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

Are your sights set on a digital consulting role at one of the big three management consultancies, known as MBB? If so, focusing your attention on one of their fast-growing digital business functions could be your route to the top.

While management consultancies are famously competitive, their emerging focus on digital transformation presents exciting opportunities for a new generation to shake up the industry and help some of the world’s biggest companies embrace the digital age.

The growing interest in digital by the likes of Bain, McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is fuelled by the rise of the so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ or ‘Industry 4.0’ — a stepwise change in digital connectivity and the use of smart automation to revolutionise the way business is done.

With the value of global management consulting increasing from $107 billion in 2011 to $160 billion in 2019, the digital capabilities of major consulting firms are geared up to support a thriving industry that shows no signs of slowing down.

So, let’s take a look at how to get into digital jobs at Bain, McKinsey and BCG as we take a deep dive into each business and provide insider tips to boost your chances of success. As we look at each company, we’ll also shine a spotlight on some of the specific business functions that are reshaping the world of digital management consultancy.

What Do Digital Strategy Consultants Do?

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s start by familiarising ourselves with the word ‘digital’ in the context of management consultancy.

While it might seem obvious, defining ‘digital’ in today’s workplace is easier said than done. Almost all businesses embrace technology to some degree, so what makes the likes of McKinsey Digital, BCG Digital Ventures, and Vector℠ by Bain special and what could a career at one of these businesses look like?

The answer lies in digital 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. Whether it’s using artificial intelligence (AI) to manage financial crime or exploring the Metaverse and Web3 to create immersive virtual worlds, digital management consultancies operate at the cutting edge.

It’s also worth noting that digital business units have a reputation for offering employees a better work-life balance compared to traditional management consultancy and you’ll typically work on longer, more steady projects as opposed to dipping in and out of smaller projects.

Pretty cool, right? Ok, let’s explore what opportunities are on offer at Vector℠ by Bain, McKinsey Digital, and BCG Digital Ventures.

Bain Digital Strategy Consultant Jobs: Meet Vector℠

Founded in 1973 in Boston, Bain & Company’s consultants provide management advice from 63 offices across 38 countries. With annual revenue almost tipping the $6 billion mark, they’re a true powerhouse in the management consultancy space and have followed a similar trajectory to both McKinsey and BCG with their growing investment into digital-first business units.

Specifically, the formation of Vector℠ represents the company’s flagship commitment to push technical boundaries and jump feet first into the fourth industrial revolution. A small army of technical specialists is supported by a growing fleet of tech-savvy ‘generalists’ to deliver an end-to-end digital service.

As Bain puts it, Vector℠ is “a digital delivery platform that propels innovation and accelerates transformation by ensuring that the right digital capabilities are at the heart of everything”.

The first thing to note is that Vector℠ is not a separate team or organisational function but rather a branded cluster of tools, products and consulting services that Bain breaks down into the following areas:

• Innovation & Design
• Modern Marketing
• Advanced Analytics
• Automation
• Enterprise Technology

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To find out more about the evolution of Vector℠, we sat down with James Anderson — a Partner at Bain & Company who heads up their digital capability in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

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 Vector℠ 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.

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.”

As Bain puts it on their website: “Now you don’t have to focus on going digital. You are digital.”

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, Vector℠ 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.”

Getting into Bain for Digital Role

It’s important to note that Bain doesn’t expect everyone who works with Vector℠ 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.

Note that if you’re an MBA student, the typical route into Vector℠ is to apply as a generalist consultant and then move towards more of a digital focus once you’ve found your feet. As a result, Bain’s digital salaries are extremely competitive as this ability to fuse strategy and innovation with a strong digital awareness is highly desirable (and rare).

Innovation & Design

As part of Vector℠, Bain’s Innovation & Design unit is home to a growing team of innovation consultants, designers, and engineers who typically have a background in start-ups, innovations labs, venture-backed firms, and other high-growth environments that demand know-how in things like human-centred design, data analytics, engineering, UX, and digital marketing.

As part of Innovation & Design, The Bain Innovation Exchange® (BIE) has evolved to support its client services with a global ecosystem of change-makers and thought-leaders — drawing on direct experience from founders and industry pioneers who can supplement Bain’s existing consulting services to maximise client outcomes.

Bain’s connectivity to a global ecosystem of leading venture capital firms, technology experts and start-ups means they always have their finger on the pulse and continue to operate at the very cutting edge. 

Speaking of ‘ecosystems’…Bain is also home to the Bain Alliance Ecosystem which involves a network of over forty existing partners and a growing pool of over sixty ‘pilot partners’ to extend the company’s digital capabilities beyond their internal teams.

Advanced Analytics Group

Bain’s Advanced Analytics Group (AAG) helps clients set their analytics strategy, build a foundation of analytics capabilities and deliver flagship use cases to make a lasting impact. If you want to hear how, take a look at this video on lessons from data-driven transformations.

The AAG team is home to world-class quantitative technology specialists who solve statistical, machine learning, and data engineering challenges that they encounter in client engagements. AAG team members hold advanced degrees in subjects ranging across statistics, mathematics, computer sciences and other quantitative disciplines, and have backgrounds in a variety of fields including machine learning, data science and marketing analytics.

James explains that the AAG team is an integral part of the case teams — working in close collaboration with industry experts to combine the best of data science and domain expertise. Bain finds that this close integration delivers the most impact for clients and ongoing learning and professional development opportunities for team members.

He adds that 15% of the team’s time is allocated to training or cutting-edge projects to keep pace with innovation in the analytics field.

Enterprise Technology

Bain & Company’s Enterprise Technology Practice is one of the fastest growing practices at Bain and 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.

If you’d like to learn more, check out this recent article on the six trends shaping the future of enterprise technology and this infographic paints a useful picture of how to get the most out of a technology transformation.

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 also ticks all the right boxes when it comes to its digital-first marketing approach.

While many management consultancies have failed to keep pace with the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, FRWD represents Bain’s commitment to honing best practices and pushing clients to level up their digital strength.

FRWD is a team of digital marketing and media specialists who work within integrated teams alongside Bain consultants. They combine expertise across business strategy and digital marketing to help clients embrace things like organisational design, operating model design, and test and learn methodologies. If you’re thinking about applying to Bain following business school, landing a role in the FRWD team is a golden opportunity to apply your theoretical know-how in the real world.

Check out their open digital marketing positions here .

McKinsey Digital

McKinsey & Company is the largest of the big three management consultancies – both in terms of annual revenue ($10+ billion ) and the number of employees (30,000+). After establishing McKinsey Digital as a response to rapid technological advances, it’s now a linchpin to McKinsey’s success and is directly involved in more than 40% of company-wide projects.

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.

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 check out a couple of case studies to get a better feel for the kind of projects you could be working on.

Careers at McKinsey Digital

With a team of over 5,000 data scientists, engineers, architects, developers, technology leads, agile coaches, designers, and cybersecurity experts, the opportunities for prospective employees are endless. The team stretches across over 60 countries and embraces a flexible work culture that provides a refreshing change of pace if you’re used to more traditional consulting environments.

As mentioned earlier, McKinsey Digital is also home to a growing portfolio of satellite business functions (mainly through acquisitions such as their recent deal with IncepTech to deepen their software engineering capabilities in Europe), an academy for building new digital capabilities, and 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.

Build by McKinsey

As a subset of McKinsey Digital, Build by McKinsey is the company’s very own technology delivery people unit.

In essence, this consists of a pool of talented people who are parachuted into businesses to supercharge their digital capabilities. From designers to software developers, data engineers, cloud specialists, technology architects, and product owners, Build by McKinsey is a breeding ground for technical talent that McKinsey can ‘install’ into a business to solve complex problems.

Critically, the programme connects businesses with digitally-savvy individuals who are also strong strategic thinkers, creative problem solvers, and passionate learners who aren’t afraid to take on a challenge.

McKinsey describes its Build teams as “nimble and focused multidisciplinary squads” who work closely with business strategists and specialists from other members of the McKinsey family including Cloud by McKinsey (cloud-driven business transformations) and QuantumBlack AI by McKinsey (hybrid intelligence between technology and people).

Build by McKinsey is home to over 1,000 technical experts, a global community that spans over forty countries and a client base of over 400 organisations.

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.

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? Check out McKinsey’s job board to browse Digital Intern roles.

Digital Internships at McKinsey are a great way to get a feel for the industry and work out whether it’s right for you. They usually last ~5 weeks over the summer and their open positions are usually spread across major European cities including Helsinki, Madrid, Paris, and Munich.

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’ ’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. As McKinsey puts it: “Joining McKinsey Digital is just like declaring your tech-focused major.”

McKinsey Digital Strategy Consultant Salary

The wide variety of roles and seniority levels within McKinsey Digital’s global team means it’s hard to give a black and white figure for salary. That said, you can rest easy in the knowledge that you won’t be strapped for cash if you successfully land a job at McKinsey Digital and there are some amazing opportunities for internal career progression that (if you make the cut) pay the big bucks.

For example, if we look at the average salary for Digital Marketing Managers at McKinsey Digital, research by Comparably estimates an annual income of $110,000 – approximately $18,000 of which comes from performance bonuses. The same research also found that McKinsey Digital salaries for this specific role are $23,000 higher than the average Digital Marketing Manager salary in the US.

If you want to get a better feel for the range of job types and progression opportunities, visit McKinsey Digital Careers and scroll down to the section called ‘Meet Your Team’. Here they show ten employee profiles which represent a cross-section of the kind of roles on offer at McKinsey Digital. If you then click through to an individual profile, they showcase their personal career journey.

For example, Sabah started her journey by studying a BSc in Computer Science at the American University of Beirut before completing an MS in Information Systems at HEC Paris. Sabah then completed an MBA at INSEAD which helped her land a job as a Technology Consultant at Computer Science Corporation before finding her way into McKinsey Digital as an Engagement Manager.

Familiarising yourself with these journeys is a great way to identify potential gaps in your existing CV and help you work out what career steps you can make to land a specific role.

BCG Digital Strategy Consultant: Introducing BCG X

In July 2022, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) announced the launch of its new technology and design business unit, BCG X which comes into effect on January 1st 2023. The decision to merge BCG’s growing suite of digital-first business units into BCG X captures the company’s ongoing commitment to tech-enabled consulting.

To learn more, we sat down with Jay Patel , 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 adds:

“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.”

In short, digital is here to stay and their talent pipeline needs to reflect this.

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.

BCG’s digital arsenal consolidates BCG Digital Ventures , BCG GAMMA , and BCG Platinion into a gigantic consulting cyborg. The move brings together more than 2,500 experts stretching across digital consultants, AI specialists, product designers, and engineers. All of this is happening at a time when BCG plans to double its global workforce over just three years — good news if you’re thinking about applying.

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

BCG Digital Ventures

BCG Digital Ventures jobs (BCGDV) seek to connect the “change-makers, innovators, and brave thinkers who are not only prepared for the future, but are ready to shape it, build it, and define it”.

After launching nearly 200 businesses over the last eight years, BCGDV works with clients to find big ideas and turn them into a reality. BCGDV combines pioneering technology with a global team of diverse talent, hands-on expertise, and an impact-focused approach to amplify BCG’s existing consulting services and its collaborative spirit to help clients reimagine products, services, and platforms.

BCGDV has 16 purpose-built Innovation Centres with locations in London, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Paris, Shanghai, Berlin, Casablanca, India, the Middle East, Shenzhen, Singapore, Tokyo, and Sydney.

The Digital Ventures business unit is fully integrated into the wider BCG family with a focus on digital business building and innovation. Successful BCGDV applicants will collaborate with other BCG teams on a daily basis to deliver clients a full range of specialisations — exposing employees to a diversity of expertise that you would struggle to find with more traditional consulting roles.

From strategic designers to product managers, venture architects, growth specialists, engineers, talent developers, product managers, and operations leads, BCGDV has something for everyone and often supports internal transfers between teams if you can demonstrate the right skill set and growth mindset.

After asking Jay about how people typically find their way into digital roles at BCG, he commented the following:

“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 BCG digital consultants don’t technically work within BCGDV. He explains that client needs come first and then a team with relevant skills are deployed to deliver on those needs. Most work will have some input from the BCGDV team, but this is 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 are applying to BCGDV 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. BCGDV tends to give consultants earlier exposure to clients compared to 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 Reis’ Lean Startup as a must-read. He describes Reis’ 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”.

In the Spotlight: Experience Design at BCG

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 BCGDV combine strategy, design, and technology to build digital products and end-to-end experiences that enhance customers’ lives.

Whether it’s helping dementia patients think, feel, and function at their best by creating realistic digital versions of loved ones or creating a roadmap to Black equity platform that provides benchmarks, best practices, and insights for achieving workplace racial equity, Experience Designers deliver end-to-end solutions 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.

BCGDV describes this harmonisation of human intelligence as the “choreography of venture ideas, branding, people, and emotions that enables our solutions to positively impact the lives of millions.”

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 play a pivotal role in developing and implementing 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: Analyzing market trends, customer behavior, and competitor activities.
• Designing go-to-market strategies: Planning and executing effective marketing and sales initiatives.
• Optimizing customer acquisition and retention: Implementing strategies to increase customer base and loyalty.
• Measuring and analyzing 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.

BCG GAMMA

BCG GAMMA combines AI tech with deep industry experience to deliver bespoke client solutions that support business transformations. As BCG puts it: they “crack the technology/people code”.

As advances in AI continue to shape the future and fuel the shift to Industry 4.0, BCG GAMMA is focused on mastering the implementation of tech in real-world business cases. Their goal is to unlock “the next wave of responsible AI that can solve the world’s toughest problems and change the equation of what’s possible”.

They adopt a 10-20-70 formula for resourcing AI projects. While the core technology behind AI projects remains an important focus, the 10-20-70 formula implies that 10% of resources are spent on technical innovation, 20% on developing digital infrastructure to maximise the effectiveness of AI algorithms, and 70% on (yes, you guessed it) consulting.

The consulting element of BCG GAMMA covers everything from domain expertise, to project management, process transformation, and change management. BCG believes this focus on execution provides clients with technology solutions that align with their business goals and avoid the adoption of tech for tech’s sake.

And for the AI sceptics out there, check out BCG’s Responsible AI framework which promotes conscientious AI development while also harnessing its transformative power. 

BCG Platinion

The third and final spoke to the BCG wheel is BCG Platinion — home to over 900 “technically minded specialists” who are dedicated to “inventing, designing and developing digital products, platforms and solutions”.

BCG Platinion fuses Agile development with a human-centred approach to help clients test, validate, and implement insights that inform the future direction of their products and services. If we think of BCGDV as a launchpad for new businesses, Platinion is more of a testbed for assessing product desirability, validating concepts, and enabling digital capabilities.

If you’re someone who enjoys the thrill of failing fast and learning faster , you might be a good fit for Platinion’s Agile approach.

From designing software to better manage behavioural health to revitalising an enterprise resource planning (ERP) project to support funding for a Global NGO, landing a role at Platinion is set to be varied, challenging and, hopefully, fulfilling.

BCG Digital Ventures Salary

Salaries at any one of the three BCGDV business functions are extremely competitive. The average estimated annual salary at BCGDV (including base and bonus) is $106,274 — roughly equivalent to the $110,000 average salary at McKinsey Digital.

If we look at BCG’s digital salaries under the microscope, the average marketing role pays $101,500 per year, designers average $109,000, engineers average $126,000, product roles average $128,000, and sales roles average a whopping $207,000.

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

Head on over to their careers page to explore open roles at BCGDV and the rest of BCG’s digital suite.

Digital Strategy Consultant Alumni Profiles

We’ve also collected some application tips from students who have done our bootcamps.

Name: Divy

Role: 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.

-–

Name: Sharon

Role: 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 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 behaivours, 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 its technology or design, or soft skills such as negotiatiating 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

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Name: Linde

Role: 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

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Name: Christos

Role: 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.

Future Proof Your Career

So, there you have it — the three largest management consultancies on the planet are all making waves in the digital space.

Whether you’re tech-obsessed or not, exploring routes into the likes of McKinsey, BCG and Bain via one of their digital business functions might be a wise move going forward.

As technological advances continue to shape the future of work and the fourth industrial revolution, building experience in the digital realm and honing your skill set to align with the latest technologies is a surefire way to future-proof your career.