Timeline and Advice for Non-Target FT Recruiting

This summer I have completed an internship in a top Tech Consulting program (Accenture, Deloitte, etc) and wanted to ask for advice and a timeline for transitioning to FT Strategy consulting roles. I really enjoyed this summer, however, I believe my current interests align with strategy work. Coming from a non-target I do not have access to on-campus interviews so I wanted to ask the current timeline and landscape for top MC firms. Thanks!

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You could try networking with people on the strategy side to start. It might be difficult, but I know a few people who made the transition into strategy full-time. Alternatively, timelines are a bit different for each school. Semester schools will start probably late-August/early-September while quarter system schools will start late-September/early October. Like Making Gravy said, a recruiter will know the specifics of when to apply.

 
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Best of luck man, the non-target grind is tough but doable. I can’t give you specific dates for this recruiting year but can give some anecdotal advice from my experience.

I went though this process last summer (came from a non target state school went for fulltime MBB recruiting and received offer). Like others have already commented you need to reach out to the recruiters from your offices of interest as hiring is incredibly office specific and although there are firm wide deadlines for submitting online applications, interview timelines will be office specific. You should also be networking with consultants in those offices to get your foot in the door.

In terms of timeline there is a fairly wide window. The deadline for online applications should be posted on websites but it will be later than you’ll likely submit it and a recruiter or consultant you’ve networked with will be able to tell you when you need to submit to get your specific interview process rolling. Fulltime recruiting begins pretty early but continues for a while meaning there are multiple rounds of hiring from September-Octoberish. I can’t speak to specific end date for fulltime recruiting, but I was in the first set of hiring and my first round interview was first week of September, my superday was a week after and I received my offer immediately after my superday at the end of second week of September.

Last piece of advice to try accelerating your process. I had an exploding offer from my summer internship, discussed it with my recruiter, and used it to accelerate my interview process. If applicable to you I’d encourage you to discuss the possibility of doing the same with a recruiter from your target office.

 

Thank you for sharing, I really appreciate it. Two questions:

  1. How did you grow network enough to gain the opportunity to interview at an MBB if you're from non-target (i.e. LinkedIn, Emails...)

  2. Where did you intern in prior to MBB and how did you leverage experience?

Thanks again!

 
  1. Lots of cold emails. Used LinkedIn to find people then just plugged their names into the email format and sent them a cold email. Response rate was low but that’s just how networking is, keep trying and eventually you find someone or a few people who you spark a good connection with

  2. I interned at a BB twice (first summer BO second summer FO). I used the experience both for the name and to paint my story for why consulting. Essentially said I enjoyed finance, but wanted to explore more of the business world outside of Wall Street

 

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