Recruiting Timeline for Consulting

Information Sessions

Late August, First week of September

A few companies will come to Harvard to give information sessions to prospective applicants. Take advantage of these to learn about the firm, learn more about the industry, and meet people who work at the company. Companies typically come to campus during September/October in the fall semester. During these visits, companies may host information sessions, appear at career fairs, partner with clubs to host events, and/or offer coffee chats. Networking at these events is a way for you to learn more about the firm, and for them to start getting to know you.

Applications Open

Application Deadline: mid-September

Send in your resume and cover letter via Crimson Careers and the company website. The application deadlines vary company to company. However, generally applications are open in August - early fall.

First Round Interview

Late September - October

You'll likely have your first interview on campus (usually two back-to-back case interviews as well as behavioral questions), and hear back on whether you passed or not usually later that day or the following day.

Final Round Interview

Late September - October

If you passed the first round interview, you'll typically have your final round interview (usually three back-to-back case interviews) at a local office or the office that you indicated as your top choice. Your interviewers will likely be more senior partners at the firm. Make sure to send thank you emails to everyone who has interviewed you.

Recruiting at Harvard for Consulting

Many firms come to Harvard to recruit students—take advantage of these opportunities! Here is a general overview of how this process works.

Information Sessions

At Harvard, consulting recruiting starts on the very first day of school with company presentations. These presentations start out with a broad overview of what distinguishes the company, what it's like to work there, and how you can apply. Then, there is usually a breakout session where attendees can speak with representatives and ask specific questions. This is your chance to learn more about the company, meet some people who work there, and ask any questions you may have about the firm or recruiting process.

Coffee Chats

During the following weeks after the information sessions, there are coffee chats throughout the day that you can sign up for on Crimson Careers, and casual networking sessions at night. Sometimes companies host more targeted information sessions for minorities and underrepresented groups, typically directly at their Boston office. This is your opportunity to ask whatever questions you may have. These could be questions to learn more about the industry, the internship program, what a day in the life is like, or any higher level questions you may have. Again, always remember to follow up with the person you talk to and send a thank you email.

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Here are some helpful tips from Harvard students who have been through the process regarding recruiting specifically at Harvard.

Take advantage of OCS resources.

“OCS offers many incredible resources like case interview workshops and access to case interview preparation websites like http://casequestions.com.”

-Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2020

“For cover letters and resume reads, the OCS is a great place to start, especially if you have little experience with either. They’ll be able to point out the major flaws in either, but once you get a sense of what a good resume/cover letter looks like, you’ll want to run it by students who have already graduated. They’ll know what recruiters are looking for in both, and can help you tell your story most effectively.”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2019

Surround yourself with a support system.

“Consulting at Harvard can be overwhelming. So many people seem very interested, but that also means that there are a lot of people who are around to help. Find some people that you can practice casing and interviewing with, and be supportive of each other. Recruiting can be intense, exciting, difficult, frustrating, surprising, and disappointing, so it is incredibly helpful to have a group of friends who support one another through the process.”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2019

Diversity Programs in Consulting

Consulting firms offer many diversity programs to encourage under-represented groups to consider a career in consulting. These programs range from single-day info-sessions to week-long conferences and full summer internship programs. Many diversity programs are open to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors of various under-represented backgrounds including but not limited to: women, first-generation, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, LGBT, disabilities, veterans. There is a lot of range in terms of the focus of the diversity programs with some emphasizing leadership and others focusing specifically on consulting.

Many diversity programs will include an introduction to the industry and firm, with presentations, Q&A panels, and networking opportunities with a range of employees from analysts to MDs. Most of them also include first round interviews or even superdays for internships as well.

“I applied for, and attended, Oliver Wyman's sophomore women's diversity program. They flew us to their offices in major cities and gave us the opportunity to learn from company employees. They also explained the interview process and broke down the components of a case interview. At the end, the participants got the opportunity to interview early for an internship for their junior summer.”

- Harvard Class of 2022, attended Oliver Wyman diversity program

Be sure to also look out for on-campus diversity recruitment events including company presentations and networking events!