Company Battle: Accenture vs AT Kearney
Consulting positions are among the most coveted roles for MBA graduates—and international management consulting firms Accenture and A.T. Kearney are teeming with opportunities for MBAs.
Dublin, Ireland-based Accenture is a Fortune Global 500 company that offers professional services in addition to management consulting. In addition to the many awards Accenture has received in recognition of its global leadership in finance, it has also been ranked for 15 consecutive years on Forbes’ Global 2000 list.
A.T. Kearney, headquartered in Chicago, offers consulting to over 75 percent of the Fortune Global 500, spanning a diverse array of industries like aerospace and defense, transportation, healthcare, and oil and gas.
Accenture vs AT Kearney: Salaries
Managemant Consulted compares the base salaries made by MBA graduates at both companies in 2019, finding that the compensation was pretty comparable—A.T. Kearney offers $158,000 per year and Accenture offers $150,000 per year.
However, each company has a unique approach to bonuses. A.T. Kearney offers up to $44,100 while Accenture offers $30,000 to all employees in their first year after receiving their MBA. Top performers are rewarded with an additional $15,000. Accenture offers a very valuable $80,000 tuition reimbursement to select MBA grads.
Accenture vs AT Kearney: Company Culture
When it comes to culture, A.T. Kearney emphasizes collaboration over analysis, striving for creative strategies to keep up with an ever-changing marketplace.
A.T. Kearney has been recognized many times for their progressive initiative with regard to workplace equality. TransparentCareer ranks the company in the top 30 for satisfaction among MBA graduates. However, it is important to note that the same blog also reports that up to 80 percent of an MBA graduate’s time working at A.T. Kearney may be spent in transit.
A.T. Kearney has long recognized the importance of workplace diversity and it enforces a strict no-harassment policy. It has created networks for women, POC, and LGBT to reinforce a sense of community and belonging in the workplace. It has also been recognized for its progressive policies, having scored a perfect 100 for seven years straight in the Corporate Equality Index and received an award in 2017 for Best in Class for Diversity Leadership in Diversity MBA Magazine.
From 2015-18, it was also ranked as one of the “Best Places to Work” by the Human Rights Campaign and from 2013-17 as one of the “Top 100 Firms for Working Families and Women” by Working Mother.
Working Mother has lauded A.T. Kearney for years as one of the best career landing spots for working mothers in the U.S.
Accenture regularly ranks highly on lists that highlight forerunners in workplace culture. It were ranked second overall for eight consecutive years in Business Today/PeopleStrong’s “Best Companies to Work For” and 16th for four consecutive years in the Sunday Times “Best 25 Big Companies to Work For.”
Accenture is also committed to workplace equality, aiming for a gender balanced workforce by 2025. It is committed to creating Culture of Equality, citing the imperative of workplace diversity for a thriving business.
It has been recognized for the efforts by being included two consecutive years on the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and 16 consecutive years on Working Mothers’ 100 Best Companies and the list of Best Companies for Multicultural Women.
Accenture vs AT Kearney: Versatility
As noted above, MBA graduates employed at A.T. Kearney can expect to travel frequently as part of their work. They have over 3,600 employees in offices in more than 40 countries across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.
Accenture, a much larger company, has more than 435,000 employees serving clients in over 120 countries, as well as offices in 52 countries.
Where Should I Work? Boston Consulting Group vs. McKinsey
Whether you’re still in school or you’ve already earned your MBA, it can be a tall order to shuffle through the sheer numbers of job options. Perhaps you’re even fortunate enough to have a number of offers that seem appealing but you’re wondering how to find the best fit.
If you’ve chosen to specialize in consulting, you’re well aware that you’ll be on a large playing field comprised of multiple heavy hitters. Here, we’ll compare two of the biggest draws—Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and McKinsey and Company—which may be helpful in honing in on your dream job.
Where Should I Work? BCG vs. McKinsey
BCG vs. McKinsey: The Interview Process
Regardless where you’ve applied, chances are you’ve readied yourself for an intense interview. No interview is without its stressors, but both McKinsey and BCG are known for a particularly rigorous interview processes. These companies engage potential employees in a two to three round process that includes both a fit and case portions (that is, are you a good match with the company, and can you solve real-world problems with which you’re presented). As discussed in this helpful guide on BCG interview prep, you’ll first be posed with case and fit questions, along with a test of your potential which often takes place in the first round. Candidates are then asked to complete written case examinations, in which they will review a number of documents and submit a response to the case in question.
Like BCG, McKinsey’s interview process can last two-to-three months. According to one source, one of the major differences between the two is that “McKinsey pressure tests to determine whether handling pressure is something you can do … [while BCG] pressure tests not to see if you know what you’re talking about, but rather to see if you really believe what you’re saying.”
McKinsey breaks down its process into three main sections: experience, a multiple choice problem solving test (PST), and case studies. According to one interviewee, “I interviewed with multiple people ranging from engagement managers to partners. No surprises on interview day as McKinsey spends a lot of time with applicants preparing for the case study.”
BCG vs. McKinsey: Compensation
Both companies offer a healthy starting salary with a base of at least $165,000. At McKinsey, recently hired MBAs can make above $200,000 in the initial year, with a $30,000 signing bonus and a performance bonus of $35,000. BCG boasts a performance bonus of up to $45,000, making it the more lucrative of the two for first year hires. Typically, McKinsey sets the standard for salary, and beats BCG to the punch in increasing salary rates.
| Company | Annual Salary | Bonus | Singing Bonus | Total Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Consulting Group (BCG) | $167,000 | $45,000 | $25,000 | $237,000 |
| McKinsey and Company | $165,000 | $35,000 | $30,000 | $230,000 |
While responsibilities at each firm are similar for a newly hired MBA, job title varies slightly. At McKinsey, the title is Associate, while at BCG it is Consultant. Finally, for further comparison, McKinsey and BCG and Bain (the other third of the Big Three) pay around 20 percent more than the “Big 4” accounting firms.
BCG vs. McKinsey: Culture
For many people, culture is the deciding factor when choosing between two potential companies. It can be one of the most important elements of a job, over and above the more tangible benefits. According to Management Consulted, at McKinsey, associates “are trained to attack a problem in a certain way – no matter which global office you’re in or at what level, you can count on the McKinsey Way.” According to many, McKinsey’s culture is considered formal and “buttoned up.”
As for BCG, one employee describes their experience as follows:
“Lovely people and flat leadership structure allows for a great culture that promotes camaraderie and encourages learning between peers and from people above you.“
Another employee sang the praises of its “fancy offices.” The company is known as a trendspotter, and has the reputation for a customized approach to getting and retaining clients. McKinsey is known for its lengthy client relationships and a focus on reporting.
Company retreats are the norm for McKinsey, with many of its global offices taking part in a strong, welcoming culture.
BCG vs. McKinsey: Geography
BCG and McKinsey’s home offices are both in the U.S. (Boston and New York, respectively) and both have global presence. McKinsey has the most offices worldwide at 65, and the largest number of consultants. BCG’s global reach covers 50 countries. New hires can expect to travel extensively at both companies, with the expectation being four days of travel to client sites and Fridays in the home office.
BCG vs. McKinsey: Career Development
Both firms adhere to the ‘up or out’ rule of promotions, that is, after two years one decides whether they will stay or depart. Upon remaining at BCG, employees find a large number of opportunities for professional growth. Top performers receive rewards such as a part in a strategic project along with their international counterparts.
According to their site, “Every new BCGer is hired with the belief that he or she will be a long-term employee, capable of substantial professional and personal growth within the firm. We recognize and value each individual’s desire for world-class opportunities.”
“Every new BCGer is hired with the belief that he or she will be a long-term employee, capable of substantial professional and personal growth within the firm. We recognize and value each individual’s desire for world-class opportunities,” the company says.
At McKinsey, associates are assigned early on to specific practice areas. With two tracks, a subject expert and a generalist tract, the company encourages employees to be flexible in acquiring new knowledge and skills that will help them to grow. Notably, McKinsey encourages applicants to join the company who may have gotten an MBA but who have a prior non-business degree. According to Management Consulted, “If your education and/or work experience is ‘outside the norm,’ McKinsey is more likely to consider you than BCG”.
Both McKinsey and BCG are ahead of the curve in assigning new hires to specialty areas, as many firms wait until hires advance to senior levels to assign their practice focus.
BCG vs. McKinsey: Recruiting
McKinsey, as mentioned above, was one of the first management consultants to hire recent graduates of MBA programs as opposed to seasoned managers. They continue to engage in this hiring practice, as does BCG but to a lesser degree. Both firms hire on a locked-in schedule, with recruiting cycles beginning in the fall. It’s important to note that existing consultants have a greater influence upon hiring decisions than recruiters.
BCG notes that “Our case teams share many similarities with MBA study groups, brainstorming together to create maximum value.” Though their hiring process is rigorous, once they do hire, the possibilities are numerous for growth potential at both firms.
While it may seem obvious, it’s important to point out also that alumni from either company have a great chance of future growth at other firms.
The Big Picture: The 5 Most Important MBA Numbers of 2018
Each year there’s a ton of new information that comes out about MBA programs. From new rankings to the latest GMAC news, there are a thousand little tidbits that can overwhelm applicants, students, and alumni. We’ve collected the most important MBA numbers of 2018.
To pare down the news into the information you need to know, we’ve taken a look at the big picture of the MBA for 2018 and outlined the five most important pieces of data you need to know. We’re talking about everything from the decline and U.S. MBA applications to the increase in female enrollment, the higher salaries and GMAT scores, as well as the increase in interest in technology. Continue reading…
Georgetown Employment Report Reveals Record-Setting Job Offers, Salaries
Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business set records this year for both salaries and job offers according to its Class of 2018 Employment Report, released earlier this month. An impressive 98 percent of students received job offers within three months of graduation, and average full-time salary rose to an all-time high of $116,946.
MBA Graduates Get More Money and More Job Offers
Compared to last year, average starting salary increased by 4 percent. The average signing bonus for the latest graduating class was $31,036, up 9 percent year over year.
The record-setting 98 percent of students who received job offers within three months of graduation represented a 5 percent jump over the prior year. Ninety-four percent of 2018 graduates had accepted an offer within three months, up 2 percent from last year.
“Through a personalized approach to the job search, opportunities for career treks throughout the United States and around the world, and a global alumni network of 190,000 graduates, the MBA Career Center ensures students are placed in the positions that inspired them to attend business school,” Doreen Amorosa, Associate Dean of McDonough Career Services, said in a press release.
MBAs Choose Consulting, Financial Services, and Technology
For the second year in a row, consulting, financial services, and technology were the top three industries for MBA graduates. However, the breakdown within these three industries saw some shifts.
Last year, financial services was the top industry of choice, drawing an even third–33 percent–of students. Consulting was second, drawing 28 percent of grads, and technology was a distant third, at 13 percent. The most recent graduating class headed off to these three leading industries in more equal numbers. Consulting, for its part, drew 25.5 percent of students, followed by financial services at 21.7 percent, and tech at 17.5. In both years, nonprofit/social impact came in fourth, attracting 8 percent of the Class of 2018 and 7 percent of the Class of 2017.
MBA Internships Remain Steady
As for this year’s class of MBA student internships, the results remained similar to previous years with only slight increases. This year, 100 percent of students secured an internship, and 86 percent of those positions were paid an average of $7,043 per month. This was an uptick over last year, when interns averaged $6,501 per month. Also, 78 percent of all internship positions were facilitated by the MBA Career Center, a ten percent increase from 2016. Student interns gravitated toward the finance/accounting (34 percent), consulting (28 percent), and marketing & sales (17 percent) industries.
This article has been edited and republished with permissions from its original source, Clear Admit.
Harvard Business School Grad Salaries Jump Again
Harvard Business School (HBS) is the latest top business school to publish its employment stats for its most recent graduates. What are the top takeaways? Try starting salaries exceeding $160,000.
This year’s median base pay, $140,000, is up $5,000 over last year. In addition, 65 percent of the class earned median sign-on bonuses of another $25,000. There were also other upticks, with 14 percent of students reporting median guaranteed first-year comp of $28,500, up from 13 percent and $25,000 the year before.
Within three months of graduating, 95 percent of the class reported receiving at least one job offer, and 89 percent had accepted an offer. These stats were both unchanged year over year. When there’s a gap between the percentage of students reporting offers those accepting offers—as with these latest HBS grads—it’s often considered to be the reflection of a strong job market. Under these circumstances, graduates from the very top schools can bide their time and hold out for the offer that really wows them.
Financial Services, Consulting, Tech Vie for HBS Grads
In terms of industry, three dominate when it comes to hiring the latest HBS grads. Financial services drew the largest slice of the class—29 percent—which is off from 31 percent last year but on par with the year before that.
Consulting took another quarter of the class, 25 percent, up from 23 percent last year. Technology, meanwhile, beckoned to roughly a fifth of the class—19 percent, up from 16 percent last year. Other industries saw small shifts year over year of one or two percentage points.
More Students Join Startups
HBS changed its definition of a startup this year in terms of how it tracks employment data. Startups now refer to organizations that are still private and, at most, 10-years old. By this measure, HBS grads who opted to join a startup straight out of school make up 9 percent of the class, as compared to 8 percent last year. The median starting salary for graduates going into tech is $130,000—the same as last year. Half of the startups where students landed are in the technology space, up from 45 percent a year earlier. Other top industries for startups include manufacturing (13 percent), financial services (12 percent) and consumer products (6 percent).
Another 70 students in the Class of 2018—8 percent—founded their own startups. That’s up from 64 last year. Of this year’s new ventures, 28 have a social impact focus, up from 16 last year.
HBS Class of 2019 Internships
HBS also released employment data for the summer internships pursued by students in the Class of 2019, revealing a median base salary of $7,800, down $200 year over year. More students, 89 percent, sought internships this past year, up from 87 percent the year before.
More students in this most recent class pursued internships with financial services firms, 32 percent as compared to 26 percent of the class before. Meanwhile, slightly fewer students pursued internships in technology and consulting. Tech firms drew 18 percent of the class for internships, down from 20 percent the year before. Consulting interns made up another 15 percent, down one percentage point from the year before.
This article has been edited and republished with permissions from Clear Admit.
Highest Paid Starting Salaries for Toronto MBA Grads
Earning an MBA in Toronto can be a practical decision for a myriad of reasons. Forbes named Canada the best country for business in the G20, with Toronto as its formal financial and business capital. It stands to reason Toronto may be one of the strongest areas for business not just in North American, but around the world as well. Its advantageous position close to the U.S. border makes the city a hotbed of international commerce, and as the fourth largest city on the continent, Toronto provides a wealth of opportunities for motivated professionals.
As though these reasons weren’t incentive enough to pursue higher education in Toronto, the city has the second highest quality of life in North America, according to the Mercer Quality of Living Survey. The city’s vital university system is full of talented and aspiring industry leaders ready to launch their own careers, readily taking advantage of everything the city has to offer.
For those of you planning to pursue your MBA in this cultural and fiscal epicenter, we’ve laid out which school grads have the highest starting salaries in the city.
The Highest Paid Toronto MBA Salaries
Ivey Business School—Western Canada University
Graduates from Ivey Business School will not be disappointed with the opportunities made possible by their degree. In 2016, 90 percent of graduating MBA students looking for jobs had received an offer by September and, by December, an impressive 96 percent of students were fielding offers. The average starting salary for grads in 2016 was $104,007 ($84,098 USD). The base salaries ranged from $40,000 to $192,000 ($32,344 to $155,255 USD), with the higher end of this range going to students who pursued consulting jobs. Since this program is just one year long, the high average starting salaries for students indicate a considerable return on investment, in terms of both money and time. Bloomberg BusinessWeek also ranked Ivey’s MBA as the best MBA program in Canada for the past three years.
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Rotman School of Management—University of Toronto
Those looking for an MBA education that will provide ample chance to earn a generous starting salary may be impressed with the possibilities open to Rotman School of Management grads. The average base salary for graduates in 2016 was $92,524 ($74,819 USD). The 2016 class had an employment rate of 80 percent within three months of graduation and an 85 percent employment rate after six months. The range of starting salaries for the class of 2016 went as high as $214,737 ($173,486 USD) in the legal services industry. Moreover, the Financial Times has named Rotman the best business school in Canada every year for over a decade.
Schulich School of Business—York University
An average starting salary of $91,860 ($74,282 USD) for the class of 2016 makes a Schulich School of Business an ideal place for motivated students to jump-start their careers. With 89 percent of MBAs from the class of 2016 hired within three months of graduation, Schulich grads clearly have a competitive edge in the business community. Schulich’s program is also renowned for its flexibility. Students can switch seamlessly between part-time and full-time enrollment, and can choose to accelerate their program for the opportunity to earn their degree in just eight months.
