At its core, consulting is about problem-solving. If you’re interested in taking a problem, breaking it down, collecting and analyzing data, devising strategies and solutions, and presenting them to clients, then consulting may be an industry worth exploring.

As you can tell from the responsibilities, the three most important skills for consultants are:

• Analytical thinking skills
• Organization skills
• Communication skills

For many consulting organizations, other valuable experiences and skills include: teamwork, project management, and creative thinking. Consulting work is often done with teams across significant stretches of time on problems that require dynamic solutions.

Depending on the type of consulting you’re interested in — economic, strategy, operations, financial advisory, human resources, information technology, and more industry-specific options like educational and environmental (it’s a lot, right?) — additional knowledge and skills may be critical for success.

While a strong GPA (3.5 or above) can certainly make you more competitive, what’s equally important is engaging in academic, extracurricular, and professional experiences that allow you to develop the necessary skills.

To set yourself up for success, consider the following:

• A strong resume → Get your resume reviewed early by Purposeful Work!
• A strong network of alumni, friends, and connections within consulting organizations to advise and advocate for you before, during, and after the application process
• A clear understanding of application timelines and deadlines, particularly the critical internship application period taking place the spring/summer of your sophomore year or the fall of your junior year
• A comprehensive and thorough understanding of the consulting landscape, your areas of interest, and how your values, strengths, skills, and even personality lend themselves to your success in those areas of interest

Take advantage of opportunities for personal research and professional exploration.

• Vault Guides are available in the Career Center: Resources section of Handshake to provide you with a basic and broad understanding of the consulting landscape. Additional research online and with individuals in the industry will provide a deeper and more dynamic understanding of what the work looks like with different types of consulting.
• Purposeful Work offers job shadows, roadshows, spotlights, employer information sessions, and other activities that can help you figure out your interests and potential pathways that might align with those interests, while connecting you with alumni and recruiters who can offer unique insider perspectives on organizations.
• Take the time to do the necessary research on organizations of interest. Explore organizational websites, particularly the sections on undergraduate recruitment and hiring. Express interest, participate in virtual activities, and think critically about why you’re drawn to specific organizations and their opportunities.
• Equity and inclusion considerations: More and more organizations within the industry are focused on improving diversity and representation, particularly by recruiting more women, historically excluded minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. If these identities apply to you, watch for and connect with these efforts, initiatives, and programs.

While large consulting organizations recruit predominantly from Ivy League institutions and large research universities, they often leverage alumni from small liberal arts colleges to make connections with their alma mater. Bates has a broad network of alumni at many of the world’s largest consulting organizations, as well as at consulting organizations that vary in size, scope, industry, and focus.

• At present, we have several alumni at Accenture focused on intern and full-time recruitment for the strategy and technology practice areas. They recruit every summer for opportunities that commence the following summer.
• Additionally, we have significant alumni representation at Analysis Group, which engages a cohort of students in an externship program every winter and recruits a number of students as Purposeful Work interns every summer.
• We have several alumni at Deloitte eager to network with students interested in learning more about Deloitte specifically and consulting generally, and provide more insight on internship and full-time opportunities and tips for applying and interviewing.
• Utilizing the alumni section of the Bates College LinkedIn page, identify alumni at organizations and in roles of interest and reach out to learn more. Whether alumni are currently at organizations of interest or have been at those organizations previously, they can provide unique perspectives on their experiences and pathways. And while alumni may not be actively engaged in recruitment, they may still have connections, strategies, and wisdom that may be useful. Consider them as potential advocates, mentors, and even mock interviewers as you navigate the industry. If you’re new to networking, check out our how-to guides on making professional connections.
• In collaboration with colleagues in Alumni Engagement, we’ve recently established the Bates College Alumni & Students in Consulting LinkedIn group. This space was created in response to alumni and student interests in connecting around consulting support, specifically guidance, mentoring, networking, opportunities, and resources. Student requests to join the group will be reviewed and approved by Purposeful Work.

Many consulting organizations tend to hire full-time consultants primarily from their pool of summer interns. To ensure that you’re well-positioned for full-time offers after graduation, you must be ready to apply for intern positions by the spring/summer of your sophomore year or the fall of your junior year. Before you submit them, be sure to have your materials reviewed several times by the Bates Center for Purposeful Work team to ensure that they’re the strongest they can be.

Mid-size, boutique, and industry-specific consulting organizations tend to hire full-time consultants both from their pool of summer interns (if one exists — some organizations don’t hire summer interns at all) and through fall recruitment activities with rising seniors.

We strongly encourage you to engage in exploration and networking activities as soon as you consider the idea of consulting as a potential career pathway. Make an appointment on Handshake with any of our business-focused advisors to get started: Hoi Ning Ngai, Beverly Vari, and Marianne Cowan.

Frequently Asked Questions