Apply now or wait?

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for a lot of users, thus I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

• Applying early for consulting the following year may be a good idea because it will provide you more chances to interview with companies and perhaps land a job. Applying early can provide you the opportunity to get your application in front of the relevant people and stand out among other candidates. Many consulting firms have ongoing recruiting activities and may be looking to hire new consultants at the beginning of the year.
• It's also crucial to keep in mind that there can be more applicants in the start of the year, which could make it harder to get past the initial screening process. For their available positions, consulting firms frequently receive a big number of applications, so they may need to be picky about which applicants to invite for interviews.
• Ultimately, the choice of when to apply for consulting positions early the following year or wait until later in the year relies on your individual priorities and circumstances. It's a smart idea to investigate the companies you're interested in and get in touch with their recruiting teams to find out about their availability for interviews and current hiring needs. This can assist you in choosing the most effective approach while applying for consulting jobs and setting up interviews.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on what to do in your specific situation, please feel free to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there, 

There are pros and cons to each, but ultimately I'd rather apply early next year. 

Now it's end of year and most offices have filled their target quota. Interviewing for new roles is not their focus. On the other hand, at the start of the year I expect to be a higher number of applicants, so passing the screening might be more difficult. 

Best,

Cristian

I suggest waiting if you are a “senior” or if your CV has some clear weakness (e.g., not top grades, not top university, no previous experience useful for MBB).

1. Most consulting firms have yearly and quarterly hiring goals. 
It is quite likely that in December they have filled their hiring budget, so in any case, you would move to next year. 

2. In most offices there is a significant slowdown in hiring, so waiting some months for better clarity is probably better.

3. If you are a junior, I suggest applying in February-March. If you are a senior (manager or more) I would wait 6 months. 

4. Waiting can however bring another problem: MBB are piling up CVs and they will have more opportunities to choose the right candidate. So, the more you wait, the more competition you are facing. 

5. To increase your chances to be interviewed, I would try to get a referral from a partner. 

Given we are close to the year-end shutdown that most firms have, it makes sense to wait until beginning of next year to send out your applications. You can use the meantime to try to network with people to hopefully supplement your application with a referral.

Also, the new year will have a new recruiting budget for companies and updated hiring targets.

Good luck 

Hi there,

I would apply next year.

Additionally, make sure you are networking. Ultimately you want to have made a good connection with the office (and even have a referral) when applying.