CV tips

1. MBB looks for 3 signals on a CV Impact (measurable change), leadership (you moved others), drive (you started something unasked). Every bullet should hit at least one. Cut the rest

2. Strong examples at your stage

• Founding or leading a chapter with member count and growth
• Projects that generated revenue, savings, or measurable output
• Speaking, writing, teaching with audience size
• Case comps or hackathons placed in Pattern: verb + what + quantified outcome

3. On your newsletter, frame it as a venture not a hobby Weak: "content creator covering Saudi VC" Strong: "Founded Arabic-language platform covering Saudi VC ecosystem, grew to X subscribers in N months, identified gap in MENA tech coverage" Same activity, completely different signal. Shows market insight + initiative + execution, exactly what MBB screens for

4. Skip the noise Generic memberships, "participated in," skills lists, irrelevant hobbies. They dilute the strong lines

Net: scale the newsletter, track numbers from day one, frame as founding a media venture. That one line will likely be among your strongest

Happy to review a draft

Hi

Good examples of leadership for MBB CVs are usually activities where you can demonstrate some combination of ownership, initiative, measurable impact, team coordination and possibly analytical/problem-solving exposure.

For younger candidates without consulting experience like you, for example:

• leading a university organization or startup initiative;
• managing a team/project with tangible outcomes;
• organizing partnerships or sponsorships;
• entrepreneurial activities;
• operations/process improvement work;
• client-facing responsibilities;
• analytical or strategy-related projects.

Regarding content creation, I would personally be a bit careful. Pure content creation or similar activities are usually not viewed as particularly relevant for consulting recruiting.

That said, your specific example could become more compelling if you frame it less as “content creation” and more as:

• building a niche information platform;
• analyzing startup/VC ecosystems;
• identifying market gaps;
• producing structured market insights for an underserved audience.

The key is how you position it. If it evolves into something more analytical, strategic, or entrepreneurial (e.g. newsletter growth, ecosystem analysis, partnerships, monetization, industry insights), then it can definitely become more valuable from an MBB perspective.

Hope it helps
Franco

Hi anonymous,

I'll try to add something to what the other coaches have already said, which is very helpful.

When I look at someone else's resume, I always keep in mind the advice given to me by an ex-recruiter who did career coaching with me in the past. She explained that in consulting, when looking at a CV, they basically ask two questions:

1. Could this person bring value to the "Team Room"?

   It's not useful to only have boring things or the classic list with four bullet points of pure academic excellence. Try to include something that shows you're a real person — for example, that you've played a lot of sports, that you're passionate and willing to take risks, and that you have something interesting to share. In short, not just high grades, those are a given.

2. Is this a person we could present as an expert analyst on a specific topic?

   Based on your information, they wonder if they can already picture you on a project (for example, could you be the expert on a project about using digital channels to bring young new clients to a bank?). They are really looking for something that shows deep passion and vertical expertise.

In this sense, your topic on Saudi Arabia and the Venture Capital scene can be very useful. But be very careful: consulting, especially MBB, is as far removed as possible from TikTok, Instagram, and even LinkedIn influencers.

In my opinion, you need to frame this item on your CV not as a basic newsletter or a "one-to-many" communication project, but more of "curated analyses/reports for the Saudi VC investor community" (along the lines of what Franco is correctly pointing out!)

Best,

Tom

They are looking for a well rounded personality, not just academic or work credentials. What you have highlighted with the startup and VC content creation in Saudi is actually a great example, it shows initiative, ability to spot a market gap, and the drive to build something on your own. That is exactly the kind of leadership story that stands out.

Bring out similar themes across other activities too. University clubs, volunteer work, organising events, leading teams in any capacity, sports, anything where you took initiative and drove an outcome. The pattern they want to see is consistency, someone who is not just smart but also engaged, proactive and able to make things happen.

Hi,

For young professionals, I think the biggest mistake is trying to make the CV look “consulting-like” instead of showing real ownership and impact.

MBB firms usually care less about whether an activity is business-related and more about whether it demonstrates things like:

• leadership
• initiative
• problem solving
• influence
• consistency over time

So good examples can honestly come from many places:
leading a student organization, launching a side project, organizing events, mentoring, sports leadership, volunteering, startup work, etc.

And yes, your content creation project can absolutely be a strong addition if you position it correctly.

Covering the Saudi startup/VC ecosystem in Arabic is actually pretty interesting because:

• it’s niche and differentiated
• it shows initiative
• it’s tied to a growing market
• it demonstrates communication and commercial curiosity

But the key is to make it tangible. Don’t just write:
“Created startup content.”

Instead, show things like:

• newsletter growth
• audience size
• engagement
• consistency
• partnerships/interviews/research

Even if it’s still small, recruiters usually like seeing people build something on their own.

Especially in the GCC, where entrepreneurship and the startup ecosystem are growing quickly, this kind of project can make your profile more memorable than another generic club position.

Best,

Soheil

Great question — and you’re already thinking about this in exactly the right way.

For young professionals aiming to break into MBB consulting, especially from non-traditional or non-consulting backgrounds, the strongest CVs typically showcase leadership, initiative, analytical thinking, and evidence of high performance.

Strong examples include:

• Leading university clubs, societies, or community initiatives
• Founding or scaling a project, business, or side venture
• Organizing events, conferences, or partnerships
• Taking ownership of strategic projects at work
• Competitive programs, scholarships, fellowships, or selective internships
• Volunteering roles where you drove measurable outcomes
• Case competitions, startup accelerators, or entrepreneurship programs

What matters most is not just participation, but demonstrating:

• Leadership
• Problem-solving
• Impact
• Execution
• Growth

For example, recruiters want to see things like:

• “Grew newsletter readership to X subscribers”
• “Built partnerships with Y startup ecosystem leaders”
• “Launched first Arabic VC content platform targeting underserved market”
• “Led team of X contributors”

Regarding content creation: yes, absolutely — if positioned correctly.

Your work covering the startup and VC ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, particularly by addressing the Arabic content gap, can be highly compelling because it signals:

• Entrepreneurial drive
• Market insight
• Strategic thinking
• Communication skills
• Regional specialization
• Ability to identify and act on underserved opportunities

The key is to frame it less as “content creation” and more as:

• Building a niche media platform
• Developing thought leadership
• Creating ecosystem access
• Scaling an audience/business

If you successfully grow this into a newsletter or platform with measurable traction, it can become a standout differentiator on your CV.

In short: yes, this can be an excellent fit — particularly because it combines entrepreneurship with strategic market positioning, which can resonate strongly with consulting firms when presented with clear metrics and outcomes.

You’re building something far more valuable than content alone — you’re potentially creating a strategic platform in an emerging market.

Best of luck — this could become a very strong story for MBB applications.

Annika

hi! 

For young professionals, MBB isn’t looking for fancy titles, they’re looking for signs that you took initiative, influenced people, and built something. You can show that even without formal leadership roles.

Good examples include things like leading a student club project or event, organizing a volunteer initiative, coordinating a research group or academic project, mentoring younger students ...

Anything where you moved people, solved a problem, or created structure counts. It doesn’t need to sound big; it needs to sound owned.

Content creation absolutely fits. Covering the Saudi startup and VC scene is a strong differentiator because it shows initiative, curiosity, and the ability to build something from scratch. If you scale it into a newsletter, that becomes an even better story: spotting a gap, building a product, and growing an audience. That’s exactly the kind of ownership MBB likes.

If you want, I can help you turn this into a clean CV bullet or shape a short leadership story.

ALessa

Hi there,

For MBB, the best leadership examples are usually the ones that show ownership, initiative, and impact — not necessarily formal titles. Especially early in your career, firms care more about signals of drive and leadership potential than having managed large teams.

Strong examples can include:

• Founding or scaling something (club, startup, initiative, newsletter, community)
• Leading projects or teams at work
• Competitive extracurriculars (case competitions, student societies, sports leadership)
• Side projects where you created tangible impact or growth
• Volunteering/community initiatives with real ownership

And yes — your content creation idea is actually a very good fit, especially because it’s:

• Niche and differentiated
• Entrepreneurial
• Tied to a growing market (Saudi startup/VC ecosystem)
• Solving a real gap (Arabic content availability)

The important thing is how you frame it. Don’t present it as “I post content online.” Position it more as:

• Building a platform/community
• Driving engagement and audience growth
• Increasing accessibility of VC/startup insights in Arabic

If you manage to scale it into a newsletter or meaningful audience, it can become a very strong talking point for both CV and interviews because it signals initiative and commercial curiosity.

Overall, MBB looks for people who do more than just their job/studies — and your idea definitely falls into that category.

Best
Evelina

Content creation works, but the framing matters.

MBB looks for three things in young professional activities. Did you start it or just join. Did anything change because of you. And how big was the scope.

Good examples include founding a community, pro bono consulting projects, industry research or thought leadership, sports leadership, public speaking, and social impact initiatives with real outcomes.

On your content idea. Covering Saudi Arabia's startup and VC scene in Arabic is genuinely strong for MBB. It fills a real market gap, builds your network with founders and VCs (exactly who MBB Riyadh and Dubai want you to know), shows initiative, and builds analytical muscle.

Frame it with numbers on your CV. Something like, "Founder, [Newsletter Name]. Built Arabic publication on Saudi VC ecosystem. Grew to X subscribers in Y months. Conducted Z founder interviews."

Three or four strong activities beat eight weak ones. Every line should earn its space.

Scale the newsletter. The network and platform compound regardless of MBB outcome.

Good luck.

Hi there, 

Great that you're looking into this. 

First of all, the most important thing is not to demonstrate leadership, but to signal that you have the sort of skills that consulting firms look for. Leadership is just one of them. 

Try to reflect on the last 2-4 years and which experiences showed you at your best, especially ones in which you either led a team or led an initiative (and there were other stakeholders involved, some even more senior than you, perhaps, but you were in charge of pulling all the strings together). 

Content creation might show entrepreneurial abilities and creativity, but for now, it's not clear to me how you want to position it to show leadership. 

Don't hesitate to drop me a line if you need help on this. 

Best,
Cristian