Management Consulting hiring preference

Congrats on your upcoming MBA program! To answer your questions:

In management consulting, especially in top-tier firms like the ones you mentioned, the focus is on meritocracy. They aim to hire the best talent, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or any other individual background. While it's true that there might be cultural nuances and preferences in any geography, leading consulting firms value diversity and hire from a wide range of backgrounds. As for compensation, while I cannot speak for all firms, most major consultancies standardize their compensation packages according to the level of the role, not the individual's nationality. Benefits like tuition for children are typically part of the standard expatriate package provided to all employees who are not nationals of the host country.

As for hiring timelines, these can vary widely between regions and specific offices. Typically, recruiting drives coincide with the graduation cycles of major universities in the region. Given you're starting your MBA program in September 2023, it would be a good idea to start checking for openings around a year later, in the fall of 2024. However, to get a more specific idea, I would recommend directly reaching out to the recruitment teams of the firms you are interested in to inquire about their specific timelines.

Remember, the key to success in this process is thorough preparation. Focus on excelling academically, getting involved in relevant extracurricular activities, and building a strong foundation in case interview preparation. Good luck!

Hi there,

My first thought is: Why that list? There are more companies you can/should apply to within consulting!

1. Does consulting in Dubai have any racial preference? I am Indonesian. Will this lessen my chance to get hired? I heard that in some oil & gas companies, they gave almost the same basic salary for people from Europe-US compared to Indonesian, but different benefit (for example school for your child). How is it in the management consulting sector?

My understanding is that UAE does give preferance to Emirates. Apart from this, might they have baises toward/against certain regions, despite the best efforts of these firms to eliminate said bais? Probably. Should this affect what you do? Nope. Nothing you can change, you just have to perform your best - the better you do, the more they can't ignore you!

2. When will usually MBB or other management consulting in Dubai open their application? Is it the same with global hiring schedule / US schedule? 

It does not match the US schedule (2 year US MBA programs). Do not rely on those dates

No mater what we say here, you need to check with your MBA program. Please don't ask us here…you have a career office with very transparently promoted dates/timelines…they will have it on their student website/portal and you can go in and ask them. Worst case scenario, ask your peers.

From my experience with INSEAD, HEC, etc., MBA recruiting tends to happen in the late winter/early spring. Again, please get exact, firm dates from your MBA program itself.

Hi there,

1) Does consulting in Dubai have any racial preference? I am Indonesian. Will this lessen my chance to get hired?

In theory, the only implication should be visa-related – ie depending on the nationality it could be easier or not to get a visa. In practice, there could still be bias towards some countries but in any case that’s not under your control so I would not focus on that.

2) When will usually MBB or other management consulting in Dubai open their application? Is it the same with global hiring schedule / US schedule? 

The general peak recruiting seasons in consulting are Sep-Nov and Jan-Mar. For Dubai specifically and the exact opening timeline, you can check with your school career service/the specific company website.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

Let me take your questions one by one.

1. Does consulting in Dubai have any racial preference? I am Indonesian. Will this lessen my chance to get hired? I heard that in some oil & gas companies, they gave almost the same basic salary for people from Europe-US compared to Indonesian, but different benefit (for example school for your child). How is it in the management consulting sector?

Actually consulting in the Middle East is more diverse than pretty much anywhere else, so I wouldn't be concerned about discrimination. They are also one of the regions that are most open to recruiting people from outside of the region. 

2. When will usually MBB or other management consulting in Dubai open their application? Is it the same with global hiring schedule / US schedule? 

I would recommend you reach out directly to the recruiters from the region about this. Deadlines change often, so it's best to keep in touch with those who actually set them. 

In terms of your application strategy, I'd recommend you follow the steps in the guide below to maximize your chances for screening and then offer:

• Maximising your chances of getting a consulting job during an economic downturn

Best,
Cristian

Hello,

To answer your questions:

1. Does consulting in Dubai have any racial preference? I am Indonesian. Will this lessen my chance to get hired? I heard that in some oil & gas companies, they gave almost the same basic salary for people from Europe-US compared to Indonesian, but different benefit (for example school for your child). How is it in the management consulting sector?

There are often preferences for people who don't need visa support and speak the local language, but beyond that race should not affect hiring in any preferential way.

2. When will usually MBB or other management consulting in Dubai open their application? Is it the same with global hiring schedule / US schedule? 

Large management consulting companies hire year-round for various roles. Peak recruiting seasons tend to be Sep-Nov and Jan-Mar, as Francesco pointed out. I would check with recruiting at the office you are interested in for specific details.