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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

CONSULTING

The field of consulting is a rapidly evolving, multi-faceted industry. Hired to advise corporations, consultants tackle various business problems and provide viable solutions for their clients. They must be skilled at conducting research, collecting raw data from various sources, and analyzing it. Depending on the specific focus of one’s study, consulting students may get hands-on experience working with various companies. For instance, summer internships offer a chance for consulting majors to hone specific skill sets, such as problem-solving. To further enhance learning beyond a classroom setting, consulting students also often partake in extracurriculars designed to enhance and apply their skills in real-life situations. By participating in organizations such as college newspapers and publications in addition to consulting clubs, consulting students strengthen their communication skills in real-life work settings to build an impressive resume. Consultants are responsible for advising organizations on solving complex problems, improving performance, and driving change. Their work typically involves structuring ambiguous challenges into clear workstreams, conducting research and analysis, and synthesizing insights into actionable recommendations. A significant part of the role also includes client communication, such as preparing slides, memos, and presentations, as well as collaborating closely with both internal teams and client stakeholders. Depending on the firm and project, consultants may also support implementation, ensuring recommendations are effectively executed. Day-to-day schedules vary, but a typical day might start with email checks and revision of project updates. The morning often involves focused work such as building Excel models, analyzing data, or drafting slides. Afternoons usually include team check-ins, problem-solving sessions, and client calls to present progress and gather feedback. Evenings are often spent refining deliverables and aligning with managers on next steps. While some days end at a reasonable hour, others can extend late into the evening during high-intensity project phases.

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RECRUITING TIMELINE

  • Early-career candidates (undergraduate/MS):

    • between June — October​

  • MBAs:

    • November — December (1st years)​

    • August — September (2nd years)

  • Advanced degrees (PhD, MD, JD, etc.):

    • February — April (bridge internships)​

    • June — September (full-time applications)




  • Many consultants transition after 2 - 4 years into:

    • Corporate strategy roles at large companies

    • Private equity/venture capital investment teams

    • Startups, often in leadership or operations

    • Graduate school (MBA, law, policy)

EXIT OPPORTUNITIES

INDUSTRY PATHWAYS

  • Strategy/Management (Generalist): 

    • Large firms (e.g., McKinsey, Bain, BCG) serving clients across industries and functions. Broad exposure and strong training ground.​

  • Boutique (Specialist):

    • Smaller firms focused on specific industries (healthcare, energy, retail) or functions (digital, supply chain). Offers earlier specialization and deeper expertise.

  • In-House Consulting:

    • Internal strategy teams within corporations or government. More stability and balance, but narrower project variety.

​Within the Firm: Clear progression from intern/analyst to consultant to manager to partner. Only a few reach the partner level, but the path is structured and well-defined.
 

Meeting

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

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"I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today without the mentorship of those who succeeded before me. When I first learned about consulting, I reached out to an upperclassman who had just interned at BCG– he gave me the crash course."

Amar Boparai '25, Bain San Francisco

What drew you to this field, and how did you know it was the right career for you? What was your Harvard experience like?​

I studied Government on the data science track with a minor in computer science. I chose Government because I wanted to improve my research and synthesis skills. The flexibility of the data science track allowed me to build a technical foundation that I applied in my research papers. In my junior and senior years, I combined my interests by writing data-driven papers analyzing digital authoritarianism in India.
 
My experience outside the classroom, like that of many, was shaped by circumstance. My parents didn’t attend college but found success in entrepreneurship, running gas stations and liquor stores. Inspired by them, I focused my pre-professional efforts on entrepreneurial organizations, working on Global Programs and Strategy with the Crimson Business Board and doing go-to-market work at a startup. These experiences showed me what it means to build from scratch and taught me how to break down ambiguity into actionable steps.
 
Alongside that, I stumbled into opportunities that surprised me– joining dance troupes and intramurals I had never heard of. But the work I’m most proud of was with the Harvard Sikh Students Association (SACH), where my team grew our campus presence from 3 to 20+ active members. That experience felt almost entrepreneurial in its own right, and it reinforced the importance of building something together with a team and community I cared about.
 
My interests converged at consulting. Before accepting my full-time offer, I spent a summer in economic consulting. I enjoyed the case format and loved working in small teams, but I found consulting in the context of litigation less interesting. I decided on management consulting because it combined the collaborative problem-solving I enjoyed with a chance to learn about how organizations actually grow and operate. It felt like a natural extension of my entrepreneurial ambitions and my academic interests: applying structured problem-solving to high-impact problems.

YOUR GUIDE TO AN MBA

50 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays

Check out this resource to help you build your ideal application profile to apply to top Masters in Business Administration Graduate programs in the US. Gain exclusive access to read inspiring and well-crafted essays by successful HBS applicants!

 

YOUR GUIDE TO AN MBA

50 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays

Check out this resource to help you build your ideal application profile to apply to top Masters in Business Administration Graduate programs in the US. Gain exclusive access to read inspiring and well-crafted essays by successful HBS applicants!

 

50 Successful Harvard Business School Essays Book

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