Getting into management consultancy with a 2.2, PhD or industry experience route?

(edited 8 years ago)

Hi

I'd really appreciate some advice on this. I graduated with a 2.2 in an engineering degree, due to some extenuating circumstances, from a top 15 UK uni. I managed to get into an MSc course in the same field at a top 10 uni and did very well graduating with a distinction (First class in undergraduate terms).

I'm interested in getting into management consultancy and using my technical knowledge. However I know that I don't stand a chance of getting in straight away given my undergraduate performance and that I have to find an alternative route. Currently I have an offer to do a PhD in a topic related to the pharmaceutical field at Imperial college and a job offer from a leading integrated oil and gas company. I'm unsure which route will give me a better chance of getting into management consultancy after a couple of years. The prestige of graduating from Imperial is surely a bonus and would negate the significance of my 2.2 as it would show I'm clever and hard working enough to have accomplished this. Having industry and work experience with a large oil company would also be great. I would really love to hear some peoples views on this and what would be better to help me get where I want to go.

When you mean management consulting what specific area , do you mean?? strategy consulting??

Reply 2

fuuji

Seems like a lot of work to do that much schooling for a job you can get out of undergrad. Doesn't even guarantee you'll get the job especially since I assume you don't have previous experience.

Reply 3

daindian

Original post by arrac

Yes, firms like McKinsey, Accenture, Boston Consulting etc.

tbh accenture really isn't a strategy consultancy, its one of its divisions, anyway you could also apply to other consulting firms ivm/csc etc and then move across. I know for both ibm and csc a lot of people move across to accenture once they have completed the grad scheme and thats what i plan on doing when i finish, i would apply as an experienced hire, as then your degree won't matter as much mainly your experience. furthermore if its specifically strategy you want to go into, there are many smaller firms, with less than 50 employees who are worth a shot and I'm sure you would get an interview for.

Reply 4

Noble.

Just to point out, these grad schemes will not take advantage of your 'technical knowledge' (I'm assuming when you say this you're referring to quant skills/knowledge developed on an eng. degree). I worked for an ex-McKinsey consultant last summer and was pretty much told if I want to take advantage of quant skills to not bother with consulting. Apparently, at McK, all the technical/quantitative consulting jobs are given to experienced hires from other industries, and they might have one or two people who generally get given the quant/technical projects but they won't take up the majority of the work they do (and junior people pretty much won't get any contact with these types of projects).

Getting into management consultancy with a 2.2, PhD or industry experience route?

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