"My background is in [insert non-consulting background here], and I want to get into management consulting. Can I do it?" Absolutely! For every person who has done consulting in the past, there is another succeeded at getting into consulting from a non-traditional field.
For instance, at one company presentation the first three employees I met all had non-traditional backgrounds: chef, opera singer/teacher and minor league baseball pitcher. All three had successfully translated their experiences and knowledge into a form that made them seem like a great fit for management consulting.
In some respects, an intelligent candidate with a unique background can actually help more than it can hurt. You provide a level of diversity that consulting firms consider necessary to broaden their thinking. The key, of course, is making a convincing argument that your background can be an asset to the consultancy.
There are several things you should consider doing to parlay your experiences effectively.
Copyright 2005 MBA Consulting Track. All text is presented 'as-is', with no warranty as to its accuracy. Advice given by users, under 'Expert Advice', express the opinions of the individual user and not of MBA Consulting Track.
