Management Consulting Facts
When you embark on a new career venture, you must do some research. This will encourage you to ponder on the profession you truly desire to pursue. In this post, read four facts about management consulting industry and let them guide you in coming up with a career choice.
Fact No. 1: Getting Through the Recruitment Process Is Difficult
Applying for a position in a consulting firm is just like going through another recruitment process, only many times harder. First, the competition is tough. Top tier management consulting firms like Bain, PWC and McKinsey receive numerous resumes each month from qualified candidates. Many of them graduated from prestigious universities. Further, the screening process is tougher. The tests have a higher level of difficulty, and the interviews require exhaustive preparation. You must rehearse your answers to common behavioral questions and master the management consulting frameworks to ace the case interviews.
Fact No. 2: Your Effort Will Be Rewarded
If you are fortunate enough to make it to your goal, you should congratulate yourself on acquiring a great milestone. Unfortunately, the hard work doesn’t end there. Once you start doing the real job, you’ll realize why the recruitment has to be tough – to choose the best person for tougher responsibilities. You will be working on different business dilemmas, taking advantage of your analytic, communication and logical skills. In some weeks, you will have to spend a few more hours at the office even when your client’s employees have all gone home for a sumptuous dinner with their loved ones. You will never say your management consulting work schedule is lenient. However, during paydays, you can always attest that each minute of effort is financially rewarded.
Fact No. 3: Traveling Becomes a Wearisome Activity
For you to perform your management consulting roles and responsibilities, you must be at your client’s office on most weekdays for data collection, workshops, meetings and analysis. For firms whose clients are only within the city, this isn’t a main concern. However, when they are located in another city or country, this can cause physical and emotional stress in the long run. For some, it is inconvenient to spend many hours every week travelling. The trip becomes strenuous because of the homesick feeling, too. You must love the idea of always being active to survive the hectic schedule.
Fact No. 4: Management Consulting Isn’t Only about Expertise
You will be hired primarily because of your technical know-how about project management, human resources or marketing. Other recruiters will consider you because of your impressive analytic skills or superior score in a numerical reasoning test. Though you won’t survive the job without that knowledge and ability, you must also be able to interact with different kinds of personalities. Your people skills will be your key in getting necessary information. Moreover, since you’ll be sent to different locations, your sociability will help you adjust with the new environment readily.
After reading the aforementioned facts, does consulting field still attract you?