Breaking into top firms in the Fall as an Experienced Hire
Hi!
I have a top 10, Ivy league MBA (beta gamma sigma) and a stellar (top 5%) GPA from a top Ivy league university. After my MBA, due to a family tragedy, I chose to run my family business, grew it and recently sold it (I hated the risk element of being an entrepreneur, and I was in a mature / declining industry) I am in my early 30s and trying to break into consulting. There are many firms I am interested in that don't seem to have positions avaiable (Monitor, LEK, Accenture). How does one proceed breaking in? Should I be checking constantly for new positions? I've been dinged by Deloitte a few times when positions came up, and am extremely nervous. I have had several people (consulting career coaches, friends in consulting, even a friend who is in HR at a top 10 firm) look at my resume and cover letter, and all seem to suggest it is very strong. But HR keeps on ignoring it! I am ok starting at the level of an MBA, and not someone with an MBA + experience if necessary. Any tips on how to break in? I'm sure if HR took the time to read my resume instead of just focusing on the name of my family business (only non-brand on my resume) I might have a shot. But some of the positions on company websites are so specific, and I don't know how to break in. I've tried to have friends inside forward resumes, but my contacts are fairly limited at top firms. Alumni are great resources but often don't have time. Any thoughts from people who have transitioned into consulting?





I think your best bet is to
I think your best bet is to have one of your friends who works at one of these firms to go to bat for you.
I have seen this happen a
I have seen this happen a couple of times (Seriously)- I think you definitely have what it takes to make it to one of the MBB's...
It will take a lotooo of work networking, which is going to be difficult for someone coming from a more entrepreneurial background like yourself. But definitely possible...
If not, the second tier shops are always an option... Kill it there for a couple of years and try to lateral (which also happens)
"Sounds to me like you guys a couple of bookies."
PM me. I'll take a look at
PM me. I'll take a look at your resume and see what I can do to get it looked at. The only tip I have right now is the obvious, to network. I think we'll need more info to give specific advice.
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
The truth of the matter is
The truth of the matter is that the top firms do very little hiring outside of the on campus recruiting channel below the engagement manager level. In my 3+ years working in one of the largest offices (a couple hundred consultants) of one of MBB I've literally met 2 people who didn't come straight from undergrad or an MBA. In both those cases the person in question had done some kind of one year nonprofit fellowship with an established recruiting relationship with the firm.
Above the engagement manager level (3-5 years post MBA) though it is a different story. Plenty of EMs who lateralled over from other firms, and not necessarily the big firms you'd expect. Plenty of guys and gals from little 20-50 person shops. EMs are always the bottleneck in staffing. It's actually relatively hard to find people who are both capable of doing the job, and willing to put up with the hours for the somewhat meager pay (not meager in an absolute sense, but relative to positions in finance with similar hours).
Your best bet, other than finding someone on the inside who is really willing to go to bat for you, is to shoot for a small firm and then try to lateral over after 4-5 years of successful experience.