Meet Aisa, an associate in our Manila office. She came to McKinsey to make a difference in her home country and is enjoying exploring a variety of industries and functions including logistics, banking, telecommunications, marketing, and strategy. She’s also enjoying the freedom she has at McKinsey to pursue her passions – teaching and learning new languages – outside of the office.
Interviewer: Why did you apply to McKinsey?
Aisa: The energy I saw from the people at McKinsey was unbelievably motivating. They were brilliant and passionate about making an impact. Most importantly, McKinsey is the only management consulting firm with a presence in Manila. I did my masters abroad, and wanted to return home to contribute to the growth of Filipino organizations. I will always be an iskolar ng bayan at heart.
Interviewer: What advice would you give to others interviewing with McKinsey?
Aisa: I am almost embarrassed to write this because it is so cliché – BE YOURSELF. If you think about your interviews as conversations with friends rather than examinations, your natural problem solving skills will shine through.
Interviewer: What are you passionate about outside of work?
Aisa: Teaching. On summer weekends, I teach English and mathematics to high school seniors who are reviewing for their college entrance examinations. In addition, I’ve recently discovered a love for languages; I’ve been studying Italian intensively for six months and aim to reach level B2 (upper intermediate) in the next six months.