Francisco Hitzfelder chose IESE after earning admission to multiple top MBA programs, targeting consulting with a platform that matched his goals and geography. During the MBA, he interned at Kearney in Mexico, learned how to operate across parallel workstreams under real client pressure, and converted that internship into a full-time offer. His story is a clean reminder for applicants: admissions strategy matters because it forces clarity early—so recruiting becomes execution, not improvisation.
Francisco graduated from IESE Business School and secured a full-time role at Kearney. His path followed the classic consulting conversion engine: internship execution created trust, performance reduced ambiguity, and the offer became the natural next step.
Francisco earned admission to multiple top MBA programs—including Bocconi, London Business School (LBS), HEC Paris, and INSEAD—and ultimately chose IESE for its consulting focus and international exposure.
For consulting, that means aligning your school choice with the recruiting ecosystem, office/geography access, and the narrative you can defend consistently from essays to interviews.
The strategic lesson is simple: the "best" school is often the one where your target outcome is most executable.
Francisco describes the internship as the moment consulting became real: multiple stakeholders, parallel workstreams, and high expectations for structured communication. As he puts it: "The internship allowed me to truly understand the dynamics of consulting. Navigating multiple workstreams, meeting client demands, and managing time effectively within a cross-functional team pushed me to grow in ways I hadn't expected."
The takeaway for candidates: firms don't just evaluate raw problem solving. They evaluate whether your work is repeatable under pressure—clean prioritization, reliable updates, and good judgment when information is incomplete.
Francisco's experience reflects a common conversion pattern in consulting: the offer becomes likely when you make it easy for the team to trust your execution. During the internship, that typically means:
Francisco also notes the alignment factor: Kearney's methodology and global reach matched his goals—so the "fit" case was easier to defend.
Francisco's interview process reinforced an evergreen truth: preparation isn't just practice—it's building a repeatable way to explain your thinking. He leaned on case prep resources and structured problem-solving frameworks to articulate his approach clearly and consistently.
And when the offer came, the emotional signal was telling: "When I received the full-time offer, it was a moment of validation. I had worked hard to get there, and it was great to see everything come together."
Reflecting on IESE, Francisco points to the strategic and analytical rigor of the program, plus the perspective that comes from collaborating with global peers. He also emphasizes resilience—balancing intense workloads with personal commitments forced growth in ways he didn't fully predict.
The common mistake: treating the MBA as the "solution," instead of a platform that amplifies (or exposes) your strategy.
The common mistake: treating the MBA as the "solution," instead of a platform that amplifies (or exposes) your strategy.
Merchant MBA helps candidates align positioning, school strategy, and application execution so their outcomes are supported by coherent planning—not rushed late-cycle decisions.
We'll pressure-test your positioning, school fit, and timeline—then map the highest-leverage moves to strengthen your odds and your outcome.