Hi there,

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Know that no-one can perfectly prepare for the job and that's the point: You will mess up, you will learn, you will be trained and supported. That's OK!

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First: Read the 25 tips in my consulting handbook

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Second: In terms of things you can learn/do to prepare beforehand:

1) Daily Reading

• The Economist, The Financial Times, BCG/Mskinsey Insights

2) Industry deep-dives

• Learn, in-depth, how the industries/companies your office advises, work. (PM me for an industry overview template)

3) Analytics tools

• Alteryx, Tableau, etc.

4) Excel

5) Powerpoint

• Best practices/standards
• Different layouts
• Quickly editing/updating slides
• Thinking in PowerPoint

6) Presentation skills / sharp communication

• There are some online/virtual classes for this

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Third: In terms of doing well in your role when you're there:

1) Understand the context/prompt (what role are you in, what company, who's watching, etc.)

2) Understand the objective (what, specifically, is expected from you...both day to day, and in your overall career progression)

3) Quickly process information, and focus on what's important - Take a lot of information and the unknown, find the most logical path, and focus on that.

4) Be comfortable with the unknown, and learn to brainstorm - think/speak like an expert without being one

In summary, there will always be a flood of information, expectations, competition etc. and not enough time. Find out which ones matter when. (i.e. be visibile and focus efforts on the things that people care about)

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Fourth: Here are some great prior Q&As for you!

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/what-makes-a-good-consultant-how-to-get-a-good-review-6790

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-hard-is-it-to-excel-in-top-consulting-firms-6762

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-become-an-engagement-manager-and-partner-quickly-6722

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/need-to-learn-skills-in-the-ample-free-time-before-starting-at-an-mbb-what-should-i-do-6774

Hi there,

Congratulations on the offer! In terms of your question:

Q: I am not really sure of what is expected of me, do I need to be better at solving cases? Or do I need to focus more on other skills that will help me in my internship?

You are probably fine with Excel and PowerPoint, if not you can take a quick course to review the basics.

Below you can find some tips for the first weeks I usually recommend – you are probably familiar with most of them, but it might be useful to review the list just in case:

1. Take notes during meetings/discussions with your manager. This will help you remember details and show the team that you care.
2. Always double-check. The first impression is very important when you join a new company. Showing reliability from the beginning will create a good reputation. Double-check expectations for your job, your Excel analyses, your slides – basically, everything.
3. Define priorities before starting any set of tasks. Identify the most important activities and prioritize them, applying the 80-20 rule. Align with your manager to define priorities at the start of the project whenever possible.
4. Socialize with your colleagues and start building a network. A good start is key to developing long-term relationships. Try to establish connections with your peers in your first weeks to build a network.
5. Align with your team on your private life activities. You might want to reserve time for personal activities (sports/friends/family). It's better to align with your manager/teammates from the beginning on your core needs to avoid surprises later on.
6. Ask for feedback every two to three weeks. This will show that you are proactive and willing to learn.
7. Ask for help when you don't know what to do. It's better to let others know you are struggling to meet a deadline than to miss the deadline.
8. Be approachable and respectful to support staff. These people are generally influential in the company as well and treating them with respect is important.

Best,

Francesco

Hey there,

congratulations, that is indeed a great achievement! I can understand you are nervous and want to perform. Good news is that typically ¾ interns usually end up receiving an offer, so the odds are in your favor ;-). Regardless here some tips to keep in mind: 

1. Align expectations with your project manager: sit together to go through the evaluation sheet at the beginning of the project, have a formal mid-project review and check in regularly in between (ideally feedback friday). 

2. Don't hesitate to take the initiative: be it a team dinner, taking notes in an interview, or doing a first draft on a slide.

3. Build relationships: In the end it is a people business. The project manager and ideally partner on the project should have your name in good memory. Try to also connect on a personal level. 

Remember that internships are a learning experience, and it's okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Finally, if you have specific questions or need further guidance during your internship, don't hesitate to reach out. And if you'd like to chat further about your experiences, feel free to connect for a coffee chat. I also advise in the Middle East and have coachees who I support in performing in the first weeks on the job. 

Warm regards,

Frederic

Congratulations on securing the internship at RB Middle East. Here are a few areas to consider:

Case Solving Skills: While case-solving skills are important in consulting, it's not the only aspect to focus on during your internship. Make sure you have a solid understanding of problem-solving frameworks and practice solving cases, but also remember to prioritize other skills.

Communication and Presentation: Effective communication is crucial in consulting. Work on your ability to clearly articulate your thoughts, present your analysis, and deliver recommendations in a concise and compelling manner. Practice presenting your findings to colleagues and seek feedback to improve your presentation skills.

Analytical Thinking: Develop your analytical thinking skills by actively seeking opportunities to analyze data, identify trends, and draw insights. This will help you contribute meaningfully to projects and provide valuable recommendations.

Teamwork and Collaboration: Consulting is a team-oriented environment. Focus on building strong relationships with your colleagues, actively contribute to team discussions, and demonstrate your ability to work collaboratively. Show your willingness to learn from others and contribute to the success of the team.

Adaptability and Learning Agility: Consulting projects can vary greatly, so it's important to be adaptable and open to learning. Embrace new challenges, be proactive in seeking feedback, and continuously learn from your experiences to enhance your skills and knowledge.

Remember, your internship is an opportunity to learn and grow. Be proactive, seek feedback, and demonstrate your commitment to delivering high-quality work. By focusing on these key areas, you'll be well-positioned to make a positive impact during your internship and increase your chances of receiving a full-time offer. Best of luck with your internship at RB Middle East!

Hello!

Regarding your questions, I would break it down into two parts: 
1 - developing your hard skills (the consulting toolkit) and 2 - developing your soft skills.

1 - Regarding the hard skills: 
- Leverage all the possible resources that the company offers in terms of formal trainings and participate in them;
- Enrol on such trainings outside of your company, if possible;
- Ask your friends / colleagues who are good at the skills you want to improve in to coach you. I once struggled with a challenging ppt presentation for a personal project and asked my friend and a former colleague who was good at making slides for help. He gladly assisted.

2 - Regarding the soft skills:
Getting ahead in management consulting is not just about your hard skills, but about the relationships you build within the company. If they like you as a person and would be willing to work with you, they'll keep you. In order to cultivate those relationships aim to:

- Ask for feedback (formal / informal) both from your superiors and your peers whenever possible and make sure to course-correct on the go;
- Find an informal mentor (buddy) within a company who will be willing to stand up for you and recommend you for engagements;
- Get to know more people within the company and build connections with them. That way you can always get more insight about what's going on inside the company, whom to work with (and not to) etc.

Good luck with the internship,
Nick

(editiert)

Hi,

congratulations. 

The decision of whether or not RB is going to extend a return offer will depend on how well they think you fit in with the team and on your development trajectory during the internship.

Here are a few things you can do to increase your chances:

• Be proactive - let the team know when you have free capacity to further support, clarify any open questions regarding the tasks you are given, communicate in advance if you are not able to meet an agreed upon deadline and propose an alternative
• Seek regular feedback - have weekly/bi-weekly check-ins with your manager, actively work on the aspects that are pointed out to you as improvement areas so that you can showcase an upward trajectory
• Network within the office - make sure that people get to know you outside of your immediate project team or your intern cohort

At this point, you don't need to further practice solving cases to prepare for the internship. If you must, look at some Excel features like pivot tables, VLookup or index match. You pretty much will need those on a lot of projects.

Best of luck and have fun

Hi there,

Good on you for taking this so seriously!

You're being offered good advice in this comment section. However, the best source for advice should always be your peers for the same office.

Ask HR for contacts of - or better yet introductions to - current consultants and former interns. They will be able to tell you what it comes down to and what you can/cannot prepare for.

Best of luck!

Moritz

Hi there!

Congrats!! 

First of all, you'll get all the training you need when you join. So don't stress too much. 

If you want to do some pre-work however, here are two guides I wrote on what it takes to be a distinctive consultant in your first months in consulting. Hope you'll find it helpful:

• Expert Guide: How to Become A Distinctive Consultant
• Expert Guide: How to Manage for Lifestyle in Consulting

Best,
Cristian