| Topic Name: |
Non-Target Schools |
| Message Name: |
Tough but possible |
| Date Posted: |
08/21/2001 |
| In Reply To: |
Given the economic slow-down, do those of you with recruiting knowledge believe that someone from a top-25 undergraduate institution (but not a core recruiting school such as Harvard, UPenn, Northwestern, etc.) will stand a shot a getting a job with a major strategy consulting firm in this year's recruiting session? Will firms such as McK and BCG be streamlining their recruiting efforts and hiring almost solely from target schools?
My background, if it helps you understand my chances any better:
I will be graduating from Johns Hopkins next summer with a BA in History and International Studies. Currently, I have a 3.91 GPA, and spent my junior year attending Johns Hopkins' graduate school for International Studies in Bologna, Italy. I was unable to win a summer internship with any major management consulting firm since I was away from the US during interview times, but won an internship with W.M. Mercer investment consulting.
Thanks for any and all responses! |
| Message: |
It will obviously be difficult due to the demand situation (low) in consulting.
However, Hopkins is obvious an incredible school. I suggest that you work with the placement and alumni offices to ID other Hopkins alumni who are now senior managers, principals and partners at your target firms. Surely there will be at least a few at each firm. Then, start networking with these people ... at first to learn about their firms, and consulting, eventually to try to get an interview.
Use these contacts to find out of the firms are even recruiting at entry levels this year ... if so, ask the contacts to pass along your resume, even though you are not on a core campus.
You may also find that some firms will not recruit in the fall, but may start to open up slots as "correspondence" opportunities later in the year, if demand improves ... if so, laying the foundations through networking in the fall may pay off, even if demand is low initially.
Also, once you find target alumni at firms you are interested in ... keep in mind that, even in their firm is not hiring, they may know of interesting non-consulting jobs at their client companies ... that could be a good entre to non-consulting, but interesting, opportunities.
Bottom line ... you are at one of the major intellectual institutions of the world ... the alimni are in some very interesting places ... use the network ...
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