It was only a few years ago that I was in my last year at college. I had a job offer in front of me and all I had to do was sign on the dotted line to define my near future: become part of BCG. I was aware of the importance of the decision. A stage in my life that I had enjoyed very much was coming to a close and a new one was about to start, where my main objective was to learn.

Today, now at BCG, I can say that this objective has been met, and exceeded. From day one I have been an active member of work teams for important clients. I have been in charge of work modules from beginning to end—collecting data, analyzing, synthesizing, developing conclusions, meeting with the client, and presenting to partners or the client. Things I never would have thought I was capable of doing I have discovered I am able to do, and do well.

Every day what I've done, what I’ve learned, and how I’ve developed—with respect to colleagues who have chosen other paths—has surged ahead and astonishes me. If, on top of all that, you do it with amazing people, what more can you ask for?

The greatest lessons at BCG come from the people you work with, not only because they are smart, but because they are also ready to see the world differently. “Never trust the expert blindly” was my first lesson. At BCG, I have learned to trust my common sense and never be afraid to say, “I don't agree.”

During my first year at BCG, I was impressed to see older associates helping each other with their applications to business school, even though they were all applying to the same schools and competing for acceptance. When I applied, it was a tiring and stressful process, but at least I had friends sitting right next to me who could sympathize and were always willing to give me a hand. BCG’s partners, principals, and project leaders are all involved in the process of helping every associate get into the schools of their choice. I received comments on my essays from a principal on New Year’s Eve! I will never forget that, and now I am trying to do my part by helping associates who are applying this year.

As a woman at BCG, I've had a chance to meet potential role models, both in-house and at the client, and spend time with them at this early stage of my career. I am learning from their experiences and trade-offs and have been able to ask them for explicit career advice.

Some people start at BCG and stay to become partners; others leverage their experience at BCG and become very successful. I believe those who move on come to Alumni Day in October feeling happy but also a little nostalgic about their time here. I don't know where life will take me, but I know BCG will always be a big part of who I become.

Corina studied industrial engineering in Mexico and worked for GE Medical systems during college.

After graduation, she joined the Monterrey office of BCG as an associate and spent more than two years there working in the industrial and consumer goods sectors.

She was sponsored for Harvard Business School and completed her MBA in 2007, and she then joined the Madrid office, where she is currently focusing on the energy sector. 

The hardest part of any university degree is knowing what to do with it. Given my background the obvious choice was to pursue a career in investment banking or commercial law. However, it was ultimately a career with BCG that enticed me the most.

Apart from being able to learn from some of the brightest minds in business, a key draw card for me was BCG's emphasis on career development through diverse experiences. Unlike other companies, BCG gives you the opportunity to work on a wide spectrum of business problems, giving you the ideal platform from which to decide where you want to take your career.

BCG is also very supportive of you taking control of your destiny. There is no 'typical' career at BCG, and knowing that I chart my own course and will not be forced to follow a prescribed career path was very important to my decision to join.

Shiv joined BCG in 2009. He holds Bachelors in business and law (Hons) from the University of Technology in Sydney.

Throughout university, he worked as a tutor in finance and economics, and also gained experience in various commercial law firms.

After college graduation, I looked for a job that would allow me to expand my skills beyond what I had learned in the classroom. BCG has provided me with an unparalleled opportunity to work closely with clients in a variety of industries, exposing me to top decision makers and leaders. 

For me, the best part of BCG is the people. We challenge each other, help each other, and laugh together. We come together as teams to help solve our clients’ problems. Whether I’m helping one of Canada’s largest retailers transform its business or developing an innovative marketing strategy for a global luxury-automobile manufacturer, I know the projects I’ve been involved in have generated value for our clients’ businesses. Personally and professionally, I couldn’t ask for more.

Consulting appealed to me early in my undergraduate studies, but I became keenly interested in it only when I discovered BCG. I was instantly impressed by the high level of talent and broad array of perspectives at BCG, and I quickly recognized that this was where I wanted to start my career.

The autonomy and responsibility BCG grants to associates are incredibly motivating. From day one, the firm has been providing me with the skills and training to craft and build my own experience. My module is mine to own, design, and develop. There is nothing more exciting than presenting a solution or idea I’ve created to the leadership of a world-class company.

Max joined BCG’s Chicago office in 2007 after spending two years working with a not-for-profit student consulting enterprise. He has also spent time at American Express and Target in their project management groups.

Max graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from the University of Minnesota.

I decided to join BCG because I wanted a diverse, fast-paced environment where I could continue to challenge myself. I have not been disappointed! BCG is a place where opportunities for development are endless and, most important, customized. As an associate, I am exposed to many industries and clients. My role allows me to explore and learn about many industries. This is an environment that invites you to get in the driver’s seat of your career and to continuously challenge yourself.

I am also constantly surprised by my colleagues. BCG’s non-hierarchical atmosphere encourages a lot of multi-tenure interaction. It is very stimulating to work with such brilliant people from so many different backgrounds.

Sofia joined BCG in 2007.

Before BCG, she held internships with Barclays Capital in London and IGNIA Venture Capital Fund.

Sofia graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in philosophy, politics, and economics.

After finishing my undergraduate degree, I came to BCG because I thought that it would be the best place for me to start my career. What I didn’t realize is that the reason BCG is such a great place to work has nothing to do with it being a top consulting firm and everything to do with how much every employee is encouraged and challenged to grow personally and professionally. 

No matter what day of the week, a BCG employee can sit down with a group of colleagues or mentors who are not only smart, but also eager to find the solutions that drive change and make an impact.  In an atmosphere where you have both peers to ask questions to and topic experts to seek answers from, the possibilities to learn are endless. 

Mark joined BCG in 2007 and has done most of his work in the retail sector.

Before BCG, he worked in the programming and scheduling department of ESPN and also spent some time working in commercial real estate development with Centrum Properties in Chicago.

Mark graduated beta gamma sigma from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia with concentrations in management and marketing and a minor in Spanish.

I was looking for a challenging workplace where I would have the opportunity to solve complex problems. BCG definitely provided this.

In the short six months that I have worked as an associate, I have conducted customer interviews and meetings with clients, created computer models to analyse large amounts of data and worked with international projects teams for global clients. Many of these tasks took me out of my comfort zone; however, I have been supported all the way by my team members and my mentor. In this environment I have been able to develop my capabilities exponentially.