How an MBA Can Help You Land a Consulting Job

The projected employment growth rate for management consultants is expected to grow by 10% through 2032—a rate much faster than average.

US News recently broke down the role of management consultants and shared insights into why MBAs may have an edge over non-MBA management consultants.

THE ROLE

In short, management consultants work with companies to “identify and solve complex business, organizational and operational problems and define and improve processes,” says Terina Allen, a consultant and contributor at Forbes.

Most consultants tend to work at firms such as PwC, Ernst & Young, and McKinsey. But there are also freelance consultants who work independently.

“Operating independent of a firm wouldn’t be as challenging if you have significant industry expertise,” Stacey A. Gordon, founder and principal consultant at Rework the Work in California says. “But without the experience, having only the MBA won’t get you very far.”

HOW B-SCHOOL PREPS CONSULTANTS

Consulting firms tend to hire directly from undergraduate B-schools and MBA programs. That’s because B-schools typically teach skills like strategy and negotiation through the case-study approach.

“You are analyzing a problem rather than solving a math question,” Scott Edinburgh, founder of Personal MBA Coach and a management consultant for 16 years, says. “You are going over all the considerations,” he says. “It is similar to the way consulting firms might solve problems for clients.”

Another benefit of business school? The diversity. MBAs are surrounded by people from all walks of life and need to work through differences to solve common problems.

“That helps prepare you for the consulting world, where you make group decisions and solve problems together,” Edinburgh says.

While an MBA isn’t required to land a consulting job, Gordon says, “if you don’t have that higher education and background, then you’re probably not going to be looked at (the same) as somebody else who has it. It’s going to be much harder for you to move forward without it. It’s not only about getting a job at a firm, but also gaining the respect from the clients that you work with.”

Sources: US News, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Forbes

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