Who screens your resume when you apply for consulting roles?

Long time ago when I was in a smaller firm, I used to be the one screening the resumes. 

But once I joined MBB - MBB operates at a scale where frankly it is not worth the consultants time to review CVs.

Therefore whether you are generalist or expert hire, the recruiting (HR) team will do the screening. Even in expert roles or practice roles, very often recruiting will do 1 or 2 screening calls before passing your profile to the practice area for review.

If you are an experienced hire, you will find my articles helpful:

5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Interview

Succeeding in Consulting as an Experienced Hire

All the best!

Hi there,

I try to address all your points below.

The general process

For most consulting firms, the first pass is done by the recruiting team. They check basic eligibility, role fit, seniority alignment, and obvious red flags. For Level 2 or experienced hire roles, resumes are often then reviewed by one or more consultants from the target practice or office, typically a Manager, Project Leader, or sometimes a Partner if the profile is senior or referred. In busy cycles, consultants may only see a short list rather than every application. 

AI filtering

Most large consulting firms use an Applicant Tracking System. These systems do not “judge” your profile like a human, but they do apply basic filters. Think eligibility checks, role location, work authorization, graduation date, seniority alignment, and sometimes keyword matching to route applications to the right bucket. This is closer to rule based automation than true AI decision making. At MBB and most Tier 2 firms, resumes are not rejected purely by an algorithm scoring your profile. Automated systems may flag or deprioritize profiles, but final rejection decisions are made by humans. Firms are very aware of the risk of missing strong candidates if they rely only on automation.

Referrals

If you have a referral, your resume is much more likely to be seen by consulting staff. In many firms, a referred CV bypasses part of the initial filter and is reviewed directly by someone on the consulting side.

Cover letters

Recruiters usually scan cover letters rather than read them word for word. They look for clear motivation, office or practice fit, and any explanation that helps interpret the CV, such as a career pivot or international move. Consultants tend to read cover letters only if something is unclear or particularly interesting.

What it means for you

Your CV does most of the work. The cover letter rarely saves a weak CV, but it can hurt you if it is generic or inconsistent. For experienced roles especially, clarity of positioning and seniority fit on the CV matters more than elegant writing. If you want to maximize odds, focus on a sharp CV, clear role targeting, and ideally a referral. The cover letter should support the story, not carry it.

Hi there,

There isn’t a single universal process, but resume screening in consulting is usually a mix of HR and consultants. HR typically does the first pass to check basic criteria like experience level, role fit, and completeness. For Level 2 or experienced hire roles, consultants or managers from the practice often review shortlisted resumes, especially when teams are actively building capacity and care about specific skill sets.

In some cases, particularly at smaller offices or when a practice is growing, resumes are screened directly by consultants or partners rather than only HR. Referrals also increase the chance that your resume is seen by someone on the consulting side early.

Cover letters are read less consistently than resumes. They’re often skimmed rather than read line by line, but they can matter when they clearly explain a non standard background, motivation, or office or practice fit. A strong concise cover letter can help differentiate you, but a weak one can hurt.

Best,
Evelina

hey there :)

In most consulting firms the first screen is done by recruiting or HR to check basic fit and requirements, and for level 2 roles it is very common that one or two consultants or managers are also involved quite early to assess quality and potential; cover letters are usually read but more as a signal of motivation and clarity rather than line by line, so they matter most when they add something strong or explain a non standard profile, feel free to reach out if you want to dive deeper. best, Alessa :)

Hi there,

At MBB, it's HR that screens resumes and not the consultants. 

Cover letters are more like a box to check.

Hey there, 

at MBB the recruiting team is usually checking your CV. They have a standardized process to evaluate your CV. Cover letters are mostly a nice-to-have. They’re often skimmed and won’t compensate for a CV that doesn’t meet the bar, so your CV is what really matters.

Hi there,

When I was in BCG, in my first 2 years as consultant I used to screen CVs. 

Depending on the offices, I think nowadays HR recruiting team is doing some of the CV screening, though they may still get some SAC/C to help out. I won't be surprised if AI tools are getting adopted to support the process too. 

Cover letter is nice to have. If your CV is strong enough, cover letter is not required. 

Best,

Emily

That’s a great question, and you’re right—the internal screening process is intentionally opaque. Given the sheer volume of applications firms handle, especially for competitive entry points like Level 2 experienced hire roles, no firm can afford to have a Partner manually review every submission.

The initial review is almost always a hybrid model. The first pass is technical: the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) screens for non-negotiable keywords, required degrees, and minimum GPA/GMAT thresholds. If you pass that, the resume is typically pushed to a human screener. This is often not HR, but rather junior consulting staff—typically first or second-year Analysts or Associates—who are assigned large batches of resumes to review during downtime. For experienced roles (L2), a relevant Engagement Manager or Principal will conduct a final review, focused specifically on judging the transferability of your domain expertise. The consultants look for demonstrated impact and fit; HR is simply checking for compliance.

As for cover letters, here is the harsh reality: they are generally not read. For the vast majority of applications, the cover letter is treated as a compliance check to ensure the file is complete. A recruiter or screener might skim the introduction to confirm the office and position you applied for, but your application is filtered and judged entirely based on the metrics, structure, and impact statements found in your resume. Focus your energy 90% on optimizing the resume for clarity and scannability.

All the best with your application!