How I Lost My Job at McKinsey

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[astridvdg]

As someone with experience in a large consulting firm, I can say with some confidence that if they had enough projects to keep you busy, they wouldn’t have let you go. It seems they used the probation period as a convenient way to cut costs during a downturn in clients needing McKinsey’s services. The system is designed to protect the firm’s interests and shift blame onto individuals, which is why feedback from performance reviews in these situations is rarely constructive or helpful.

I’m really sorry this happened to you, but kudos to you for asking for feedback right away! You’re absolutely right that this doesn’t reflect negatively on you at all, and you’re definitely better off not working there 👏

[aytviewer]

I did consulting for a few years --and will never do it again. The bottom line is that I am too honest to be a consultant. Those companies operate on generating hourly revenue regardless of the need to the customer.

[chrisw]

To succeed at McKinsey you have to be an expert watch borrower and bullshit merchant. You probably failed because you actually solved real problems rather than creating a need for more consulting. You need to sell “packs” not solutions. I would take it as a major affirmation to be fired by these vultures.

[michaelba]

McK are primarily salespeople and not consultants. Their employer branding is awesome. But to be successful there, you have to be a sales genius. First you have to sell yourself internally and later sell projects to customers. Selling is much more important than expertise; expertise is needed in the real economy.

[afns]

Sounds like a horrible company to work for. They hire you, and then expect you to go sell yourself to project teams, perpetually trying to stay employed by repeatedly getting hired over and over to various projects. That's awful.

[RodAldous]

I worked with a guy from MacKinsey once. Useless, incompetant, a bully, absolutely clueless. He was fired.

[ArcadiyIvanov]

Being an introvert is absolutely a disqualifier to being a management consultant. The entire job is networking and relationship building, you can be completely incompetent and succeed if you know how to socialize and people like keeping you around.

[mr.nylund]

I just got the same treatment at EY, you really helped me get through a piece of the trauma

[micharogalewicz]

Not consultancy, but had a very similar experience: hired in one call, one day of boarding, bunch of severely derailed projects to clean up, 4 months of extreme stress, partial bench, empty pipeline, fired on 1st anniversary. - Never again.

[adelinod.]

I am amazed on you being so open to share both your sucesses and hardships Anna. You are gonna do well in your future projects, I'm pretty sure.

[gedog]

I worked with McK for 3 months, as an embed while they were working with my employer. It taught me a lot but most of all how I don’t want to work for a consulting company or in a culture like that. Very long days, drinking, working and producing the shiniest 💩 you’ve ever seen.

[dblockbass]

These companies are so cold and methodical. There is no sympathy or sensitivity. They just want constant performance. Do yourself a favor. Tighten your belt, live below your means and work for people who are human and care about humans and let these corporations and executives cannabalize themselves

[mr.blablamem]

I was fired from consulting position at BCG after couple of years and it was best thing which happened to me in my life. If I stayed longer it would ruin my marriage and my health. I started own business and it is best decision I could have made. Never work for someone else than you. That is freedom.

[Henry_Defence]

This isn't news—it's always been like this. I've spent many years working as a consultant, including time at the world's largest consulting firm. When the sales team failed to secure projects, it was common for team managers to either pressure you into leaving voluntarily or engineer a poor peer review to justify a layoff.

At the end of the day, life isn’t fair, and business operates the same way. Treat work for what it is—just business, no emotions.

[sierushop]

I don't know, Anna. Since "the first time I met you", I've always thought that you were "too good for this", I mean, too good for the technicalities of engineering (not even to mention consultancy), etc. You've been so humble enough like to start this channel, talk about sensible topics most people don't want to talk about or just hide, so tender enough, so noble enough, that I'm not surprised that you didn't fit there, nor they deserved to have you with them. And I'm glad for who you are: a great person and woman.

[RiminiVirage]

Many congratulations on having the strength of character to put up this video and explain why you were let go. This is in fact a sign of great strength and a testament to your character. Clearly the people at that firm didn’t realise what an excellent employee they had and if they’d bothered to invest further in you, I’m sure that you would’ve delivered excellent results over time. After all, Rome it wasn’t built in a day. You are very intelligent, a good communicator and a hard worker there can be no doubt whatsoever that you will find the appropriate niche and go to great success.

[Tonstar]

After the OxyContin scandal I would never hire anyone from McKinsey.

[noone-nothing]

As an employee for a big consulting firm starts with “A” for 5 years. I’m telling you that you lost a job but won your life. Lady, it's horrible, nothing to do about your performance it's all about networking and connections! All the best in your new chapter

[Fred-qx]

I literally had to rewrite McKinsey reports on an assignment as an independent consultant. They were useless.

[tobyzieglerrr]

Bullshit Jobs for a Bullshit Economy... what to expect.
I am actually sorry for so many poor souls that have to or choose to work in such
organizations. What a soul crushing experience...