See the About page for background info. I became a management consultant through the traditional recruiting process - extensive rounds of resume submissions and countless phone and in-person interviews. McKinsey was my top choice - it was a straightforward decision once I received the offer to join their New York office.
Prior to McKinsey, I'd spent time in derivatives trading for Credit Suisse First Boston. That was the only serious alternative for me, and one that I heavily considered before leaning towards consulting for these reasons.