Consulting Cover Letter – Full Guide & Free Template

Every year, thousands of graduates apply for jobs in consulting, and nearly all consulting firms require a cover letter with the application. ✉️ This means you'll need to write many cover letters. Among numerous applications, average cover letters can lead to your entire application being rejected. Reviewers have many applications to sift through and use every mistake to eliminate candidates.

In this article, we’ll show you what makes a successful cover letter. We’ve prepared helpful tips to assist you with your application. And the best part? At the end, you’ll find free templates for a compelling cover letter, so you can stand out from other applicants and secure your dream job! 🫶

What is a Cover Letter?

The cover letter is an important part of your application and should not be confused with a personal statement or summary in your resume. It complements your resume by highlighting your relevant skills and experiences while clearly communicating your desire to work in consulting. Additionally, you should explain why you specifically want to work for the consulting firm you are applying to—whether it's due to exciting projects, an excellent reputation, or an innovative approach.

Traditionally, the cover letter is written in the format of a letter and should include both your address and the address of the company. Keep the cover letter short and concise, without going into too much detail. Its purpose is to encourage the reader to want to learn more about your application.

Why Is a Cover Letter Important?

Top firms receive countless applications and can't invite everyone for an interview. That's why it's crucial to narrow down the candidate pool to about one-tenth of the total. This is where the cover letter comes in: it allows for a quicker assessment of three key factors:

1. Potential: Do you have what it takes to become a top consultant? Your potential is reflected in your skills and experiences. Show that you can not only think analytically but also build relationships with clients!
2. Understanding: Do you truly understand what consulting means? Applicants who lack a clear idea of this often get rejected quickly. Companies are looking for graduates who are worth the investment in their training.
3. Desire: What do you particularly like about this company? Employers know you’re applying elsewhere, so highlight what excites you about them—whether it’s their focus on results, the chance to work with amazing people, or a project that caught your eye. Everyone likes to feel special! 🌟

A strong cover letter can help you stand out in the application process.

5 Tips for Your Consulting Cover Letter

To ensure that you meet all criteria and pique the interest of your readers in your application, we've compiled five key tips for you:

1) Make It Unique:

Avoid being generic, as that could reduce your chances. Visit the company’s website and check out the “About Us” or “Company Values” pages. If you can specifically say what you like about this company, you fulfill the “unique” criterion. An example for Oliver Wyman could look like this:

Website Statement:
“We value exceptional people—individuals with intelligence, energy, passion, emotional sensitivity, and a commitment to excellence. We do not compromise by hiring those who do not meet our high standards.”

Sentence in Cover Letter:
“The focus on exceptional people and a flat hierarchy at Oliver Wyman really appeals to me, as I enjoy learning from and with talented individuals.”

2) One Pager:

While it’s important to write an eye-catching cover letter, avoid exceeding one page. Remember that your application is among thousands and will be read by 5-10 current employees. This means the readers have to sift through hundreds of cover letters at once. If your cover letter is longer than a page, you’re demanding more time from them than others, which can lead to rejection. Consultants are concise, so keep your cover letter to one page.

3) Be Bold:

Since the person reading your cover letter will likely do so quickly, it’s important to be bold to grab their attention. It’s not easy, but you must confidently present your achievements. If you topped the dean's list during your studies, mention that. If you contributed to a record month in an internship, don’t downplay it.

Being bold doesn’t mean lying. Yes, you want to capture their attention, but if it later turns out you had nothing to do with that record month, your dishonesty will nullify all your efforts.

4) Name Drop:

Networking is essential for finding out what it’s like to work at a company. Attend events where current employees are present and remember their names. If you find an employee who attended your university, ask a mutual friend for an introduction.

If you've spoken with employees, mention them in your cover letter, for example: “A conversation with [Name] reinforced my desire to work at [Company Name]. I am impressed by your focus on collaboration and the training opportunities for junior consultants.”

If you couldn't speak to anyone, mention an author of a publication and what you liked about it.

5) Feedback and Proofreading:

Ensure your cover letter is free of errors. Have it reviewed by several people to ensure it meets high standards. Feedback from others helps you articulate your message more clearly. Don’t implement every piece of feedback; instead, select the recurring points that will benefit your cover letter.

Example of a Cover Letter

Once you have gathered all the important information for your cover letter, make sure everything is clearly structured. This way, you will showcase the three key points: potential, understanding, and motivation. The order is not super important, but here is an example that consists of six parts:

• Addresses
• Introduction
• Company Highlights
• Personal Highlights
• Career Goals
• Signature

When applying to different consulting firms, the section about Company Highlights will change the most, as it should be tailored to each company.

Addresses

The cover letter should be written in a classic letter format. Your name, address, email, and phone number should be at the top right of the page, and the address of the company comes below it on the left, right under the date when you wrote the letter.

Introduction

Address the reader in a gender-neutral manner. For example, you can start with "Dear Sir or Madam." The first line should clearly state the purpose of the letter (application), for which role you are applying, with whom, and at which company.

Company Highlights

Here you can mention the names of current employees you have spoken with or refer to the company's mission or values that caught your attention on their website. Everything you include in this section demonstrates your interest in the company—and it's even better if you can explain why it aligns with your motivations and career ambitions. ✨

Personal Highlights

In this section, you can boldly present your achievements without going into too much detail. Since consultants prefer it short and snappy, we recommend writing 2-3 highlights in bullet-point format. This way, they catch the eye immediately and will definitely be read, no matter how quickly the person reviewing the letter skims through the page.

The personal highlights can be anything—from academic achievements to awarded scholarships to musical accolades. If you can later connect these successes to the consulting field, it will improve the flow of your writing. Use the limited space wisely to support one section with the next, thus communicating as much value as possible.

Career Goals

Consultants do not expect you to claim you want to stay with the company for the next 30 years. They are often open to a door policy. Due to the pyramid structure, they cannot promote all employees, and those who switch to other professions are seen as potential future clients.

Nevertheless, you should clearly explain why you believe consulting is the next logical step for your career. Think about what you have learned during your studies, what interests you, what experiences you have had, and how they have led you to consider a career in consulting. Show how your previous experiences have brought you to this path—it will leave a good impression! 🚀

Signature

We recommend ending your cover letter with "Sincerely." Even if you have spoken to the person you are sending it to before, others may read the letter as well.

These days, it’s very easy to add an electronic signature next to your name, and we advise you to do so. Almost all PDF programs offer the option to place a signature on the page. This adds a personal touch to your letter! ✍️

Cover Letter Variations

🌎 Applying from Abroad

When applying for a position that is not in your hometown or study country, it’s important to address this in your cover letter. Show that you have the right to work in that country, or specify what support you need for your visa. It’s in both your interest and the company’s to clarify this right from the start, saving both parties time. Additionally, make clear how your grades are recognized in that country. Sometimes grades from other countries are accepted, but clarity from the beginning is crucial.

🎓 Applying as a PhD Candidate

It’s easy to think that you don’t have relevant experience as a PhD candidate—but that’s not true! Instead of focusing solely on your work experience, highlight the important aspects of your PhD: data collection, problems solved, and collaboration with other researchers. In the consulting field, data and big data are highly sought after, and as a PhD candidate, you often have an advantage here. Mention in your personal highlights section what data you have collected, cleaned, and analyzed. This quickly shows that you have what it takes to become a great consultant!

Free Templates

Feel free to download our cover letter template! 📝 However, keep in mind that this template has already been used by others. Therefore, we recommend customizing it to make your cover letter unique. The template includes our suggested format with bullet points for your personal highlights.

Further Material

Now that you have put together your cover letter, make sure to align the other steps within your application process. This means you should also prepare your CV as well as get started with your case interview preparation. Here is a list of resources that will help you get started:

👉 Read our Consulting Resume Guide and follow the step-by-step guide that shows you how to put together the perfect consulting resume.

👉 To continue your successful journey, your next step will be to start with your case interview preparation as soon as possible. Make sure to read our comprehensive case interview guide to get started!

👉 On PrepLounge, you will find everything you need to be fully prepared for your case interview. The vast PrepLounge community makes it easy to find case partners to practice cases with who have the same ambition to become an experienced case-solver like you!