Top Consulting Firms: Getting that First Job Offer!

Let’s face it: times are tough. The economy is still in a downturn, more and more people in all industries are being laid off, and the really great job opportunities that actually are available are being fought after with a vengeance.

The competition for employment in desirable positions has never been fiercer, and that’s particularly true in the consulting industry. Consulting jobs are among the top choices for recently degreed MBA’s and other qualified individuals. Get in line; the positions at top consulting firms are being filled quickly.

If you fall into the category of a newly or soon-to-be degreed business major, or a solid related field, you may find the idea of getting one of these entry-level consultant positions very enticing. Or, maybe you have been working in the business world and have some experience, and now want to make the shift to consulting.

Either way, these pointers on what can hurt, as well as help, your chances of landing a job offer from a prestigious consulting firm should provide you with a basic platform from which to launch your future career as a successful consultant.

(Nearly) Surefire ways to kill your chances of landing a great consultant job; and best ways to recover!

Heed each warning: the following approaches are recipes for disaster and will land you out the front door after the first interview. Obviously, the optimal tactic is to not do these things in the first place.

If however, you find yourself in the middle of one of these interview faux pas, don’t resign yourself to failure! It may still be possible to recover, and you should do your best to do so, no matter what.

Faux pas: Show up unprepared, knowing little about the company history or specific job you are interviewing for.

Recovery solution: Grab some information in the lobby (you should be there early!) and if you must, try and nonchalantly speak with the receptionist about the company in a leading way.

Faux pas: Beef up your resume to the point of untruthfulness.

Recovery solution: This is a tough one. You should be very careful not to “lie” on your resume. Embellishment is one thing, but if you lose your integrity right from the get-go, it’s going to look very bad. The only thing you can really do is to admit to the exaggeration up front, so don’t do this!

Faux pas: Showing up too late or too early.

Recovery solution: If you show up late, there is little excuse, so try not to do this- again, the best recovery is to be honest and offer to reschedule. Apologize for wasting the interviewer’s valuable time. If you show up early (more than 15 minutes), do not go in yet. It will make you appear over-anxious or worse. Wait in the car or a nearby locale and go over the interview questions in your head until at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

Faux pas: Giving “canned” answers to common interview questions. Little can turn off a potential employer more than spewing out standard answers to questions. An example: Q- “What is your biggest weakness?” A- “I work too hard!”

Recovery Solution: This comes with trying to be prepared without memorizing responses. You need to be yourself and think on your feet. Practice the interview with a trusted friend and go over the same questions trying to answer them well yet unrehearsed. If you accidentally hear yourself blurting out an undesired canned answer in the actual interview, try to follow it up with another sentence or two, elaborating in a natural manner (but don’t ramble on!).

Faux pas: You answer a question that you don’t know the answer to by “winging it”. Bad idea. No employer expects you to know the answer to everything; they want you to be able to communicate how you would access the information if you needed to.

Recovery solution: This is preemptive- just remember do not answer something if you’re not sure. Explain how you would use available resources to find the solution or answer.

Faux pas: Have a laissez faire attitude about the company dress code and culture.

Recovery solution: Do your homework! Don’t walk in wearing Birkenstocks if everyone is wearing a tie. The reality is, you are going to need to be aware and fit in with the company culture to get a shot at this job. Make certain that you investigate beforehand so you know what to expect and you can play the part.Getting the call back!

That’s it! Everything about getting your first job offer at a great top consulting firm consists of mostly common sense interviewing tactics that you probably already know. Seeing them listed out and really contemplating them can help you organize your thoughts and your game plan for going in there, being confident and getting one step closer to getting the call back.

Before you know it, you can be starting your new career with a renowned and respected consulting firm like McKinsey & Company, The Boston Consulting Group, or Bain & Company!