Alex Vichinsky: Summer Associate, McKinsey & Company
The Old Grad Story:
Our very own Alex Vichinsky flew Kiowas and Chinooks as an Aviation Officer for almost a decade – including several years spent with 160th SOAR – before leaving the Army to pursue a corporate fellowship with Convoy Inc. He left Convoy to attend Chicago Booth, where he is now preparing to enter the second year of his MBA program. Alex entered McKinsey as a Summer Associate this June, while continuing to make invaluable contributions to the Old Grad Club.
Old Grad Knowledge:
When I hit 9 years of service with the Army, I had a big decision to make - attend Army intermediate-level training and commit probably the next 10 years to the government, or separate and forge a career in the corporate world. I was very satisfied with what I achieved as a pilot and a leader, but I felt I could impart a larger impact on the outside. At year 9 I began looking at my options, and I decided to leverage the DoD's Corporate Fellowship Program to secure an internship with a Seattle-area tech startup, Convoy Inc., where I managed operations. I loved the dynamic nature of the work, operating in ambiguity, and the freedom to think creatively.
Chicago Booth embodies a pay-it-forward culture which resonated strongly with me. The veterans at Chicago Booth (Booth Armed Forces Group) took a vested interest in my application and dedicated hours of their time to review my essays, edit my resume, and prep me for my interviews.
When I began the recruiting process at school, I was initially split between pursuing a career in tech or consulting. With consulting, I was attracted to the prospect of working in small teams, the challenge to brainstorm creatively to solve our client's toughest problems, and being afforded the ability to impart positive, longstanding, meaningful change. The degree of freedom with consulting was also a huge selling point, as I could take a random walk across industries to find work that agreed with my tastes. I did not see tech providing me as many opportunities as I would be presented as a consultant, so I decided to dedicate the majority of my efforts to consulting recruiting.
McKinsey embodies a "One Firm" mentality, meaning you can speak to a consultant based in the US, or located in a distant part of the world, and still receive the same quality of advice or assistance. Offices at McKinsey are not aligned with industries or geographic partner-level expertise, meaning I would not be restricted access to specific sectors or practices due to my office alignment. These features did not apply to most other consulting firms, and McKinsey really stood out in this area.
For those about to start their MBA, I would recommend waiting until you begin classes to kickoff case prep. I have seen many people become burned out from case interview fatigue, so I would encourage you to trust your school's process. I waited until October to start casing and I had my final round of interviews in the first week of January. If you can't sit still and feel like you need to do SOMETHING to prepare before class, I highly recommend the book "Case Interview Secrets" by Victor Cheng. The book is free for veterans, so you have nothing to lose by ordering.
There’s no magic number for how many practice cases you should do; I know of individuals who practiced 25 cases and found success and others who knocked out over 75+. I ended up conducting about 60 cases in total, but I needed the frequency and repetition before I felt comfortable.
Starting out, seek help from a 2Y who successfully recruited consulting the year prior and have them run you through an initial case. There's a way you should organize your thoughts and structure a case and an initial run through would serve you well. Once that is complete, begin practice casing with classmates and continue to use the 2Ys as a resource. The 2Y feedback was very useful to me and I kept a running Excel log tracking my improvement. Once you feel you're at that 80+% level with casing, I would recommend reaching out to actual consultants in the offices/firms of interest and try to find time on their calendars. The feedback you receive from these individuals is incredibly valuable and should push you to that 100% to crush your actual interviews.
McKinsey – “The Firm”
· McKinsey is known for collegiality of its leadership, which is underscored by its structure as one “global office.”
· Management incentives are centered on driving collaboration, providing support, and cultivating engagement. Quotas and commissions are omitted entirely, in favor of metrics that focus on creating followership within the firm and delivering long-term value to its clients.
· For many, the best days as a consultant are those spent working on challenging problem sets with a talented, engaged team. Leveraging insights from across the group, while melding industry experience, case precedent, and situational nuance to craft the best recommendations for the client stands out as a key source of job satisfaction for veteran consultants.
· Conversely, the most difficult days often result from missed assumptions that create the feeling of “spinning wheels in the mud” as the team works to get back on track. To some degree, “rework days” are unavoidable for consultants, although firms that prioritize mentorship and development can greatly mitigate their frequency.
· At McKinsey, the typical track runs: Analyst, Associate, Engagement Manager, Associate Partner and then Partner. Experienced, expert, and/or MBA hires often start at a higher level than those fresh out of undergrad.
· Those starting at McKinsey are well-advised to be deliberate selecting their first project; team composition, the Engagement Manger’s reputation as a coach, and the industry(ies) involved are all important factors for consideration.
o Regardless of the project, new hires should focus on being receptive, eager, and excited to learn and contribute.
Veterans@McKinsey
· Veterans@McKinsey is an employee affinity group that provides community and networking opportunities, and is active in recruiting, screening, and helping McKinsey vets work together professionally.
· Given the strength of the veteran community at McKinsey, most veterans are more than willing to help other vets learn more about the company and set themselves up for a successful transition into the firm.
· Connect with other vets (via LinkedIn or other platforms) to learn more!
Recruiting Advice
· Network like crazy! Talk to others to better understand the life of a consultant, the recruiting process, and what firms are looking for in candidates.
· When preparing for interviews, structure your stories around consistent themes. Military candidates bring many relevant skills and experiences to consulting companies; successful veteran applicants highlight these points through deliberately structured themes.
When preparing for the case interview, it’s critical to get the reps in, with the right people, with the right feedback. Try to practice with individuals (especially veterans) who have successfully navigated the process themselves; they’ll be able to offer the most help!
