As a business major in college, I became familiar with the world of consulting early on. But for those who come from non-business majors (science, engineering, arts, law, etc.), the path to consulting may seem daunting.
Here are 4 tips that I’ve picked up over the years which will help you pursue the consulting track.
1. Study Hard
This is easier said than done, but I found that many of my fellow summer interns performed exceptionally well at school. They took classes that interested them, and excelled. I don’t think this necessarily means you need to take business classes to help prepare for consulting, but it does mean that whatever you study, be passionate about it and do well in it. It is always easier to apply with a higher GPA, and consulting firms give offers to students from all majors and backgrounds.
The same advice applies for campus involvement. Some interns I met weren’t heavily involved in business related activities, but held leadership positions in the clubs and organizations that they cared about. That being said, it definitely doesn’t hurt to join a few business organizations if your school offers them because it’s a great way to figure out if consulting is for you.
2. Read Widely
I started reading books more regularly in the past year. It definitely makes me feel more well-rounded as a person, and allows me to speak more intelligibly on a wider variety of topics. Granted, finishing a book can be a big-time commitment, but start off with something small. Anyone wanting to break into the business world should subscribe to daily newsletters like Morning Brew, Finimize, or WSJ. Keeping up with the news is helpful in general, and knowing what is going on in the world will definitely help you during case interviews. I found that investing just 15 minutes in the morning to read the news was a huge help in boosting my business acumen.
3. Participate in Case Competitions
I’m not quite sure how it works at other schools, but the business organizations, particularly the consulting clubs, were extremely competitive to get into. For those that can’t get hands-on experience in student consulting, consider doing a case competition with a group of friends. They require a shorter time commitment and are a great way to discover what consulting cases are all about. You get a lot of good practice in approaching a problem, creating a deck, and presenting your findings – all of which are required on the job.
Many big consulting firms host case competitions on campus throughout the semester. If you win, there may even be an opportunity to compete against teams from other schools in a national competition. I wish I had participated in more of them as a freshman because it was a great way to network with consultants at the firms as well. Firms definitely remember who wins these case competitions and it’s a great way to get on a firm’s radar.
4. Network Early
For those that figure out that they want to do consulting early on, it is a good idea to start networking early. I’ve seen freshmen and sophomore go to information sessions knowing there is no position they can apply for. They go simply to form relationships early on and keep in contact for when the time comes. When networking, remember to be friendly and accommodating to everyone who may be in the circle with you. Ask insightful questions because the consultants have heard the same boring questions about travel and favorite projects more than enough. If you don’t go to a target school, consider reaching out through LinkedIn to alumni who work at your target firm. You would be more than surprised at how willing alumni are to help out or at least hop on a quick call with you. Cold-emailing can also be more fruitful than you would expect.
Emily Ma is a recent graduate of the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University where she specialized in marketing and business analytics.
Image: Pexels
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