During the first few weeks and months of their business school experience, top students are preparing for a career in consulting by doing the following:
- Learn what consulting is: The industry can mean different things to different people. Here is a good place to get started.
- Learning how to structure cases: they’ll use resources such as Case In Point and other case prep materials to help. Find peers to help deliver cases to you, and do the same for them. Your shared preparation will make you all more likely to find the office and firm you prefer.
- Learning from others’ experiences: connect with second-year students for tips and to get to know firms well.
- Finding case prep videos online: to understand what they’re getting themselves into, they’ll search for videos to get a better idea.
- Getting one-on-one case prep: through organizations such as Practico, they’ll get real-time feedback and practice.
- Considering alternative consulting firms: It’s possible that the MBB firms aren’t the right fit for you. There are dozens and dozens of other consulting firms out there that you might want to pursue internships with. To start with, consider some of these organizations.
- Learning about Industries: If you know which industries you may be assigned to early, download brokerage reports (available from your career services, friends, or brokerage accounts you may have) on those industries and identify key trends investors are monitoring.
- Exploring Different Regions: Read 1-2 brokerage reports, Economist Country Reports, or other sources you’ve found on the macroeconomies of target regions you may be assigned. Knowing high-level trends will give you context that may be helpful when making recommendations to future clients.