Is consulting recruitment (non-campus) picking back up in MBBs? How is it in the Middle-East?

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

• First of all, it's true that there's a noticeable increase in recruitment activities in consulting, even if still not on pre-pandemic levels.
• Moreover, regarding the Middle-East, recruitment activities seem to have slowed down, yet still are at a solid level.
• Lastly, I would advise you not to make any application decisions primarily on the basis of the level of recruitment activities, as there is always the chance to get invited, especially since there are hardly any real hiring freezes anymore.

You can find more on this topic here: Salaries in the consulting industry.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hey!

I wouldn't say there was a hiring freeze, but definitely a significant slow-down and some more strict up or out enforcement. 

I would also agree that the sentiment is getting better, as more economic activity is being done. I'm from the ME and I know that we've gone back to hiring recently, and seems like pretty much back to normal, with slightly less positions open.

Hope this helps, feel free to reach out about ME specific questions.

Best,

Yuval

There is definitely a slight uptick! It feels like spring is starting to show. A lot of my contacts at consulting firms are saying 2024 is starting to look better. Let's see.

Hiring freeze in consulting is a word that is thrown around way too much.

I've literally seen Q&As/articles about “hiring freeze at x company in x region”, then turned around to Partners I know there and directly asked “hey, that's not true right", to which they respond “nope, we're still hiring”.

20% churn. Every. Year.

With the up or out model these firms have to bring in new people.

Now, many places do still have reduced hiring, but it's going to depend on the exact firm + role + channel + office. That's why you network!

Hi there!

Yes, I can confirm this. 

Things are getting gradually better. No quantification of the change, though. 

As I tell all candidates, realistically, the state of the market is out of your hands. All that you can do is focus on what's within your control. 

Here's a guide that breaks down what are the most important areas to focus on when preparing an application:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

The situation is better than last year but its still not full-blown hiring. Some firms/offices have hiring freezes until 2025.

For the Middle East, the situation seems to be a bit worse at the moment compared to the beginning the last year. Early last year, ME was hiring in full swing. Now, its more in line with other geographies. No outright freeze, but still a slowdown from what I see.

All the best,

Florian

Hi there,

The situation is improving for the lows of last year and the business sentiment is also improving with upside risk (as forward indicator). 

Bear in mind that getting ready for recruitment might take 6-12 months so now is a good time to start if you want to ride the uptick.

Cheers,

B.

Yes, it's picking back slowly!