Management consultants can come from all walks of life.
Generally, they have at least:
- A good undergraduate degree or equivalent
- Some work experience that is relevant to an industry sector or function within consulting
There are three main entry points for first timers:
- Straight from an undergraduate degree or pre-work experience Masters. You'll become a consultancy footsoldier, analysing data and synthesising information. As recruiters, we are rarely asked to find candidates at this level.
- As an 'experienced' hire - ie work experience, not consulting experience. You'll likely be the product of a good graduate, professional or management training scheme, typically with three or more years under your belt.
- A business school graduate. An MBA from a top school can open doors into strategy consulting, although most MBAs find they have to build on their pre-MBA work experience with a consultancy first.
There are also opportunities for PhDs and those coming from other advisory roles.
If you'd like to find out whether you too could become a management consultant, email your CV to mcapplications@blt.co.uk