Updated October 2026. By Dr. Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant McKinsey doesn’t require a cover letter for most roles. Its recruiting team says so in plain words: “for most positions and programs, we do not require cover letters.” So the real decision isn’t how to write a McKinsey cover letter. It’s whether yours adds something your…
Read more
Updated September 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant McKinsey vs BCG vs Bain. They pay within a rounding error of each other, recruit from the same schools, and open nearly identical doors. Pick McKinsey for brand and global staffing, BCG for AI and technology work, and Bain for team culture and private equity…
Read more
By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Updated November 2026. The future of consulting is a shift in how the industry operates, not whether it exists. Under AI and client pressure, firms move to smaller and faster teams, value-based rather than hourly pricing, fewer entry-level hires, and a growing line of AI-strategy work. The core…
Read more
Updated November 2026 · By Dr. Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant In 2027, MBB consultants in the US earn about $140,000 in total cash in their first year out of undergrad and $240,000 to $250,000 after an MBA, at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain alike. Managers make about $285,000 to $290,000, and the level just below Partner $360,000 to…
Read more
By Dr. Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated October 5, 2026 Apply to McKinsey offices where your profile is scarce, not the one with the best skyline. McKinsey has offices in 130+ cities in 65+ countries, and every one of them hires against the same standard. What differs is how many people compete for each…
Read more
Florian spent five years at McKinsey as a Senior Consultant and is a highly experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach. Having conducted interviews with hundreds of candidates, he understands exactly what top-tier firms look for in successful applicants.
He founded StrategyCase.com to make top consulting careers more accessible by providing tailored, up-to-date insights into the recruiting process. Recognized as the most successful case and fit interview coach, Florian has helped his clients secure 700+ offers at MBB, Tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms over the past four years.
He is the author of “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview,” “The 1%: Case Interview Workbook,” and “Consulting Career Secrets”, all available on Amazon.
