What are my chances of starting my career in a consultancy company as a fresh graduate?

Question

I've heard that consultancy companies prefer hiring experienced professionals rather than fresh graduates. The only exceptions are some of the brightest graduates. I dont really have a breath-taking GPA score and am willing to be a consultant more than anything. What are my chances??

Do you know of any other jobs which I can consider as a path that will lead me to being a financial consultant (corporate finance) in the future??

Answer 1

Yes, consultancies usually only hire experienced people, usually VERY experienced people. This is because to be a consultant you are usually expected to hit the ground running and be able to use your experience and education to help companies in your specific area that already have really smart/experienced people working for them. There usually isn't a lot of on the job training since consultants "train" whoever hires them. But that description I just gave is to be a traditional consultant. You can still work for a consultancy as an analyst and be part of a team. You have as good a chance as getting that job as you would any other finance job.

BTW, being one of the brightest doesn't mean having the best GPA or coming from an Ivy League, it means actually being a bright person, i.e. smart, quick, hard working, understand financial concepts, etc.

You can score a job with a consultancy just as easy (or hard) as any other job. You just need to impress them with your cover letter and resume enough to get an interview, then impress them in your interview and you can have that job. It's great you have a direction in mind for your career, just search out consultancies.

I was hired by a consultancy straight out of college back in April (Dec grad). I went to the Univ of CO, not a top 25 school, but good. I had an okay GPA (3.0), no finance experience, though I did have pretty good prior jobs. I scored an interview in the financial district in San Francisco, interviewed for 5 weeks and finally got an offer. I later found out I was the only non-Ivy league candidate. I got the job because in my interviews they liked me, that's it. They thought I'd fit in the company and do the job great. Your chances are great, finance is always hiring like crazy, always! And there's so many areas you can work in.

Apply to consultancies and also more traditional analyst positions in corp finance, investments, or any other type of finance position. Then if you don't get a consultant position first, you can use that position to learn, move up to be better qualified, and make money. Also, continuing your education always helps. I'm going to grad school next year and working on my CFA during the nights after work. Keep working hard and eventually you'll have that job you want. There's so much you can do in finance.

Answer 2

consultant is usually a later-in-life thing so it seems like a slightly backward question imho. please dont get offended, that's just my take

you can be a consultant to a finance academy bringing to them your accumulated experience (the experience you gained while in corporate finance)

Answer 3

impress them