Finance graduate scheme to consulting

Question

Hi,

I am a second year graduate working for F500 oil and gas company (UK based). I am coming to an end of my graduate scheme and feel that accounting/controlling is not for me.

I have looked at other career paths and I feel consulting sounds most interesting. I have experience in management accounting, M&A integration, FX hedges, commercial finance and costing (all in rotations, with a heavy focus on data modelling and analytics). I am also studying for CIMA on top of this.

If I was to stay within the company, I was thinking of going into treasury (sounds like there is more exposure to financial markets & external stakeholders). But I’d most likely be offered a commercial role or a project controller position. However, either of these roles, I wouldn’t want to continue for long and would ideally like to make a transition into more of a ‘practice’ role asap.

I want to not wait for my chances and think of what I need to prep if I want to go into consulting ideally right after the grad scheme (or even in the next few years).

Any advise (or even other career path suggestions that are not heavy on internal corporate/finance) would be greatly helpful.

Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

I would highly advise you to work with an experienced coach like me if you're not sure how to prepare for the upcoming application processes. As the most experienced coach in terms of consulting, interviewing and coaching experience, I'd be more than happy to help you.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 2

Hey there,

I'd highly recommend consulting for you and your situation for the following reasons:

You'd get lots of exposure to various industries, topics and functions that would give you a taste of multiple areas that you could assess for yourself which you like most
You could align your consulting experience with excellent exit opportunities (if you wanted to go back to industry) - but now having experienced multiple industries and topics - you may now have a better idea of what that would be

All the best

Answer 3

Hey! :)
It’s great to hear you’re considering consulting! Your background in finance, M&A, and analytics, combined with your CIMA studies, positions you well for strategy consulting or specialized consulting in financial services or operations. To transition right after your graduate scheme, focus on the following:

Skill Development: Build expertise in problem-solving, stakeholder management, and strategic thinking. Highlight your data modeling experience and exposure to high-impact financial projects on your CV.
Consulting-Specific Prep: Start preparing for case interviews, which test problem-solving and communication skills. Platforms like PrepLounge or CaseCoach are great for practice.
Networking: Leverage LinkedIn to connect with consultants, especially alumni from your current company or industry. Attend consulting events or webinars for direct exposure.
Applications: Consider entry points for your level—Associate or Analyst roles at Tier 2 firms (e.g., Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger) or MBB’s specialized practices (e.g., McKinsey Implementation).

Your finance foundation and interest in broader business challenges make you a strong candidate. Feel free to reach out if you’d like tailored advice or help preparing!

Alessa

Answer 4

Hi there,

Consulting could be a good path, and that is an interesting background for an application. The ultimate answer will depend on what your priorities and long-term objectives.

A few other ideas to consider:

Corporate strategy at current or another other company / internal consulting teams
Finance/BizOps role at start-up (related to current role but likely has a broader scope of work)

If you want to take a serious look at the consulting path, I’d be happy to offer a free 15min consultation. We can chat through application strategy and a plan for your application/interview prep.

Answer 5

Hi there,

Q: I want think of what I need to prep if I want to go into consulting ideally right after the grad scheme (or even in the next few years).

Given you mentioned you are not interested in staying with your current company, I would recommend making the transition as soon as possible. In the meantime, you might want to target roles in the strategy division of your company (or as close as possible to it), so that you can start to work on similar projects.

In terms of what to do to prepare, I would recommend the steps at the following link:

▶ How to Prepare for a Consulting Interview

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 6

I suggest you change your role as soon as possible if you’re not feeling motivated.

You don’t need an extensive professional experience path to have a fair chance of joining consulting, as long as your GPA is high and your current company has a recognized brand name.

You can learn more about how consulting firms evaluate candidates here: MBB Hiring Hacks – Behind the Curtain Secrets.

Best,

Alberto

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Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: Sierra Sprints - New Product Launch