I started earlier this year at a boutique firm after graduating and am aligned to education, given my background. Last year I had hoped to get into LEK or OW, but sadly was not invited to interview, even with referrals. I still want to try for them again but am unsure of how to best prepare myself leading up to application (should I focus on certain project types, re-network with original references or start over new?, how many projects should I complete before reapplying?, etc.) and how to best position myself as an "experienced" hire as opposed to campus hire.
I'm also slightly worried about the industry focus I've been put into, as I'm hoping to get broader experience and don't know if it'll be an obstacle to getting into a generalist role.