By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated July 2026 A Bain consultant’s day runs on a case-team rhythm: a morning huddle to set priorities, a long midday block of modeling and slide work, client meetings in the afternoon, and an end-of-day synthesis before the team breaks. In a normal US week that adds…
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In the world of management consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain, the relentless pursuit of excellence meets the personal quest for well-being head-on. The industry, known for its high-stakes deals and rigorous schedules, often paints a picture where the scales of work and life are in perpetual imbalance. The notion of finding harmony between…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Updated July 14, 2026. Consultants at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain typically work 50 to 80 hours a week while staffed on a client project, and the honest average sits in the low 60s. Between projects, that drops to 30 to 60 hours. The question of how many hours…
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Management consulting firms fall into four types: strategy firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, plus Tier-2 players like Kearney and Oliver Wyman), full-service giants (the Big 4 and Accenture), boutique specialists, and small independent consultancies. Most candidates only ever look at the first type. That is a mistake. I spent 5 years at McKinsey as a Senior…
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Updated July 2026. By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Companies hire management consultants to rent expertise, senior problem-solving capacity, and an unbiased outside view they can’t build fast enough in-house. Not because their own people aren’t smart. Why companies hire management consultants is often misunderstood. In five years at McKinsey, I never once saw…
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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.
