Maria Vittoria, International Economic Policy

Maria Vittoria Grasso has graduated in International Economic Policy. She is Analyst at McKinsey&Company in Italy. 

What is your role and main responsibilities? 

As an Analyst, my role entails helping our clients solve their most pressing issues. To do so, I gather info and analyze them, I formulate hypotheses with my team and continuously test them and I identify the best way possible to communicate our recommendations to the client. My responsibilities include interviewing experts, conducting autonomous research, running quantitative analyses and presenting my findings to the client. 

How did you secure this role? 

After participating to a recruitment event in Paris, I had to pass a logic test and two rounds of interviews where I was tested on business case studies and personal fit. 

>What is the most fascinating and/or surprising aspect at your role?

The most fascinating aspect of my role is definitely the variety of tasks and sectors that I get to experience. As a Business Analyst, I'm expected to get as much exposure as possible to all kinds of industries, clients and types of projects. This ensures that my learning curve is always steep. On top of that, despite being very junior, I get to interact directly with client executives which I find exciting and challenging. 

How did your PSIA experience help you with the role? 

PSIA equipped me with strong research and presentation skills, which are fundamental in my role. I may not have the typical consultant profile, but my teams and clients very much appreciate the diversity of views and knowledge that I bring to the table, as well as my understanding of the intersection between business and geopolitics.

What advice would you give to others? 

Don't get discouraged if things don't work out immediately. I graduated in the midst of the pandemic and was getting rejection emails daily, but I eventually found a great role at a top employer. As Sciences Po PSIA graduates, we all are extremely competitive and smart candidates, there is no reason why any of us shouldn't find an amazing opportunity.

• About McKinsey&Company 
• About the Master in International Economic Policy