This was what it was like the first few months at McKinsey (in 2003 when I joined the NY Office).
When I was a first-year analyst I didn’t know where the bathroom was, or how to tie my shoelaces. I was taught to be concerned with learning the ropes, finding out what a derivative was, understanding finance, getting to know our clients and what motivated them, learning how they defined success and what we could do to help them get there.
via Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs – NYTimes.com.
Though, most people who left McKinsey in that era left to “have more impact in their work” (i.e., be directly in charge of something rather than a consultant), many did leave to make more money. McKinsey doesn’t make the most money (c.f. Rajat Gupta –> you won’t see Lloyd Blankfein starting a second career post Goldman).