How to Become a Digital Strategy Consultant at Bain, McKinsey, BCG and Accenture

Are you aiming for a digital strategy role at one of the big three management consultancies, often called MBB? Their digital and AI teams are among the fastest-growing parts of each firm, and they offer a realistic route in for candidates who combine business thinking with tech curiosity.

That growth is now being shaped by AI. At BCG, AI and tech focused work makes up more than 40% of revenue. McKinsey’s CEO has described a firm of roughly 40,000 people working alongside around 20,000 AI agents. Clients no longer want a slide deck about technology. They want people who can help them build it, deploy it, and get teams to use it.

This guide explains what digital strategy consultants do, how digital teams work at Bain, McKinsey, BCG, and Accenture, how AI is changing the application process, and what to expect from interviews, salaries, and career paths.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for candidates who want to move into digital strategy, digital transformation, product, or AI-adjacent consulting roles. It is especially useful for Master's students, MBAs, recent graduates, and experienced hires from business, technology, design, or analytics backgrounds.

What Do Digital Strategy Consultants Do?

Before we get into the firms, it helps to define what a digital strategy consultant actually does.

In simple terms, digital strategy consultants help clients decide how technology should support the business, where digital investment will create value, and how to turn strategy into execution. That can mean shaping a transformation roadmap, advising on AI adoption, improving customer journeys, or helping teams move from ideas to working products.

Digital strategy is different from pure IT delivery. The work is not only about selecting tools or building systems. It is about connecting technology choices to business goals, organisational change, and measurable outcomes - it's about digital and AI transformation.

Instead of using technology as a tool to enable business operations or optimise existing processes, digital-first consultancies embrace technology to transform the entire way a business works. That might mean building AI foundation models with a pharma company to speed up drug discovery, as BCG X did with Merck on TEDDY, or setting up a "GenAI Factory" that takes AI ideas from prototype to live tools across 29 countries, as BCG Platinion did with PHOENIX group. Right now, AI is where digital consulting operates at the cutting edge.

Digital work also tends to run on a different rhythm. Rather than dipping in and out of short projects, you're more likely to join multi-phase transformations. The McKinsey Digital consultant we interviewed described projects running for 12 to 24 months.

The Digital Strategy Consultant Role

Before we look at the digital units within MBB and other consulting firms, let's break down the most common responsibilities of a Digital Strategy Consultant.

Digital Strategy Consultants typically work across four main areas:

Strategy and diagnosis

• Assessing current digital capabilities
• Conducting market research and competitor benchmarking
• Developing tailored digital strategies

Transformation planning

• Aligning business and IT strategy
• Building digital transformation roadmaps
• Advising on emerging technologies

Delivery and implementation

• Overseeing implementation of digital initiatives
• Building and deploying AI tools with clients
• Monitoring performance and reporting on outcomes

Stakeholder and change management

• Managing client relationships and stakeholder engagement
• Driving change management and staff enablement

In practice, digital strategy work often sits between high-level planning and hands-on delivery. You might spend one week shaping a strategy deck with a client’s leadership team, and the next working with designers, data scientists, or engineers to turn that strategy into a live product or workflow.

Pretty cool, right? OK, let's explore what's on offer at Bain's Digital practice, McKinsey Digital, BCG X and Accenture Song. We'll also cover other firms worth your time, how AI is changing the interview process, and what you can expect to earn. At the end, we profile graduates who now work at these firms (and at Deloitte), with their specific tips and tricks.

Bain Digital Strategy Consultant Jobs: Inside Bain's Digital Practice

Founded in 1973 in Boston, Bain & Company advises clients from around 65 offices across 40 countries. Bain doesn't publish its revenue, but it's firmly one of the big three, and like McKinsey and BCG it has poured investment into digital and AI.

For years, Bain branded this work as Vector℠. Today you'll mostly see it called simply Digital. Bain describes it as one team that embeds tech experts within its industry and capability teams, rather than running tech as a separate unit. It cites more than 1,500 in-house team members and more than 700 ecosystem partners.

The Digital practice is organised around two capability areas:

• AI, Insights, and Solutions, covering design and research, engineering, product management and innovation, and data science and machine learning
• Enterprise Technology, which helps clients modernise their tech strategy, architecture and systems

Bain has also partnered with AI pioneer Andrew Ng on its AI transformation work. He co-hosts Bain's Winning with AI podcast with Bain partner Sarah Elk.

To find out more about how Bain's digital work has evolved, we sat down with James Anderson, a Partner in Bain's London office and a leader in its Digital practice, with a focus on AI, Insights, and Solutions.

James begins by explaining that technology and digital transformation have played an important role in Bain's service offering for decades. With one of their first offices just a stone's throw from Silicon Valley, advising tech companies and helping clients become more digitally savvy is something that really started to gain momentum in the early 2000s.

When disciplines like advanced analytics, innovation & design, automation, digital marketing and enterprise technology first hit the scene at the turn of the century, Bain enjoyed front-row seats and paved the way for today's digital world.

Fast forward 20+ years, however, and James explains how the focus of Bain's digital work has evolved away from specific technical innovations and towards how these innovations are deployed as part of a wider digital strategy.

He said the following:

"For us, it's all about integration. The days of executives wanting narrow advice just on specific pieces of technology are behind us".

What makes Bain’s approach distinctive is its emphasis on integration. The firm is not just interested in technology choices. It wants consultants who can connect strategy, implementation, and behaviour change, and help clients turn technical decisions into real business outcomes.

Increasingly, clients want help with end-to-end transformations and solutions that cover strategy, technology choices, and most importantly, how they then turn these decisions into practical results and behaviour changes for both customers and employees. The integration of technology into strategy is the really difficult bit, not the individual tech solutions."

Digital Strategy Consultant Careers at Bain

During our interview with James, we asked him to shine a light on what a digital-orientated career trajectory at Bain could look like. While there's an assumption that digital consulting requires deep technical expertise in things like SQL or Python, we wanted to debunk some of the myths around digital consulting and provide a clear path forward for those who sit somewhere between 'digital hobbyist' and 'aspiring strategist'.

James explains that although Bain does hire deep technical specialists in areas like machine learning, engineering, data science, and data engineering to deliver on specific technical tasks, Bain's Digital practice is increasingly on the hunt for "technically-aware generalists who can connect digital innovations with strategy and behaviour change".

He adds that: "Tech for tech's sake isn't the answer. Understanding how it is practically adding value from both a shareholder perspective and a social perspective is the key to digital success."

For candidates, that means Bain can be a strong fit if you want a mix of strategy and digital work without being boxed into a purely technical lane.

Getting into Bain for a Digital Role

It's important to note that Bain doesn't expect everyone in its Digital practice to come from a STEM background.

Bain is making positive steps forwards to embrace an inclusive recruitment approach to attract a diversity of talent across different backgrounds.

James explained that a typical team of ~10 could consist of 4 from a generalist consulting background (with some basic digital literacy), 2 data scientists/engineers, 2 digital marketing experts, as well as a product designer and a software engineer to prototype new solutions to boost customer lifetime value (CLV).

He adds that while some of the other big players in digital management consultancy have a tendency to "pigeonhole" consultants into a particular corner of their digital capability, Bain adopts a much more open approach that empowers employees to choose their own paths.

Check out this tool to explore what career routes you could explore at Bain by selecting your current education or employment status.

If you're an MBA student, the typical route into Bain's digital work is to apply as a generalist consultant and move towards a digital focus once you've found your feet. That blend of strategy and digital fluency is highly sought after (and rare), so it's worth building early.

If you are coming from an MBA or generalist background, the most common route is to enter through the wider consulting track and build a digital focus over time. That makes early evidence of digital fluency especially valuable.

AI, Insights, and Solutions

AI, Insights, and Solutions is where Bain's AI and analytics work lives. Bain describes it as four connected groups: design and research, engineering, product management and innovation, and data science and machine learning engineering. It counts more than 200 deep analytics and software experts, supported by more than 1,500 partnering analytics and software engineers.

A big part of this is Bain's Advanced Analytics Group (AAG), which works alongside generalist consultants to solve client problems using data science and engineering. AAG team members typically hold advanced degrees in subjects like computer science, engineering, AI, data science, physics, statistics and maths, and come from tech, data science and academic backgrounds.

When we spoke to James, he explained that the AAG team is an integral part of case teams, working closely with industry experts to combine data science with domain expertise. At the time, he told us 15% of the team's time was set aside for training and cutting-edge projects to keep pace with the field.

Enterprise Technology

Bain & Company's Enterprise Technology Practice is an integral part of the company's mission to create transformational results for its clients.

The team assembles technology experts and system architects (often former CIOs and CTOs) who have end-to-end expertise to address each element of technology infrastructure. Their work spans everything from developing technology transformation roadmaps to systems migration, technology capability sourcing, and delivery assurance of critical technology projects. They work closely with management teams and investors across a range of topics including technology transformation, systems & architecture, technology strategy, technology operating models, technology costs, cybersecurity, and technology & process integration.

James explains that not only does this involve the practical reality of delivering an enterprise-wide technology transformation but also working at the forefront of the trends driving how technology is used in enterprises.

In the Spotlight: Digital Marketing at Bain

If digital marketing is your thing, take a look at Bain's FRWD team. As well as the suitably hip lack of vowels in its name, FRWD ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a digital-first marketing approach.

FRWD is Bain's marketing acceleration capability: a community of expert practitioners from in-house marketing teams, agencies and tech platforms who work inside integrated Bain case teams. Their work spans marketing diagnostics, media optimisation, e-commerce and retail media, MarTech and data strategy, and generative AI. FRWD isn't an agency, so the job is to advise clients (and their agencies) on what's right for them, then help make it happen.

One thing to know before you apply: FRWD hires experienced marketers. Its Expert Consultant roles ask for 5+ years of hands-on marketing experience, with an MBA preferred but not required. So if you're coming straight out of business school without that background, the generalist route is the better door, and FRWD is one to aim for later in your career.

Check out FRWD's open roles here.

McKinsey Digital

McKinsey & Company is the largest of the big three management consultancies. It doesn't publish official figures, but revenue is estimated at more than $16 billion, and its CEO has described a workforce of roughly 40,000 people working alongside around 20,000 AI agents. McKinsey Digital grew out of the firm's response to rapid technological change and is now a core part of how McKinsey serves clients.

McKinsey Digital helps clients harness the power of data and AI, modernise legacy systems, capitalise on new technologies before they become mainstream, automate operations, embrace digital marketing, create incredible digital experiences, and discover digital talent that can help to shape the future.

To get a better idea of what all this means, we sat down with an INSEAD MBA alum who now works at McKinsey Digital to walk through some examples of the work they do.

Here's what she said:

"A typical project might start out as a strategy challenge where we identify technology as a key enabler for driving value. As we dive deeper into defining what that looks like in practice, digital consultants will enter the project to explore how we implement this strategy using tech.

A similar example would work for a cost transformation where we identify that digital technology could drive significant cost reduction through automation of processes, migrating to the cloud, or digitising customer touchpoints (e.g. transforming a bank's physical branch into a mobile app)."

We then asked her to elaborate on this term 'transformation':

"A significant proportion of the work we do at McKinsey Digital involves transformation projects with multiple phases that span over 12-24 months. In the implementation phases, we tend to work on the ground with digital product owners, designers, and data engineers on both the client side and with McKinsey Digital experts.

McKinsey’s digital work is especially strong for candidates who want broad exposure to transformation projects. The work often combines strategy, product, technology, and operating model change rather than focusing on just one area.

The McKinsey Digital experts we work with come from a number of different teams such as our Digital and Analytics team (DnA), Quantum Black, or IncepTech to deliver digital products and services."

We'll touch on these satellite teams in a bit more detail in a moment. In the meantime, you might want to see how QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey describes its client work to get a better feel for the kind of projects you could be working on.

Careers at McKinsey Digital

McKinsey describes its McKinsey Digital community as more than 4,500 tech colleagues, from data scientists and software engineers to designers, architects and cybersecurity experts. It hires both digital business consultants and technologists, and from day one you're part of multidisciplinary teams that use technology to help clients shape strategy, transform their organisations and build new businesses.

McKinsey Digital has also grown through acquisitions, such as IncepTech, which deepened its software engineering capabilities in Europe, and it works with a global network of partners from some of the world's biggest tech companies.

As well as enhancing technical capabilities, McKinsey Digital also works with clients to build company cultures that can embrace agile innovation and remain competitive in today's fast-changing markets. If you're someone who enjoys working with people and doesn't want to go down a purely technical path, this focus on installing cultural transformations is an exciting space.

During the conversation with the Associate at McKinsey Digital, she listed the following highlights to give us a flavour of what she's achieved over her first two years at the company:

• Supported a top-5 UK closed book insurer to review their supplier strategy, develop a robust migration plan for legacy policy administration systems, and redesign their tech operating model.
• Developed the 'North Star' technology strategy across business units for a financial infrastructure provider to serve as the foundation for a strategic post-merger pivot.
• Led the development and launch of digital personal and business current account onboarding journeys for a UK high-street bank. As part of the bank's cost transformation, she helped to deliver cost savings by redirecting traffic from branches, reducing paper use, integrating digital identity verification, simplifying the credit check, and enhancing the business plausibility assessment process.
• Built a cloud-based digital platform powered by a data and analytics model for a consortium of UK public sector and technology clients to help traders easily file their customs declarations for bringing goods from the EU to the UK post-Brexit.

If you enjoy working across functions and want to stay close to business problems while still building digital expertise, McKinsey Digital can be a strong fit.

Build by McKinsey and McKinsey Business Building

Build by McKinsey is McKinsey Digital's technology delivery unit: a pool of designers, software developers, data engineers, cloud specialists, architects and product owners who join client teams to build digital products alongside business strategists.

Build is especially relevant for candidates who want to help design and deliver digital products, not just advise on them. It is a good example of how digital strategy increasingly blends with implementation.

Critically, it connects businesses with people who are digitally savvy and also strong strategic thinkers, creative problem solvers and passionate learners who aren't afraid to take on a challenge. Build teams work closely with other parts of the McKinsey family, including QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey. McKinsey bought QuantumBlack as a 45-person start-up in 2015 and now calls it the firm's global AI and engineering powerhouse.

If new ventures appeal, look at McKinsey Business Building too (formerly Leap by McKinsey). It says it has built and scaled more than 700 ventures with clients, often on multi-year engagements. It's McKinsey's closest equivalent to BCG's business-building work, which we cover below.

McKinsey Digital Strategy Consultant Jobs

Successful business school applicants typically find their way into McKinsey Digital by starting the normal McKinsey application process and specifying 'McKinsey Digital' when asked whether they would like to apply to a particular practice. However, if you're not coming through the business school route, it's possible to apply directly to digital-specific roles.

Whichever route you take, expect the same core assessments as everyone else: the Solve online assessment, case interviews and the Personal Experience Interview. McKinsey is also piloting an AI-assisted interview, which we cover in "How AI Is Changing the Application Process" below.

Note that opportunities at McKinsey Digital are split into two umbrella categories:

• Client-oriented services
• Internal roles

Depending on your skill set and the line of work you want to follow, thinking about whether you'd like to work on client projects or internal operations can be a helpful starting point to narrow your options and focus your attention.

Client-Oriented Services at McKinsey

Client-oriented services are probably the kind of roles you think of when someone says they work at a big management consultancy. This covers a smorgasbord of consulting roles from analytics to design, digital strategy, implementation, research and even turnaround (the process of helping a business recover from a cash crisis).

If you land one of these roles, you're likely to spread your time across a handful of projects, some of which will be ongoing for years and others could be short-term projects that you dip in and out of to perform a specific task.

Sound like your kind of thing? Head to McKinsey for Technologists to explore McKinsey Digital roles, including internships.

Digital internships at McKinsey are a great way to get a feel for the work and figure out whether it's right for you. Length, locations and deadlines vary by office and change each year, so check the current listings for the offices you're targeting, and apply early.

You'll work alongside data scientists, researchers, software developers, and app designers to help McKinsey's private, public, and social clients solve some of their most pressing problems.

In the Spotlight: Agile at McKinsey Digital

One of the most exciting client-orientated areas at McKinsey Digital is Agile. You could be working on anything from finding product/market fit (PMF) for new products to implementing rapid process rejigs, or creating state-of-the-art data analytics systems.

If you'd like to learn more about Agile, there are loads of great books out there.

Start with Eric Ries's 'The Lean Startup' to whet your appetite and if you like what you see, move on to Jeff Sutherland's 'Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time' for a deeper dive into one of the most popular schools of thought in Agile.

Internal Roles at McKinsey

If jumping between projects isn't your thing and you're not set on working with flagship clients, McKinsey Digital also offer a wide range of internal roles that cover everything from Communications to Finance, Administration, Legal, People & HR, Procurement, Risk & Compliance, Technology & Digital, and Visual Graphics & Media.

Many of these roles don't require technical expertise and are well suited to MBA grads who have a rounded understanding of the marketing mix and can speak like a digital native.

Many aspects of these internal roles (from the interview process to career development) are the same as anywhere else in the firm.

McKinsey Digital Strategy Consultant Salary

If you join McKinsey Digital on the consulting track, you're paid on the same scale as generalist consultants at the same level. Specialist roles (engineers, data scientists, designers) have their own pay bands, which vary widely by level and location.

Pay at MBB is also strikingly similar across the three firms. For US post-MBA hires in 2025, base salary was $192,000 at McKinsey and Bain and $190,000 at BCG, plus a $30,000 signing bonus at each. With performance bonuses, total first-year pay came in at around $267,000 to $285,000.

In the UK, the numbers are lower but still strong. New graduates at McKinsey and BCG can expect total pay of around £60,000, with Bain slightly ahead at around £63,000. For MBA and PhD hires, Bain offers a base of about £97,000 and total pay of up to £117,000. Treat these as a guide rather than gospel: the firms don't publish pay tables, and figures shift by office and year.

One thing to know: MBB starting pay has now been flat for three years in a row, partly because AI is changing how much junior work firms need. That makes the digital and AI skills that set you apart even more valuable.

If you want a feel for the range of roles and career paths at McKinsey Digital, visit McKinsey for Technologists, where McKinsey introduces colleagues from across the practice. Familiarising yourself with these journeys is a great way to spot gaps in your CV and work out which career steps could get you there.

BCG Digital Strategy Consultant: Introducing BCG X

In 2022, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) launched BCG X, its tech build and design unit. BCG folded three existing businesses into it: BCG Digital Ventures (new business building), BCG Gamma (data science and AI), and the product, design and engineering teams from BCG Platinion.

BCG X is a useful fit for people who want to work at the intersection of strategy, venture building, engineering, and design. Compared with Bain and McKinsey, BCG’s digital story leans more visibly toward technical depth and product creation.

When we spoke to Jay Patel, then a Partner at BCG Digital Ventures, ex-Googler and advocate for all things digital, he explained that "the move brings together successful multidisciplinary teams that have collectively seen triple-digit growth every year for the past seven years". He added:

"BCG X will further enhance collaboration among diverse disciplines to serve clients in an even more integrated and seamless way. We plan to double the size of its workforce over the next three years."

BCG never stands still and they're always looking to stay one step ahead by embracing a forward-thinking culture where employees are supported by a caring system, encouraged to think outside of the box, and mentored to promote personal growth.

BCG's famous slogan of "Unlocking the potential of those who advance the world" captures its ethos and vision nicely.

So how has that played out? BCG X now describes itself as more than 3,000 tech builders, designers and entrepreneurs. That's growth, though not the doubling Jay described. The bigger story is BCG as a whole. In 2025, AI- and tech-focused services made up more than 40% of the firm's $14.4 billion revenue, and headcount grew to 33,500. In short, digital (and now AI) is here to stay, and BCG's talent pipeline reflects it.

So, let's take a look at BCG's digital roles under the microscope and explore which role might be the right fit for you.

Business Building at BCG X (Formerly BCG Digital Ventures)

BCG Digital Ventures (BCGDV) was BCG's corporate venturing arm, founded in 2014 to invent, launch and scale new businesses with the world's biggest companies. It's now part of BCG X, where business building sits alongside AI, engineering and design. BCGDV says it has launched nearly 200 businesses since it was founded.

Business building at BCG X means standing up a new venture with a client, from the idea to the technology to the go-to-market plan. Teams mix strategic designers, product managers, venture architects, growth specialists, engineers and operations leads, and they work with the wider BCG family every day. That exposure to such a range of expertise is hard to find in more traditional consulting roles.

When we asked Jay how people typically found their way into digital roles at BCG, he told us:

"The majority of folk at BCG Digital Ventures were hired directly as specialists from the industry. However, there are some BCG generalists who transition into commercial roles within BCG Digital Ventures, but this is not a huge percentage. The best way to get a job within BCG Digital Ventures is to apply directly with the relevant skill set and experience."

Jay noted that, at the time, BCG's digital consultants didn't technically sit within BCGDV. He explained that client needs came first, and a team with the relevant skills was then deployed to deliver on them. Most work had some input from the BCGDV team, but this was usually a sector expert rather than a digital generalist.

If we compare the above to the non-technical pathways described by Bain and McKinsey, BCG appears to take a more hard-line approach to technical expertise, placing less emphasis on 'digital generalists'.

That said, if you're applying to BCG X's business-building teams from a generalist background, Jay identified three important character traits that he looks for in candidates:

1. A growth mindset is a must.
2. Client readiness is extremely valuable. In Jay's experience, BCGDV gave consultants earlier exposure to clients than classic BCG, so demonstrating experience in the service industry will give you an edge.
3. Creative problem-solving skills will get you far.

He added that it's important to do your research ahead of any interviews, learn about how BCG works, and ensure your accomplishments from previous roles shine.

And if you're looking for any book recommendations to supplement your application, Jay also recommends Eric Ries's Lean Startup as a must-read. He describes Ries's work as "core to how BCG Digital Ventures works: a ruthless focus on rapid test, learn and iterate cycles on the way to building successful businesses and products".

This means generalist candidates need to be especially clear about the value they bring, while specialists should highlight concrete technical expertise and delivery experience.

In the Spotlight: Experience Design at BCG X

If you're a creative thinker who understands people but you also have an eye for tech, you might want to think about a role as an Experience Designer.

Experience Designers at BCG X combine strategy, design, and technology to build digital products and end-to-end experiences that enhance customers' lives.

Past BCGDV ventures give a flavour of the work: a platform that created realistic digital versions of loved ones for people living with dementia, and a benchmarking tool to help employers achieve workplace racial equity. Experience Designers deliver end-to-end solutions like these that change lives.

From prototyping to usability testing, Experience Designers develop everything from product wireframes to information architectures, visual design, and user flows. As well as demonstrating creative problem-solving skills and an eye for detail, BCG looks for talent who can look at a problem from the customers' perspective and engage with projects on a human level.

Interested? Start by checking out 'Well-Designed: How to Use Empathy to Create Products People Love' by Jon Kolko, a refreshingly jargon-free book from one of the most exciting thinkers in the product design space.

In the Spotlight: Growth Architect at BCG X

A Growth Architect at BCG X is a strategic thinker and problem solver who drives the growth and success of innovative ventures. They lead the development and implementation of growth strategies that help new businesses scale and thrive.

Key responsibilities often include:

• Developing growth strategies: Creating comprehensive plans to attract, engage, and retain customers.
• Conducting market research: Analysing market trends, customer behaviour, and competitor activities.
• Designing go-to-market strategies: Planning and executing effective marketing and sales initiatives.
• Optimising customer acquisition and retention: Implementing strategies to increase customer base and loyalty.
• Measuring and analysing performance: Tracking key metrics and making data-driven decisions.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams: Working closely with product managers, engineers, designers, and other stakeholders.

In essence, a Growth Architect acts as a catalyst for growth, ensuring that new ventures have the right strategies, tactics, and resources in place to achieve their full potential.

In the Spotlight: Forward-Deployed Consultants at BCG X

In an interview with Business Insider, BCG partner Scott Wilder gave a look inside how the firm builds AI. He described innovation happening on three levels.

At the data level, engineers are building MCP servers and agents on top of BCG's internal and selected public data, so AI tools can pull the right information at the right moment.

In the middle sit client projects, and this is where forward-deployed consultants come in. The role borrows from the forward-deployed engineers made famous by Palantir: technical consultants embedded in client teams, building AI tools on the case itself. When a tool works well, it goes back to BCG's R&D team, which refines it and adds it to an internal marketplace so other teams can reuse it. Wilder said BCG puts its "best of the best globally" on these cases.

At the top are firm-wide tools, such as Deckster (a slide editor trained on hundreds of BCG templates), Ava (an internal IT and HR assistant) and GENE (a conversational AI used for presentations and podcasts). BCG also bills itself as the world's number one creator of custom GPTs, with around 36,000 built.

What does this look like for clients? BCG X worked with Merck to build TEDDY, a family of AI foundation models that helps scientists understand disease biology. BCG Platinion worked with PHOENIX group, one of Europe's largest healthcare distributors, to set up a GenAI Factory spanning 29 countries. Its first tools included an AI-powered inventory cockpit, a transport invoice validator and an AI customer service agent.

Interested? BCG X now advertises Forward Deployed AI Engineer and Scientist roles in several countries, including the UK, with internships too. They suit people who can write code and hold their own in a client conversation.

This is one of the clearest examples in the article of digital consulting moving closer to product delivery. The role requires both technical credibility and strong client-facing skills.

BCG Platinion

BCG Platinion started in Germany in 2000 to add deep technical expertise to BCG. When BCG X was formed, Platinion's design and engineering teams moved into it, but Platinion carries on under its own brand as BCG's home for technology architecture and large-scale IT transformation. Its work spans architecture, cybersecurity, digital transformation, enterprise applications and risk.

If BCG X builds new products and ventures, Platinion makes a client's core technology fit for the future: ERP and cloud modernisation, data platforms and, increasingly, AI. Its GenAI Factory work with PHOENIX group is a good example. Many of its roles now carry titles like AI Tech Architect, so expect your technical and project experience to get a close look (see Christos's answers below for more insights).

BCG X Salary

If you join BCG or BCG X on a consulting track, your pay will look much like the MBB figures in the McKinsey section above. Pay for specialist roles in engineering, data science and design varies a lot by level and location, so check current data on Glassdoor or Levels.fyi for the exact role and office you're targeting.

Long story short, if you land a digital role at BCG, you'll be doing well for yourself.

Digital Consulting @ Accenture Song

Accenture is a global professional services company with $69.7 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025 and roughly 786,000 people worldwide. Accenture Song is its creative and customer-experience business, formed when Accenture Interactive was rebranded in 2022. Song grew 8% in fiscal 2025 and brings together customer growth strategy, marketing, sales, service, commerce, design, digital products, data and AI.

Accenture Song is likely to appeal to candidates who want digital work with a stronger mix of creative, customer, and commerce themes. Compared with MBB, the work is often broader and more cross-functional.

One change to know about: since 1 September 2025, Accenture has run all of its services, including Song, as a single business unit called Reinvention Services. Song still exists as a capability and a brand, but it now sits alongside Accenture's strategy, consulting, technology and operations teams rather than as a separate division. For you, that means Song roles increasingly involve working across those teams on end-to-end transformations.

Accenture Song's work is rooted in strategy and powered by technology and creativity. They help clients with everything from brand strategy and creative services to customer experience design, marketing, and commerce. They are involved in modernising legacy systems, implementing composable commerce platforms, leveraging AI for customer insights, and building omni-channel experiences.

To give you a clearer picture of their work, let's look at some examples of the types of projects they handle.

Typical Accenture Song Projects

A typical project might be a large-scale brand reinvention where they work with a client to not only redefine their brand purpose but also implement the technology and marketing strategies needed to bring that new brand to life across all customer touchpoints. This could involve everything from creating new digital products and services to orchestrating large-scale creative campaigns.

Another example would be a commerce transformation project, where Accenture Song helps a business migrate to a cloud-native, headless, or composable commerce architecture. This kind of work is a major focus for them, as they help clients build flexible and scalable platforms that can adapt to rapid market changes. This type of project often involves a multidisciplinary team of product owners, designers, software engineers, and data analysts working closely with the client to deliver a new digital experience.

Careers at Accenture Song

Accenture Song employs a wide range of professionals, from designers and creatives to technologists, data scientists and strategists. This diverse talent pool means you'll work on projects that blend creative and technical skills.

Accenture Song has a strategy of continuous expansion, often through strategic acquisitions to enhance its capabilities. For instance, they have acquired companies to bolster their expertise in areas like social and influencer marketing, composable commerce, and digital product design. This provides a dynamic environment with opportunities to work with experts from a variety of acquired firms and learn new skills.

The focus on cultural transformation and change management is also a key part of the work at Accenture Song. They help clients not just with the technical aspects of digital transformation but also with building company cultures that can embrace agile innovation and remain competitive. If you're a people person and enjoy the human side of business change, this is a very exciting area to work in.

Accenture Song Careers and Roles

Accenture offers a wide variety of career paths, and Accenture Song is no different. You can apply directly for digital-specific roles. Opportunities at Accenture are generally split into two umbrella categories: client-oriented services and internal roles.

Client-Oriented Services at Accenture Song

These are the roles that involve working directly with clients to solve their most pressing business and technology challenges. This can include anything from designing digital products to creating marketing campaigns, implementing new platforms, or leading large-scale transformation projects. If you choose this path, you'll be working on a diverse portfolio of projects that could last anywhere from a few months to several years.

If you are a student or recent graduate, exploring digital internships is a great way to get a feel for the industry. Accenture's internship programmes provide a chance to work on real-world projects alongside experienced professionals in fields like data science, design, and technology.

That breadth makes Song a useful option for people with backgrounds in strategy, design, product, marketing, or technology who want to work on customer-facing transformation.

Internal Roles at Accenture Song

If you prefer to work behind the scenes, Accenture also offers a wide array of internal roles that support the business. These positions cover functions like finance, HR, marketing, and technology, and many do not require a technical background. These roles are a good fit for people who want to be part of a major digital consulting firm but prefer to work on internal operations rather than client-facing projects.

Accenture Song Salary

Accenture doesn't publish pay tables, and salaries vary a lot by role, level and location. We couldn't find a reliable, current figure for Song roles specifically. So rather than quote an out-of-date average, we'd suggest checking Glassdoor or Levels.fyi for the exact role and office you're targeting.

Beyond MBB: Other Firms Hiring Digital and AI Consultants

MBB and Accenture are not the only options. If you are exploring digital or AI consulting, it is worth looking at the Big Four, tier 2 strategy firms, and AI-native companies hiring forward-deployed talent.

The right fit depends on whether you want strategy, product, implementation, or deeply technical work.

Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG. The Big Four run large digital, technology and AI consulting practices and recruit heavily from UK universities and business schools. Their strategy arms (Monitor Deloitte, Strategy& at PwC and EY-Parthenon) are the closest in feel to MBB. Graduate intakes have shrunk, so apply early and target the digital and AI teams specifically. Sharon's profile below shows what a product role at Deloitte Digital looks like.

• Kearney and Oliver Wyman. Tier 2 strategy firms with growing digital and analytics work. Kearney, for example, reported around $2 billion in revenue in 2025 and has more than 5,300 staff.
• AI companies hiring forward-deployed engineers. The forward-deployed model we covered at BCG X is now one of the hottest roles in tech. Palantir pioneered it, and companies including Google, Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic are hiring for it. Postings for forward-deployed engineers rose more than 1,000% in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. These jobs need real coding skills, but the consulting half of the role (scoping problems, managing stakeholders, driving adoption) is exactly what a digital consulting background gives you.

How AI Is Changing the Application Process

Here's the biggest change since we first wrote this guide: firms no longer just ask whether you understand AI. They're starting to test how you work with it.

McKinsey's AI interview. McKinsey has piloted a final-round exercise in which graduate candidates use Lilli, the firm's internal AI assistant, to work through a case. Interviewers look at how you prompt it, and whether you have the curiosity and judgment to challenge what it gives you and put it in the context of the client. The pilot started in the US, mainly for Business Analyst candidates, and McKinsey is expected to roll it out more widely if it works. For now, the classic case interview and the Personal Experience Interview still carry most of the weight.

The key skill in these interviews is not clever prompting. It is judgment. Interviewers want to see whether you can use AI as a tool, challenge its output, and explain your reasoning clearly.

Fewer junior seats, flat pay. As we covered above, MBB starting salaries have been frozen for three years running as AI changes how firms think about large cohorts of junior analysts. The squeeze is sharper at the Big Four in the UK: KPMG cut its 2023 UK graduate intake by 29%, Deloitte by about 18%, EY by 11% and PwC by 6%.

What this means for you:

• Treat AI like a collaborator, not a shortcut: Use it to structure your thinking, but make sure your own logic, examples, and judgment remain central.
• Practise solving cases with an AI tool open. Use an AI assistant to structure a problem, then pick holes in its answer. The skill being tested is judgment, not prompt tricks. As Sharon, now a Product Manager at Deloitte Digital, puts it: "In product case problems, never jump to a solution, but ask a lot of questions - the approach is more important than the solution."
• Have a view on AI in your target sector. Linde, who works in Design & Digital Products Consulting at Accenture Song, advises candidates to "Form own opinion on the new digital trends." Expect interviewers to ask where AI creates value, and where it doesn't.
• Show you've built or used something. A small automation, an AI-assisted analysis or a prototype gives you a concrete story for your fit interview. Frame it with the X-Y-Z formula Clara recommends below.
• Don't use AI unless you're invited to. Unless a firm explicitly tells you AI is allowed in an assessment, assume it isn't.

Common mistakes for aspiring Digital Strategy Consultants

1. Talking about digital in vague terms without linking it to business value
2. Overstating technical knowledge without showing real-world application
3. Focusing on tools instead of outcomes
4. Ignoring the change-management side of digital work
5. Failing to tailor your story to the specific firm or role

Digital Strategy Consultant Profiles

The following profiles show how people with different backgrounds have entered digital consulting and how they talk about the skills that matter most in practice.

Cadu, Growth Strategy Manager @ Accenture

Academic background: MBA @ Imperial College

What do you do in your role?: At Accenture, I help major companies uncover and activate new growth avenues by translating complex market dynamics into actionable innovation strategies. This involves sizing opportunities, designing user-centric product and service propositions, and aligning multidisciplinary teams, spanning strategy, technology, and design, to quickly test and validate ideas. I also lead Accenture's Growth Talks initiative, connecting our teams with leading entrepreneurs and innovators.

What are the best things about the role?: I love the breadth of exposure. I'm constantly navigating across diverse industries like financial services, CPG, and education, which keeps every project fresh and intellectually stimulating. The role lets me blend strategic thinking with creativity, working closely with talented colleagues to shape new ventures from initial ideation through to market validation. It's incredibly rewarding to see our strategies evolve into tangible business outcomes.

What are your tips for the application process?: Highlight how your past experiences uniquely position you to bridge creativity with business strategy. Being specific about projects and measurable results is crucial. Also, remember to demonstrate clarity of thought and structured communication, as consulting firms highly value the ability to distill complexity into actionable insights.

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role?: Growth strategy frameworks: Deep understanding of strategic methodologies such as TAM analysis, competitive benchmarking, and market sizing. / Entrepreneurial mindset: Ability to identify and validate new business ideas quickly, drawing on lean startup methodologies.

Clara, Strategy Analyst @ Accenture

Academic background: MSc @ Imperial College

What do you do in your role?: At Accenture, I help companies with transaction advisory and operating model transformation.

What are the best things about the role?: I love the fact that I am exposed to a wide variety of businesses and business challenges and the fact that I am constantly learning.

What are your tips for the application process?: It's really important to emphasise the impact that you've had across all your experiences - both in your career (if you've had jobs), in your academic life and your extracurricular activities. The "I increased X by metric Y by doing Z" is powerful.

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role?: The two key skills that are relevant for the role are communication (verbal and written) as well as stakeholder management (external and internal). You can find out more in the video below.

[Video embed: https://www.youtube.com/embed/myzardwADeU]

Divy, Associate @ McKinsey Digital

Academic background: MBA @ INSEAD

What do you do in your role?: As a McKinsey digital consultant, my role involves partnering with clients to tackle their toughest digital challenges. I work closely with them to develop digital strategies that align with their business goals and market realities. This often means leading or supporting digital transformation initiatives, helping clients leverage technology and data to drive innovation and improve performance. I provide expertise in areas such as technology advisory, data analytics, and organizational change management, guiding clients through the complexities of digital change. My goal is to not just offer solutions but to build lasting relationships as a trusted advisor, helping clients navigate the digital landscape and achieve sustainable success.

What are the best things about the role?: Great talent, inclusive and diverse environment, Ability to define your own path, great exposure to interesting problems/sectors, leadership.

What are your tips for the application process?: Here are some tips to help you navigate the application process at McKinsey:

1. Research the Firm: Take the time to thoroughly research McKinsey, including its culture, values, client work, and industry reputation. Understand what sets McKinsey apart and why you're drawn to the firm.
2. Tailor Your Application: Customize your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experiences, skills, and achievements that align with McKinsey's needs and values. Emphasize your problem-solving abilities, leadership potential, and passion for making an impact.
3. Network: Reach out to current and former McKinsey employees through informational interviews, networking events, or LinkedIn. Building connections within the firm can provide valuable insights and potentially open doors for referrals.
4. Practice Case Interviews: Case interviews are a crucial part of McKinsey's hiring process. Practice solving case studies to sharpen your problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills. Seek feedback from peers or mentors to improve your performance.
5. Showcase Leadership and Impact: Highlight examples of leadership, initiative, and impact in your experiences, whether it's through work, extracurricular activities, or community involvement. McKinsey looks for candidates who can drive change and deliver results.
6. Demonstrate Cultural Fit: During interviews and interactions with recruiters, demonstrate alignment with McKinsey's values and collaborative culture. Emphasize your ability to work in diverse teams, adapt to change, and thrive in a high-performance environment.
7. Be Prepared for Behavioral Interviews: In addition to case interviews, expect behavioral interviews that assess your past experiences, problem-solving approach, and interpersonal skills. Prepare concise, compelling stories that showcase your abilities and values.
8. Stay Organized and Responsive: Keep track of application deadlines, interview schedules, and communication with recruiters. Respond promptly to emails and requests for information, demonstrating professionalism and attention to detail.
9. Be Authentic and Genuine: Be yourself throughout the application process. Showcase your unique strengths, experiences, and perspectives. Authenticity and genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity can set you apart.
10. Stay Persistent and Resilient: The application process at McKinsey can be competitive and challenging. Stay resilient, learn from each experience, and use setbacks as opportunities for growth. Maintain a positive attitude and keep pushing forward towards your goal. By following these tips and putting your best foot forward, you can increase your chances of success in the application process at McKinsey.

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role?: See above.

Sharon, Product Manager at Deloitte Digital

Academic background: MBA @ Imperial College

What do you do in your role?: I lead teams of engineers and designers to build digital products that are coupled with business, technology and user experience.

What are the best things about the role?: I love that I get to understand customers, their behaviours, pain points and journey, and then use these insights to close a gap in the existing product or market. As a Product Manager, you also get to work with multiple stakeholders as well as team members across engineering and designs. I am learning something new each day, whether it's technology or design, or soft skills such as negotiating with stakeholders or prioritising features for an MVP.

What are your tips for the application process?: Familiarise yourself with lots of digital products and their user experience. Be curious and always have a why in your mind. In product case problems, never jump to a solution, but ask a lot of questions - the approach is more important than the solution.

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role?: Knowledge about product lifecycle management (MVP, Agile methodology, product iterations), basic data analysis and metrics, user experience and design, high level technical understanding. Soft skills such as communication, leadership, problem-solving and creativity are very crucial for a product manager.

Linde, Design & Digital Products Consulting @ Accenture Song

Academic background: Master's @ ESMT

What do you do in your role?: Consult clients on digital transformation projects, CX success management, service design, capability building

What are the best things about the role?: Learning curve of diving into different topics, gaining industry knowledge, developing strategies that are iterated (together with client) and implemented.

What are your tips for the application process?: Form own opinion on the new digital trends, know one's own "brand" and story, stay up to trend with consulting & Accenture topics

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role?: CX, digital transformation, (Gen)AI, communication, project management

Christos, Project Lead @ BCG Platinion

Academic background: MBA @ INSEAD

What do you do in your role?: In my role at BCG Platinion, I focus on driving the digital transformation for leading global companies. This involves designing and implementing customized IT strategies and architectures, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI, blockchain, and cloud computing. I lead and steer strategic IT projects using agile methodologies, ensuring they align with client needs and current market trends. Additionally, I work on creating and optimizing robust IT architectures, contributing to innovative and sustainable digital solutions. My expertise includes managing interdisciplinary teams, analyzing complex business cases, and facilitating smooth customer journeys through precise and tailored approaches.

What are the best things about the role?: The best things about my role at BCG Platinion include the opportunity to work on transformative digital projects for leading global companies, leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, blockchain, and cloud computing. I enjoy the dynamic and innovative environment, where every project presents unique challenges and learning experiences. Collaborating with a talented and diverse team allows me to continuously grow and develop my skills. Additionally, the ability to see the direct impact of our solutions on clients' success and being at the forefront of digital innovation are incredibly rewarding aspects of my job.

What are your tips for the application process?:

Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter: Highlight your experience in IT consulting, particularly in digital transformation and implementation projects. Emphasize any hands-on experience with technologies like AI, cloud computing, blockchain, and microservices.

Showcase Relevant Skills: Make sure to demonstrate your proficiency with agile methodologies, DevOps, machine learning, and cyber resilience. Detail your role in leading project teams and your ability to manage complex business cases.

Highlight Your Academic Background: Mention your degree in computer science, informatics, or a related field, especially if you have above-average grades. This aligns well with the qualifications BCG Platinion looks for.

Prepare for Case Interviews: BCG is known for its case interview process. Practice solving case studies that focus on IT and digital transformation scenarios. Familiarize yourself with common frameworks and methodologies used in these cases.

Demonstrate Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Be ready to showcase your analytical skills and how you approach problem-solving. Use examples from your past experience where you successfully navigated complex technical challenges.

Show Your Interpersonal Skills: Highlight your ability to work in interdisciplinary teams and your experience in global contexts. BCG values strong communication skills, so be sure to demonstrate your proficiency in explaining complex topics clearly in both local language and English.

Be Flexible and Willing to Travel: BCG Platinion roles often require travel. Show that you are adaptable and open to working in different locations and environments.

Understand BCG's Values and Culture: Research BCG's values, culture, and recent projects. Align your answers and application materials to reflect these values, showing that you are a good cultural fit for the company.

Prepare Questions for the Interviewers: Show your genuine interest in the role and the company by preparing thoughtful questions about BCG Platinion's projects, team dynamics, and future goals.

Network with Current Employees: If possible, connect with current or former BCG Platinion employees to gain insights into the company culture and the specific demands of the role. Their insights can be invaluable and may also help you tailor your application more effectively.

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role?: Technical Expertise: In-depth knowledge of advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, cloud computing, blockchain, microservices, and containerization is essential. Being well-versed in cyber resilience and DevOps practices is also important.

IT Consulting Experience: Practical experience in IT consulting, particularly in digital transformation and strategic IT implementation, is vital. This includes the ability to design and optimize IT architectures and lead complex transformation projects from both strategic and operational perspectives.

Agile Methodologies: Proficiency in using agile methods to drive projects forward, ensuring flexibility and responsiveness to changing client needs and market trends. Project Management: Strong project management skills, including leading teams of more than three people and steering project modules effectively. Experience in managing interdisciplinary teams and working in global contexts is particularly relevant.

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to perform precise analyses of specific client situations and develop tailored, future-oriented solutions. This involves understanding and constructing complex business cases and navigating technical challenges.

Communication Skills: Excellent communication skills in both local language and English, with the ability to explain complex technical topics clearly to diverse stakeholders.

Across these examples, the same themes keep coming up: communication, structured thinking, stakeholder management, and the ability to connect business problems with digital solutions.

Future Proof Your Career

Future-proofing your career in digital consulting is about more than learning tools. It means understanding how technology creates value, building comfort with AI, and developing the judgment to use digital solutions in the right way.

If you can combine those strengths with clear communication and business awareness, you will be well placed for the next generation of consulting roles.