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Am I too old to join McKinsey at 37 after 10 years in biotech
- Age
37, PhD, and been in biotech for around 10 years now. mostly R&D / operating roles and did some startup stuff too where I got more involved on the business side. I applied to McKinsey for Associate because I'm thinking 2 to 3 years there could give me broader business experience and maybe help me move into a bigger leadership role in biotech after. but now I'm questioning whether this is just too…
37 is not too old for McKinsey. The more important question is whether joining as an Associate gives you enough additional value relative to the experience you already have.
Anyone actually get hired into MBB at 39?
- Age
I am 39 and looking at experienced-hire roles rn. I know age is not supposed to be a formal blocker, but I am curious whether people have actually seen someone around this age join the regular consulting track, not just an expert role.
Yes, it happens, although it is less common than hiring people in the standard undergraduate, MBA, or early experienced-hire windows. At 39, firms are likely to look much more closely at how your prior experience translates and what level makes sense.
42 and trying for MBB. Am I realistically too late?
- Age
I am 42 and seriously considering applying to MBB. My background is solid and fairly senior, but I keep wondering whether I am just outside the age range firms actually want for the normal consulting track. I know experienced hires exist, but most people I see talking about recruiting are in their 20s or early 30s. Ngl, I do not want to spend months prepping for something that is basically dead…
Age by itself is usually not the most useful way to evaluate this. At 42, the bigger question is how your experience maps to the role the firm is actually hiring for and whether your level, compensation expectations, and story make sense together.