There absolutely are both full-time and MBA internship recruiting opportunities in the Consulting industry in Spring! Finding these opportunities requires looking beyond US roles in global management consulting firms to international opportunities, boutique and specialty firms, and internal strategy roles.
Most Large Consulting Firms Have Finished U.S. Recruiting—But Not All Paths Are Closed
As referenced in the What to Expect When Recruiting for Management Consulting Firms, management consulting firms recruit students into specific consulting roles following very specific offer timelines. While most of this recruiting has ended, students who continue to stay in contact with firms, hone interview skills, and gain new experiences may see the payoff!
- Almost every year at least one firm re-recruits for full-time roles in Spring, so graduating students who continue networking and practicing will be well positioned!
- First-year MBAs will have the chance to recruit for full-time roles in September
Look beyond the US for opportunities!
Some global consulting firms recruit later in the year for offices outside of the US.
- Visit firm sites (or set notifications) for roles that align with your background
- Leverage connections made in the US offices to network into international offices
- Note that many offices require local language skills and some require local work authorization
- Examples of such firms include FTI Consulting, PA Consulting, and in some cases, international offices of Bain, BCG and McKinsey have hired in Spring for early career, non-MBA roles
Find opportunities at specialty firms and boutique firms
Many specialty and boutique consulting firms commence MBA internship interviews in February or later, after management consulting recruiting ends. These firms also hire for full-time roles just-in-time, so graduating students should start exploring open roles in March.
- Specialty firms value business school candidates, but require proven interest or experience in their specialty area. Showcase interest through electives, club membership, projects, and volunteerism
- Apply as soon as you see an open role, whether MBA internship or full-time, as many roles will close as soon as enough applications have been submitted
- Since some hiring needs are filled without promoting an open role, keep networking so you are aware when a firm has a need
- Join in the CDO Spring Forward: Pitch My Opportunity session – boutique firms and specialty firms will be more open to creating a role for the ideal candidate than large global management consulting firms. Beyond proven interest and firm fit, client services firms will be motivated if hiring creates a client benefit and/or generates revenue
- Specialty consulting firms represent the bulk of consulting firms in CMS, spanning specialties from Design & Innovation to Economic Development, Human Capital to Media & Entertainment, and Supply Chain to Technology
- Example specialty firms include Geigsen and Keystone.AI
- Example boutique firms include CIL and OC&C
Undercover internal strategy opportunities
Many organizations have strategy or internal consulting teams tackling big impact projects for the organization. There are many opportunities for such role in Spring. Recruiting for internal MBA internship roles follows the recruiting timeline of the organization – this means many opportunities exist today and will continue to open across industries. Full-time roles in spring are typically just-in-time.
Prepare for case interviews, behavior interviews, and maybe more…
Case interviews are a given across all consulting firms and internal strategy teams. They allow hiring managers to assess decision-making, quantitative, and communication skills. Specialty consulting firms and internal strategy roles use cases the align with their business focus.
Behavior interviews are equally important to assess the in-demand professional skills needed in client service: clear communication, empathy, leadership, and general likeability.
Some organizations and firms also require an applicant assessment prior to interview invitation. For some teams, the interview process includes take-home work coupled with a presentation, or even a group interview.
