For Students » Consulting Companies
Many Olin students consider applying to global management consulting firms for summer internships or as a post graduate option. High salaries, stimulating work, and exposure to diverse industries and organizations are among the characteristics that make management consulting an extremely attractive—and competitive—option.
Global management consulting firms are looking for students with impeccable academic credentials, strong evidence of leadership, and excellent communication skills.
This section of the Post Graduate Planning site will provide you with some information on:
- Timing for applying to consulting firms – start early
- Some sources from which you can get more information about the industry
- How to apply for management consulting jobs
- Links to some firms
Three rules for timing your application: start early, start early, and start early.
The management consulting recruiting season begins early. If you are interested in submitting an application for either full-time post graduation employment or for a summer internship at a firm like Bain, McKinsey or Boston Consulting Group, contact the employer no later than September of the academic year preceding your projected start date.
Begin your research and networking no later than the spring and continue through the summer preceding your fall application. Nail down application deadlines well in advance so that when the recruiting season begins in August and September, you are ready to roll.
Overview of management consulting
There are numerous online resources for information on consulting. One good starting point for a list of many large employers is the Vault.com ranking of management consulting firms
The University of Pennsylvania Career Services office provides an overview of industry resources and an introduction to what consulting firms are looking for.
We encourage you, if you are interested in a career in management consulting, to look beyond the large firms. Find smaller firms whose projects focus on your interests and contact them directly.
How to apply for management consulting jobs
Consulting firm application requirements vary. Again, start the process in the spring and make sure that you hit application deadlines, which are generally in the early fall. Starting early will give you a chance to polish your resume, network within the industry, and assemble everything you need to make your application as strong as possible.
The major management consulting firms have recruiting relationships with a number of colleges at which they conduct on-campus interviews with dozens of candidates. These recruiting relationships are usually based on long-established connections and familiarity with the abilities of an institution’s graduates.
Olin is working to establish recruiting relationships with consulting firms, but because Olin is new and small, we do not anticipate that consulting firms will be doing on-campus interviews. You need to apply directly to the firms in which you are interested.
Firm-specific hiring policies
McKinsey & Company
The Office of Post Graduate Planning has discussed hiring practices and the application process with McKinsey. As of March 2007, Olin students are eligible to apply for full-time, post-graduation Business Analyst positions. McKinsey hires a limited nimber of undergraduates into their two-year-old Summer Associate program; for now that program focuses its recruiting at a small number of colleges and universities, of which Olin is not one. We will continue to work with McKinsey on this.
Students interested in applying to work at McKinsey should submit their applications via the McKinsey website. McKinsey strongly encourages interested students to register to receive notices of application deadlines and other information.
More information on firms
Below is a list of a few of the major consulting firms. These sites provide a wealth of information on how to apply for a position. Some hire only for full-time post graduation positions and others hire both full-time college graduates and summer interns. The Association of Management Consulting Firms provides information about additional firms. We encourage you to look at a wide range of firms.
You'll find application requirements, fun, interactive, online case studies and more at the following web sites:
