I am currently pursuing a BCom and am deeply interested in both finance and consulting. I plan to pursue an MBA from a top-tier university eventually. I want to start building my profile for consulting and finance roles and gain work experience before entering an MBA program. Given my academic background, MBB firms are not a realistic option right now. I would greatly appreciate any tips on entering consulting firms, specifically roles related to consulting and finance which can be accessed post BCom , that offer decent pay and can lead to a good post-MBA role . I'm also looking for recommendations on firms that are not overly focused on past academic qualifications. Additionally, what other steps can I take to build in-depth knowledge and improve my chances of getting an interview?
Hey there!
This is one of the most common questions I get from students I mentor, and my honest answer is that it depends on what you're optimizing for — short term or long term.
1. If you're optimizing for the long term (MBA → MBB)
I'd actually push you away from another consulting role (smaller firm, Big 4, etc.) and toward a Finance or Corporate experience instead.
The reasoning is simple: a lot of people try to go Deloitte/EY → MBA → MBB, and recruiters look at that profile and think, "this person already did consulting, and I already have plenty of consultants in the office." They'd rather take someone with a vertical, differentiated background — someone from Nike if they need a retail expert, someone from Goldman or a smaller bank for finance depth, or even someone from supply chain / operations.
The same logic applies to MBA admissions: tons of consultants apply every year, and far fewer candidates come from industry, banking, or operations profiles, so paradoxically you face less competition going that route. If you already know an MBA is in your future, I'd seriously consider a non-consulting first job. I've given this advice to a lot of mentees and it's held up well.
2. If you're optimizing for the short term (Finance or Consulting now)
The calculus changes. A boutique consulting or Big 4 role is in any case an incredible experience and a reasonable stepping stone for almost any job. The single most important thing if you're at a target school is networking: find people on LinkedIn who went to your school, studied something similar, and now work at the firms you're targeting.
Reach out, have a 15-minute chat, ask how they actually got in. That gives you real information and, if you come across as sharp, often a referral -- which carries far more weight than a cold application a recruiter might barely glance at. Unfortunately, most firms still care a lot about academic pedigree, so there's no real workaround on that front.
3. The one-year master's option
Worth considering if your profile needs repositioning: a MiM, MSc Finance, or similar can reset the trajectory. I'm currently coaching someone who studied philosophy, realized consulting was hard to break into straight from undergrad, did a one-year MiM, and just landed a consulting offer. That path absolutely works.
Bottom line
Figure out the endgame first (MBB long-term via MBA vs. consulting/finance now), and then pick the first job that gives you the most differentiated and solid profile for that specific path: not just the most prestigious-sounding option today.
Feel free to DM me for more tips or to ask more questions. Good luck in any case!
Tom
hi!
The best roles after a BCom are the ones that give you real analytical work, client exposure, and a brand that will matter later in MBA admissions. In consulting, that usually means analyst roles at Big 4, Accenture, EY‑Parthenon, Kearney support teams, or boutique strategy firms that don’t filter heavily by academics. In finance, strong options are corporate finance analyst, transaction advisory, valuation, FP&A, equity research support, or risk/credit roles at banks. All of these build the quantitative and business judgment foundation that MBB will care about later.
Content creation is a good fit if it shows initiative and depth. Covering the Saudi startup and VC scene is actually a strong differentiator because it shows you understand markets, founders, and business models. If you scale it into a newsletter, it becomes an even better story. To improve your chances of getting interviews, focus on building real skills: Excel, financial analysis, problem structuring, and clear communication. Add one or two meaningful projects or internships, even if they’re small. And keep building your network through alumni, LinkedIn, and events.
Alessa
Roles to target post-BCom. Big 4 consulting and advisory (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG). Decent pay, structured training, real exit options. Deloitte S&O and PwC Strategy& are closest to MBB-style work.
Indian boutique consulting like RedSeer, Praxis Global Alliance, Vector Consulting. Genuinely consulting-flavoured work, care less about school.
Investment banking analyst roles (Avendus, Edelweiss, Spark, Kotak). Hard but possible. Great pre-MBA experience.
Corporate strategy and FP&A at multinationals (Unilever, P&G, ITC, Mahindra). Solid commercial muscle.
Equity research and asset management roles. Build sector depth.
What to do now.
- Crush academics. Top decile rank opens doors.
- Start case prep in Year 2.
- Pursue CFA Level 1 alongside BCom.
- Build leadership activities and side projects.
- Network on LinkedIn with alumni in consulting and finance.
- Land any consulting or finance internship in Year 2 summer. Aim for Big 4 or boutique in Year 3.
- For MBA, plan 3 to 4 years of strong experience. Score 720+ on GMAT. Target ISB, IIM ABC PGPX, or global one-year MBAs like INSEAD.
Path is real, just intentional from year one.
Good luck.
Hi there,
Thanks for the context.
I would take a slightly different approach.
The reality is that you have only limited control on how the recruitment process goes:
- There might only be so few opportunities at the time at which you're applying
- The consulting market might be at a bad point
- You might get unlucky with screening
- Some interviews might not go well
- etc
Of course, there are also things that you can control, like how you prepare for the interviews, and before that, your application strategy (have a read through this guide):
• • Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy
I would strongly encourage you not to limit your 'targets' from the beginning of the process.
As in, yes, target the firms that are part of this subset that reflects the criteria you mentioned. But also apply way beyond that. You won't know what will eventually work out.
Best,
Cristian
On the role side: I'd target Corporate Strategy or Corporate Finance positions at a large, recognisable multinational. Those profiles tend to translate very well into MBA applications and post-MBA recruiting, because they signal both business judgment and structured thinking without putting you in the "another consultant" bucket.
To give you a more tailored answer, I'd need to know a bit more: what country you are based in, and whether you are planning to apply to MBAs in Europe or the US, etc.