Consulting Job, NYC, Unusual career path

Hi all, first time poster. I'm looking to get into consulting in NYC, preferably with MBB. My academic/work experience is probably a little unusual, so I'll lay it out for you guys, and hopefully you can let me know what you think.

Undergrad GPA of 3.8/4.0 at little-known liberal arts college on West Coast.
Lots of extracurriculars while in UG.
Out of school for 4 years.
Two years working as a Peace Corps Volunteer in East Africa.
Two years teaching English in Japan.

I have almost zero experience working in finance/accounting, but consulting is something that has always appealed to me, especially in the last few years as I've starting to think of where I'd like to be long-term.

The recruiting pages of the big firms seem to outline a couple basic career paths based on past experience/education, but I don't really fit into any of these. However, they all seem to emphasize that they value unique life experiences and generally interesting people.

Do I have a chance at an entry-level position in one of these firms in NYC? Advice? Thanks in advance!

It sounds like you'd have a pretty strong profile for a good MBA program. The firms you mentioned (MBB) generally have set recruiting timelines and very rarely hire outside of their set classes (I wouldn't say never, just highly unlikely). Their interest in life experiences, etc. come more at a manager/principal level than associate consultant levels. Moreover, being a lateral hire (as you would be) generally requires some experience.

I think if you went to a top b-school, you'd be a great candidate for one of these firms down the road.

 

Agree with the previous poster that your only real bet (although I'm sure there are some very rare exceptions) is to get your MBA -- at one of the top 8 programs -- and get into consulting that way. If I were you, I'd also try to get some experience in the corporate world before going back to business school.

 

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