Employment Spot

Consulting Jobs

Are They Right for You?

One of the most popular entry-level careers among college graduates is consulting. Jobs at the Big Five - Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Accenture, formerly Andersen Consulting - are often discussed among graduating seniors.

Why is consulting so popular? The excellent pay, challenging work and steep learning curve are a draw for bright, talented new graduates. Many view management, health care or educational consulting jobs as a stepping-stone to business school. But consulting isn’t easy—most entry-level positions involve long hours and frequent travel. Here are some ways to find out if a consulting job is right for you.

Know yourself and the job

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business defines consulting as “the business of providing advice to firms in trouble, on the move, or trying to do what they do better, faster, and more cheaply.” Those in the business describe it a little differently. Consulting jobs are “doing the work that a company does not want to do or cannot do with their own resources,” said Jennifer, a 23-year-old e-commerce consultant at a Big Five firm. “Consulting is best suited for those who are able to think on their feet and pick things up quickly,” added the Northwestern University graduate.

There are several ways to find a job at one of the large consulting firms. Online job search sites such as CareerBuilder.com, Sologig or WetFeet.com may aid in your employment search. For example. Sologig connects freelance, contract, and part-time employees with over 100,000 projects in every career field. If you would like to do contract work with a consulting firm, Sologig may be a tool you can utilize. WetFeet.com offers a list of the pros and cons of consulting jobs. One pro is the camaraderie among entry-level consultants, who sometimes describe it as an extended college experience. Cons include long hours and high pressure projects.

Talk to a campus recruiter

Campus recruiting is a huge part of hiring new associates, or first-year consultants. On-campus information sessions and interviews give students an idea of what consulting jobs are about. Some young analysts at these consulting firms say that there is no typical day at work. Some days are spent at the office, while others are spent traveling to meet with clients and other consultants. When speaking with a campus recruiter, ask what attributes or skills he or she is looking for in new hires. Present your education and experience honestly and highlight your analytical and research skills.

Assess your skills

A potential employee’s college major is less important than whether he or she possesses the necessary skills. A consultant must have flexibility and a strong work ethic. Excellent communication and analytical skills are a must, and are often put to the test during case interviews. For more information on case interviews, check out Grinell College’s How to Ace the Case Interview. WetFeet.com’s Ace the Case offers a cheat sheet and other tips to prepare. These types of interviews may be daunting, and require additional practice and preparation. If you think consulting might be for you, visit your college’s career services center to schedule a practice interview if you can. If not, ask a friend to ask you some questions featured on one of the above websites.

Do your homework

Once you decide to pursue a job in consulting, it is important to prepare for interviews by researching the company thoroughly. Here are some of the top consulting companies’ sites:

• Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting) Recruiting site at:
  http://careers3.accenture.com/
  
• Bain & Co. Recruiting at:
  http://www.bain.com/bainweb/join_bain/join_bain_overview.asp
  
• Boston Consulting Group Careers at:
  http://www.bcg.com/careers/careers_splash.html
  
• Deloitte & Touche Career page at:
  http://careers.deloitte.com
  
• Ernst & Young U.S. career center at:
  http://www.ey.com/global/content.nsf/International/Careers
  
• KPMG Recruiting site at:
  http://www.kpmg.com/careers
  
• PricewaterhouseCoopers Recruiting site at:
  http://www.pwc.com/

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