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McKinsey is making 12% more hires this year than last. But the jobs aren't going to the same profile of candidate.
Energy and utilities is projected to grow 11% in 2026 – one of the least sexy practices in consulting, and one of the hottest right now. Healthcare, private equity, and consumer/retail are all shifting too.
If you're aiming at the wrong sector or the wrong skill set, you're competing for the smallest slice of the market.
Namaan breaks down where the hiring is concentrated, which skills firms are paying a premium for, and why specialists are starting to out-hire generalists.
Resources:
If you want to know exactly which firms are hiring hardest in the sectors Namaan covers, see our 2026 sector rankings before you decide
If you are serious about breaking into consulting in 2026, Black Belt pairs you with an expert coach to guide you through recruiting
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Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
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Consumer and retail consulting used to be one market. Now it's 4.
Each lane pulls a different lever – growth, margin, or talent. Firms that used to compete on "we do consumer and retail" are getting picked apart by specialists who can prove which lever they actually move.
In this episode of The Briefing, Japheth sits down with Namaan to break down the 4 lanes reshaping a $70B market, why AI stopped being enough on its own, and why private equity's longer hold periods are turning growth and profitability into the same conversation.
If you're a firm leader trying to protect market position, win the talent war, or defend margin, this one's for you.
Resources:
Go deeper on the data:
Want to see which firms are already winning in each lane? Check out our 2026 Consumer & Retail ranking
Want to hear it straight from firms already competing in these lanes? Watch our Consumer & Retail panel
Go act on it:
If your firm doesn't have a 10-second answer to "what do we solve better than anyone else," grab time with Namaan – MC works with firms to shape how that answer gets told to candidates and PE sponsors
If you're a candidate trying to figure out which lane to network into, Black Belt helps you match your profile and story to the right one, and you can see who's actually hiring on our job board
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
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Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Building business judgment is learnable – most candidates just go about it the wrong way.
Tauseef Charanya spent 10 years at BCG, conducted over 300 case interviews, and coached hundreds of candidates through the process. 
In this episode, he explains what business acumen actually looks like in a case interview, why work experience alone doesn't build it, and the 4 layers you need to hit to get an offer.
Resources:
If you're ready to work on your business acumen with an MBB coach, Black Belt is the program built to get you there
Not sure where you stand? Book a free 15-minute call with Katie and she'll help you figure out the right next step
If you're earlier in your prep, Case Foundations is a free starting point for case prep
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
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Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Using AI for case prep? For most candidates, it's costing them the offer.
McKinsey and Bain are already grading how you use AI in interviews this cycle.
Most candidates ask AI for answers, skip the hypothesis, and accept whatever it hands back. That skips the exact skill firms are testing: how you think through a problem, not just the answer you get to.
In this episode, Namaan breaks down the 3 AI case prep mistakes, and the right way to use it like a directed junior analyst instead.
Resources:
If you want an MBB coach checking your process, not just your answers, Black Belt pairs you with one
Want the foundational skills before you loop AI in? Grab free access to Case Foundations and build the process AI should be pressure-testing, not replacing
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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This episode is presented by Bates White, one of the world's top economic consulting firms. If you're an undergraduate rising junior (Class of 2028), Bates White internship applications open in August. Learn more.
Consulting firms are moving towards non-traditional cases. They want to see if you can think, not just if you've memorized a framework. 
This one is a BCG-style case built around two universities launching a joint degree from zero. 
Ex-BCG coach Yusuf Shaikh runs candidate Wasif through it live – the structure, the math behind a 240-student enrollment target, and the real-time correction when the numbers had no framework behind them.
Wasif had the right answer and still lost the case on structure. Yusuf explains why – and what to do differently.
Coaching:
Black Belt is how you get a dedicated coach, a personalized prep plan, and coaching from experts like Yusuf who know what MBB is looking for
Book a free 15-minute call with Katie to discuss your options
Resources:
Create a free account and get access to our Case Foundations course, market research, and job board – no credit card required
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more