A friend encouraged me to submit this story. The quick context is that I was working at McKinsey this summer on a credit card study. As part of this study, I conducted field interviews. The quoted text below is an email I sent to my team after my very first interview.
“When people ask me about my summer experience, I simply share the following anecdote:
I spent the afternoon interviewing a dermatologist. It started like any normal McKinsey interview. Then, the subject’s wife called frantic-their new yellow Labrador has diarrhea and the only vet appointment they can get before their vacation this weekend is today.
So off we go to pick up the dog, and then to the vet. We proceed to the examination room to continue the conversation.
I’d like to say I’m not a queasy person, but admittedly I begin to lose my train of thought as I watch the vet put on a latex glove. Then, as my subject is singing the virtues of his AmEx centurion, the nurse grabs the dog’s forelegs and lifts her tail. I take a deep breath. And then, yes, that’s right, I watch this vet insert his finger (twice) into this dog’s butt. And then, without pause, we start talking about the subject’s Chase visa. Surreal!
Is this what I should expect as a full-time consultant?”
