Navigating Career Opportunities with an Online Degree in Consulting

Question

Hi everyone,

I recently graduated with an online full-time degree from Amity University. My decision to pursue online education was driven by several factors:

1. Practical Experience: I believed that basic colleges in India would not provide the practical experience I desired. Hence, I sought hands-on experience through internships and freelancing.

2. Personal Growth: I wanted time for personal development, including meditation, reading case studies, books, psychology, history, and exercising. This decision has helped me develop patience and a broader perspective on life.

3. Knowledge and Skills: I’m passionate about acquiring knowledge and skills, which online education and practical experience provided more effectively than a traditional college setting.

During my online studies, I interned at a startup as a business planner and later took on small freelance projects in strategy development. However, I’ve faced challenges when applying for positions at big consulting firms (Big 4). Despite performing well in assessments and having relevant experience, I often receive feedback that traditional degrees from prestigious institutions (like IIMs and IITs) are preferred, and online degrees lack acceptance.

My regrets about not attending a traditional college are mainly around missing out on connections, which I’ve tried to compensate for via LinkedIn, though with limited success.

Given my situation, I have a few questions:

1. Applying Abroad: Should I consider applying to international offices in regions like the Middle East or the USA? How significant is my online degree in these markets, and what positions should I target as a recent graduate (July 2024)?

2. Further Education: Would taking the GMAT and applying for international offices be beneficial, or should I focus on preparing for online assessments and applications?

3. Opportunities in India: Should I continue applying for positions in India, or is my intuition correct that my chances with an online degree at the Big 4 are slim here?

I genuinely want to be evaluated based on my skills and experiences rather than the nature of my degree. Any advice, insights, or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi there,

The most definitive answer about your chances would be a LinkedIn search where you filter people based on your online university and the target firms.

1.

USA: I believe it is almost impossible without a strong US-based university brand (Ivey League), relevant work or internship experience (F500 and the like), as well as certain ties to the country (for visa sponsorship)
Middle East: Generally more open for expat hiring but your competition here is from the top universities of each continent (Ivey League, Oxbridge,…). Again, I would see it as very difficult or even impossible

2.

The GMAT itself does not play a role in applications as it is only used to gain entry into universities. It is usually not evaluated by itself.

3.

I believe the same holds like in every other market. University and degree pedigree play an important role and it could be tough.

I would perform a proper LinkedIn search, then reach out to people and start networking to get discussions going. This should give you a good indication of the value of your degree in the market.

All the best!

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 2

Hi,

While you have a very clear reasoning in your mind about your choices, consulting is a very traditional industry for the most part. They still value the prestige level of the colleges and the degrees bestowed. You are likely going to be fighting an uphill battle, especially in India where the competition is very high even within IITs and IIMs (especially given all the new ones that have come up recently).

If you are truly interested in consulting, I would advise starting a job that is closest to what you are after then going to a top MBA program that has a strong pipeline for consulting recruitment.

Answer 3

Hi there, find below two example cases that could be used for the presentation-case interview format. Usually these t... (read entire answer)

Hi there, find below two example cases that could be used for the presentation-case interview format. Usually these types of cases will contain a lot of exhibits and data for yo... (read entire answer)

Answer 4

Glassdoor is a good datapoint for that type of salary questions. Not 100% reliable, but directionally right (as long... (read entire answer)

Glassdoor is a good datapoint for that type of salary questions. Not 100% reliable, but directionally right (as long as they have a relevant number of datapoints).

Answer 5

I am afraid you are working under some false (and even dangerous) assumptions. You are assuming that in your situatio... (read entire answer)

I am afraid you are working under some false (and even dangerous) assumptions. You are assuming that in your situation it will be easier to get the internship than the full time... (read entire answer)