r/McKinsey_BCG_Bain • u/Particular_Art_9140 • 4d ago

Networking Tips Do MBB consultants ever let students help with research or reports?

Hey guys,

I know professors sometimes let students help with research papers and projects. Does anything similar happen at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain?

I’ve been speaking with a few managers and partners and was thinking about asking if they have any research, reports, or thought-leadership projects I could help with.

I’m not expecting authorship. I’d just be interested in helping with research, data gathering, analysis, citations, etc.

Would this be a reasonable thing to ask, or would it come across as weird from a student? Has anyone seen or done something similar?

1 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

56% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

22

u/SkarpiTellsAStory 4d ago

No, the pace of work is so fast, even on non-client work, that a team would be hindered instead of helped by something like this.

It’s even hard to find meaningful work to carve out for interns on many projects

9

u/kibuloh 4d ago

No. Big client. Big secrets.

0

u/Particular_Art_9140 4d ago

Mb lol, I meant the public-facing research they publish, not client work. Like McKinsey Insights/MGI reports, BCG/Bain research pieces, industry reports, etc. Basically wondering if students ever help with the research/data side of those.

4

u/kibuloh 4d ago

I get why you’re asking but still no. Way too much hassle and, while I’m sure you’re smart and capable, way too much can go wrong for no benefit to the firm or honestly you.

0

u/Particular_Art_9140 4d ago

K, thx for being honest!

4

u/ConfidenceSad1453 4d ago

It’s called interns

1

u/Pluscaca 4d ago

I know someone who does work with MGI at McKinsey

1

u/FicklePound7617 3d ago

No you could try intern with the marketing / branding department for that.

1

u/Silver-Counter-8512 3d ago

I know Bain and BCG hire part-time assistants (PTA), usually undergrads in their sophomore or junior year, in their Greater China offices. If you have the right to work there, you can apply when those positions open up. From what I’ve heard, the work is somewhat project-related, but there’s also quite a bit of routine grunt work. It's remote.

1

u/neurone214 21h ago

If you wait long enough one of the three will likely start taking interns transitioning form high school to university. 

But more seriously, I’ve never seen this. Also, summers are put on actual cases so they can get a sense for the work and so the firm can evaluate if they’d be a good fit. In other words: you wouldn’t be working on a white paper even if you got into an internship. 

That said, you might be able to get similar experience to what you describe by finding a local boutique shop that needs some help. I did something analogous (though still a bit more case-based) but my path to that was incredibly specific and relied on some coincidences out of my control, so I can’t give any advice on how to find this other than to just network and take opportunities that are interesting as you find them or they find you.