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Many think consulting is only for young, energetic
college or business school graduates. That's not true. While consulting
firms do grab a healthy amount of college students, plus a good 30
percent or so of graduates at most B-schools, people with a few years or
more of industry experience can find abundant career opportunities in
consulting.
How do you break into consulting if you've been in
industry? Here's what recruiting leaders at several top management
consulting companies say you should emphasize on when interviewing for
consulting jobs out of industry.
Know Why You Want to Be a
Consultant
Among the first questions a recruiter will ask is
"Why do you want to be a consultant?" If you're bored or frustrated with
your current career, be sure you're ready for the unpredictable nature
of consulting.
"Candidates need to convey the message they are
interested in getting into consulting and understand what the consulting
lifestyle is all about," according to a recruiter at BearingPoint.
Showing flexibility in the resume and interview is
also essential. "A two-week project can become a six-month project, and
vice versa," says Dana Ellis, an Accenture recruiting leader.
Convey Your Project Management
Skills and Industry Expertise
Projects in consulting usually have a starting line
and a finish line. In making a career change, you'll want to show you've
got strong project management skills from your previous work. That's a
valuable skill for a consulting firm.
So is your industry expertise. Consulting firms make
money on their ability to solve problems. Your knowledge of an industry
can help them deliver the value they'd like to deliver to their client.
"If you bring to the table the functional knowledge of the industry in
which we're doing business," says Michelle Hutton, the human resources
manager at AMS. "That's what you want to highlight."
Show Your Inner Consultant
"In consulting, you are resolving other people's
conflicts," says Geri Parsons Golemme, a recruiting leader for Arthur D.
Little. She adds that people who have been problem-solving or finding
solutions in their industries should convey that experience during
interviews.
People with industry experience and strong on-the-job
skills are in demand at consulting firms, regardless of how long they've
been out of school. |
