Image source: http://cdn2.slidemodel.com/wp-content/uploads/6209-01-bcg-matrix-1.jpg
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is one of the top management consulting firms in the world along with McKinsey, Bain, Booz and AT Kearney. This elite fraternity of management consulting firms attracts top talent year after year. The firm was founded in the early 1960s by former bible salesman Bruce Henderson who had earned an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University before matriculating to Harvard to earn a graduate business degree.
Just 90 days before graduating from Harvard, he left to take a position with Westinghouse and went on to become one of the company's youngest vice presidents ever. Despite the company earning just $500 in its first month, Henderson pressed on. To this day, the drive, passion, and innovation continue to drive BCG in what they do.
To land a job at Boston Consulting Group it is easier to get access to recruiters if you go to a top-30 postsecondary institution. Students who attend other schools can still get on with the firm. BCG is currently formulating new recruiting strategies to target schools outside of the top 30. They also prefer to target the top schools in the cities where they have offices, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco.
The undergraduate recruiting process on campus takes place in January, according to BCG recruiters. They recruit juniors only and do not have an internship program for sophomores. The recruiters go on campus and conduct information sessions, interview interested students, and make offers. An internship is a huge foot in the door with BCG. They offer full-time positions to approximately 90% of their interns.
BCG does not hire only undergraduate business majors or MBAs. What they do look for is academic excellence. When evaluating students for permanent positions they look for very high grade point averages and standardized test scores. They also want to see leadership and involvement. Weakness in any one of those areas will most likely knock you out of contention.
Like other top management consulting firms, you want to hone your case study interview skills. Every interview at BCG is case-based. That means you will want to purchase case study guides and practice.
BCG highly values the talents of individuals rather than the focus of their degree. New management consulting analysts are hired as generalists then move on to specialty areas later in their careers.
The firm looks for people who can demonstrate a natural curiosity for learning and problem solving, leadership, and creativity. They also highly value results. The firm wants to see tangible results, and how you have made an impact with the causes and projects you have championed. To get a job at BCG be prepared to show how you meet all of these qualities through tangible results.
BCG is typically ranked as one of the best places to work. Their consultants work very hard, but the company prides itself with allowing their management consulting associates to have a life outside of work. Associates work 50-60 hours per week on average with times where the hours will be more. It certainly isn't a 9-5 gig, but no top management consulting firm is. The recruiters compare the schedule to that of a college schedule because a lot of time is spent preparing for big presentations. The company also does not like to hire people who are going to breed competition within the firm. They want their people to be competitive - just not with each other.
Recruiters for BCG say that some interviewers make the mistake of not listening during the case study questions and jump to conclusions that are often wrong. They advise candidates to listen closely to the question all the way through and not make assumptions, and if they have questions - they should ask. People who enjoy cases typically do a good job. In other words, learn to love case study interview questions and you will increase your odds of landing your dream management consulting job at BCG.
