Unpaid internships for consulting resume

How would you think an unpaid internship in resume will affect chances of breaking into management consulting?

I have interviews coming up in the following companies:

1) Small PE shop
2) Early start-up accelerator
3) Technology/e-marketing/e-commerce consulting firm

Which one of these three would be more useful for resume boost for consulting (and maybe top MBA in future) ?

 
Best Response

You're the best judge of which of the three is best. They all sound good when they're summarized in 3-6 words; the differentiation will be in the details. Look at all three with the question marks: "Where will I learn the most? Where will I have the most impact?"

As far as paid/unpaid, no one will know. And often, the unpaid internships are the ones that give you the best experience. My experience with that: I turned down a highly prestigious well paid Fortune 10 summer internship, with a high chance of getting a full time offer, to go to a small VC shop's unpaid internship program with no possibility for a full-time spot. The experience I got there got me interviews at 4 Bulge Bracket banks and all of the Big 3 consulting shops. I did the banking thing and am now at a VC shop. The unpaid internship was well worth it.

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