First, you definitely don't need SPSS! The thought of any form of robust statistical analysis occuring at strategy consultancies makes me laugh!

Remember: "Source: Mckinsey/BCG Analysis" often means "numbers are mostly made up"!

The only analytical tools you will need are Excel and Alteryx. Excel is more common and practice beforehand helps. Alteryx you may never use, and, if you do, it's pretty quick/easy to learn. Tableau is useful, but not required (and also dangerous in the hands of someone who doens't understand statistics/economics)

How to Skill Up in Excel

A few good resources:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/learn-excel-resources

https://www.udemy.com/share/101Wde/ (Udemy is excellent. $15...basically free)

Q&A: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/free-online-resources-to-learn-excel-basics-6946

Important Tip: Don't just learn formulas etc. Test yourself! Download a free data set, ask yourself a question, and try to solve for it. Play with actual data solving real questions and building a real dashboard etc. Don't just passively take lessons :)

(editiert)

Dear A,

SPSS is not actually widely used in consulting, but it's rather Excel and other machine automated tools for big data analysis.

Usually, knowing the Macros would be very helpful to start with, but all further learnings in Excel you could acquire during soecific seminars and trainings on the job, since, for example, my employer has provided multiple specific courses in Excel to advance the skills.

So you would also be able to profit from this knowledge after you join the company.

Best,
André