Tom SpencerThe journey to management consulting has many pitfalls that a candidate needs to navigate. Along the way, every candidate will encounter the case interview. As monstrous as it may look, it is said that the case interview reflects the reality of day-to-day consulting. Preparing in the right way can provide candidates with the armoury needed […]
Have you ever felt guilty about travelling extensively? Have you ever wished that the money spent traveling could somehow pay dividends? Well, I believe it can pay dividends, so you shouldn’t feel guilty about your past and future travel. I think that personal travel and strategy consulting go hand-in-hand, and I would even posit that […]
Before the recruiting process begins candidates work hard to polish their resumes, prepare for case interviews, gain professional experience, and participate in extracurricular activities to distinguish themselves from the rest. However, many miss out on a great opportunity, which is to do pro-bono consulting for non-profit organizations or startups. Seeing as every non-profit organization or […]
Overview This is the most challenging part of the journey. Let’s take it really seriously. First, I would say congratulations if you have made it to this step. It is an extraordinary achievement already. Now, to move forward, you have to understand and prepare extremely well for the interviews. This article will give you a […]
Like most who find their way into medical school I was the prototypical student. I finished at the top of my class in high school, then as a pre-medical student I navigated all the pre-requisites for applying to medical school (i.e. standardized test, personal statement, shadowing, research, etc.). Going through the interview process, I became […]
Let’s admit it. At every single consulting interview the very first question you get is “why consulting?”. It’s also one of the most popular questions at networking events. There could be a variety of reasons you would like to truthfully shout out such as: high salary, prestige, MBA sponsorship, and travel. But hold your seatbelt […]
Whether you’re recruiting for consulting via a graduate program or going it alone, the process is extremely time-consuming and chaotic. Effectively managing the flood of information on companies, contacts, and case-prep is half the battle. In this piece, I will arm you with a few simple tools (templates) that will help to keep your recruiting […]
When it comes to consulting interviews, most people are fixated on the case interview. Which makes sense, given the amount of practice that’s required to ace the case. But, as an aspiring consultant, don’t forget that you will also face the Fit Interview! Fit Interviews can be very tricky because they require you to talk […]
Well, let’s embark on the journey. First things first, your consulting application is the most important part of the recruitment process for two reasons. Firstly, it is your very first touch point with the firm. The HR person will look at your Resume, Cover Letter, and Transcript and decide whether you are qualified to attend […]
Ever since I started my professional program in Energy and Environmental Management, from time to time, I can’t help but ask myself: how on earth can I master so many different topics? Although I am still as confused as ever when trying to understand such a fast changing world and those fabulously complicated consulting problems […]
Before starting your application journey, the very first thing is to understand the recruitment process and selection criteria of those management consulting firms. I assume that you have carefully considered those four critical factors outlined in my first article and really committed to the management consulting position that you are targeting, since the consulting application […]
Are you applying for consulting jobs, or thinking about it? Applications can be time consuming, and really difficult. Your task will be much easier if you have a few useful templates and guidebooks to point you in the right direction. We have taken the time to put together 14 consulting resources that you can download […]
When you first start consulting, it can seem like a sort of corporate utopia: interesting work, a new client every few months, access to leaders of industry, great colleagues, endless career development and training, generous dinner budgets, extensive travel, nice hotels, international travel. But, the consulting world is the Partner’s oyster, not yours. It may […]
Top-tier consulting firms are notorious for two or three-year up or out policies, and poor work-life balance. But by working smarter, doing ‘just enough’ is usually sufficient for promotion and can also improve your quality of life. Before getting into the tips, I remind you that your personal life is more important than being a […]
What is a Case? Cases are a tool used by interviewers based on a business scenario; they go beyond behavioural and background questions to assess the actual abilities of a candidate by replicating the steps of a consulting project. They are a means of evaluating potential candidates when facing a real-life business challenge to determine whether […]
Congratulations! You’ve passed your interviews and you’re now a consultant. However, while you may have momentarily rejoiced and thought “I’ve made it!”, you probably quickly came to the realization that this is just the beginning. Being a consultant is a constant challenge and struggle. It will never be “easy,” but if it were, you would […]
Whether I was talking to graduates, MBAs or experienced professionals, as a consulting club president at business school, I was frequently asked the same question, “What is the most efficient and quickest way to transform into a consultant?” Honestly, this could be one of the toughest questions one can ever answer. First let me be […]
Having a successful career in consulting requires sustained motivation. When your skills are a good match for the requirements of the industry, your superior performance will be an ongoing source of encouragement. A sensible first step towards a consulting-career would be to understand whether you have what it takes to excel in consulting. Here is […]
Interviews were fast approaching and I knew I wasn’t on track. Nothing was working until I finally had three key insights. These insights led to a 100% hit rate at my consulting and tech interviews, which included MBB, Strategy&, AT Kearney, Amazon, Cognizant, and several boutique consultancies. What I discovered is that the interview outcome, […]
Why do organisations hire consultants? If you are a junior consultant, knowing why your work is valuable is likely to make your job more meaningful. If you are a partner, knowing why your work is valuable is likely to help you sell consulting projects and make money for yourself and for the firm. Below we […]
One of the benefits of starting your career in the management consulting industry is that it provides many favorable exit opportunities. Some of the possible exit opportunities that a consultant may consider are outlined below. 1. Another Consulting Firm Just because you leave a consulting firm doesn’t mean that you have to leave the consulting industry. […]
As an aspiring management consultant who has also been working as a music producer for several years, composing, arranging, and producing songs for multiple artists, I get a lot of questions about this seemingly strange combination of interests. “If you love music so much, why don’t you do it as a full-time job?” “If you […]
Life comes packaged with only so many minutes, around 40 million of them. Making the most of each one will help you to become more productive and, ultimately, achieve your goals. There are many different ingredients that combine to determine your productivity including the time of day, physical environment, your level of motivation, as well […]
The process of securing an internship at an investment bank is both a daunting and strenuous endeavour. Through research and experiences of my own, I have gathered insights into how to prepare for and succeed in the search for an internship. I began by considering what to do to get an initial foot in the […]
If you are going to university, it is likely that you will attend a corporate networking event at some point. Whether you want to form connections with your dream employer, find out about a specific company or industry, or simply go because that’s what all of your friends seem to be doing, these events can […]
So you’re interested in being a management consultant? Great! But what is it that they actually do? If you’re still not sure of the answer then read on, as I bust the myths and reveal the realities of what it truly means to be a “management consultant”. 1. Consulting only pertains to the business sector- […]
Every year, recruiters get hit with waves of resumes from newly graduated college students looking for internships or starting positions at top firms. In order to make an impact with your potential employer, your resume has to stand out. To help you do this, we made a helpful guide on applying to and landing jobs […]
Everyone knows what an MBA is, but if you’re living outside Europe, the MiM, or Master’s in Management, may have passed under your radar. Nonetheless, whether you’re looking to change your career or kick-start it, a Master’s program is worth looking into, and in the world of business, the MBA and the MiM are the […]
In today’s world, the lives of fresh grads are meant to revolve around their careers and professional advancement, and so it is obviously no surprise that so many of us struggle to commit to a specific field, out of fear that it’s not THE perfect job for us. Much like dating, job-hunting is a game […]
The first piece of advice I was given when I started my Master’s in Management at London Business School was to beware of the mirage of consulting. On the first day of orientation, we were told that we should start applying yesterday, especially if we wanted to get into consulting – but not to put […]
Few internship schemes are as competitive as those offered by top management consulting firms – for many good reasons. Instead of making coffee, you will work on challenging projects as part of a team. Your salary will be more than decent. And even if you find out that consulting is not for you, the knowledge […]
“Commercial awareness” is a buzzword that employers like to toss around a lot nowadays, but what is it and how do you get it? Thankfully, gaining “commercial awareness” is a lot less scary than you think – all it really means is to have an awareness of what’s going on in the world and in […]
One thing they don’t teach you at university, but which every young professional needs to learn, is how to write an effective email. Here are five (5) steps to help you successfully structure your professional emails. Step 1: Start with a greeting You should start your email with a greeting. It is important to do […]
First and foremost I want to address the myth that all high achieving students have about consulting, “You need talent to be a consultant!”. I completely dismiss this notion and would like to replace it with another idea, “You need no special talent, you only need to be passionately curious!”. Curiosity drives intuition and that’s […]
So you’ve decided you want to be a management consultant? Congrats, you’re now one of thousands competing for the same job! And there’s your first problem: how do you stand out? The first step is always the hardest and sadly the most important, so here’s my guide on how to tackle your first consultancy job […]
As a journalist I have followed one simple rule: anything Peter Mandelson wants to conceal is something that the British people need to know. The rule was established over twenty years ago when as an MP he took a whacking great loan from a fellow MP, Geoffrey Robinson, and decided to conceal this from his […]
Every now and then, I meet students in their final year at university who are worried about applying for graduate jobs in consulting. “It seems like a great job – but I just don’t think my CV is good enough” is something I have heard many times. True, graduate schemes at top firms are very […]
Three significant aspects in the life of a management consultant: travel, training and mentorship. Travel When it comes to travel, different consulting firms have different policies. McKinsey consultants often spend Monday to Thursday at the client site with Fridays in the office. Bain and BCG often spend a lot of time with the client at the beginning […]
Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël! Sheng Dan Kuai Le! (圣诞快乐!) Wishing you an enjoyable day, and a happy holiday season spent with good people, surplus amounts of food and drinks, and a large number of gifts! One idea that is firmly associated with Christmas is gift giving. This is a central part of the Christian tradition, […]
One of the most enduring reasons to get your MBA (or even EMBA) goes far beyond the “so-called” traditional reasons for going back to grad school (starting with increasing your pay check). It also extends much further than your expanded business network and the knowledge that you pick up along the way, including bettering how […]
International business degrees, in particular the MBA, are of increasing importance in a world where globalization (no matter how you define it) is here to stay. If anything, despite the recent backlash against globalisation, international business people who have an understanding of different business cultures are far better prepared for the world that lies ahead. […]
In the fall of 2015, after spending two years in a small town in the Ruhr Valley starting to learn German (I will appreciate Mark Twain’s perspective on the sprache so much better going forward), I moved to Frankfurt to begin my Executive MBA at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. There are many […]
Management consulting is a service industry that earns its keep by serving large organisations – corporate, non-profit and government. During economic downturns these prospective clients typically have less money, or more uncertain cash flows, and so are less likely to spend money on consulting services. As a result, consultants are vulnerable to layoffs during economic […]
It is common for top consulting firms to subject consultants to a rigorous “up or out” policy. What this means is that consultants are required to advance to the next level of responsibility within a certain period of time or leave the firm. Consultants normally receive regular performance feedback and so have frequent opportunities to […]
A consultant who enjoys a successful career progression within the consulting industry will be promoted up through the ranks and hold various different roles along the way. Job titles will vary by firm. An entry level consultant may be called a business analyst or junior associate. New recruits who hold an advanced degree (e.g. MBA, […]
The traditional consulting career model employed by top consulting firms like McKinsey was to develop generalist consultants who could apply general business principles and frameworks across different industries, sectors and functional areas. Clients increasingly value industry experience and specialized knowledge, and so firms are evolving the traditional consulting career model to accommodate these changing client demands. […]
Executives often rely on the advice of management consultants. Was it always this way? Where did it all begin? The management consulting industry, as we know it, originated in America. The very first management consulting firm was Arthur D. Little, founded all the way back in 1886 by a professor at MIT whose name was […]
We have commented on consulting jargon before, but we will do it again. Organisations hire management consultants to provide advice on their most challenging business problems. Senior management are busy people, and so consultants need to communicate as clearly as possible. The need for clarity, however, has not prevented consultants from developing an industry jargon all […]
If you are a high achieving undergraduate or MBA student, then you are likely to be considering various highly paid and prestigious career options. This post provides you with a high level comparison of management consulting and investment banking. 1. Nature of the job Management consultants assist organisations by providing advice to address specific problems […]
Management consulting is a nice perch, but it is not for everyone. Many people go into consulting with a plan to gain a few years of experience and then apply for B-school or pivot into industry or entrepreneurship. This is a legitimate strategy, but it can also be a cop out with many people leaving […]