By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Updated July 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…
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Updated May 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant MBB salaries in 2026 are remarkably similar across the three firms: a first-year undergraduate hire at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain in the US earns approximately $140,000 total compensation, climbing to $230K-$245K as a post-MBA Associate/Consultant, $280K-$290K as an Engagement Manager / Project Leader /…
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McKinsey has more than 130 offices in over 65 countries, and the office you pick on your application shapes the rest of your candidacy more than most applicants realize. Same firm, same logo on the offer letter — but the recruiting timeline, industries you’ll work in, interviewer pool, and even your recruitment difficulty shift office…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated June 2026 The McKinsey Sustainable Future Lab is the third module of the McKinsey Solve, and as of June 2026 it is a standard, globally rolled-out part of the assessment. If your Solve invite is 85 minutes, you will take it, after Red Rock and Sea Wolf.…
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Updated July 2026 by Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. At the case interview stage, roughly 10 to 15% of candidates who reach a McKinsey, BCG, or Bain interview walk away with an offer. Zoom out to everyone who applies, and the overall case interview success rate at MBB falls below 1%. Tier-2 firms and…
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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.
