LUISS graduates Giulio Marini and Marco D’Epifanio have been chosen by McKinsey & Company to work in managerial consulting. Both from the Department of Economics and Management, the alumni were selected after a thorough recruiting process: this month both began careers as Business Analysts, while Marco joined the company in October as an intern.
“After my bachelor’s with LUISS, I followed a master’s program in Energy, Trade and Finance at Cass Business School. Afterwards I performed an internship with General Electric, where I working in corporate finance in the Power Generation section,” explains Giulio. “I was granted some autonomy in my work, which was both educational and stimulating, but I felt a need to learn more about the world of trading and working with external clients. When LUISS told me about the position at McKinsey, I sent my résumé, and thanks to the advice and support of Career Services, I got the job.”
Marco continued at LUISS for his master’s, completing a Management program last July. “I look back on my path with LUISS with great satisfaction. In addition to friends and professors, it’s the training opportunities and career preparation that make the difference.” Preparation and training were determining factors in the selection process: “Interviews at McKinsey have a personal and technical component. The two parts have equal value, so its fundamental to practice as much as you can.”
“Don’t take anything for granted,” advises Giulio. “Everyone knows what’s on their résumé, but you must pay close attention to details. Big companies always have tough recruiting processes, with so many determining factors. It takes just one wrong answer or misunderstanding. This is why I think it is important to take interviews seriously, but not too much: it’s important to be yourself, without any prejudice about the people on the other side of the table. This is the only way to create the right mutual attraction.”
During his first weeks with the company, Giulio explored the environment and met key figures in his field. “So far I have done a lot of training and interacting with colleagues, through which I have detected a strong meritocratic environment. They place high importance on internal resources and the ability to approach complex, high-profile problems. I feel like a racecar driver behind the wheel of a Ferrari for the first time: I have lots of responsibility and I can only improve.”
Marco too feels deep satisfaction and gratification: “The work is never mechanic and requires mental strength, using a combination of comprehension, problem-solving and creativity. The predominant part of my job is analysis and computer reporting, while my contact with clients varies day to day. The organization helps with relations and simplifying procedures, thanks also to a friendly environment that offers continuous opportunities to interact with the company’s top management.”
“I am looking at my experience with McKinsey like an adventure,” concludes Marco. “A complete immersion that truly teaches you to become autonomous, and bridge the gap between your current skills and those required to advance career-wise.” Giulio expresses a similar impression, viewing this opportunity as the beginning of a new professional future. “LUISS helped me look further, in particular, towards the professional world. For some time I wanted to amplify my prospective and explore the complex world of business figures. I think that concentrating on big problems we mature and contribute to the system in which our company operates. The biggest satisfaction will be giving life to a long-term change.”