(Late) transition from PhD to consulting?

Question

Hi all, I'm a PhD student in economics from a business school. I'll graduate in June 2025. I've mostly focused on academics during my PhD and it's rather recent that I realized that I'd like to transition into management consulting. While I have hard skills, international experiences (like studying in four countries, traveling in 20+ countries), and some soft skills can be reflected by my academic experiences (like co-authorship, teaching MBAs, convincing people that my research ideas are good …), I'm pretty lacking in terms of extracurricular activities. I also found that the deadlines of many bridge programs have passed. I could hurry up a bit, for example, by doing some volunteer activities. However, I'm afraid that's not enough and I wonder whether it's too late to transition now. Any advice?

Answer 1

Hi Xiaodong,

this is a very difficult question to generalize since I do not know your CV in detail.

It depends on the consultancy you want to apply for. I know many people who did not invest much in extracurricular activities who got invited to interviews. Therefore, difficult to generalize but your education / educational focus, internships, PhD & international experience (semesters abroad, internships) are much more important in applications (each focus varies from consultancy to consultancy).

In my opinion, I would try to apply and wait for the feedback. In case of negative feedback and no interview invitations, you still have time until your graduation in June 2025 to reapply and set an additional focus on extracurricular activities.

BR Alessa

Answer 2

Xiaodong,

Congrats on the decision to move into consulting!

Basically, you can look at this from two directions.

1. You can't change the past, but you can choose what to highlight from your past.

In that sense, it's crucial that in your application package (CV, CL) you manage to bring forward the consultant-like skills that you have developed even without having direct consulting experience.

2. You can change what you do going forward until you apply.

Here it's about what is directly within your control.

Basically, consulting firms want people who have had a demonstrated long-term interest in consulting and who show that they have a consultant-like skills.

So any internships, consulting clubs, leadership roles within organisation, any of these can make your profile stronger.

Sharing with you here a few articles that will help consolidate your understanding of the application process, what you can do and also how to leverage networking to improve your profile:

Do reach out with questions.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 3

Hi Xiaodong,

Q: I'm pretty lacking in terms of extracurricular activities. I'm afraid that's not enough and I wonder whether it's too late to transition now. Any advice?

Depending on the rest of your CV, you might be fine with your current experiences. You might want to post a sanitized CV version or ask for feedback to someone able to help with your CV to get clarity on that.

In most cases, you can compensate for CV weaknesses as follows:

Ensure that the rest of the CV is solid (format and description of the experiences)
Get a referral

You can find more on referrals below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 4

Hi Xiaodong,

you don't need to check boxes in all of the different areas (e.g. volunteering, extracurriculars). I would argue that this is more important for generalists who try to get into consulting straight out of undergrad.

Given you are pursuing your PhD, you will be an expert in a certain area. Your case will be especially compelling, if your research focus is relevant for consulting firms. If it is not (or not directly), it will be important for you to showcase how you still bring valuable skills and experiences to the table.

You still have some time before you want to apply. So rather than taking some “random” shots in the dark about how to enrich your CV with additional activities that may or may not move the needle, try to network with senior level consultants/partners from various firms to find out where you might fit in with your profile. Then you can specifically highlight those aspects in your ultimate applications.

Please also make sure that you develop a good understanding of what the management consulting profession entails. Of course you can always refine that understanding through conversations with consultants but you should have a good grasp of the fundamentals in order to be taken seriously and to have a believable story as to why you now want to enter consulting.

Best

Answer 5

hmmm, not sure why you think those are needed.

There are about 10 other high priority/larger value items add things you can do!

Get pro bono/experiential consulting roles. Build up other skills. Get your resume reviewed. Network. etc. etc.

How to Get a Consulting Internship - Tips and Tricks

Master Your Job Hunt with Proven Strategies

Answer 6

Honestly, I don't think that matters.

If you are teaching MBA's, then what matters is how much of a thought leader you are. If you are a though leader, they will be interested.

By the way, you are a great example of a situation where it really makes sense to network a lot. And I am not talking about the typical referral to get in the process, but actually the kind of process where you discuss with senior people your situation and how you could fit in and in which role.