Each project arrives with its purpose, milestones and first tasks written out. Here is how the first three read.
Why consulting statement and target profile
Recruiters and consultants ask why consulting in the first conversation, and a vague answer marks you as someone applying to everything. Writing a half-page statement of what draws you, which kind of consulting you want and what you bring settles your firm list, your CV emphasis and your networking pitch before the season starts.
First tasks
- List five moments in study or work when you enjoyed solving a messy problem
- Draft a half-page statement on why consulting and which kind
- Pick the three strengths you want every application to prove
- Record a 30-second version on your phone and cut anything generic
Map of consulting firm types and tiers
Consulting covers very different employers: the large strategy firms, the Big Four advisory arms, technology and implementation houses, specialist boutiques, economic consultancies and in-house strategy teams. Each hires at different times, through different tests and for different profiles, so a one-page map of who is who stops you applying blind to names you only half know.
First tasks
- Write down every consulting firm you can name from memory
- Add firms from your careers service employer list and graduate employer rankings
- Group the firms by type and note each group's usual entry route
- Mark the three groups that fit your motivation statement
Recruiting timeline for your track and season
Consulting recruiting runs on fixed seasons, and many firms fill much of their intake from applications that close months before you would expect, often in the autumn for roles starting the following year. Knowing the windows for your track, whether undergraduate, master's, MBA or experienced hire, lets you plan backwards instead of discovering a deadline that passed last week.
First tasks
- Ask your careers service for last year's consulting deadline list
- Check each firm's careers page for this season's dates by office
- Put every opening and closing date in your calendar with a two-week warning
- Recheck careers pages for changed or new deadlines @recurring(monthly:5)
