The consulting industry has changed dramatically over the last decade in terms of candidate recruitment. Previously, candidates were primarily recruited from top business schools, with a heavy focus on social skills above all else.
Times have changed as technology skills become ever more important in the profession, and consulting firms are now more than ever focusing on finding candidates with strong problem solving skills along with technical know how.
Here are some key recruitment trends in the past five years:
Technical Skills
Skills in coding and data analysis have become ever more sought after. Consultants often have to analyze large amounts of data on projects which cannot be handled in Excel alone. Obtaining data from different client systems and developing a robust solution to their problems is essential in today’s fast paced environment. Examples of technical skills sought after include Python, BI tools such as PowerBI and Tableau, along with database technologies such as PostgreSQL.
Remote Work
Remote work has changed the type of candidates consulting firms have considered in an enormous way. Prior to the adoption of remote work, consulting was most often a traveling on the road profession, with consultants flying and out of the client site on a regular basis. This meant that typically heavy flexibility was demanded from candidates on the job regarding travel. Parents with kids among many others would find this difficult to adapt to. With remote work, more parents and others are now seen as great candidates.
Non-traditional educational background
More and more non business school candidates are being considered for roles. From biology PhDs to startup founders, consulting firms are realizing the value of candidates who bring a fresh perspective to the industry. Prior to this, the connection between other industries and consulting was much more of a one way street, where consultants would exit to industry after some years advising companies. Now more working professionals are making the transition to consulting as well, bringing their invaluable experience.
About PrepareConsult:
PrepareConsult is a platform to practice the consulting case interview with AI and peers. PrepareConsult is founded by Milad Mohammadi and Sahhas Nathella.
Milad Mohammadi – 7+ years of experience in consulting and professional services with experience across North America and Europe.
Sahhas Nathella – 5+ years of experience in consulting and professional services with strong experience in complex digital transformations.
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