If you are a current student and are interested in consulting, chances are you are familiar with your school’s consulting club. Maybe you’ve attended a competition hosted by them, or perhaps you’ve utilized resources made available by them – no matter how you’ve interacted with the club, it’s a valuable resource for aspiring consultants to have. However, beyond just interacting with the club as a general member, I believe that being an executive of the club can be a very fulfilling and valuable experience. Having been an executive of the University of Waterloo Management Consulting Club for over 2 years and holding numerous roles, including Co-President, my experiences have been one of my favorite things about my university career. Based on this, I want to share with you four reasons why I think you’ll find getting involved with your school’s consulting club to be a uniquely rewarding experience.
1. Forging Connections with Like-minded Individuals
One of the immediate benefits of being involved with your school’s consulting club is the impact on your network. Internally, you’ll have the chance to meet other like-minded individuals who are all interested in consulting. Professionally, this was a great way to chat about the industry and share resources and tips we had found. When it came time for interview season, I didn’t have to look hard for case prep partners, as many of us were recruiting at the same time. Further, this was especially helpful when I was a junior exec – many of the senior execs were individuals who have interned at firms and were transitioning to full time roles. Thus, they were able to give lots of guidance during my own internship search and were members at the firm when I was recruiting for full time. Aside from professional reasons, on a personal note, many of my fellow execs have become close friends, mentors, and confidants, and were a great way to meet people outside of my university program.
2. Networking with Firms
Your consulting club is a good point of contact between your school and the firms themselves, giving you ample opportunity to network with various consultants. I’ve gotten a chance to meet several individuals in low pressure settings before and after events and didn’t have to worry about finding a chance to jump in during open networking. You’ll also have a chance to sign up early for events, as you’ll often hear about it before your club publicizes it; in certain cases, firms may even ask for execs to attend and skip any applications that might exist. In one instance, I had the chance to join the campus recruitment team for dinner with a few of my fellow execs, and it was a great way to get to know the team outside of a formal setting, and learn more about them on an individual level.
3. Developing Key Skills and Competencies
While clubs should be a way to enjoy yourself, I think professional clubs are a great way to practice professional skill in a low-pressure environment, where you won’t be bogged down by deliverables and demanding clients. The club will expose you to a variety of different individuals, some of whom you’ll like and some you may not – and help you to develop your teamwork skills as you overcome challenges to organize large events. As you work through various work streams that the club will need from you, whether it’s for event logistics, marketing, or resource development, you’ll have the chance to work on your organization and attention to detail. Finally, as you climb the ranks of the club and take on increasing responsibility, you’ll be able to develop strong leadership and people skills. All these can be excellent to highlight on your job application and will be important when you transition to your consulting job.
4. Giving Back to your Community
The final reason you should consider being involved with your school’s consulting club is the rewarding experience of giving back to your community. There is a lot of value in helping grow the consulting community at your school. As you might have gained benefits from the community in your early years, you’ll have gained experience to share and give back, helping pique interest from others. This can lead to more and more individuals joining the field, thus helping grow the alumni network your school has and its overall reputation. This is valuable in general, but especially if you come from a non-target school, as it helps the school become a target institution.
Concluding Thoughts
As I bid my university career goodbye, one of the things I will miss the most will be my school’s consulting club. It’s been a place where I’ve challenged myself, developed a variety of skills, and was a huge reason I was able to recruit successfully for consulting. Along the way, I’ve made some close friendships that I will carry with me, made some strong professional connections, and helped push younger students towards their own goals as well. I hope after reading this article, you’ll consider getting involved with your school’s consulting club to have similar experiences yourself.
Jawad Khandoker is a recent graduate from the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, where he completed both a BMath and BBA degree. He recently joined Monitor Deloitte as a consultant. Outside of his professional interests, Jawad enjoys playing and watching sports, and playing flight simulators.
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