CV tips

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.