Hi, I have a first round interview with Datamonitor soon and was wondering what kind of prospects an entry associate analyst role with them will open up for future MBA schools? I'm hoping to do 3 years work there and then go to a top MBA school in America. Is it a good stepping stone for entry into Harvard/MIT/Stanford/UPENN,etc? Would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks.p.s. how does it compare with the big players in the management consultancy business? Is it thought of as a respectable firm within the management consultancy field?

DSS,I am ex DM. I worked in London (are you applying in NYC?). It appears you have a very positive perception of DM. I do not know of any ppl using DM as a stepping stone to a top MBA school!! If you are wanting that, I suggest you try the BIG 4. There is really no comparison between the BIG4 and DM (I am now with a BIG4!). DM is essentially a research house with some 'desk consultancy' work. This work then tends to be used by the BIG4 to develop an understanding/approach for true consultancy work. So, DM provides some really good inp[ut into this process but has yet to develop an offering comparable to the BIG4 or other consultancies.Saying that, I had the best of times at DM. Hope this helps.

I've said it before and Ill say it again. DM is a fantastic stepping stone for many careers and for many other avenues. However, there is a big big caveat. I was there for 2.5 years after which I went to a big 4. Am currently in the Strategy part of another big 4 and things are going extremely well. The big caveat is that you need to be willing to push and push really hard. It also depends on which vertical market you join. For FS, there is less in the way of 'consultancy' compared to Tech for example. However, one thing you will quickly develop (certainly compared to pure consultancies) is the analyst / consultant toolkit both in terms of technical and business development skills. Drop your email in the next message and Ill contact you if you'd like to discuss in detail.

Hi, thanks a lot for your reply. I'm applying to the london office and have a second round interview for the financial services team coming up soon. What is the expected salary for a starting associate analyst (bonus, etc?)? My email is sunnyd283@aol.com Look forward to hearing from you.p.s. developing these key skills will be useful i'm hoping when i send in an application to one of the big four consultancies. How would i transgress from DM to Big4? How long would it take? Would i get into a good MBA school straight from DM?

Business schools offer places to people from many different walks of life. Business/work experience would be a consideration but so is the GMAT (an entry test), the interview, and other qualifications. DM is first and foremost a research firm to my mind, and as such there is some overlap with some areas of consulting, but it is not a pure consulting firm. However whether you come from a big consulting background, or not, is not a key determinant of getting a place at business school. It helps but so do other experiences. I've done work with DM in the past and like them. I imagine it could be quite a fun place to work, and you would certainly get good exposure to the business world - and actually understand a fair bit about it. Pay might feel a bit stretched there after a few years (others might disagree), but it would offer you a solid basis for your career path.

Hi thanks for the reply. Any idea on expected salary and bonus? Would 30-35 be an overestimate? Also, if rejected from the big 4 strategy houses this time round, would I be able to re-apply for graduate recruitment next year, having spent one year at DM, and would DM be looked upon well? I've read that an analyst can develop a good skill set at DM because of the independence granted to new recruits. Is that recognized by other firms? Thanks.

No idea about salary. Not really sure what you mean by the big 4 strat. houses either - the big 4 (pwc, deloittes etc.) or the strat houses (McK, BCG, Bain, BAH)? You can certainly reapply a year later without any worries to any of them - the worse case scenario is that they just reject you again. I've been offered roles having previously been rejected - demand patterns change and your skills improve over time. You could explain your other point in the application but ultimately you need to explain how the skills you develop at DM would help you to meet their requirements/needs (e.g. analytical skills, sector knowledge etc.) You are better off pitching your relevant skills at them, rather than positioning yourself as working at a competitor firm, they are arguably an indirect competitor in certain areas (many would disagree even with that) but not really directly.

Hi! I have an interview with datamonitor on thursday for an analyst position in NYC. I ve worked before in deloitte. Any suggestions about what to expect? About the interview? Do you work for datamonitor?