I just finished school in december, and after some travelling and settling down, I am ready to start looking for a job. I studied Molecular Biology and Psychology at UC Berkeley, I wanted to see if anyone on the forums work for a consulting firm or is in consulting independently to get some insiders view or tips on how to go out starting in consulting(like how to go about getting my first analyst position). I've been reading publications put out by wetfeet.com about consulting and the major players(companies), and have been learning quite a bit about it, of course, it is not nearly as good as if I knew someone in the business.

Originally I planned to look for a position in marketing at a biotech/pharm company, but I decided I really want more diversity and a better picture of the overall operations/strategy for a buisness that a marketing position couldn't offer.

I plan to gather as many names and contact as many people as I can through alumni career networking, and colding calling recruiters of various companies. It would definitely be a much easier feat if some referrals could be had. Any help or tips or help would be appreciated. I am hoping and looking at some of the big names such as Deloitte, Bain, Accenture, etc, but anywhere is a start! Thanks guys!

 

FYI, it is difficult to get a job doing management consulting without prior management experience.

but good luck to you and your searching.

 

I am in Envirornmental Consulting, which is probably not where your interest lie.

You've got pretty lofty targets for someone just getting out of school. Nobody likes arrogance at any any level, but especially for entry level.

Also consider changing your handle since who would vouch for a guy who goes by "Lazybumm"?

 

I specifically stated that I am looking for an analyst position, which is an entry level position; I am not looking to be consult a CEO of a fortune 500 independently right away, nor am I applying to a full consultant/manager/partner position. I am in search for a entry level position (analyst/associate consultant and other titles that maybe associated with the position) in management consulting.

I don't feel my goals are lofty at all. These entry level position specifically hire for new college grads, that is why major consulting firms are on college campuses recruiting students that are about to graduate with a huge presence. I am at a slight disadvantage in terms of on campus recruiting as I already graduated, and since I did not decide to pursue this until recently, I did not plan far ahead enough, which is the precise reason why I am trying to network everywhere I know how.

Also, point well taken with the username; however, an internet forum username do not reflect the actual person. I certainly do not use an e-mail address like lazybummm@xxxx.com to apply for jobs, that would be a sure way to ask for my resume to be deleted, especially in the consulting world. When I decided to pursue consulting, I was ready for the 60-80 hours weeks and the extensive travelling.

All I wanted to ask was, since many people in consulting did not major in Business in undergrad, especially consultants such as yourself in the environmental sciences, how did you go about finding your first position or transition into the consulting world.

 

Like ish said, you might want to buck up and take a "real" entry level "employee position" with a company for a year or two first, management consultants that hire people out of school are out there, but not many of them- and I wouldn't bring one in like that where I work.

Consultants are brought in when they can provide more expertise than a company has itself, and for a firm like that too be effective they need to have people with real world experience that goes beyond book learning, they need people who have actually been in the trenches of real life business decision making.

I can tell you that many "entry level" engineering positions don't really require engineering skills, rather we bring them in to do more internal technical support and clerical documentation work for a year or so, that way they can learn what engineers really do, because they simply don't teach that in school, but the foundation knowledge that comes along with an engineering degree will support their growth into roles with more responsibility.

I have to expect the case is similar in management.

I would expect that any "analyst" or "associate consultant" positions with those types of firms are going to be pretty dreary grunt work until you prove yourself, people brought in at that level are generally expendable and I think you'd more quickly gain the sort of experience you need by spending a year or two living in one corporate culture and learning the politics and diplomacy skills that are vital to that kind of work (-and sadly, they simply don't teach that stuff in school) before moving on to consulting.

Take it or leave it, but that would be my advice

 

Mail room?

 

The general reality is that the "best and brightest" get "recruited" and the other 99% hit the classifieds. Since you're looking, you're not one of them so stop having such expectations.

A bachelors is nothing in the corporate world than a checklist item that meets a minimum qualification (unless ivy league...and even that is pushing it for most fields).

The comp is fierce, even for entry level positions, companies have a hiring pool of educated AND experienced applicants...so why would they take a chance on someone w/ no experience or references?

You mentioned willing to travel...consider a less desriable location than than the BAy Area to get some intitial experience and then set your career path.

good luck.

 

Although my guess would be that they're recruiting grad students more seriously than undergrads.

 

[QUOTE=BOOOST4]The general reality is that the "best and brightest" get "recruited" and the other 99% hit the classifieds. Since you're looking, you're not one of them so stop having such expectations.

Wow...harsh...I think that your generalized comments are anything but constructive. I'd like to know what makes everyone on this board the expert...personal experience? Is getting into the carrer world so cut and dry..."you weren't recruited...you're not qualified so stop trying"...I call B.S.

I think that one's carrer is affected by a number of factors; one of them being personal drive. Maybe we should stick to positive real world applicable advice...maybe a referral or too.

Unfortunately my field has nothing to do with what you are looking for but I am in an upper management position now (4 years out of school with a B.S. from a non Ivy league school...and I wasn't recruited) but I would be happy to go over my experiences in the working world. Shoot me a pm anytime lazybumm (that does sound weird

 

I agree it's a bit harsh, but more can be learned from harsher words than lofty praises when it comes to a job search. What's the worst that could happen..him giving up? (then he should just move back in w/ his parent). What can happen if he follows un-constructive praises?: no job because he's too picky.

He want's an analyst postion for a consulting firm which is suppose to be "entry level". I was stating that those positions are very few and are usually reserved for cream of the crop (academia-wise). For him to apply for those positions off the bat is lofty.

Again, good luck to LAzy.

 

Well I really didn't expect to get so many unconstructive messages, except a few(mail room is definitely an option). I am familiar with the competitiveness and difficulty with getting a position as an analyst at a major consulting firm, but that doesn't mean one should give up(if you have no ambition, you will NOT succeed at anything). I do my research before completely jumping in something, and of course with some back up plans as well.
I have a decent amount of experience, I didn't exactly go to university right out of high school and live in a sheltered environment my entire life. I can admit in high school while living at home, I lived in a relatively sheltered environment, but I've not lived at home since I was 18, and the very first time that I was in a college dorm was beginning of 2003(when I transferred to a university). So between those years I've sat at cubicles for major corporations and done the 9-5, been exposed to plenty of corporate culture, and due to the lack of college degree, couldn't really go that far. I've also held retail sales and management positions, so I am decently familiar with looking for job. All I came here was to get a name or two of potential hiring mangers/recruiters, so I can call and say hello, if you're not willing to network thats fine by me.
Also, only recently did I decide to pursue consulting, and since I already graduated, on campus recruiting was not exactly an option, and I didn't try while in school because I didn't plan on the change.

Thanks to the supportive folks!

 

www.dice.com

If it doesn't work out, there's always walmart.

 

send me a pm, let's see that resume.

 

Bain
BCG
McKinsey - rubber stamp ticket to harvard Bschool

Accenture is for the rejects who can't get into the above. IT consulting is for CS majors who can't get a real CS job. Accenture's strategy consulting is weak. There are other firms out there like Mercer - they did HR stuff and are breaking into doing management.


Hate to break it to you but if you don't already have the "alumni connections" from school or you haven't already networked at i dunno some dinner or charity event, you are way too late in the game at this point... especially for a full time position. I'm not an expert (I only interned at Bain last summer - I don't really like consulting and I don't believe it is superior to rising up in industry by any means, and face it if you couldn't make an executive position during yourl lifetime working in industry what makes you think working for a consulting firm would better your chances?)


Especially since Berkeley has a bschool (Haas). For example like Harvard, Yale, Stanford don't have undergrad business degrees so random people from electrical engineering go do banking/consulting. But I'm sure at Wharton or Berkeley it'll be much tougher to compete with people who have undergrad business degrees.


Anyhow, I'm sure there are a few job fairs this semester and every company will have an info session. You'd better find out and get over there.






But for cold submissions, as in if you don't have the connections, there is absolutely no way you will get an interview at a top firm w/o >3.5 gpa, I can guarantee that. Accenture maybe so cause they blow. But yeah, good luck!

 

O yeah I forgot you mentioned Deloitte - they are also on the "won't even listen to anyone with less than a stellar gpa" list


And to your above comment that I quoted - this is a seriously debatable subject. Consulting will not necessarily give you a BETTER picture of the target industry. It may be BROAD, but that doesn't translate into better.

Now I take the fact that management consulting has only exploded in the last 15 or so years as an industry, however go to as many large corporations you can find and look up the profiles of their executive teams. Vast majority come from industry, vast majority come from long term positions in their respective companies.

Anyhow if you think consulting is the quick and easy way to getting into a top business school - this is not really true in my opinion. Don't you think the few, for example, who get into McKinsey are already capable enough to have gotten into Harvard Bschool even if they didn't work for them?