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Proving commitment to consulting despite no experience

Hey all, 

I applied for entry-level consulting roles with my previous experiences mainly in academia. My most "business-related" experience is an operations internship at a startup. Whilst I have showcased my transferrable skills and leadership qualities in my resume, I am concerned whether this is convincing enough.

I recently did an interview with a partner at a Big 4 consulting in Asia, who agreed that I have demonstrated core capabilities and qualities for a consulting role. However, he also mentioned that there is not enough evidence to convince him of my commitment and determination in the consulting field. I am thinking this could be the core reason why my resume has failed to pass pre-interview screening 70% of the time too. 

I only discovered consulting after my final year exams, around 2 months before submitting my application. Any suggestions on how I could enhance my resume, given that gaining experience at case competitions, school consulting clubs, or consulting internship is no longer an option?

Thanks!

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Top answer
Daniel
Coach
on Nov 11, 2024
FREE 15 MIN CALL | ex-Strategy& Manager & Interviewer | Non-Traditional Path | 50+ Coachings

Thank you for your questions. First, I would recommend you take a cold, hard look at your current resume and compare it with the job posting you went for - are you highlighting the key activities for the role in your resume? What things may be missing or need to be showcased? It sounds like you did get some interest, so clearly the resume did work at one level. To discuss more, feel free to book a free 15 min appointment to further discuss. 

on Nov 11, 2024
Ex-BCG Project Leader - BOS, Exp. Hire, Energy/Climate & Sustainability | Trained Interviewer | Free 15min Consultation

If academia in this context means a PhD, look for firms that value your expertise and recognize that you won’t have as deep of a background in business. For example, BCG has a specific pipeline for Advanced Degree Candidates (ADCs). 

Another thing to keep in mind is how you can align your expertise to practice areas that are strong at your target firm/office. This will help you tell a more compelling story about how you bring value to the firm with your depth of knowledge. 

Most top-tier firms value diversity of backgrounds and have experience getting non-business folks up to speed on core skills for consulting. Don’t let this one conversation discourage you!  

Florian
Coach
on Nov 11, 2024
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 500+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU

Hi there,

Without having seen your resume, I would say that you should probably approach consulting from a longer-term perspective.

You could:

  1. Gain relevant corporate experience (traineeship, entry-level roles), ideally analytical and strategic in nature
  2. Do an MBA at a target school
  3. Start with a smaller consulting firm first and work your way up
  4. Keep networking along the way

Cheers,

Florian

Alessa
Coach
on Nov 12, 2024
xMcKinsey & Company | xBCG | +200 individual & group coachings | feel free to schedule a 15 min intro call for free

Hey! I would advise you to emphasize key consulting skills (problem-solving, data analysis, strategic thinking) from your academic and startup experiences, highlighting leadership or project-based work. Consider adding consulting-relevant certifications, like Excel or data analytics, to show proactive skill-building. Mention recent conversations with consultants or partners, illustrating your growing insight into the field. Creating personal case studies by analyzing industry issues can further showcase consulting thinking on your resume, signaling strong motivation and preparation for a consulting career despite a non-traditional background.

Good luck! Alessa :)

Syed
Coach
on Nov 13, 2024
Bain Experience -- Coached 40+ candidates who got MBB, Big 4 & FAANG offers -- Feel free to schedule 15 min chat!

Hi,

You can position yourself to be a strong candidate for MBB roles by optimizing across every step of the recruiting process. I suggest MBB not just because of prestige, but unlike other firms, their open-mindedness about hiring people with a diversity of experiences.

So, at a high level, you need to maximize the probability of: 1) Getting interviews at top firms; and 2) Pass interviews. Happy to help you across each of the detailed items outlined below.

  • Pre-application work, to get interviews: 1:1 coffee chat targeting; effective scripts for email outreach and for your pitch and answers to common questions; do's and don'ts; etc; resume optimization and an outreach plan.
  • Pre-interview work, to pass interviews: Scripts from a proven coach for answers to behavioral q's; practicing delivery; and case interview practice. This is to maximize probability of passing interviews / getting offers.
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