Can a non European join a consulting firm in Europe?

Hi there,

To work in Europe you have to satisfy two main requirements:

• Language
• Working visa

In terms of language, with English, French and Spanish you could target the following countries:

• UK
• The Nordics
• The Netherlands (only for some companies like Bain, as others require Dutch)
• France
• Spain

The working visa depends on the specific office and company.

Your best bets in my opinion are:

1. Look for a referral in some of the above countries. It would be very difficult to be considered without a referral if you don't have a connection with the country. Moreover they may be able to clarify with regards to the visa
2. Apply in your home country and move to Europe after some time with an internal transfer (assuming your home country has some links with Europe for projects)

You can find more on referrals at the link below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

Yes absolutely. Joining MBB in Europe is quite common for many people from top B schools, especially in offices that are English friendly.

Your biggest challenge will be visa sponsorship if that is something you require. While MBB in general is great with getting visas, there are a few hoops to jump through here and you would need a strong support system (aka mentor) to help push for your selection.

Best,
Udayan

Yes, you can join. Particularly if you are fluent as you say, you should be able to recruit for local offices (particularly in Spain, but other as well). Additionally, offices send teams to other countries (staffing has an international component), meaning that while speaking the local language is important, it is not paramount.

While getting a VISA is a limitation, but they will sponsor if you do well in the recruiting process.

I've worked with several non-Europeans in Spain.

I agree. Many consulting firms are interested in getting the best candidates for their teams. They will typically sponsor the visa if they want a candidate.

You should still double-check with the respective HR contact to confirm - so you don’t waste your time. 

But I have worked with many people in consulting who had visa sponsorship.

Best of luck

Hi there,

The short answer is yes!

That said it is harder. Ideally, you want to show directly on your resume how you connect with Europe. Your languages help (put that at the top of your resume). Your European school helps (also put this at the top).

If you can also get a bit more experience in the work experience section where you can put Europe, that helps.

Basically, the more that your resume looks like a “fit” in Europe, the better!

Finally, please don't forget to network

Absolutely you can! There are many non-Europeans in European firms. You'll obviously need to get a visa, but the vast majority of firms will sponsor this for the right person. They are more interested in getting great people in then dropping a few thousand on getting them a visa. Good luck!

Hello,

You definitely can! If you are fluent in the language and are able to get a visa (/ if the company can sponsor a visa for you), it shouldn't be an issue. Confirm this with HR in the office you are interested in applying to, but generally many large consulting companies hire non-nationals!

Hi,

From my experience, the 2 barriers:

1. Language: It seems like you have that covered
2. Motivation: Without any networking, they will not take your application to serious. So, have lots of coffee chats with the local offices to highlight the reason why you want to move to Europe and gain support for your application

Best regards,

Jorn