Breaking Into Consulting Jobs: What Really Matters?

[controlsauce]

Hello everyone.

I’m exploring consulting jobs and would love advice from people already in the field. There’s a lot of information online, but it’s hard to tell what actually matters when trying to break in. How important are brand-name schools, prior consulting internships, or referrals compared to real-world experience and transferable skills?

For someone coming from a non-traditional background, what roles, certifications, or projects helped you stand out? Also, how different are day-to-day responsibilities across strategy, management, and tech consulting?

Any honest insights on work-life balance, career progression, and common misconceptions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ciriwoh]

Top schools and internships help, but real skills and results matter more. Referrals = just a foot in the door. Non-traditional? Show impact through projects, analytics, operations, or client work. Certifications = nice, not required. If you’re looking at consulting jobs, know that day-to-day varies: strategy = decks + research, long hours; management = processes + change + clients; tech = hands-on systems. Work-life balance = depends on firm, strategy worst. Career growth = fast if you actually deliver. Done. Clean, straight, and keyword included.