Firms for Graduates

boutique firms consulting firms
New answer on Jun 06, 2023
8 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on May 29, 2023

I (4th year undergraduate student) want to maximize my chances of transitioning from engineering to consulting (not enough pay in engineering and need more impact/exposure). I know the most prestigious are Mckinsey, Bain, BCG, but I also want to spread my reach to make sure the $$ I spend on coaching leads to at least one offer. Are there any other recommended firms I should look into besides LEK, Oliver Wyman, Kearny, and EY?

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Francesco
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replied on May 30, 2023
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Q: Are there any other recommended firms I should look into besides LEK, Oliver Wyman, Kearny, and EY?

You can have a look at the following article I wrote below:

▶ Top 15 Consulting Firms by Revenues and Prestige

Here is an extract of the “prestige” ranking, based on the 2020 MBA hiring (you can see the full list and revenue data by clicking on the article above):

 

 

You can check that MBB are the clear winners based on that.

In terms of the others, if we keep the companies that just do strategy and are not related to Big 4 with their brand name (ie, we don’t consider Accenture, Deloitte, EYP), then you get Strategy&, Kearney, Roland Berger, Oliver Wyman in the first positions.

This is still an imprecise way to measure prestige as some companies might simply hire fewer MBA candidates than others due to preference or size, but could provide a general orientation of what top MBA candidates consider better for their career at that stage.

Keep in mind that geography and industry matter a lot in the definition of a top company. Examples:

  • Strategy& can be considered a top player in the Middle East thanks to the Booz legacy, less so in other geographies
  • Oliver Wyman can be considered a top player in financial service and has a very good reputation in terms of quality of work in that industry, less so in other sectors

Good luck!

Francesco

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Ian
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replied on May 30, 2023
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Loe your approach!

Cast your net far and wide. While networking, ask for recommendations.

When on LinkedIn look at related roles.

Here are some other firms:

  • Deloitte
  • Accenture
  • Accenture Strategy
  • PwC
  • Strategy &
  • Kearney
  • KPMG
  • LEK Consulting
  • The Parthenon Group
  • Amazon
  • Doordash
  • Uber
  • Cognizant
  • IMS Consulting
  • SSA & Co
  • inCode
  • IBM
  • Mars & Co
  • Satori
  • Capgemini
  • Kaiser Associates
  • Wolters Kluwer
  • Bayer
  • Samsung
  • The Brattle Group
  • The Bridgespan Group
  • Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Bates White
  • Oliver Wyman
  • Sagence, Inc
  • FB
  • Idev International
  • Johnson and Johnson
  • Arthur D. Little
  • Roland Berger
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Anonymous replied on May 29, 2023

Dear, 

great question! Your target list should really depend on multiple variables (e.g., geographic location, exposure to the company, network, target industries).

Personally, I'm more of the opinion "less is more". Hence, I wouldn't apply for multiple companies in parallel. I always prefer to suggest doing good due diligence on 2-4 companies and preparing the application well for those.

Networking and talking to consultants in the target company is always a great way to start the conversation and see if you "spark" with that company so you can shortlist it for your application.

However, here below is a list of potential strategy consulting firms to look into:

  • McKinsey & Company
  • Boston Consulting Group
  • Bain & Company
  • Oliver Wyman
  • Roland Berger
  • Strategy&
  • Kearney
  • Monitor Deloitte
  • EY Parthenon
  • L.E.K. Consulting
  • OC&C Strategy Consultants
  • Accenture

One important point. The consulting world is multi-faceted and full of incredible companies you could work with. Above is a list of strategy consulting firms. In case you would be more interested in tech, accounting, ops, … the list would change!

Feel free to DM me to discuss this further!

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Cristian
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Content Creator
replied on May 30, 2023
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

Amazing! That's exactly what I recommend people to do - apply broadly to diversify their risk. 

Aside from the ones your mentioned, look into the other Big4 firms (their advisory branch) and Roland Berger. These are just a couple that come to mind. Also, check whether there are any local firms in your market that have a good reputation that you could also consider.

I've explained in the guide below how to sequence the firms that you apply to in order to leverage them for your preparation process:

Best,
Cristian

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Michael
Expert
replied on Jun 06, 2023
London strategy consulting | Ex-Arthur D. Little |Co-lead London office recruitment team for 3+ years

Hi,

In addition to the other questions and firms already mentioned, with a specific focus on boutiques and the London market, I think the following companies are also worth considering, depending on industry preference, size etc.:

- Analysys Mason: TMT boutique, with focus on telco DDs (great culture, strong pay, but long hours)

- Altman Solon: TMT boutique, with focus on telecoms (great culture and strong pay)

- CIL Management Consultants: strong focus on DDs across sectors (I know less about them, but I have seen some of their work and it is very good quality)

- IQVIA: Healthcare & Life Science focus (pay is less good than the above, good WLB and very interesting projects)

- Teneo: Generalist / strategy focus (great culture, strong pay and good WLB)

Based on my experience, these are good brands and growing companies, several former employees exited to strong ‘in-house’ strategy roles and/or moved to MBBs, LEK, OW etc.

They can certainly allow you to work on ‘true’ strategy consulting projects (more so in most cases than those delivered by the consulting divisions of big fours - excl. of course Strategy&, EYP etc. - in my opinion, as the focus is more towards strategy then implementation).

Hope it helps!

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Sofia
Expert
replied on May 30, 2023
Top-Ranked Coach on PrepLounge for 3 years| McKinsey San Francisco | Harvard graduate | 6+ years of coaching

Hello,

This seems like a good approach to take - I always recommend applying widely! Other firms you could check out include Deloitte, Strategy&, Roland Berger, Accenture. Best of luck!

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Paul
Expert
replied on May 29, 2023
PL-level BCG experience (6 years)|Interviewer at BCG| 6/6 personal + 95%+ candidates offer success rate

Hi there,

my advice would be to maximize diversification of risk and apply to all the names you mentioned (I e mbb + t2) since process is competitive 

but only after 

- having crafted a proper cv and cover letter

- being clear about geographies/offices you are targeting for each firm

- crafting a proper networking strategy and plan to have referrals and gain insights to confirm fit for each firm 

- time vs your ability to be ready to be a sound performer in casing and fit interview part

- check best time windows (e g against hiring freezes)

a good Preplounge coach can help you achieve all of the above at once so I find it an investment w good ROI.

ps - if you are interested in specific verticals you should also consider very specialized botiques like e.g efficio for Europe. Feel free to dm me for specific names for emea/na zones.

hope this helps

 

 

 

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Emily
Expert
replied on May 29, 2023
300+ coached cases | Former McKinsey interviewer + recruiting lead| End-to-end prep in 2 weeks

Great to see your motivation and strategic approach in aiming for a career in consulting from an engineering background. Diversifying your options is a smart way to increase your chances of landing an offer, and I applaud your thoroughness.

While MBB (McKinsey, Bain, BCG) are indeed the most prestigious consulting firms, there are many other excellent firms out there. You've mentioned LEK, Oliver Wyman, Kearney, and EY, which are all fantastic options. In addition to these, here are a few more to consider:

Strategy& (PwC): A part of the PwC network, Strategy& offers a combination of strategy consulting and professional services, giving you a wide range of experience.

Accenture: Known for their strong focus on technology and digital transformation, Accenture is a leading consulting firm with a broad range of services and industries.

Deloitte: With their Strategy and Operations division, Deloitte Consulting offers a mix of strategy and implementation work across various industries.

Roland Berger: Especially strong in Europe, Roland Berger is a global player that offers interesting opportunities.

AT Kearney: A global management consulting firm focusing on strategic and operational CEO-agenda issues.

ZS Associates: Particularly if you're interested in the life sciences or health sector, ZS has an excellent reputation.

FTI Consulting: Known for their work in corporate finance and restructuring.

Booz Allen Hamilton: Particularly known for their consulting work with the U.S. government.

Don't forget boutiques and industry-specific consulting firms, too. Depending on your areas of interest, some of these might be a perfect fit.

Finally, remember that while the firm's reputation is important, it's equally crucial to find a firm whose culture and working style align with your own. Try to connect with current or former employees of these firms to gain insider perspectives.

Good luck on your journey into consulting! If you have further questions or need help preparing for your interviews, don't hesitate to reach out. I specialize in helping candidates like you transition into consulting and would be happy to support you.

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Francesco gave the best answer

Francesco

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