I am lost in terms of (firms/deadlines/position names)
I will be a senior this year at non-target and I will be applying for FT consulting entry levels. I am not sure if the following is going to make sense or no, but please help me if you can.
I have a good understanding of MBB, but when it comes to the big 4 and tier 2, it gets more confusing. For example, EY and then there is EY Parthenon, PwC and Strategy&, etc.. I know there are different types of consulting of course but I want to do strategy or maybe business performance improvement. And I am totally fine with any general consulting entry level. So what should I be applying to so that I could properly network accordingly?
Second problem is that whenever I go to these known firms' websites, I don't find any of those entry level positions postings, and that makes me more confused. And when should I be taking actions because I am not familiar with those deadlines, since I am from non-target school?
My strategy right now is going in two different directions. The first one is preparing for the interviews. The second one is that I keep calling any consulting-related alumni and network with them. Some of them, thankfully, asked me to send them my resume and they said they are going to refer me (BCG, Accenture, EY M&A Advisory so far). I feel I am missing something to be honest. Should I also reach out to non-alumni in the companies that I am interested in? If so, how do you guys get their emails? Because I know you have a limit on the messages you can send on Linkedin?
Big 4 is EY, KPMG, Deloitte and PwC. Each have their own consulting services but they also have a smaller company within a company that specialises in strategy consulting. PwC has https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/</a">Strategy&, Deloitte has https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/strategy-operations/monitor-d…</a">Monitor, EY has https://www.parthenon.ey.com/po/en/home</a">Parthenon and KPMG has nothing. These are all boutiques they bought years ago. These firms do have entry positions if you check on their career section (Strategy& has https://pwc.recsolu.com/jobs/ZBjdd8S5-_ythJmw8UjleA</a">this one open).
Tier 2 firms include: LEK, Roland Berger, Oliver Wyman, AT Kearney. All of these (and more boutiques) should have open positions on their website and if they don't it means they'll start showing them in September.
As for outreach, networking is always a good idea. Cold calling and asking for referrals straight out may not the best way though. Try to understand exactly what each type of firm does, why you like it and ask people (even on LinkedIn) to give you more information on what the firm does and what you would be doing on a day-to-day basis. Whatever you do, do not cold email someone who hasn't made their email public.