I have a PhD in life sciences from a top Singapore university. I'm making a transition into consulting in Singapore, targeting an offer by end of 2026. I'm committed to put in the hard work and also willing to invest in getting quality coaching.
My 10 target firms are MBB, LEK, ZS Associates, Oliver Wyman, Simon-Kucher, Roland Berger, IQVIA, and Merck in-house consulting.
My plan and assumptions:
1. Application timing: I'm targeting interview readiness by end of May. Given the global lockout policy, I'd rather wait for the right cycle than risk a premature application. I expect to realistically submit 6-7 applications depending on cycle timing.
2. Networking: I currently have warm contacts at 4 of my target firms including a Partner at one MBB and a EM at a specialist firm. I'm targeting 2-3 contacts per firm across all 10 firms before applying, with deeper relationships at my top 4-5 firms.
3. Conversion estimates: I'm estimating 4 first round interviews from 6-7 applications, advancing to later rounds at 2-3 firms, and landing at least 1 offer.
Does this sound realistic or am I being too optimistic?
