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Dear Julia, Thanks for your email. You sound very diligent. What kind of person do MC firms look for? High marks Numerical ability (hence people who have done engineering, economics and finance are often suited to consulting) Ability to solve business case problems (i.e. think analytically and on your feet) Ability to work with people Presentation skills Curiosity and love of learning Being a self-starter (i.e. not needing direction from your manager) What kind of major should you study? MC firms hire from a broad range of backgrounds (arts, science, commerce, engineering). Getting a job in a firm is about being able to tell the story about yourself that firms want to hear Studying finance will help tell a story about point 2 above (if you do well in it) Studying marketing may not help you with point 2, but if you do well it will help you tell a story about points 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 Being a high performing marketing student is better than being an average finance student What should you be doing Do what you are passionate about (if you want to do marketing, do it) Don't second guess what people may want from you (your life is a story, and only you know the best way to tell it) Find something you love (whether that be marketing or finance) and become awesome at it Hope that help. Cheers, Tom

Julia Kang recently wrote: I'm so glad to have found your blog! I'm an undergraduate combined Law/Commerce student who's really interested in management consulting. Just wondering is there a specific major MC firms are after? Many of my peers have suggested to major in Finance, however I'm thinking of majoring in Marketing. Is this gonna be considered unfavourably compared to Finance? i.e. do MC firms generaly take more finance graduates than marketing? Thanks so much for taking the time to read my query!

Good question! I followed up with Birchman Group to see if I could get some more information. Frank Early, one of the MDs at Birchman, kindly sent me this high level overiew: Birchman Group Overview

I recently received this message from a reader: I'm currently an IT Business Analyst with [name redacted], but am thinking of making a jump over to Birchman Group. However, I'm having trouble finding information on them that isn't sponsored or white paper style marketing blurb. I would really like to know more about the organisation, particularly in Aus, which will help me make a decision.

As a starting point, please see the following posts: List of consulting firms List of Consulting Firms in Australia The four top players are McKinsey, Bain, BCG or Booz. Tips for cover letters Cover Letters Win Interviews Resume tips Creating a winning résumé Hope that helps! Cheers, Tom

I recently received the following question from a reader: Just wondering if you could point me in a direction of Melbourne Business/Strategy consulting firms. I am a lawyer/accountant with 3 years experience in Corporate Tax in a Big 4 firm, so looking to branch out. Any ideas / suggestions would be great! Do you have any resume templates? Covering letter mocks that I could look over? Thanks again, your blog is a valuable source of information, it has saved me hours!

Content provided by Neil Dodd, and originally posted here. Top tier management consulting companies are the preferred destination for many MBA graduates, as well as graduates with less traditional backgrounds. In general, the consulting positions for those straight out of an undergraduate program are fewer and farther between. That’s because the more junior analyst positions typically don’t lead to partner track consulting positions in most firms; analysts are expected to return to graduate school and only then, should they return, be on a partner track. This can vary from firm to firm but is definitely true for the McKinsey, Bain and BCG type firms. That doesn’t mean that fresh graduates cannot find positions, even in financial times as difficult as these. Believe or not, consulting companies are busier now than in the prior recession of 2001, so don’t lose hope. I have personally coached over a hundred potential candidates and many were truly amazed that they were able to secure the coveted offer letter during a competitive interviewing season. In order to maximize your chances during the interviewing process, it’s important to prepare carefully, below are some tips to help you ace the interview: 1. Make a good first impression This goes for any interview you’re on but is particularly true for fields like management consulting. Make sure you look like a consultant – what does that mean? Many of the smart people that interview for consulting positions have not interviewed anywhere before or only for academic type positions. Others are foreign born graduates of top MBA or other programs – whatever, the case may be, they have never interviewed for a top tier management consulting job or similar positions in companies. The fact that these firms interview the brainy types only makes the situation worse. Invest in well made suit, dark blue or grey with or without pinstripes is perfect for men, for women, black can also work. A tie with a splash of color is fine, it can convey a little bit of energy or pizzazz, but nothing too flashy, they like energy but not attention seekers. A briefcase or attaché is a perfect complement to an outfit, you can always borrow a friend or colleague’s and it doesn’t necessarily have to be new to convey a polished look. 2. Keep your poise Much of the interviewing process is very intense, with some companies intentionally playing “good cop, bad cop” between their interviewers. All this means is that you need to remain poised, don’t let them ruffle your feathers with abrupt or unfriendly behavior, pushing paper around or looking angry. Remember, you’re not here to make friends, you’re here to get a job and they’re here to test whether you can deal with nasty clients, managers and co-workers should the occasion arise. Keep smiling and a resilient positive attitude, you’re interviewers will find it irresistible. 3. Think and listen This might sound obvious, but most people don’t do this during the case interview and miss the boat on what the interviewer is asking for or don’t get the hints that are being dropped during the discussion. A classic issue for interviewees is writing too much instead of listening to the question being asked. Practice listening to case questions and writing very few words, use symbols for profit (π), revenue ® and other common words and don’t write down the fluff in the questions, flowery language is there to confuse, good consultants can spot the key facts quickly. Listen and then think about the implications of the question being asked. If there are declining profits in a business that is becoming commoditized, then opine as much and state your rationale. You can be thoughtful and comment on the question at hand based on what you know. Continue this process throughout the case interview, each piece of information is a clue, not just a plug into an equation or out of the box framework so common in business schools. 4. Ask questions Now that you’re thinking about the case and the information you’re being given, be sure to ask intelligent questions; start a dialogue rather than barreling down a path that is preconceived or based on early inferences on the case at hand. Remember, you are expected to be engaging during team problem solving situations, be sure to appear this way during the interview and engage the interviewer. There is probably a lot you know about a particular industry based on general reading (you should be reading business publications to build your business acumen if you don’t have a typical business background). If the case is about the magazine industry, you should be able to guess what their sources of revenue are without having worked in the business – that’s just common sense, practice applying this common sense. Curiosity is a relentless trait in good consultants, mix this curiosity with intelligent thought to come up with hypothesis driven questions: “One would think that the roofing industry is seasonal…..are there seasonal variations in this company causing cash flow issues?” rather than, “is there uneven earnings throughout the year?” 5. Pass the airport screen Consultants always ask, is this someone I’d like to be stuck at an airport with for 4 hours or in a small team room for 8 – 12 hours per day for weeks on end? Be sure you’re the type of person that is tolerable, hopefully enjoyable, to be around. Be yourself, don’t be too pushy or aggressive, it just turns people off. Have fun with the interview, if you’ve prepared well it should be fun for both you and the interviewer. Be sure to prepare well for the interview and the fit questions on your background, resume, interests, strengths and weaknesses – these all count, remember, they’re looking for the next round of leaders for their organizations, their people are their product so show them what a great product they’re looking at!

Originally posted here. Note: Thank you to Robert Chiu for making this post possible. 1. The importance of a résumé A résumé is a document which summarises your background and accompanies your cover letter as part of your job application. The résumé is important because it helps you to win an interview and will probably be used by the company to compare you against other applicants. 2. Personalise your résumé Be direct: clearly state your results and achievements Tell a compelling story: be mindful of how the experience and activities you mention in your CV affect the story that you are trying to tell about yourself. For example, if all of your experience highlights your analytical skills, you would want to make sure that your extra-curricular activities highlight other qualities, such as your communication and team work skills Easy on the buzzwords: avoid unnecessary jargon and technical language. Your résumé should be easy to understand. According to Mariam Naficy, qualities to emphasise in your consulting résumé include: Evidence of intellectual curiosity e.g. research thesis Analytical skills Communication skills e.g. member of the university debating team Business skills e.g. starting a small business Enjoyment of travel (include this information under “Personal”) Team work skills e.g. university group assignments, work experience Language skills 3. Structure your résumé Structuring your résumé is important. There are a few tips to bear in mind: Employ consistent formatting throughout Place your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the résumé It makes sense to organise the information on your CV so that it portrays you in the best possible light. The firm you are applying to will be interested in the following information: <Education Work Experience Extra-curricular Activities Skills Personal (optional) 3.1 Education If you have limited work experience, place your education first. If you have won numerous honors and awards, you may want to create a separate “Honors” section rather than list all of your achievements under "Education". If your grades are not good, there are at least four ways that you can paint yourself in a more positive light: Highlight your marks in a particular subject. E.g. GPA in economics of 4.0 Highlight your marks for particular years E.g. WAM for final year of 82 Highlight your marks in your major Highlight your work experience. If you have relevant and impressive work experience you should highlight this in your cover letter, and provide supporting details on your résumé 3.2 Experience Include paid jobs as well as relevant business-related extra-curricular activities; other nonpaid activities can be included under “Activities”. There are a few tips to bear in mind: Arrange your experiences in a logical order (e.g. reverse chronological order) Outline your achievements and responsibilities Don’t include menial jobs, such as your stint flipping burgers at McDonald’s 3.3 Activities Include nonpaid activities that you have undertaken outside the class-room. You may want to arrange this section in order of significance rather than reverse chronological order. 3.4 Skills In my opinion this section is not crucial, but you should consider whether you have any special skills that would be relevant for the job e.g. computer skills, language skills. 3.5 Personal This section is optional, and can be used to demonstrate your personality by including information which you couldn’t include anywhere else e.g. overseas travel, community service. 4. Sample résumé To help you get started, I have prepared a sample résumé to give you an idea of what your résumé might look like when it’s finished.

Originally posted here. 1. The importance of a cover letter A cover letter is a short one page sales letter that accompanies your resume as part of your job application. The cover letter is important because it creates a first impression of you with your potential employer. The main purpose of a cover letter is to obtain an interview, not to tell a lengthy story. A cover letter needs to capture the employer’s interest, indicate why you are writing, show how you will benefit the company, express interest in the position and, most importantly, convince the employer to give you an interview. Writing a cover letter is like creating a work of art. While there are some general rules that you should follow, each cover letter you write should be distinctive. 2. Personalise your cover letter One of the most important things about a cover letter is that it differentiates you from all the other applicants. To do this a cover letter should connect with the employer, and reflect your unique personality and the requirements of the job. Here are some points to bear in mind: 2.1 Address a specific person You should not address your cover letter “to whom it may concern”, this is lazy. If you are unsure who to address your application to, call the company and ask. Make sure you get the person’s title and the correct spelling of their name. 2.2 Own your achievements You should use the active voice, i.e. you should avoid expressions like "this experience gave me the opportunity to..." or, "these goals were met by me." You don't want to sound like everything happened to you or was done by someone else. 2.3 Tailor your story Tailor your story to the job requirements. You should adapt your cover letter so that you mention the specific skills that the employer is interested in. 2.4 Establish rapport You need to establish a connection between you and the employer. Mention a mutual contact you might have, explain why you like the company, its culture, or why you have a particular interest in some area of the company’s business. 2.5 Mirror their wording Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If the employer uses specific terms or industry specific language in the job advertisement, mirror this language in your cover letter. 2.6 Be positive Sell your skills in a positive way. Never complain about past employers, or grumble about any past experiences. 3. Structure your cover letter It is important that your cover letter follows the right structure. The body of your cover letter should be broken up into four paragraphs. 3.1 Paragraph 1 – Why are you writing? In the first paragraph you should briefly explain why you are writing to the company in a way that engages the reader. Name the position you are applying for. If you heard about the position through a mutual contact, this is worth mentioning. You may also allude to your career goals in this first paragraph. 3.2 Paragraph 2 – Why are you interested in consulting, and the company? Explain why you would like to work in consulting, and demonstrate that you would like to work for the company by showing that you have researched the position. Companies want to know that you’re interested in them and understand what they do. For example, you might want to explain specific reasons why the position fulfills your career aspirations and is consistent with your ambitions for the future. You may apply for hundreds of different jobs but you need to make each prospective employer think that their job is the one you want. 3.3 Paragraph 3 – What do you have to offer? Explain why you are qualified for the position. Use your most important qualifications and skills to show that you have the experience and skill to perform the tasks and fulfil the responsibilities of the position. If you are responding to a job ad that lists selection criteria, you should say how your skills and experience meet each of the criteria they’re looking for. Make sure that it’s clear how your education and skills are transferable, and thus relevant, to the position that you are applying for. 3.4 Paragraph 4 – Suggest the next steps Direct the employer to your enclosed resume. Provide your contact information (phone number and e-mail address) and welcome them to get in touch. Indicate your availability for an interview and, if you want to be assertive, state when you will contact the company to set up a meeting. If you are merely enquiring about possible job openings, indicate when you will phone to follow up on your enquiry (ten business days is a pretty good guide). It's important to finish off by thanking the employer for their time and consideration. 3.5 Signing off Conclude your cover letter with an appropriate sign-off like “Yours sincerely”, and leave four blank lines to allow space for you to sign your name. You should use blue ink instead of black ink to sign your name because black ink may look like a photocopy. 4. Polish your cover letter In addition to personalising and structuring your cover letter, you also need to make sure that your cover letter is polished and professional. Here are some things to keep in mind: 4.1 Be concise Keep the length of your cover letter to one page. Don’t use more words than you need to. Use short sentences and simple language. It might be a good idea to use bullet points to list your key skills. 4.2 Be informative Don’t just summarise your resume. Consider the job description and highlight the skills and experiences from your resume that fit the employer’s requirements. 4.3 Keep it relevant Keep your message relevant and to the point. The purpose of your cover letter is to highlight your resume and obtain an interview, not to tell them everything you’ve ever done. 4.4 Be professional Don’t be too colloquial, for example, break down contractions like “I’ve” and “I’m” to “I have” and “I am”. Your cover letter should never be hand written. Also, make sure you include your contact details on the cover letter. 4.5 Proofreading is important There are likely to be lots of mistakes in your cover letter after you have written the first draft. You should get friends and/or family members to proof read your cover letter. It is important to have at least one set of fresh eyes look at the document before you send it out. 4.6 Check your spelling and punctuation Use spell check, it’s not that hard. Spelling mistakes make a bad first impression and are easily fixed by running a final spell check before sending the cover letter. Also, be careful when using words like “there/their/they’re”, “your/you’re”, “effect/affect”, “its/it’s”, etc. 4.7 Adapt your cover letter for online If you are submitting your application by email, you should indicate the position you are applying for in the subject line of your email. Before emailing your application, send it to yourself first to make sure there are no formatting errors. You should attach your cover letter and resume as a single document; if you were sending an application by post you wouldn’t send your cover letter and resume in two separate envelopes. 5. Sample cover letter I have prepared a sample cover letter to give you an idea of what your cover letter might look like when it's finished. The paragraphs highlighted in yellow provide an explanation of what you might include in each paragraph: sample cover letter.

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