UCL Guide to Consulting 2013

8/18/2019 UCL Guide to Consulting 2013

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STRATEGYCONSULTING

CASESTUDIES

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UCL Guide to

CONSULTING

2013

The denitive guide to the Consulting industry


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© 2013 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved.

Opportunities with the UK’s number one graduate employer

Ofces across the UK » Join spring, summer or autumn

Your career is just that; yours. You choose it. You live it. You make it

happen. To get the best from it, you need the best opportunities. That ’s whyopportunities are at the heart of a career with us. Opportunities to growas an individual, to build lasting relationships and make an impact in aplace where people, quality and value mean everything. For Science

graduate Layo, that meant exploring the business world on our TaxSummer Internship – she did so well she was offered a job with us at theend. Now she works on major tax projects, helping t he employees of some

of the world’s biggest companies manage their complex tax affairs.Join PwC – we’re focused on helping you reach your full potential.

Take the opportunity of a lifetime

www.pwc.com/uk/careers

www.facebook.com/PwCCareersUK

The experiencestays with you

Layo at PwC’s Mor e London ofce

Diverse people make us stronger

Assurance

Actuarial

Consulting

Deals

Tax

Technology

All degree subjects

Voted employer of

choice by studentsin The Times Top 100Graduate Employers survey for ten

years running.

UCLU Business Society | 2

Introduction and

Acknowledgements

It’s a no-nonsense guide to the opportunities available,

with practical advice on applications and interviews and

exclusive insights into consulting rms. This guide will

help you be a step ahead and kick-start your career inconsulting.

Following the success of the last year’s edition of the

UCL Guide to Consulting, we are proud to present to

you a revised and updated version, including even more

application tips and advice.

We would like to say a big thank you to the recruitment

ofcers and interviewed representatives from our

sponsoring and partnering rms for their coordination and

valued insights, and Karina Jayawant for her work on

formatting and design.

EDITED BY: Alexandra Vedernikova,

Karina Jayawant,

Preena Kakad,

Lukas Stieger


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UCLU Business Society | 4UCLU Business Society | 3

ABOUT THE UCLU

BUSINESS SOCIETY

(CONSULTING DIVISION)

The Consulting Division of the UCLU Business Society is a division

for all students interested in learning more about different types of

consulting. The goal of this division is to create opportunities for career

exploration and development in all elds of consulting through on-campusnetworking events, consulting skills sessions, informative industry and rm

presentations. Alongside this, we encourage participation in the annual

DECA Competition which hones the necessary skills that consulting rms

look for in an employee. The aim for our division is to make UCL a target

university for all consulting rms and increase the general employability of

UCL students in the diverse eld of consulting.

WHAT WE DO

» Educate our members about various types of consulting through

corporate presentations. We cover Strategy, Operations, Financial,

Economics, Human Resource, Technology and Industry-specic

consulting.

» Connect our members to employers through various networking events.

» Strengthen interview skills of our members through intensive case study

practice sessions in our new ‘Case Club’, interview skills workshops

with recruiters and the opportunity to participate in the annual DECA

challenge.

CONTENTS

6 | WHAT IS CONSULTING?

9 | WHAT ARE THE TYPES OFCONSULTING?

COMPANY PROFILES

15 | PwC

18 | Simon Kucher & Partners

21 | EY

25 | Management Solutions

27 | L.E.K

31 | Mercer

35 | The Social Investment Consultancy

39 | Integration

APPLICATION PROCESS

44 | Before applying

45 | CV and and cover letter

48 | Online tests

50 | E-tray / virtual ofce

54 | Competency interview

57 | Case study interview

63 | Application deadlines


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To put it simply, consulting is the business of giving advice.

When confronted with a problem, professionals, companies and

other institutions hire consultants to solve them. While someconsulting rms focus on general business strategy problems

of their clients, others specialise in technology, marketing,

operations, nance, human resources, etc.

You might question, why would anyone with expert knowledge

of their business like to spend millions of pounds on external

business advice? Well, the most important reason is that

consultants have a unique experience of serving multiple clients

in the same sector and some of which are facing the same

challenges. This allows them to see an individual business issue

as part of ‘the bigger picture’ and apply lessons learnt from

working on other projects. Moreover, consultants are valued

for their analytical vigour and ability to take a fresh, critical and

outside perspective on the issue.

What is CONSULTING?


Teamwork

Creativity

EntrepreneurialDrive

PASSIONM UL T I -T A S KI N

G

COMMUNICATION

PROBLEM-

SOLVING

c ur i o si t y

P a

t h -

f n

d i n g

RE S E AR

C H

An al y si s Leadership

Achievement

personal impact

numerical agility

Organisation

PERSISTENCEP r i or i t i s a t i on

AT T E NT I O

NT O DE T AI L

THE TYPES OF PROBLEMSIN CONSULTING INCLUDE:

Pricing

Marketing

New product strategy

(market access)

IT implementation

Government policy


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PITCHING – this includes conducting secondary research to understand

the clients’ needs and the industry before coming up with a proposal deck

with the consulting rm’s proposed approach to the clients’ problem.KICK-OFF – this is the rst meeting with the client to ensure that their

needs and problem at hand are interpreted correctly, and that they are

agreeable to the consultants’ proposed approach to solve the problem.

This is highly important to ensure that the project is kicked off with both

parties on the same page.

RESEARCH – this phase refers to primary research which is conducted

through eldwork. Generally, primary research can be qualitative

(interviews with several key opinion leaders / industry experts / niche

consumer groups) or quantitative (surveys with a larger group of

stakeholders). Armed with knowledge from prior secondary r esearch,

consultants have to produce surveys and interview guides fr om scratch to

elicit the true opinions of the population that are pertinent in answering the

client’s problem.

ANALYSIS – After consolidating the primary and secondary research

results gathered from the eldwork phase, it is the job of the consultants

to then make sense of these results by giving their insights from these

numerical and qualitative data. Generally the whole team (from partner to

consultants) works together to analyse the big picture and details

and tailor these results to the initial problem that the client wanted insights

for.REPORTING – The consultants will then take the analysis and present

it into a ‘deck’ (PowerPoint slides) which will then be delivered by the

project manager to the client in the nal presentation. Story-boarding of

the different bits of analyses will have to be done to ensure a coherent and

smooth ow of insights by the consulting team. A typical nal presentation

deck also consists of many annexes, which include the results of research

or models that can be used to substantiate the ndings when questioned

by the clients.

A typical consulting

phase includes the

following stages:



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Economic ConsultingEconomic consultants assist clients to understand and project market

trends, to evaluate the effects of new strategies and to persuade key

decision-makers and stakeholders. They often use micro-economic theory

and statistical, econometric and nancial expertise to tackle some of the

complex and challenging business and policy issues. Combining modelling

skills with deep industry knowledge, they provide professional economic

advice to companies, regulators and government.

Examples of typical economics consulting engagements:

» Limiting Potential Regulatory Risk for a Merchant Energy Firm

» Measuring Consumer Credit Risk for a Large UK Retail Bank

» Valuing fuel diversity in power markets

» Cost-Benet Analysis of Rural Post Ofce Branches

LEADING ECONOMIC CONSULTING

FIRMS INCLUDE:» Deloitte Consulting

» FTI Consulting

» Oxera Consulting

» NERA Consulting

Strategy Consulting

Strategy consultants help consultants with their most complex strategic

challenges and build bespoke and tailored solutions in order to achieve

sustainable growth.

They often assist a rm’s senior executives to understand and face the

strategic challenges of running their organisation. It is not surprising that

a young analyst consultant meets a CEO of a big rm in his rst ever client

meeting - that is just how these projects work within strategy consulting.

The common goal of strategic consultants is to drive a business to fulleconomic potential. They identify and discuss strategic needs and

potential pitfalls with their clients and more often assist clients in breaking

into emerging markets; helping them navigate through this unfamiliar

terrain and compete with multinationsl. Ultimately, they work with clients to

make big ideas actionable.

Examples of typical strategy consulting engagements:

» Analysing why an electronics retailer generates lower sales per

square foot than its competitors

» Understanding why West End theaters keep losing money and how

the theaters can reposition themselves to prot most from new

markets

» Positioning a snack manufacturer to enter Brazil, determining types

of snacks most wanted, and assessing the market’s willingness to

pay for snacks

» Determining the value of a hard-drive manufacturer on a stand-

alone basis and suggesting possible acquirers to help divest itself

of non-core businesses

LEADING STRATEGY CONSULTING FIRMS INCLUDE:

» McKinsey & Company

» Bain & Company

» The Boston Consulting Group

» PwC Consulting

What are the TYPES

of Consulting?



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Operations Consulting

Operation consultants often quote that they wish to “do things, not only

do slides.” To put it simply, operational consultants are interested in the

implementation of new recommended strategies.

These days most rms offer both strategic and operational consulting. This

entails advising clients on new strategies and then helping them make the

changes i.e the full package. The core business of operation consultants

is to help clients lead major change projects by working on the full change

lifecycle, from strategy to implementation.

They often investigate customer service response times, cut operating or

inventory backlog costs, or look into resource allocation.

So let’s say, for example, that we have a project with a more strategic side

like pricing or the denition of a new organization.

A standard management consulting rm might just go in and make a

recommendation on how to change pricing for products and services.

In operational strategy consulting they would actually help them make the

change, implement it for different customers and geographies, and assess

what impact the change has made and what to do differently.

Examples of typical operations consulting engagements:

» Streamlining the equipment purchasing process of a manufacturing

company

» Determining how a dessert chain can save on ingredient costs

without changing its menu • Working with a newly-merged

commercial bank to increase its customer response efciency

» Creating a new logistical database for a car manufacturer

LEADING OPERATIONS CONSULTINGFIRMS INCLUDE:

» PwC Consulting

» Accenture

» Capgemini

» Deloitte Consulting

Human Resources

Consulting

Human Resources (HR) consultants maximise the value of employees

while placing the best people with the relevant skills in the appropriate

roles. This branch of consulting aims to effectively utilise personnel, or

human capital, to achieve the goals of the organisation.

Clients hire HR consultancies as part of departmental or organisational

restructuring, systems implementations, and ongoing initiatives and studies

(e.g. diversity and work/life balance). HR consultants also provide technical

advice. This advice is largely based on number crunching and additionally

focuses on restructuring benets packages and valuating compensation

structures. At its best, HR consulting helps to develop a human resources

model that addresses the specic needs of the business in a manner that

serves the best interests of both the company and the employee work

force.

Examples of typical human resources consulting engagements:

» Bringing together the cultures of merged companies by developing

or altering work cultures

» “Managing relationships” to ensure focus on customers and open

communication

» Building “competencies” through better and more efcient training

programmes

» Fostering employee creativity through “process innovation”

» Counselling and processing laid-off employees and assisting them

in nding new jobs

» Creating or updating a new division’s benets package

» Reviewing and revising a law rm’s compensation structure

LEADING HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTING

FIRMS INCLUDE:

» PwC Consulting

» Mercer HR Consulting

» Aon Hewitt

» Towers Watson



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Different types of rms

in Consulting

THE BIG 3- MBB (MCKINSEY, BAIN, BCG)

These three rms have stood out from other competitors and have consolidated

themselves as the top-tier of consulting business.

THE BIG 4

Though the Big 4 generally refers to the top tier auditing rms, all of these rms

have seperate successful consulting divisions.

BOUTIQUE FIRMS

Boutique rms support their clients with highly-specialised expertise and

are known for their personalised and bespoke advice. Boutique rms

choose to focus on a smaller number of industries (energy, life sciences,

retail), functions (M&A, economics and litigation, turnaround),

or methodologies (real potions, EVA).

We must be clear that being a boutique rm is not synonymous for being a

small rm; a boutique is determined not by size, but by focus.

All this said, we should note that many boutiques are indeed small,

ranging from 200 employees to a single consultant. Often, boutique

consulting rms grow from the expertise and client relationships of one to

ve founding partners, and unless it sells a consistently large ow of work,the rm has no compelling reason to grow quickly. If you are especially

interested in a particular industry or type of consulting problem, denitely

do your homework on the outstanding boutiques in that eld. If you nd the

right company to match your interests, you will spend all of your time doing

the work you dreamt of, and that is a much harder goal to achieve within a

more diverse consulting rm.

Examples of boutique consulting projects:

» A consulting rm with a well-known shareholder value

methodology helps a beverage company establish value metrics in

its business units

» An economics consulting rm helps a foreign government decide

how to structure the privatisation (sale) of its utilities through an

auction

» A niche R&D strategy consulting rm deploys two consultants to

a high growth semiconductor company in Silicon Valley for a 3

month project to improve R&D processes



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PwC helps organisations and individuals

create the value they’re looking for. We’re a

network of rms in 158 countries with more

than 180,000 people who are committed

to delivering quality in assurance, tax and

advisory services.

Our Consulting practice was launched a

few years ago, but the truth is our work

goes back way beyond that. More exciting

than our past, however, are our ambitious

plans for the future. Since our inception

we’ve recruited over 600 graduates into our

industry recognised programme. This year

alone we’ve provided ambitious people with

over 60 internships, and made over 300

promotions across our business. And we’ve

seen similar levels of growth across our

global network. These are exciting times for

us – and you could soon be part of them.

WHAT WE OFFER

We offer two distinct graduate routes into Consulting. If you want a

broad range of experiences across a number of disciplines, then join

Management Consulting and train on a two-year structured programme

that builds a range of core skills. Or, if you’re interested in one of our

specialist consulting practices – Strategy, Economics or Sustainability and

Climate Change – then you can apply directly to that area and develop

your skills quickly through strong project responsibility and in-depth

training.

JOIN US

Research. During your interview, you’ll need to explain why you’ve

chosen a specic area of Consulting and what you can bring to it. So visit

www.pwc.com/uk/careers and start exploring.

Get online. Decide on your area of Consulting and the skills you can

bring, and apply online. We’ll then ask you to take some online tests and

you’ll get the results within 48 hours. You’ll nd out if you have a rst stage

interview once the deadline has passed.

First interview. This could be over the phone, face-to-face or on

campus. It will be a competency-based interview so make sure you’ve

thought about the type of experiences and skills we’re looking for. If you’re

applying to Strategy, the rst stage will be an assessment day.

Assessment day. We’ll invite you to this if you have a successful rst

interview. There’ll be numerical tests; logical reasoning tests; a group or

individual exercise; and a written exercise. For Strategy, your rst stage

assessment day will consist of psychometric tests, a written exercise, and

a competency-based interview.

Final stage interview. For Management Consulting, Economics, and

Sustainability and Climate Change, your second and nal stage interview

will be with a senior member of the team. Like your rst interview, thiswill be competency-based so be ready to talk about your skills and how

you gained them. For Economics, this will also include a technical case

study. For Strategy, you’ll have a nal stage assessment day consisting

of a senior interview and case study, presentation exercise and a group

exercise.

Who we are

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Multiple focus

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.pwc.co.uk

CONTACT INFORMATION

08081001500

[email protected]

VACANCIES

Insight programmes, summer

internships and graduate

opportunities available


www.pwc.co.uk


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What made you join strategy

consulting at PwC?

While I was at university, I went to a

case study sessions and enjoyed it in the

way you might enjoy a sudoku or

crossword. I liked the idea of having such

an engaging job so applied to severalstrategy consultancies and ended up at

PwC

What type of projects have you been

involved in?

It’s so varied. I’ve done everything from

strategy work for a UK lingerie retailer, to a

due diligence in Singapore on cranes, to

pro bono work for a children’s hospice.

What is your average work day like?

Again, really varied. Usually I’m in at 9,

sitting alongside my project team. I usually

have my own section of a project so I will

do analysis or research to support the

arguments or recommendations I want to

make. At some point during the day I’ll

catch up with someone more senior to let

them know what information I’m nding and

how my thoughts are changing and get

their input and steer. If there are clientmeetings, I would usually go along.

What is the most stressful/ hardest

part of your job?

I would say it’s the pace of it. You have to be

quick on your feet and exible. Regularly

I get asked to look into something I know

nothing about (e.g. nuclear valves, chemical

storage terminals) and need to develop acommercial opinion by the next morning.

Any tips for students applying for

internships or graduate roles at

PwC?

Two things. First, do your homework. Find

out the specic assessment criteria you

will have to meet and tailor your CV so

that you clearly demonstrate these. Think

of examples you can give in interview that

show you have the necessary skills. Do the

practice online assessment tests and case

studies on the web. Secondly, don’t be

embarrassed to get people to help you. Ask

parents, friends in work, the careers centre

to read your CV etc. Get all the advice you

can.

For those students who are

partaking in a placement at PwC

what should they do to makethemselves stand out during their

internship?

We work in small teams, so there’s little

chance of your brilliance slipping under

the radar. Working hard and contributing

to your project team is all you need. If the

team would like you on another project,

you’ll get an offer.

SOPHIE ARMOUR, Strategy Consulting, PwC

Simon-Kucher & Partners is the number

one strategy consultancy in the eld of

marketing and sales, and we are widely

regarded as the world’s leading expert

in pricing strategy. We are consistently

ranked in the top 10 in the Vault Guide to

Consulting.

Our clients are leading industry players

and private equity rms, covering a highly

diverse range of sectors. We help our clients

boost their prot through improvements to

their top line, rather than reducing costs.

As a global company, we think and act

beyond borders with a network of 27

ofces worldwide. Our rapid growth and

globalisation provides our consultants with

unlimited opportunities to “grow faster, with

us”.

Who we are

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Strategy and Marketing

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.simon-kucher.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

recruitment.london@simon-

kucher.com

VACANCIES

Applications open: 15 Oct 2013

Applications close:

Internships – 6 Jan 2014

Graduate positions – 29 Jan

2014



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WHAT WE CAN OFFER

Given our world-renowned expertise in marketing, sales and pricing

strategy, each consultant can rapidly become a specialist rather than “just

another consultant”. There is a wealth of opportunity to build a career and

make your mark in a specic area of interest, as part of a fast-growing and

evolving organisation.

New consultants can expect a high level of responsibility and exposure

to clients from an early stage. This allows for exceptional professional

development. You’ll be involved in all aspects of project work, from

business development and analysis, right through to the delivery of the

nal presentation.

As a global rm there are signicant opportunities for travel, including ourstructured international training programme, as well as the annual Simon-

Kucher “World Party”. Rotations to gain international experience at other

Simon-Kucher ofces are possible as your career develops with us.

JOIN US

Our consultants come from a diverse range of personal, academic and

professional backgrounds. They take the initiative and are eager to direct

their own career development. We look for dynamic, pro-active individuals

who will thrive in an entrepreneurial environment. Successful candidates

have strong analytical, quantitative, leadership and communication skills.

Visit our website to complete the application tool and upload your cover

letter and CV. If you pass our screening, you will be invited to go through

the interview process. Preliminary rounds involve online tests and a short

telephone interview. Assessment day interviews usually have two main

parts: the rst part explores the candidates CV and motivation, the second

is a case study presentation and discussion with a Simon-Kucher Director/

Partner.

Why did you choose to join Simon-

Kucher & Partners?

I chose Simon-Kucher due to its

specialisation and world leading position

in pricing, which is a topic I particularly

enjoyed studying during my degree.

Additionally, the company culture which I

would describe as relaxed, friendly, open

and with a focus on high quality output

appealed to me.

Could you briey describe your role

and what you do on a day to day

basis?

I am a Senior Consultant in our

Construction, Chemicals and Commodities

competence centre, typically working with

clients in highly concentrated industries with

high xed costs where industry protability

is dependent on competitive reaction.

Regardless of your level at Simon-Kucher

you work in small teams solving complex

business problems around revenue

management, strategy and marketing. The

further you progress in the rm, the more

focus is placed on developing businessand winning projects as well as managing

teams and supervising projects. As a

Senior Consultant I am responsible for

managing parts of, or entire projects. Day

to day activities could involve conducting

client interviews, analysing data, preparing

presentations, developing solutions,

modelling, facilitating workshops etc.

What is the most interesting project

that you`ve done so far?

Developing and implementing a pricing

transformation project for a global leader

in base materials in the UK and US. The

project was particularly interesting due to

the high importance of the work and its

impact on the future protability of the rm.

I was lucky enough to have CEO level

exposure, developing concepts presented

to investment analysts and relevant media

organisations as key parts of the rm’s

strategy to return to protability in the

medium term.

What is the most stressful part of

your job?

Completing projects on time whilst coping

with events out of your control e.g. clients

not providing the data we need.

Do you have any advice for the

interview process at Simon-Kucher

& Partners?

Make sure you have all the fundamentals

sorted e.g. covering letter and CV with no

spelling or grammar mistakes, the ability to

demonstrate why Simon-Kucher appeals

to you and what we actually do. It is also

important for you to be able to do simple

arithmetic in your head for the interview.

ANDREAS PANAYIOTOU, Senior Consultant,Simon-Kucher & Partners,London ofce,

University College London, BSc Economics


www.simon-kucher.com


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EY is a global leader in assurance, tax,

transactions and advisory services. Our

167,000 people are united by our shared

values, which inspire our people worldwide

and guide them to do the right thing, and our

commitment to quality, which is embedded

in who we are and everything we do.

Our Advisory service line focuses on

helping clients to improve their performance

and manage their risks more effectively.

Particularly important in a challenging

and uncertain business environment, with

escalating competition. We work with clients

to address their specic circumstances and

help turn strategy into reality. Whether it’s an

improved nance function, enhanced supply

chain or superior customer management,

we’re able to offer added value. This is why Advisory is our fastest-growing service line

and an energetic, fast-paced environment

with nearly 20,000 professionals around the

world.

Who we are

WHAT WE OFFER

Because Advisory is a diverse and uid business area you’ll be involved

in a huge variety of work. This will involve delivering wide-ranging and

constantly changing ideas to our clients across a broad spectrum of

industries and locations. As a matter of course, your experiences will be

wide and varied. You’ll quickly be given responsibility to deal with complex

business problems — an excellent way to build the skills you’ll need for a

long and fullling career. The size and variety of the clients we work for will

mean your career develops faster here than in most other businesses.

Within Advisory you can choose to work in one of eight areas: Actuarial,

Financial Services Advisory Consultant Programme – Performance

Improvement, Advisory Consultant Programme - Performance

Improvement, Advisory Consultant Programme – Risk, IT Advisory

Consultant Programme, Financial Services Advisory Consultant

Programme – Risk, Financial Services Advisory Consultant Programme

– Information Technology Advisory (ITA), Financial Services Advisory

Consultant Programme - Information Technology Risk Assurance (ITRA)

JOIN US

Our application is made up of two parts. First of all, you will need to

complete our online application form. This is your chance to tell us about

yourself and achievements to date. Then you should complete an online

strengths assessment, which will ask you to read a series of scenarios

and then choose how you would respond in each scenario. The questions

will require you to select one response, or rank your responses in order.

Providing you are successful at application you will be required to

complete an online psychometric test which tests your verbal, numeric

and diagrammatic reasoning ability. Next you will be invited to attend

an interview that will ask you to demonstrate your strengths and your

motivation for joining EY. We want to get to know you, so relax and be

yourself. At the Assessment centre you will take part in various activitiessuch as a team meeting, a written report and an interview. This will give

you a better feel for EY and helps us learn more about you.

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Multiple focus

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.ey.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

[email protected]

VACANCIES

Insight programmes, summer

internships and graduate

opportunities available


www.ey.com


13/37

AHMED YOUSSEF, Executive, London ofce,Royal Holloway University, BSc Management (Hons)

Why did you decide to join Advisory

at Ernst & Young?

I was very excited by the prospect of

playing a role in this cutting-edge, global

and professional network, which put

simply scrutinises how companies conduct

their business, exploiting potentials for

improvement and adding value to the clients

operations. An opportunity at EYs Advisory

practice promises a high-performing and

global career trajectory crucial to expand

on my skills, experiences and business

acumen. I see high intrinsic value in working

within a fast-paced, challenging and

dynamic environment as is the case at EY.



basis?

I was recently aligned to the Regulatory

Advisory team within FS Risk. To say

“day-to-day” is to imply a certain routinewhich does not exist in the consulting world

(at least most of the time). Every day is

different and is only as varied as any given

person wants it to be. To be more specic,

my top priority is usually the client project I

am engaged on, which changes from time

to time (either due to changing projects or

due to acquiring responsibilities within the

same project). I also get involved in other

“ “

I enjoy the variety, the travel, exibility and autonomy.

EY is a highly decentralised organisation which means

that working here includes interacting and coordinating

with many, many different people with varying skills

and expertise.

work with the project team outside of my

normal role and responsibilities. Further tothis, I assist multiple managers within my

competency team (i.e. Regulatory Advisory)

with internal work such as proposal,

training, research etc. I also get involved in

extra-curricular activities such as graduate

recruitment and attend a number of training

days / weeks every year.

Our clients in the nancial services sector

have been hugely impacted by regulation

introduced as a result of the 2008 recession,

which will aim to fundamentally change the

way they go about their business. Through

various ground-breaking projects, we help

the client comply with these regulations

in a business-wise manner. We do this

by remediating legacy misconduct (i.e.

helping them recover from scandals such

as PPI), assessing and reworking their

compliance target models, advising them on

product offering, management informationoptimisation and so on. New technologies

are presenting various opportunities

and threats, and changing social values

demand that rms are on their toes as

regulations change over time. Ultimately,

regulation ensures the integrity of the UK

nancial markets and FS Risk Advisory’s

biggest revenue generator is - by far - the

Regulatory practice.

What do you enjoy most about your

job?

I enjoy the variety, the travel, exibility and

autonomy. EY is a highly decentralised

organisation which means that working

here includes interacting and coordinating

with many, many different people with

varying skills and expertise. I also enjoy

the fact that there is real support for people

developing personally and professionally.

Could you describe what your most

challenging case has been thus far

in your career?

The most challenging time for me

would be juggling between my full-time

work responsibilities and preparing for

professional qualication exams at the

same time (in addition to any extra-

curricular activities and social life). This

challenge develops me in utilising my time

more effectively and organising myself toincrease efciency. Time pressure helps

one in prioritising work, sharpens focus

and reduces waste.


interview process at Ernst & Young?

It is important to bring your “whole self”

not just to job interviews but to work in

general. While it is important to demonstrate

yourself at your best, make sure you have

a “story” and to present it in a relevant way.Something which puts off many interviewers

is candidates who are too well rehearsed,

to the point where answers are more like

recitations than genuine and intuitive

thoughts. Make sure to be proactive in

general and share those experiences with

the interviewer. Last but not least make sure

you really understand the rm, what we do,

who our clients are and the current issues

facing the rm and the wider industry.



14/37

Management Solutions is a leading provider

of business consulting services for regulated

industries. We have more than 1,300

professionals working in ofces in the UK,

Spain, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Italy,

Portugal, the US, the most representative

countries in Latin America, and China.

Our consultants have the opportunity to

develop personally and professionally

integrating in teams in projects r elating

to Strategy, Sales and Marketing

Management, Risk Management and

Control, Management and Financial

Information, Organisation and Processes,

Applied technology.

Who we are

WHAT WE OFFER

We offer the possibility to join the rm that offers you everything

necessary to develop your potential to the full, by working in some of

the most relevant consulting projects in the industry, for the largest

companies, leaders of their respective markets, side by side with the

industry’s top management as they tackle local and global projects, and

as part of an extraordinary team of professionals, whose values and

corporate culture are a benchmark for the industry.

ManagementSolutions provides a clearly dened career plan where

professionals are promoted solely on the basis of their own merit.

Furthermore, ManagementSolutions continues to be partnership-based

management, offering each of the Firm’s professionals the goal of

forming part of the group of partners. Our consultants have a wide

range of training options available to them throughout their professional

career. We offer our people the best opportunities to improve their

knowledge and skills through our training courses, certied programs

for each professional eld and specic seminars to develop particular

competencies. ManagementSolutions is an equal opportunity employer.

We value the diversity of our team members.

JOIN US

You must me a nal year student or recent graduate with at least a

2.1 in a discipline preferably relating to Finance, Economics, Business

Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics

or Physics. We are looking for someone, who is mature and hard working,

integrates easily into multidisciplinary teams, and is willing to travel.

Applicants for employment in the UK must possess work authorization

which does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa.

We look favourably on the knowledge of foreign languages (Spanish,

Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese and/or German), postgraduate studies

and specialised courses, knowledge of Financial Products and Markets,Treasury and Investment Banking environments, prociency in the use of

MS Ofce applications.

To apply, please send cover letter, CV and unofcial university tr anscripts.

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Business Consulting

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.managementsolutions.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

0207 469 6800

[email protected],

VACANCIES

On-going recruitment for

graduate positions, no xed

quota.


www.managementsolutions.com


15/37

L.E.K. Consulting is an international rm

that specialises in strategy, transaction

services and performance improvement

consulting. It advises the largest private

and public sector organisations, private

equity companies and smaller, more

entrepreneurial businesses.

With a reputation for resolving the most

complex commercial issues, L.E.K. helps

business leaders consistently make better

decisions, deliver improved business

performance and create greater shareholder

returns.

The rm was founded in 1983 and employs

over 900 staff in 20 ofces across Europe,

North America and Asia Pacic. L.E.K. has

been named ‘Professional Services Firm

of the year’ at the City A.M. awards 2011,

which celebrate the most successful rms in

London’s nancial and business community.

L.E.K. stands out as the only major globalstrategy consulting rm to have grown

from a UK base and was the rst strategic

consultancy to win the prestigious Queen’s

Award for Enterprise in International trade.

WHAT WE OFFER

Graduate training programme

We operate a very comprehensive training programme which is structured

over three years. New joiners will have an initial two-week full time training

programme, followed by continuous monthly training sessions, which are

tailored to the needs of your position. L.E.K.’s training covers the full range

of technical, analytical, strategy, communication, project management

and relationship building skills. Combined with on the job training, this

gives you an excellent range of commercial skills and a solid grounding in

business fundamentals.

International swap programme

Our international swap programme provides the opportunity to spend six

months on secondment to one of L.E.K.’s 20 ofces across the globe. It

is a fantastic way to experience a different business environment, gain

exposure to new industries and specialisms and gives the opportunity to

experience a different culture.

JOIN US

Graduate vacancies in London: 40-50. Application deadline: 10th

November 2013

Summer internship vacancies in London: 10 ( 8 week internship starting in

July 2014). Application deadline: 16th January 2013

To apply please visit www.lek.com and submit an online application

Who we are

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Strategy

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.lek.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

0207 389 7200

VACANCIES

Graduate and summer

internship vacancies available


www.lek.com


16/37

Why did you choose to join L.E.K

Consulting?

L.E.K. offers experience in a broad range

of industries and case types, has helpful

and fun colleagues and runs an excellent

training programme.

What is it like to work in L.E.K

Consulting?

The rm offers great variety with

opportunities to learn lots of different things.

It’s challenging and rewarding whilst also

being fun.

What are the career and

professional development in place

in L.E.K Consulting?

Through exposure to a variety of industries I

have been able to comprehend and analyse

a lot of data and information. I have also

had some client exposure in my rst six

months at L.E.K., which is a great start.

What are the most stressful parts of

your job?

One challenge was on a particular

case where we had to locate a client’s

competitors’ store locations at street level,but the standard mapping software was

not detailed enough. Instead, we had to

nd new software, learn how to use it and

produce a beautiful competitor map all in

just a couple of days.

A highlight for me is that I am now able to

quickly gain an in-depth understanding of an

industry and its market challenges through

conducting specialised, targeted and

thorough research.

What are some of the projects that

you have worked on so far?

• Long term strategy for a large pan-

European IT Company

• Vendor due diligence for one of the largest

premium bar operators in the UK

• Commercial due diligence for a global loss

adjusting company


interview process?

Do lots of case study practice (get them

from the top MBA business schools).

What has been your favourite L.E.K.

social event?

Ice skating at Somerset House must be the

best one so far!

WEI ZHOU, Associate, London Ofce, L.E.K, University College London, MSc Physics



17/37

Mercer is the global leader for trusted HR

and related nancial advice, products and

services. In our work with clients, we make

a positive impact on the world every day.

We do this by enhancing the nancial and

retirement security, health, productivity and

employment relationships of the global

workforce.

Mercer has more than 18,000 employees

serving clients in over 180 cities and 40

countries and territories worldwide.

Who we are

WHAT WE OFFER

If you join us, you will be

Working with the world’s leading companies and organisations to help

them meet their most critical business challenges – Mercer counts 9 out of

10 Fortune® 100 companies among its clients

Working with the best and brightest people, colleagues who are committed

to exceeding the high standards set by our clients – and by ourselves

Working for a company that offers a vast array of learning and

development opportunities

Working for a company that conducts business with the very highest

standards of integrity

JOIN US

To apply for a role you’ll need to go through a straightforward but thorough

process designed to ensure that you’re right for us and that we’re right for

you.

You’ll need at least 300 UCAS points in three subjects, including a B in a

numerical/semi-numerical subject. In addition, you’ll need a 2.1 honours

degree in a numerate or semi-numerate degree discipline (or an equivalent

qualication).

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Human Resource and

Investment Management

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.uk.mercer.com/home

CONTACT INFORMATION

[email protected]

020 7626 6000

VACANCIES

Graduate and summer

internship vacancies available


www.uk.mercer.com/home


18/37

Why did you decide to join Mercer?

I studied Mathematics at University and

decided I wanted to be an actuary. The

reason I decided to choose Mercer to

pursue this career is that it is one of the

market leaders in pension’s consultancy

with ofces worldwide.



basis?

I work in a team to support consultants to

deliver projects to clients. These clients

can be corporate or trustee and we advise

them on their pension arrangements.

This includes, for example, analysing the

cost and risk of their pension benets. In

addition I help to develop more junior

colleagues.

What are the opportunities for

professional development at

Mercer?

As Mercer is a global company there

are opportunities to move abroad and/

or to other areas of the company, forexample, Investment Management. Within

retirement consultancy itself there are also

opportunities for you to specialise in an area

that particularly interests you.


job?

I was recently given the opportunity to work

in Mercer’s Lisbon ofce for an eight week

secondment. This experience developed mytechnical skills for my day to day job whilst

enabling me to work with a different team in

a different country.



in your Mercer career?

As an actuarial student at Mercer you study

towards the actuarial qualication alongside

your day to day role. This for me was a

big adjustment compared to studying full

time at University. Good time management

is needed to ensure you split your time

between study and working appropriately.


interview process at Mercer?

Throughout the interview process you

should be interested and ask questions

about the role you are applying for. This

should include knowing why you want to dothe role and what makes you suited to it.

The key is to make sure you a well prepared

and remember to be yourself.

HEATHER BROWN, London ofce, Mercer, University of York, BSc Mathematics

Performance Improvement requires analytical and

problem solving skills. You also need to be a good

team player as well as be able to take the lead and

use your own initiative. These skills allow us to

successfully help our clients identify and solve

business problems.

Studying Chemical engineering at UCL, gave me a

platform to use and improve all of the above skills.

I was solving complex problems and analysing

data on a daily basis. Chemical Engineering isn’t

always an exact science, so decisions around the

best course of action to take would need to be

made; something that translates directly to the

consulting world.

Undertaking a group project, rather than a

dissertation, in my nal year was also the perfect

situation to use my team working skills. We

were all responsible for our own sections, but

ultimately we had to come together to produce

one deliverable. This is exactly how Performance

Improvement projects work at EY, and the

interpersonal skills I learnt at UCL are invaluable.

However, it is important to note that studyingany subject at degree level will provide you with

the ability to work under pressure as well as

the organisational and time management skills

required to succeed in such a face paced industry.

HOLLY ELLINGTON, Consultant, FSPerformance Improvement, Chemical Engineering

BEng

“

“



19/37

The Social Investment Consultancy (TSIC)

is an international consulting rm using the

latest models of social enterprise, revenue

generation, impact investment and venturephilanthropy to help businesses, charities

and philanthropists maximise their impact.

We believe in risk and evidence in equal

measure, and think that doing good can

reinforce — rather than compromise —

ways of generating prots and creating long-

term shareholder value.

TSIC’s dynamic teams in Dubai, London

and New York come from a mixture of

traditional management consultancy,

international development and public policy

backgrounds, bringing best practice from

some of the world’s top consulting rms,

charities and policy units. The integration of

skills and expertise from across the public,

private and third sector forms the basis for

a range of professional services that drive

social impact and organisational change.

Our past clients have included John Lewis

Foundation, Practical Action, Cherie BlairFoundation, The Old Vic, APM Terminals,

The One Foundation, Amnesty International,

Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau and

Alquity Africa Fund.

WHAT WE OFFER

You will have a chance to join the TSIC Team, which is a group of dynamic,

creative thinkers whose experience ranges from traditional management

consulting and nance to social entrepreneurship and international

development. Our diverse backgrounds and range of expertise are coupled

with a passion for innovation that fuels everything we do for our clients.

JOIN USThe Social Investment Consultancy is always looking for talented and

experienced people to join our team. Please submit a CV and cover letter

to [email protected] and we will contact you when suitable

opportunities arise. Throughout the year, we also offer paid internship

positions.

Who we are

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Social innovation

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.tsiconsultancy.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

0207 239 8935

[email protected]

VACANCIES

Check website for current

openings


www.tsiconsultancy.com


20/37

Why did you decide to join TSIC?

About midway through my PhD inInternational Studies, I realised I didn’t

fancy being an academic, but still wanted

to apply my passion for social change and

international research towards solving

practical problems. Social impact consulting

with TSIC turned out to be the perfect

opportunity for me to do that – enabling

me to work in a team setting and learn

constantly about new sectors and parts of

the world, while also doing work that has an

immediate application.



basis?

I work as a Consultant across our diverse

client groups – leading a number of projects

as well as supporting my colleagues. As I

have the most research experience in the

team, I also direct our in-house research

programme. We try to put out at least twomajor reports a year on topics we nd are of

interest to the sectors we work in.

As we are a small rm, there is really no

‘standard’ day and we all wear several

hats throughout it. Today, I started my day

at the Kazakh embassy applying for a

visa for some work we are going to be in

Kazakhstan at the end of the month, I then

went out to Southwest London to meet

with a client we are doing a social impact

evaluation project for. I then came backto our own ofce in North London to do

some research for our next report and tailor

a proposal for some new client work we

are pitching. So that’s admin, client work,

internal research and business development

all in one day!


professional development at TSIC?

As we are a small team, there is not as

much structured personal development as

one might nd at a larger consulting rm.

However, we do all have external career

mentors arranged by our manager, as well

as the opportunity to identify trainings we

would like to attend with a personal budget/

time allowance to spend attending trainings.


job?

Getting to learn constantly about different

sectors, geographies, and ideas to solve

social problems through the work we do for

clients. It never gets old.



in your TSIC career?

The rst client project I managed completely

on my own was also probably the most

difcult one I have ever been involved with

– it was a partnership evaluation betweentwo global youth organisations that hadn’t

been on the best of terms in the years

leading up to the project. They wanted an

evaluation of the partnership’s performance

and whether and how they should continue

working together. The consulting process

involved a large number of interviews with

members of both organisations, and the

politics were astounding. I learned a great

deal about how to obtain and present

balanced perspectives, and how to focus

evaluations on objective performance

indicators/ROI data as opposed to getting

bogged down in opinions and history. It was

difcult, but when I nished the work and

saw that both organisations were happy with

the nal report and felt they had identied

a productive way forward, it was the most

satisfying deliverable I’ve ever had signed

off!

Do you have any advice for theinterview process at TSIC?

Demonstrating you are capable, exible

and have a genuine interest in our work

is more important than having the perfect

prior experience. Some of our best staff

have never worked in the social sector and/

or consulting before, but are hard-working,

motivated individuals who bring a great

attitude to the team and quickly make acontribution through their willingness to

adapt. Demonstrating you are able to do this

is key to being successful at a small rm.

What are the biggest

misconceptions that applicants

might have about your industry?

That we don’t work as hard because we

are social sector rather than business

consultants – any client-based work will

inevitably have deadlines that are not set

by you, and which you will sometimes do

have to go the extra mile and put in late/

long hours to meet and deliver a quality

product. The difference between us and the

private sector is that there is no expectation

that we should be killing ourselves for our

jobs – we do all value and enjoy our lives –

but anyone who is looking to make a small

business work and thinks it will be an easy

ride should best apply somewhere else!

RACHEL LINN, Consultant, London ofce, University of Cambridge, PhD, Politics and

International Studies; MPhil, International Relations;

Stanford University, BA (Hons) Political Science

“ “

Demonstrating you are capable, exible and have a genuineinterest in our work is more important than having the perfect prior experience. Some of our best staff have never workedin the social sector and/or consulting before, but are hard- working, motivated individuals who bring a great attitudeto the team and quickly make a contribution through theirwillingness to adapt.



21/37

Integration is a consultancy in Strategy,

Management & Operations, and we have

come a long way since our foundation in

Brazil in 1995. We now have around 300

consultants in ofces in Sao Paulo, Rio

de Janeiro, Mexico City, Buenos Aires,

Santiago and London.

We have a different approach to consulting.

Our passion for helping our clients means

that we go the extra mile to ensure

our projects deliver more than just a

recommendation – our advice is realistic,

implementable and drives the results our

clients need. We design every project with

implementation in mind to guarantee our

recommendation is translated into results.

Consultants from our London ofce travel

all over Europe and the world to help our

industry leading clients tackle their mostpressing issues. Although we are divided

internally into areas of expertise, our

analysts start as generalists and learn how

to approach problems across a variety of

industries, project types and geographies.

Who we are

WHAT WE OFFER

We make sure that you have everything you need to succeed in your

new career. Every new analyst and consultant completes an extensive

induction programme, including two weeks of training in Brazil and half

a year of monthly training sessions in London. Integration also pairs

you with a senior mentor to guide you in your day-to-day professional

development. Your development doesn’t stop there, however – throughout

your time at Integration you will be exposed to new challenges that allow

you to grow, and you will always benet from intense, honest and personal

mentoring from senior leaders.

JOIN US

Our London ofce is growing fast, and we are recruiting people with an

entrepreneurial spark who can make a difference for our clients, and for us.

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter of us at

[email protected] by 4th November 2013.

Our selection process has the following stages:

1. verbal & numerical reasoning tests,

2. t and competency based interview,

3. competency based interview and case study interview,

4. partner interviews.

TYPE OF CONSULTING

Strategy, Management &

Operations

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.integrationconsulting.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

Tel +44 (0) 207 290 4770

Fax +44 (0) 207 499 5406

[email protected]

VACANCIES

Graduate positions available.

Apply before 4th Nov 2013


www.integrationconsulting.com


22/37

Why did you choose to join

Integration?I chose Integration for the opportunity to

work in a wide variety of industries for global

players that, I believe, face very interesting

challenges. Since day one, I have worked

alongside clients, from their ofces, to

solve their challenges together with them.

What I like a lot about Integration is the

constant focus on developing a realistic and

implementable end result which delivers the

impact the client needs.

I also nd a great t between myself and

the Integration culture. The company really

values individual needs, and differences

are highly respected, which creates a great

work life balance and a great environment

in which to work.


professional development at

Integration?

Integration has a learn-by-doing approach.

In every project, there is a project team

to support you and which is committed

to growing together. At the beginning of

a project personal development goals

are dened, and throughout the project

there is a very open culture of feedback

to make sure everyone can focus on his/

MARLOES VAN DER MEER, Consultant,Integration Management Consulting, Master’s degree

in International Management from JIBS, Sweden,

Bachelor’s degree in

International Business, Tilburg University

her development. Every project has

different challenges and different learningopportunities, which is great for my personal

development. There are also coaching

sessions in place and, of course, there

are formal internal trainings that are very

hands-on and based on real Integration

cases. Personally, what I value greatly is

the transparency around the professional

development process and the clarity on

individuals’ development points: it is very

clear in which points you need to develop in

order to move on in your career.

Can you briey describe your role


basis?

This is difcult to describe as no two days

are the same in consulting! Generally, I

would say that I dedicate around 80% of

my time to projects and 20% to internal

initiatives.

In projects, I work alongside the clientto understand the business context and

particular issues, and to guarantee good

communication throughout the project. For

most projects, I’m in contact with industry

experts outside the company to gain an

external point of view. According to the

project context, I might also conduct several

site visits to get a better understanding

of reality. On most days, there is

some analysis to be done or there is apresentation to be prepared and I also have

meetings with the Integration team to align

and discuss the project status.

Integration is a start-up in London and we

work in a very entrepreneurial environment

with plenty of space to work on internal

initiatives. This is great as I have the

opportunity to contribute to building the

operation in London in addition to my

project work!

What are some of the projects you

have recently worked on?

One of the great things about Integration is

the variety of projects that I have been able

to complete. Over the last 3.5 years, I have

worked in 4 different industries, 12 countries

and in 11 different types of projects.

My most recent project has been conducted

in Switzerland, France, Hungary and The

Netherlands for a leading Biotechnology

client. I provided project and change

management support to help build a new

business area inside the European division.

This was achieved by implanting new

processes and creating an organisational

culture that allowed the client to reach

their growth targets. The project has

been a great learning experience, and a

very rewarding experience for me as the

transformation and impact we created wasextremely visible for the client, and for us.

What is the most stressful part of

your job?

Urgent and unexpected client requests

can be stressful. Fortunately this doesn’t

happen too often as we have frequent

contact with the client throughout the

project. Very short projects tend to be a

little bit more stressful, as in those cases

there is little time to understand the client’s

reality and develop a solution.

“ “

One of the great things about Integration isthe variety of projects that I have been able tocomplete. Over the last 3.5 years, I have workedin 4 differ ent industries, 12 countries and in 11different types of projects.



23/37

Before diving into a long and sophisticated consulting recruitment process, make sure you

are familiar with this industry and its specics. There are a lot of useful web resources out

there to help you learn about various types of consulting and determine whether it is the

right career path for you. Once you realize that consulting is denitely your thing, select

and research the rms you are most interested in. You might also want to start following

their Facebook and Linked-in pages to get a deeper understanding of what it is like to work

there. In addition, it is always useful to stay up to date with business news: it does not only

help you build extensive commercial awareness, but also allows you to start thinking as a

consultant, i.e. analyzing issues that different companies are facing right now and coming

up with possible solutions.

USEFUL LINKS:

» Vault, a career portal with consulting sections and rm rankings:

www.vault.com

» Graduate Consulting, an online portal including general information,

FAQs and application tips:

www.graduate-consulting.com/Consulting

» Management Consulting Prep, another extensive consulting platform:

www.mconsultingprep.com/before-apply/

» Career portals:

www.glassdoor.com

www.wikijob.co.uk/

» Consulting Job Secrets, the step-by-step guide to getting hired by a consulting rm:

www.consultinsider.com/

HOW WE CAN HELP:

Attend company presentations and events held by the UCLU Business Society. You can

nd the accurate schedule on: www.uclubusinesssociety.com/events.php

Before applyingApplication Process.

Although assessments that consulting rms use to sift through candidates

vary a lot, generally the application process looks like this:


ONLINE APPLICATION

ONLINE TESTS AND

EXERCISES

COMPETENCY

INTERVIEWS

CASE

INTERVIEWS

This section of the guide contains information, useful tips and advice about

different types of assessment, which will hopefully help you succeed in

every stage of the consulting selection process. However, make sure you

regularly check websites of your target companies for the most accurate

and up-to-date information about their recruitment procedures.


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Consulting rms receive a high volume of applications every year and

they are only able to interview a small portion of applicants. Hence, it

is vital that your CV and Cover letter stand out from the crowd. Many

students applying for consulting roles make a big mistake of creating a

general CV/Cover letter and sending it to multiple rms. Never do this!

You should always customise your CV and Cover letter, making them

tailored to a specic consulting rm. In addition you need to ensure

that everything is error-free, otherwise there is a high chance that your

application will be binned straightaway (rms view spelling and grammar

mistakes as the evidence of carelessness and lack of focus). Finally,

cut the length of your CV and Cover letter to just one page. Instead of

listing every little thing you did in your life, focus on your most impressive

achievements and experiences, making sure they reect all the necessary

skills consulting rms are looking for.

Cover letter is extremely important, as it demonstrates your writing style

and creates the rst impression on your recruiters. It should state and

accentuate qualities that you possess and your suitability for the job.

You can also use cover letter to address weak points on your CV and

to emphasise outstanding achievements, which might be accidentally

overlooked in your resume.

CV and Cover letter


Name

Address Contact number, Email

EDUCATION

Highlight academic strengths and performance: recruiters look for outstanding academic

records - a rst or 2:1 at university (expected or achieved) + top A-level and GCSE grades

at school

UNIVERSITY NAME, Degree (Date) Location

• Grades, awards, signicant academic projects

SCHOOL NAME (Date) Location

• A level results or equivalent

• Awards, Other

WORK AND EXTRACURRICULAR EXPERIENCE

Highlight the following:

• Evidence of leadership qualities: Consulting rms look out for applicants who display

senior management potential as they are more inclined to work with applicants who

display a propensity for leadership. Evidence of such qualities includes leadership

positions undertaken in university and/or new initiatives started and implemented with

minimal support.

• Team-oriented characteristics: You should highlight activities or events that you have

been involved in that demonstrate your ability to be a good team player. Consulting

rms work on a wide spectrum of projects and each project requires a different t.

Each project will require a different set of skills and resources and consultants will

have to match up to the differing tasks by undertaking different roles with exibility and

adaptability.

• Quantiable individual accomplishments: Firms tend to seek people who are reliable,

committed, motivated, enthusiastic, responsible and able to produce work with quality.

You must be able to exemplify these traits through real life examples or events so as to

fully convince the recruiters.

• Technical and quantitative skills: To distinguish yourself from the vast number of

applicants, we recommend that you put emphasis on the technical skills, foreign

languages, academic prizes, awards or scholarships and publications that you possess

or have achieved.

COMPANY NAME, Job Title Location

• Key responsibilities Dates

• Results + How Achieved

• Skills and experiences gained

SOCIETY/ORGANISATION NAME, Position of responsibility Location

• Key responsibilities Dates

• Results + How Achieved

• Skills and experiences gained

OTHER

• Language and IT skills

• Interests and hobbies and how they exemplify your character and personality


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Most consulting rms use aptitude tests as part of their selection process to lter out

candidates and thus reduce the number of interviews they need to conduct. It is also

believed that these tests give an accurate reection of candidates’ abilities. They are

usually administered online, but you may be asked to re-sit them at the subsequent

interview or assessment centre to conrm your result. Consulting rms use such test

providers as GTIOS, SHL, or PSL.

USEFUL LINKS:

» www.shldirect.com/en

» www.kenexa.com/Solutions/Assessments

» www.assessmentday.co.uk/

» www.psychometric-success.com/downloads/download-practice-tests.htm

» www.savilleconsulting.com/products/aptitude-preparation-guides-and-advice

» www.indiabix.com/online-test/categories/

» www.jobtestprep.co.uk/Default.aspx

Numerical reasoning

Tests on inference from data such as tables, graphs and reports. It is imperative that you

are able to analyse data, spot trends and follow numerical logic.

HOW TO PREPARE: revise the basics of mathematics both with and without a calculator.

Visit nancial and business sections of quality newspapers: study graphs and tables, try to

establish relationships between the numbers.

» www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise.

Develop your maths skills through a variety of fun games.

» www.caseinterview.com/math/home.php.

Victor Cheng’s maths practice tool.

Online Tests


Below are standard components

of the cover letter aimed at consulting rms:

INTRODUCTION:

Who are you and which university you are attending/have you attended? Why do you want

to work for this rm? What is it that attracted you to apply for this rm and/or role?

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

What consulting experience do you have? If this rm has a specialty (e.g. a technology

consulting rm), explain why you are interested in that specialty.)

INTEREST IN CONSULTING:

Briey discuss what is it that attracts you to consulting. Is it the competitive environment?The dynamism of the industry? The large and diverse clientele base?

CLOSING:

Always thank the reader for his/her time and consideration.

HOW WE CAN HELP:

This year UCLU Business Society is organizing a series of CV checks. Attend them to

have your resume reviewed by your peers and various rms’ representatives.

Attend UCLU Business Society networking events on campus to connect with employers

and learn about their personal experiences within different rms. Remember: the more

specic you are in your cover letter, the better. For example, you might want to write about

a specic thing a consultant said that triggered your particular interest in that company.


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This exercise is primarily used by Deloitte, KPMG, and E&Y to test one’s decision-making

and time management skills, communication and attention to detail. Particip

Documents

UCL Guide to Consulting 2013