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B-School / Consulting Clubs

Starting your Consulting Journey as a College Student

Some of the best years of your life will be spent at university. After spending 18-years under the guidance of your parents, you gain the freedom to explore the world, study a degree of your choice, discover who you are, and explore potential career options.

Pursuing tertiary studies is not only about the academics, but also about knowing which career path you want to take and how to utilise the resources you are given by your institution in order to attain that goal.

My interest in consulting began at university, before then I was certain I would become a diplomat. My personal experience as a graduate and now working for a consulting firm shows that you can build upon your initial college experience to launch a successful consulting career.

If you are unsure of how and when to start your consulting journey as a student, this article will serve as a guide.

1. Join a consulting club

Many students confuse a student club with a student organisation. However, a student club is distinct in that it has all its functions and activities conducted by the students themselves. Although a club is required to sign a contract with an advisor, it does not have a specific department or student body that governs how the club is run. The sole purpose of clubs is to provide students with practical experience through learning and relationship building.

Joining a consulting club can provide you with numerous benefits: networking, learning how to do a case study, assistance with resume and cover letter writing, and access to resources to prepare for interviews. Most importantly, you can learn how to pitch as if you were presenting to a client.

Consulting firms typically provide sponsorship and mentoring to consulting clubs. For instance, firms such as Deloitte, BCG, and Accenture not only go to colleges on careers day, but they also host workshops and presentations on campus. Top performing students are often selected to attend networking events at company offices. Through these events, you can get to know more about the firm, the clients they work with, and experience the firm directly by interacting with consultants and recruiters. These types of social events are invaluable as they can give you the chance to ask questions or raise concerns that you wouldn’t raise in an interview.

Consulting firms are highly invested in consulting clubs because they offer an ideal recruitment platform from which they can handpick top talent. Firms typically provide consulting clubs with casebooks, containing demo or previous client cases, that students can use to practice for case interviews.

With the varied resources that consulting clubs provide, you should also get the chance to participate in a case competition, which is structured in a similar way to the recruitment process. Through a case competition, you can increase your knowledge and skills in preparation for the actual case interview.

2. Prioritise academic excellence

Consulting firms, especially the top ones, only hire the crème of the crop. They do not compromise on this. As an entry-level applicant, fresh out of college, your grades are considered to be a reflection on your work ethic and discipline. Based on personal experience, high grades can give you access to benefits and opportunities that other students will miss out on. It can help to secure you an interview, and the chance to show your other qualities.

Good academic grades can help you to stand out from the crowd, attract more employment opportunities, secure a stable and well-paying job, and even win scholarships to further your studies. Although academic excellence is not sufficient for future success it can open doors and give you a head start.

3. Demonstrate Leadership

Students differ; while extroverted students are not afraid to take on leadership roles, introverted students may shy away from the crowd and focus on academics, coursework, or volunteer activities that will not shine the spotlight on them.

Whatever your personality, your resume and cover letter need to demonstrate some of the following soft skills: problem-solving, communication skills, people skills, initiative, leadership, and teamwork.

You should be able to give examples and walk the recruiter through how each skill has assisted you in your personal growth and development, and how you will use these to add value to the firm and your professional life.

Don’t make the mistake of focusing solely on academics. Ensure that you build yourself into a well-rounded individual who balances academic life, extracurricular activities, and personal interests.

Final thoughts

Every student has a unique set of skills and personality traits that make them shine. What you learn after graduation is how quickly time goes by. Make the most of your college years, and ensure that you get started early on your consulting journey.

Thanduxolo Love Mtsweni is a Management Consultant Analyst at Accenture in South Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Administration in International Relations and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (PDM- Business Administration). She is passionate about empowering the youth, and advocating for better youth employment opportunities.

Image: Pexels

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