South-East Asia

A client from South-east Asia wrote 3 memorable moments from our coaching. I think 3 traits describe Michael for me -- utmost professional integrity, excellence and valued relationship. This story is about the 3rd trait: My "Michael Moment" came when I had finished the case coaching program, having spent ~4 months, and 15 hours being mentored by Michael. That day, I received the email decision from the consulting firm I was applying to. Sadly, I was unsuccessful in my application. Of course the first thing I did was shared it with Michael, and after some comforting encouragement from him, he said one the most inspiring words I've ever heard: That for him clients are friends. I understood this when I later on chatted with him. He provided me with guidance and resources, beyond the scope of what I had assumed as the "formal business contract" of the program. Michael, I am so fortunate to be your client and your friend. We have published the most useful client feedback. Our commitment to confidentiality prevents us from disclosing the identity of our clients and other confidential information, and we may alter details to prevent such disclosure. Some client feedback may be lightly…

Client Testimonials

A client from South-east Asia wrote 3 memorable moments from our coaching. I think 3 traits describe Michael for me -- utmost professional integrity, excellence and valued relationship. This story is about the 3rd trait: My "Michael Moment" came when I had finished the case coaching program, having spent ~4 months, and 15 hours being mentored by Michael. That day, I received the email decision from the consulting firm I was applying to. Sadly, I was unsuccessful in my application. Of course the first thing I did was shared it with Michael, and after some comforting encouragement from him, he…

Client Testimonials

Tough case interview feedback delivered

As you know, finding Michael is not easy because he is so sneaky, and for me, finding Michael was like finding a gold mine. Right away, I realized that Michael means business and if you are looking for some happy go lucky guy, you won't find it here. I think almost every session Michael has said to me how he wonders why I am so bad at case interviews and I don't think I was offended once. I think this is because after working with Michael you realize that he is really a good person and for him it is really not about the money, but it is about helping his clients achieve goals that he knows are really important to them. Thanks so much Michael. We have published the most useful client feedback. Our commitment to confidentiality prevents us from disclosing the identity of our clients and other confidential information, and we may alter details to prevent such disclosure. Some client feedback may be lightly edited for grammar, spelling or prose, though we never alter or remove any information. Clients in our consultants coaching program are forbidden from sharing sensitive client data with us.

Client Testimonials

As you know, finding Michael is not easy because he is so sneaky, and for me, finding Michael was like finding a gold mine. Right away, I realized that Michael means business and if you are looking for some happy go lucky guy, you won't find it here. I think almost every session Michael has said to me how he wonders why I am so bad at case interviews and I don't think I was offended once. I think this is because after working with Michael you realize that he is really a good person and for him it is…

Client Testimonials

Motivating MBA before McKinsey interview

I requested Michael to speak to me before my McKinsey interview. So, one day before the interview he tried to find time but could not accommodate me. At about 9:00pm, my phone rings and least of all I am expecting to hear Michael’s voice on the other side; I am surprised as hell, because Michael is available on Skype only. In his characteristic tone he says, “[Redacted] how are you”? And then goes on to say some of the most simple but profoundly motivating words for me. He says, “[Redacted], good luck for tomorrow. You have it in you and you can make it, you just need to believe in yourself. If you were one of the mediocre candidates then I would have said, have a good time at the interview, we will teach you the networking skills and attempt to get you another interview next year. But, you have the intellectual rigor needed for a McKinsey interview. All you need to go in is with extreme levels of self-confidence. And please do me a favor – Don’t talk to and listen to your friends, because they don’t know anything about what McKinsey wants in a candidate. And that’s why…

Client Testimonials

I requested Michael to speak to me before my McKinsey interview. So, one day before the interview he tried to find time but could not accommodate me. At about 9:00pm, my phone rings and least of all I am expecting to hear Michael’s voice on the other side; I am surprised as hell, because Michael is available on Skype only. In his characteristic tone he says, “[Redacted] how are you”? And then goes on to say some of the most simple but profoundly motivating words for me. He says, “[Redacted], good luck for tomorrow. You have it in you and…

Client Testimonials

Counter-intuitive networking for Bain

My fondest Michael Moment occurred during networking. I sent an email to an MBB partner and I received a slightly aggresive response. I was really worried and not sure how to respond. I wanted to send a detailed response trying to salvage the relationship by explaining my choices of questions. I was pretty sure my chances were finished and my dream of an MBB offer was finished. Michael gave me the strangest advice. He said I should do nothing. That was such bizarre feedback. He told me partners are the face of the firm. "A partner should always be polite and professional since they have such selective requirements and need to balance that with utmost professionalism." If I waited long enough the partner would try to correct the situation since he could not leave the situation as it was. Michael was right as usual! 2 days later I received an email from the senior partner saying he had reviewed my resume again and felt we should talk. That call did not lead to an offer but I eventually got into Bain by using similar advice from Michael. We have published the most useful client feedback. Our commitment to confidentiality prevents…

Client Testimonials

My fondest Michael Moment occurred during networking. I sent an email to an MBB partner and I received a slightly aggresive response. I was really worried and not sure how to respond. I wanted to send a detailed response trying to salvage the relationship by explaining my choices of questions. I was pretty sure my chances were finished and my dream of an MBB offer was finished. Michael gave me the strangest advice. He said I should do nothing. That was such bizarre feedback. He told me partners are the face of the firm. "A partner should always be polite…

Client Testimonials

From Bain Middle East to McKinsey USA

Greetings from the West Coast. My Michael Moment happened before I applied to Firmsconsulting. I wrote to Michael asking if he could help me transfer from Bain in a non-U.S. office to a U.S.-office. He was polite but said I needed to go through a complete screening process including a selection interview. I was shocked! I was at Bain! Either Michael did not know how good Bain was or was just arrogant. He calmly and carefully explained the process to me. Everyone needs to go through the process. If Firmsconsulting took me in without verifying my abilities they would be accepting a client which may not be a good fit for them. Michael also indicated that even on their best days, MBB does not have uniform recruiting standards and weaker consultants get in – they screened for that and assumed nothing. After speaking to Michael I realized he had an exceptional understanding of Bain, our history and culture and even knew more than me. He was extremely polite, and knew my office very well – maybe to well! Much later, I learned that FC has a principle of aiming to have higher standards than the 3 consulting companies they serve. That…

Client Testimonials

Greetings from the West Coast. My Michael Moment happened before I applied to Firmsconsulting. I wrote to Michael asking if he could help me transfer from Bain in a non-U.S. office to a U.S.-office. He was polite but said I needed to go through a complete screening process including a selection interview. I was shocked! I was at Bain! Either Michael did not know how good Bain was or was just arrogant. He calmly and carefully explained the process to me. Everyone needs to go through the process. If Firmsconsulting took me in without verifying my abilities they would be…

Client Testimonials

Bain Moscow PhD stays in the hunt for McKinsey

My MM was something of a doozy! I applied to McKinsey and received a PST invitation. I took the PST and did so badly that I was told I would need to wait 2 years to reapply! I was truly devastated. I planned on joining McKinsey through my whole career and pursued my MBA for an interview. Michael helped me place everything in perspective. He told me I had not prepared, had not read up on the PST and had no prior experience of the test. He felt the outcome was expected and I should not see it as a sign that I was not good enough for McKinsey. It was more a "sign of your laziness" – yes, he used those words! He told me the failure rate for the PST was highest among PhD candidates (I had a PhD before pursuing my MBA) because many assumed they could handle the test without preparation and simply failed. The happy ending is not that I managed to get into McKinsey. I tried reapplying but the office said no. I however did get into Bain, but this time was prepared better. With Michael’s help I hope to make another push for…

Client Testimonials

My MM was something of a doozy! I applied to McKinsey and received a PST invitation. I took the PST and did so badly that I was told I would need to wait 2 years to reapply! I was truly devastated. I planned on joining McKinsey through my whole career and pursued my MBA for an interview. Michael helped me place everything in perspective. He told me I had not prepared, had not read up on the PST and had no prior experience of the test. He felt the outcome was expected and I should not see it as a…

Client Testimonials

African MBA Graduate on values before profit

My Michael Moment came right at the beginning. As a South African MBA student the program was approximately R[Redacted]. That was a lot of money and equal to 25% of the yearly cost of my MBA program. It was a lot of money! It is a lot of money! It will always be a lot of money. I had applied late in the cycle and given the sum involved, I would need about 3 to 4 weeks to beg, borrow and squeeze it out of my parents – who thought I was certifiably insane to spend so much money on this program. The moment occurred when I wrote to Michael and asked if we could start before the payment was made. I knew it would be a no but thought I should ask. Michael’s response is pasted below and it is the reason I am such a strong believer in his views – well, that and I did get into MBB! Dear [redacted] We understand the funding challenges. We would be able to start the program before payment is made. We select clients heavily on values and ethics, and if there was any doubt you would not pay us, then…

Client Testimonials

My Michael Moment came right at the beginning. As a South African MBA student the program was approximately R[Redacted]. That was a lot of money and equal to 25% of the yearly cost of my MBA program. It was a lot of money! It is a lot of money! It will always be a lot of money. I had applied late in the cycle and given the sum involved, I would need about 3 to 4 weeks to beg, borrow and squeeze it out of my parents – who thought I was certifiably insane to spend so much money on…

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Where else can you learn from ex-McK, BCG et al. senior partners?

Learn from the people who make the final hiring decision in the final round of interviews.

IESE MBA preparing for McKinsey interviews

Haas MBA pursues BCG ignores case competitions

Thai experienced-hire to Bain

Motivating a Wharton MBA through Christmas

Picking McKinsey over BCG with a 15% lower salary

Client not placed in South-East Asia

Tough case interview feedback delivered

Motivating MBA before McKinsey interview

Counter-intuitive networking for Bain

From Bain Middle East to McKinsey USA

Bain Moscow PhD stays in the hunt for McKinsey

African MBA Graduate on values before profit

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