the importance of academic background and prior experience for applying consulting positions

Hi,

depending on the firm you are targetting and the position you're applying for, the recruitment criteria applied for the initial screening can indeed be very high.

- MBB (+other TIER 2 strategy consulting firm such as ATK, Oiver Wyman, RB, Strategy&,etc.) look for the best academic background (especially in Europe). Some schools are at the limit of their scope and the chances of passing the screening increase if you have relevant experiences. If you have none of these, your last option to give it a try would be to know someone internally who trust your performance and will push you profile to the HR.

-Tier 2 /3 firms may be willing to have lower criteria, but will still remain selective.

In your situation, I would strongly recommand reaching out the firm you are targetting through someone working there, to double check if your profile is elligible.

Best
Benjamin

So first of all: Just giving up is not an option.

But of course, the less you fit the formal criteria, the less you can take the formal way in.

So you have to find informal ways in. Reaching out to people at the firm through recruiting events etc. is definitely good advice.

What you then need to convey is why you - despite lacking the formal credentials - would be a valuable addition to the company's team:
- Is your dissertation on the cutting edge of some hot topic?
- Do you have mad math / data science / analytics skills?
- Does your family own half of the XYZ-industry in wherever you're from?

You get my point...

And, one comforting thought: Preparing for the relatively rigorous consulting recruiting process is NEVER a waste of time, even if you don't end up in consulting. Being able to structure and solve problems, work analytically and communicate your work and results well are skills that are invaluable in any interview and any job that lies beyond that interview.

(edited)