When it comes to recruiting, consulting firms have a roster of schools’ from which they source the majority of their summer interns and full-time employees. This dedicated school-based hiring is generally referred to as “campus hiring”.
Most firms also hire students from ‘non-core schools’, but these are usually a small minority of campus hires. Students from non-core schools often get hired via an internal referral, as the result of winning a case competition, or via an alternative recruiting channel.
I never really heard people talk about the initial experience of joining a consulting firm coming from a core school vs a non-core school. However, if you are a prospective consultant, it is important for you to know the challenges you may face so that you can fully prepare yourself.
Based upon my own experiences and those of my friends in consulting, this article will highlight some key considerations to bear in mind if you come from a non-core school and are pursuing a career in consulting.
Obstacles You May Face
1. You don’t have a pre-existing professional network at the firm
As a new consultant from a non-core school, you might know some people from the recruiting process, but you will not be aware of a large cohort of alumni readily accessible to you at a firm. Sometimes this can matter because more senior people in alumni networks may actively help new people from their own school get staffed on projects and gain access to further networking opportunities. If you don’t have access to such alumni networks, this can mean missed professional opportunities.
This initial deficit in your network can be easily overcome, but it will require aggressive networking and finding an alternative network to provide you with professional support. I have seen one of my friends aggressively network by dedicating a set number of hours per week to having coffee chats with colleagues in order to more firmly establish his presence. Another tried and tested networking technique is taking high visibility volunteer roles within the firm, such as special projects with firm wide presentation opportunities.
2. You don’t have a readily accessible social network at the firm
The reality is that most new consultants from core schools know each other from school, and these existing social relationships serve as the basis for networking within the firm. It can be difficult to move to a new city if you do not have a group of friends at work to reach out to, especially since your peers from core schools probably will.
One way to make friends and build relationships is to make an effort to connect socially with other new consultants from non-core schools. Another is to be adopted into a network of colleagues from a core school. While coming from a non-core school doesn’t represent a real barrier, it does mean that social roads need to be paved where none previously existed, and if you don’t make an active effort it is unlikely to happen.
Recommended Research
Every firm’s organization and culture is different in terms of how easy it will be for a new consultant from a non-core school to manage. You should definitely do some research and talk to current consultants from non-core schools at your target firms of interest. Many fellow consultants have commented to me that consultants from core schools are usually not aware of the nuanced experiences of those from non-core schools. So, it will be really helpful to explore the extent of the non-core school disadvantage and how easy it was for others to overcome it.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, it is more than fine to go to a firm coming from a non-core school, but you should appreciate the challenge that you might face in managing that initial disparity. You will be able to get an idea of what to expect if you do the proper research ahead of time, and it will really help if you dedicate time and energy to close that initial gap during your first few months at the firm. Eventually, time at the firm will become more important than your alma mater. The reality is that many people from non-core schools go on to become successful consultants and may even be senior leaders at top firms.
Hall Wang is a dual degree MBA and Master of Public Policy graduate from Georgetown University who has recently matriculated into a major management consulting firm. He has worked at America’s most innovative companies including Blue Origin and Facebook, as well as having done two combat deployments as a US Army Officer.
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