Advice Needed - Recent graduate
Hi everyone.
I don't know if I even qualify as a "recent graduate" anymore, but I graduated in 2009. Decent school (not ivy though). Economics. Didn't know what I really wanted to do with the degree throughout college, tried for banking, failed. Recently realized (wish I did a long time ago) that banking is not for me, would like to go into consulting. But, with no experience, and how late it is in the game, what are my options?
Is the consulting recruiting similar to banking, done in the Fall, and now there isn't much of anything left? Is it as cut throat and competitive of a process as banking? I'm not working at the moment so have time to study guides for consulting and anything else necessary to prepare. Until now, I've only studied banking stuff, so that will be a big change in and of itself. I'm willing to put in the work to prepare, but I also know I need to be realistic.. Is it realistic for a 09 grad who doesn't have work or internship experience to break into this field at this point? If it's not, what are some short-term positions I can look into that I could get and then try and get into consulting later?
TIA
Is the consulting recruiting similar to banking, done in the Fall, and now there isn't much of anything left?
Yep, FT recruiting cycle starts in fall so be prepared but that doesn't mean they don't hire off-cycle.
Is it as cut throat and competitive of a process as banking?
For MBB and other good firms, yes. There are a million consulting shops out there, assuming u want a good one, it's just as hard.
Is it realistic for a 09 grad who doesn't have work or internship experience to break into this field at this point?
Possible, but hard. NO EXPERIENCE?? what were u doing all those years in school. u might be able to start at a small boutique shop to break in... Perhaps u should call up alums and express interest directly as no experience on a resume is almost a for sure ding unless u have something going for you...
If it's not, what are some short-term positions I can look into that I could get and then try and get into consulting later?
2 years seems short to me so... Teach for America, Peace Corps, non-profit work. stuff to prepare u for b-school then a good consulting shop. Or just any position that would give u solid work experience to leverage later on.
Please don't do Teach for America just for the resume boost... Only consider it if you actually want to teach.
I dont think you can just say "o yea ill do teach for america" as something to look good on your resume. At some schools getting a position at teach for america is as competitive as banking...And to think the recruiters wont recognize that you arent doing it for the right reasons is absurd. The TFA guys know which people are in it to help communities so dont make a mockery of a good cause.
Teach For America IS a resume booster. So far, everyone I've met that has worked for them has said so. It's like the consolation prize if you couldn't find a job or wanted something to do before going to grad school. I'm not knocking it, and if you want to teach it's a great way to break in. I'm also told that Standford loves to interview people who worked for them.
Except for the fact that TFA has a 15% acceptance rate
The average GPA at TFA for 2009 was 3.6 Average SAT: 1344
Not exactly "easy" to break into. So if you can't find a job, chances are you won't get into TFA. I realize that many banks and consulting firms have lower than 15% acceptance rates, but I would argue it is easier to find a job than get into TFA.
A good TFA experience probably is a resume booster (probably not so much if you went to a top ivy, though).
But a TFA experience where you do it for 6 months and quit, because you're absolutely miserable, and you hate your job and your life and teaching, is most certainly NOT a resume booster. And, make no mistake, you will quit if you don't actually want to teach. Being a first year teacher at low-income school is incredibly hard (much harder than being a first year at M/B/B - I've done both, I know), and you have to have your heart in it.
PM me if you have TFA questions.
do you have time to write a short experience summarizing TFA? ppl have a lot of misconceptions about it
it'd be very helpful since u also have an MBB background
I'd definitely be up for doing that - what kinds of misconceptions have you seen + what questions do you have?
Why is it so prestigious? Excuse me if that's a dumb question, but why does it boost your resume so much? Does it demostrate that you are some "right" kind of person?
at Harvard TFA is a safety...
"If I don't get MBB or X company, I'll just do TFA"
any job which will give you responsibility early on (ie hasn't much qualified candidates/workers) and demonstrates community involvement (not only about the money) will be a resume booster. TFA (this is entirely guesswork) has the latter, but instead of the early responsibility gig, it plays the prestige card. with 15% acceptance, you better be special.
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