What are good internships to have to recruit for full-time consulting positions (undegrad-level)?

Hi there,

1a) Would positions in product/project management at early-stage startups be good experience or do consulting firms prefer to see big brand names on one's resume? 

In general, this could work. Many people that worked in my first company (an early-stage startup) ended up in consulting. It also depends on what you would do and the opportunity cost (ie which would be the big brand and what you would do there).

1b) From your experience, what would you consider to be the best type of internship to get for an undergrad?

The following in general works well:

• Other consulting firms
• Growth-stage startups (they have a better brand name than early stage)
• Investment banking
• Strategy role in F500 or equivalent
• Own entrepreneurial experience
• PE / VC

Also, try to do something you actually like and not just something that maximize your chances but you would not enjoy.

2) Can on-campus positions such as research or teacher assistant also be viewed as good experience to add on a resume?

It is fine to have it if the alternative is nothing (I did have research experience myself when I applied). Whether it is better than something else depends on the alternative.

3) Should one include entrepreneurial projects on a resume? (even if you haven't really built a product yet but developed go-to-market strategy etc.)

Yes, that’s totally fine.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

First and foremost you need to network! A lot. Get out there and start talking to people. Talk to your career center (yes, the university has resources to help you know which firms are recruiting there), talk to colleagues/friends, reach out to people on linkedin, etc.

Second, apply to LOTs of jobs. I'm talking 20-30+. Don't limit yourself to just a few.

1.Would positions in product/project management at early-stage startups be good experience or do consulting firms prefer to see big brand names on one's resume? From your experience, what would you consider to be the best type of internships to get for an undergrad?

Answer: Get a LOT of experiences and get a wide range. During my undergrad studies I worked at 6 firms/organizations (during summer and semester studies). Product management, banking, consulting, internal roles, etc. all work. The most important is having a lot of work experience.

My internships/early roles: 

• Economic Clerk - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Freshman summer
• Economic Clerk - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • Sophmore summer
• English Teacher - Association Happy Free Time (In France)
  • Junior Year During School
• Graduate Research Assistant - National Opinion Research Center
  • Junior Summer
• Office Automation Clerk -  U.S. Census Bureau
  • Senior Year During School
• Teaching Assistant - University of Maryland
  • Senior Year During School

For undergraduate internships, consulting firms usually appreciate diverse experiences, so positions in product/project management at early-stage startups can be valuable. However, having big brand names on your resume can also be advantageous, as it demonstrates your ability to work in a structured environment and with a larger team. The best type of internships for undergraduates would be those that provide exposure to problem-solving, analytical thinking, teamwork, and communication. Internships in consulting, investment banking, or even in big corporations with rotational programs can be helpful. In summary, both startup and big brand experiences can be valuable as long as you can demonstrate the skills consulting firms are looking for.

2.Can on-campus positions such as research or teacher assistant also be viewed as good experience to add on a resume?

Yes.

3.Should one include entrepreneurial projects on a resume? (even if you haven't really built a product yet but developed go-to-market strategy etc.)

Yes, you should include entrepreneurial projects on your resume, even if you haven't built a product yet. Developing a go-to-market strategy, working on business plans, and conducting market research are all valuable skills that consulting firms appreciate. Make sure to emphasize the skills you gained and the impact you made in your entrepreneurial project, as well as how those experiences relate to consulting.

Hi there, 

Basically, the things that interviewers look for in a CV are the following:

1. Was this person at the top of their field (whatever that field was)?

2. Does this person have leadership experience and has shown initiative / entrepreneurial abilities?

3. Does this person have any sort of work experience where the skills are transferrable to consulting (or experience ideally within consulting itself)?

Whichever work experience helps you give a more confident yes to the questions above is the one to go for. 

Sharing with you here two more articles that are going to help with maximising your chances in the recruitment process:

• How to get a job in consulting during an economic downturn
• How to network and get referrals

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, I would advise you to consider reaching out to an experienced coach given the uncertainty that comes through between the lines.
• Moreover, I would highly advise you not to do any internships solely for the sake of making your profile interesting for strategy consulting. Instead, choose internships that you are interested in and believe align well with your professional (and maybe even personal) mid- to long-term goals.
• Generally speaking, though, while internships at startups are normally considered to be relevant for strategy consulting, I would advise you to rethink joining early-stage startups for the sole reason that they might not be there in even a couple of months.
• Lastly, while, in case of limited space, I would first include internships and then any other type of work-related experiences, these are still very relevant experiences to include on your resume.

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

Best,

Hagen

Hello,

1.Would positions in product/project management at early-stage startups be good experience or do consulting firms prefer to see big brand names on one's resume? From your experience, what would you consider to be the best type of internships to get for an undergrad?

Both are good! Big brand names are always helpful and will catch the resume reviewer's eyes (or algorithm) from the get-go. But an interesting position at an early-stage start-up where you were in a position of leadership and had to take initiative is also very impressive. I don't think one is objectively better than the other - as long as the internship has something to offer you in terms of building leadership, teamwork, or analytic skills. Things that you can then mention on your resume and talk about in your interview.

2.Can on-campus positions such as research or teacher assistant also be viewed as good experience to add on a resume?

Absolutely! But be sure to make it clear what skills they helped you build that are relevant to consulting, since research/teaching tend to involve very different work. To give a personal example, I did a lot of research assistance work in undergrad, and in my application I stressed the quantitative nature of the work (working with large datasets, constructing statistical models, etc.) and how it got me to quickly learn a lot about fields I had no prior experience in, both of which are things you do a lot as a management consultant.

3.Should one include entrepreneurial projects on a resume? (even if you haven't really built a product yet but developed go-to-market strategy etc.)

If you have something interesting that you can talk about in this regard, definitely!