Getting a Consulting Job

Overview

This is the #2 course in the specialization on management consulting. In this course, we will learn how consulting firms work and how they make money. This can help you network with recruiters and prepare for the case interviews. Some of the topics covered: • What drive project profitability? • What competencies do I need at each stage in my career? • How are consulting interviews different? • How to do well on case interviews? • How much do I need to practice cases?

Syllabus

Small and Effective Teams

Consulting firms (like law, tax, audit, tax firms) are built on a leverage model. This means that projects have senior practitioners (partners, directors) who sell the work and develop the executive relationships. Managers keep the teams productive and the client happy. Junior staff do the work; conduct interviews, gather data, run analyses, put together presentations.

Consulting Competencies and Skills

Management consultants are good at many things. They can quickly scope ambiguous problems, find and analyze messy data, manage small diverse teams, keep the client engaged, and run profitable projects. How can you do them all and which skills should you learn first?

What are Consulting Projects Like?

Consulting projects vary enormously. I've been on 6 month-long implementation with 20+ practitioners coming and going, and 3 person assessments that only lasted 3 weeks. The executive sponsor often varies - CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, or CIO. You'd be surprised how many similarities these diverse projects have.

What are Consulting Firms Looking For?

Consulting is a great career path. Many people want to compete for these rare consulting job offers. So, it's important to "reverse-engineer" what the consulting firms are looking for in new recruits. Consultants help make clients successful. Firms are looking for candidate who are smart, curious, good communicators, and know how to effectively network.

How to Prepare for Interviews

Consulting interviews typically come in two flavors. 1) Behavioral interviews are the ones we are accustomed to; interviews ask about our resume, motivations, and try to understand our "fit" with the organization. 2) Case interviews are a collaborative problem-solving exercise to see how you think + communicate + smile at the same time.