How to Choose the Best Consulting Firm to Apply To

Management consulting is a career path that seems safe even in an economy with recessionary pressures and problems. Despite the condition of the economy, you, as a top-flight candidate, have the challenge of finding out what consulting firm fits you -- and where you fit. Gathering information and doing research about the firm before beginning your application process will go a long way toward saving time and informing you about the direction you want to take in your future consulting career.

There are several key strategies that can be used in choosing the best management consulting firm to apply to. Firms like McKinsey, Booz and A.T. Kearney offer orientation sessions for potential applicants throughout the year to provide information about the company. Applicants can discuss, ask questions and engage to find out what they need to know about the firm. These firms do their best to offer information about their culture, employee relations and even the challenges faced by their management consulting teams.

The information sessions are a great way to learn about the consulting firm. Through the interactive sessions you may meet several management consultants who work for the firm. A Bain information session, for example, might yield you the opportunity to network with four or five different management consultants. Through networking you are able to gain rapport with possible future references while gaining insightful information about the company that you would otherwise be hard-pressed to locate. Information shared by current employees is often more credible and concrete than the data offered on the company website.

There are opportunities to gain valuable information prior to your undergoing the application process, such as firm information sessions and networking events, all of which can help you decide whether the firm's culture fits your style. Don't be afraid to ask solid questions of the management consultants, after all, you may be working there soon. Find out what challenges the company faces in light of the economic downturn, what have been the most difficult issues faced as a management consultant for the firm - such as BCG, and what a typical day in the life of a management consultant is. Be sure to listen to the answers offered by the recruiters or management consultants to establish how you could fit into working there.

After attending two or more information sessions offered by various management consulting firms, it is wise to write down the details you discovered. Comparing pros and cons of each firm is a good way to start in determining which firm you should apply to. Just because a management consulting firm wants you does not necessarily mean you would be a good fit or vice versa. You save time and effort in the long run by doing your research in advance and outline the reasons why a firm is a good place for you to work.

After an information session or networking event, think about what current employees of the firm had to say. Were you able to build a solid rapport with recruiters and consultants with whom you spoke? If so, you may see a commonality between the types of personalities that are hired by the company. Instinct is often one of the most powerful tools at your disposal in deciding whether a firm is the right one for you to target.

The application process can be lengthy and grueling at times when pursuing a career with a management consulting firm. Conducting research in advance helps you to decide whether one firm suits you better than another. Because the pursuit of a management consulting career can be arduous and time consuming, you would do well to invest time in research and networking to find out about the important aspects of the firm(s) to which you may want to apply.

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