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BCG just updated its Consulting Career Assessment (CCA) and most candidates approach it the wrong way.

In this episode, Katie – ex-BCG, Black Belt Advisor at Management Consulted – breaks down the revamped CCA across each section, so you know what to expect.

What most candidates miss: this isn't just a math test. BCG is measuring who you are and whether you are consistent in your answers.

You'll learn:

• Why consistency in the working style sections matters more than picking the "right" answer
• The elimination strategy that helps you solve the math problems faster
• What appearing neutral or inconsistent signals to BCG — and why it's a red flag

Resources:

• Join Black Belt – includes 4 CCA practice versions + full interview prep coaching
• Book 15 minutes with Katie – talk through your support options and whether Black Belt is right for you

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Everyone wonders what comes after consulting, but the exits aren't talked about.

In this episode of Consulting Unpacked, Jenny Rae (ex-Bain) breaks down the 5 most common exit paths – and why consulting opens more doors than almost any other career move.

Resources:

• Create a free profile + access the Job Board (1K+ jobs)
• Create a free MC account to access foundational resources and start building your consulting skill set today
• Book a free 15-minute call with Katie to talk through your specific situation

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Sebastian is a Purdue junior with Bain interviews coming up. He ran a full first-round Bain case live – and after every section, coach Mitali stopped and told him exactly what worked and what he missed.

Mitali spent 5 years in consulting, including as a senior consultant at Bain in London. She's coached 350+ people into MBB and used to interview candidates herself – so she knows what Bain is looking for.

You'll see:

• Why "financial vs. non-financial" is too generic for Bain – and what to say instead
• How to read an exhibit the way Bain wants it done
• The math mistake Sebastian made live – and how he recovered
• How to give a final recommendation backed by the numbers, not your gut

Coaching with Mitali:

• Join the Black Belt case prep program for personalized coaching with Mitali and a prep strategy tailored to your goals and timeline
• Connect with Mitali on LinkedIn

Resources:

• Create a free account to access Case Interview Foundations – a 7-day case interview crash course
• Watch more McKinsey, BCG, and Bain case interview demos on YouTube

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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He got McKinsey and Bain interviews and practiced 30 cases with friends – but didn't make it past round 1.

Overconfident Ollie is a target school student with every reason to be confident. He joined Black Belt, made a plan – then mostly went at it alone. 

His KPI was cases completed and when MBB's first round came, his floor wasn't high enough.

Katie and Japheth break down what went wrong, what's at stake if the approach doesn't change, and the specific steps Ollie is taking to rebuild before the next round of deadlines.

• Why casing volume without feedback builds false confidence
• What peer casing can't tell you – and why a coach can
• The "floor vs. ceiling" principle that defines where most candidates fall short

The May Black Belt cohort closes Tuesday, May 12 (limited spots). Learn more and join.

Resources:

• Join the May Black Belt cohort (see coaches)
• Book a free 15-minute call with Katie to map out your best path
• Create a free MC account to get Case Foundations, a case prep crash course

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Daniel went from steel and automotive to McKinsey. His path wasn't conventional – and neither was his networking strategy.

Instead of casting a wide net, he built 2 deep relationships at the firm – mentors who helped him at every stage. 

This episode breaks down what worked – and what the standard MBA playbook gets wrong.

• Why 2 deep relationships beat 30 surface connections in consulting recruiting
• How to turn a "niche" background into a draw
• The case prep habit that added depth without adding volume

Resources:

• Coaching helped Daniel take his prep to the next level – book a 1-hour session
• Not sure where to start? Book a 15-minute call with Katie

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Only 19% of McKinsey's new hires today are MBAs. In the mid-90s, that number was over 80%.

The # of spots available for MBAs is shrinking – the competition isn't.

MC coach Catherine Lee – ex-Deloitte, ex-BCG, Harvard MBA – breaks down 3 mistakes that sink most incoming MBAs before they ever reach an interview:

• Starting too late (fall semester is already too late)
• Treating prep like a sprint instead of a marathon
• Practicing cases without a system to track your gaps

Plus: the summer prep roadmap that gets you ahead of your entire cohort before school starts.

Katie Neff (Black Belt Advisor) joins with data from 250+ BB members who landed at McKinsey, Bain, and BCG – including the 22-case benchmark.

Resources:

• Want structured support before the semester starts? Join Black Belt
• Not sure yet? Book 15 minutes with Katie
• Pre-MBA program deadlines start May 3

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Laura Ackermann once worked with a hospital executive in his 50s – years of running a mid-sized US hospital – who wanted to apply for McKinsey's Associate position.

She was outraged.

Not at him – at how common the pattern is. 

Experienced hires undervalue what they've built. They apply too low. Skip networking because it feels uncomfortable. Wait to start case prep because the timeline isn't obvious.

And then the window closes.

In this episode, Laura (BCG → McKinsey senior engagement manager, now MC coach) and Katie Neff (MC Black Belt Advisor) break down the 4-step experienced hire system to break into consulting.

She covers:

• Why applying to the wrong level gets you rejected
• How to narrow your target list to 6-10 firms and own them, instead of applying to 30 and hoping
• What a consulting-ready resume looks like when your experience isn't linear
• Why case prep must start way before you apply

Resources:

• Get our 4-step experienced hire system with Black Belt
• Book a free 15-minute consultation with Katie
• Start case prep with Case Foundations – create your free account

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

Send us Fan Mail

Bain told Jenny Rae on day 1 she'd be pushed out if she didn't perform. What they conveniently left out: almost everybody meets the bar.

Up or out isn't the brutal filter most people fear. In the early years, it's a deliberate scare tactic. The real pressure comes later, when you have to cross from analytical work into managing.

In this episode of Consulting Unpacked, Jenny Rae breaks down why up or out culture exists, what it's actually protecting, and why she became one of its biggest advocates.

Resources:

• Create a free profile + access the Job Board (1K+ jobs)
• Create a free MC account to access foundational resources and start building your consulting skill set today
• Book a free 15-minute call with Katie to talk through your specific situation

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Kunal ran the numbers. Modern pizza wins on absolute profit and payback period.

Then he flagged it: you're projecting nearly 200 pizzas a day for a restaurant that hasn't opened yet. That's the instinct that separates good from great.

This is a full McKinsey case in the restaurant industry, led by Mark Di Giorgio (ex-McKinsey Toronto). Kunal works through a New York pizza market entry question – modern vs. traditional.

After the case, Mark breaks it down section by section with tactical detail you can apply immediately:

• Why catching volume risk after solving the math gets interviewers to lean forward
• The 4-step case opening most candidates skip
• How to read an exhibit before touching the math
• The brainstorming close that turns a good answer great

Coaching with Mark:

• Join the Black Belt case prep program for personalized coaching with Mark and a prep strategy tailored to your goals and timeline
• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn

Resources:

• Create a free account to access Case Interview Foundations – a 7-day case interview crash course
• Watch more McKinsey, BCG, and Bain case interview demos on YouTube

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

Send us Fan Mail

Jenny Rae joined Bain in 2005. At McKinsey that year, consultants were home 3 nights a week – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. That was considered acceptable.

Today, consulting looks different. But maybe not in the ways you'd assume.

In this episode of Consulting Unpacked, Jenny Rae breaks down the 4 real shifts she's tracked over 20 years inside and alongside the industry – and makes the case for what's barely changed at all.

We cover:

• How a 10-week engagement today compares to a 20-week one from 2005
• Why firms are now pressure-testing your commitment to stay – and what to say when they do
• Why 50+ firms are now legitimate career launchpads – not just MBB
• What's stayed the same despite 20 years of industry change

Resources:

• Create a free profile + access the Job Board (1K+ jobs)
• Create a free MC account to access foundational resources and start building your consulting skill set today
• Book a 15-minute consult with Katie to figure out the right prep path for where you are right now

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more