I want to apply to McKinsey, Bain, BCG, AT Kearney and Roland Berger. I guess you could say that I have been an outstanding student, with a good set of extra-curricular activities as well. On the other hand, I do not find that much good information on how to write a compelling management consulting resume. Could you explain me what an excellent management consulting resume should look like?

My reply:

I personally spend a good amount of time optimizing my resume (and cover letter) back in the days when I applied for Bain & Company, McKinsey & Company, BCG, Roland Berger, AT Kearney and AD Little. I eventually got a first round case interview invitation at each firm (and got an offer at all but one).

By now, I have screened quite a good amount of resumes at Bain & Company, so I will share my ideas on how to write a compelling management consulting curriculum vitae. Needless to say that these ideas do not only apply for Bain, but also apply for McKinsey, BCG and the like. Furthermore, keep in mind that regardless of whether you are an undergraduate applying for a business analyst position, or an MBA applying for an associate position; in the end the below tips and tricks are largely true (thus regardless on which entry level you are applying to).

The most important thing you have to keep in mind when you make your management consulting resume is to always keep in mind what the consulting firm is looking for (and include this on your resume). In the end, each consulting firm is more or less looking for the same elements on your resume. When I receive a resume, the first thing I always do, is simply check whether all key elements are demonstrated (preferably backed with numbers).

The next question is then: "What are these 'elements' that management consulting firms are looking for?" In the following I will give you an overview of each of these elements, and afterwards discuss why each one is important to a management consulting firm, and how you can best demonstrate your strong capability for each aspect.

The leading management consulting firms are looking for five key elements in resumes:

Top employers and/or renowned universities
Excellent academic performance
Strong analytical skills
Evidence of leadership and strong social skills
Extra-curricular activities

1. Top employers or renowned universities

When you receive a resume that says Harvard, Princeton, INSEAD, Cambridge or the like; it will immediately stand out. In the end, a management consulting firm will be billing you out to its clients for several ten-thousands of dollars month, and for this reason the client will want to know about your background. If the firm then can say you have a BA from Yale and an MA from Harvard, 'your' price tag will of course be easier to justify. Furthermore, being able to say you studied at one of these top-universities, also shows that you have already passed a difficult selection process to get in the specific school, which of course already well demonstrates your competencies. Regardless of this, you do not need to have studied at an Ivy League university to get a job in management consulting. In case you come from one of the many good universities of your country, you will definitely also make a shot at MBB. It will however then be even more important to be really convincing and to clearly show your determination to work in management consulting. Get more info about mbbs in georgia fee structure click the link https://eduverve.com/study-mbbs-in-georgia/

Next to renowned universities, the management consulting firm will also be looking for top employers on your CV. In case you are a young graduate, this will moreover be an internship at a top-employer, and in case you would be an experienced hire, they will definitely be looking for previous (preferably high-profile) work experiences at some of the world's top employers. Examples of such top-employers would include Google, Microsoft, Apple, P&G, Exxon Mobil, Merrill Lynch, etc. Again, you do not necessarily need to have worked at one of these companies to land an interview at MBB, but it would definitely give you an advantage in getting that important first interview. For this reason, if you are thinking to work in management consulting, try to do at least one internship in leading corporations, as it will be a great experience, but also look very good on your resume.