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Management Consulting

Veteran

Michael Warren Colorado Springs, CO

As a transitioning JMO, I've done extensive research on Management Consulting. From what I've found, the likelihood of getting an internship/Associate/Analyzed position without being a current undergrad or MBA candidate is pretty slim. I know certain companies offer veteran type programs, but I haven't found very much of it. I've planned to apply to some top MBA programs this year, but I'm not sure if I'm making the right decision. I don't have a business undergrad, but I feel very confident in my ability to learn quickly and develop certain skills needed for this chosen profession. The personal development gained from a top B-school, I'm sure is invaluable, but with a family to support, the decision still feels like a ton of bricks weighing me down. Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated.

12 March 2017 19 replies Education & Training

Answers

Advisor

Reid Lohr Greenville, SC

Micheal,
I read through the thoughts so far - all good points. With that said, a post-grad degree is important and not having your undergrad in Business should be an obstacle. However, where an MBA in the past was important, they are a 'dime a dozen' today and certainly won't enable you to standout in the Management Consulting field. I would do some research on your own, talk to Deloitte leadership and a few others to get a feel of what the future industry needs will be. Combine that with your own personal passion - then pursue a post-grad in that specialization. That could be in logistic, cyber security, HR, etc. This should help position you in a very competitive industry.

21 April 2017 Helpful answer

Advisor

Erik Jacobsen Mchenry, IL

I obtained my undergrad and graduate degrees while working full time, married and raising kids. It is a stretch, but you can do it. One thing I did was to get up early and do my homework at my desk at work between 6 and 8 AM. Be sure to leverage your military study habits and study during your lunch hour and other short periods. You still probably will need to put in a few of hours in during the weekend.

I went to Norwich University for my graduate degree. It's an online program and it's highly ranked. Their programs are rigorous, but worth the effort. Norwich is the birthplace of ROTC and several of its graduates have been Generals. It's a quality school.

20 April 2017 Helpful answer

Advisor

Brandon Schlecht Helena, MT

CPT Warren,

I admire your ambition and investment in your future. I am also happy to see that you are setting your sites on Deloitte. I am currently an associate at Deloitte Consulting and would be happy to be a resource to you. Should you like to apply, I will gladly refer. I'll need a resume and a job that you're interested in to make that referral: https://jobs2.deloitte.com/us/en/.

If you've been with Deloitte for two years and have received top ratings, you can apply for an MBA program with Deloitte as your sponsor: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/careers/articles/join-deloitte-graduate-school-assistance-program.html. In addition to CORE, there is also a Junior Military Officer program, as can be seen here: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/careers/articles/join-deloitte-military-veterans.html; and here: https://careers.deloitte.com/jobs/eng-us/details/j/E17ROSCCONSRG006/junior-military-officer-federal-consulting.

Sorry to barrage you, but I want to make sure you have all the resources available to make an informed decision if Deloitte is truly what you are setting your sights on. Personally, I think it's a great company to work for in addition to being a US Army Reserves Chaplain. Feel free to reach out if you would like to discuss more.

Brandon

10 April 2017 Helpful answer

Veteran

Brian McDuffie Bellaire, MI

Mark: I work at a call center in Bellaire, MI. It's beautiful here and the people are, well, small town people...lot's of gossip. The call center is a great place to work but got into it with a teacher who can't teach. It boggles my mind when she comes in and pokes and prods me like she does. Miss you buddy and hope to see and hear from you before we both go to that great computer lab in the sky.
I'm passing by Swartz Creek in November and will try to see you then.
Brian

Advisor

Maria McDermott Appleton, WI

What you studied undergrad should not be an issue. My undergraduate degree was in English and Psychology. I went to at top 10 business school and got an MBA. The business programs want to see you succeed. When you are looking into programs, ask what sort of student support resources they have. Have you looked into Executive or Weekend MBA programs? Please reach out to me if Duke is one of your target schools.

Advisor

Phillip Nelson Tyrone, GA

Hi Michael,

Assuming you are still considering alternatives, have you ever considered looking into franchise opportunities as well? There are many top companies that provide the training and support that you are looking for with the added benefit of controlling your destiny. I work with hundreds of franchise brands and there are a few that I think you would be a great fit for. Many also offer a discount on the Franchise Fee as a "thank you for your service". My services are at no cost to you and if it makes sense, I would consider it an honor to be able to help.

Veteran

Shawn Sipprell San Francisco, CA

Michael,

I wanted to add in here too that I graduated last year with a degree in Civil Engineering, although this has little to nothing to do with management, or technology, I was able to leverage problem solving experience and my military background to land the role working in Consulting with Accenture. A lot of the big consulting companies (Deloitte, Bain and Co., BCG, PWC, and Accenture) have immense hiring initiatives (https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/accenture-to-hire-5000-us-veterans-by-2020.htm) for veterans.

In response to your question on if an MBA is necessary, I would say not really. Although I cannot speak for the other firms, Accenture tends to align MBA candidates within our Strategy business. In this, your resume outside of work is consistently referenced, where in our Technology, Digital, Consulting, Operations businesses your work within Accenture is looked at. This is why Accenture offers MBA program reimbursement, but only if you're attached to the Strategy business, and you are attending one of the top 10 business schools.

I hope this gives you another avenue to look down, and best of luck to you!

Veteran

Michael Del Vecchio Killingworth, CT

Hi Mike,

I am not sure if this post is still active -

My sense is that you may be setting your sights a bit low. As an example, I joined Price Waterhouse consulting practice in my 50's as a manager straight from industry (where I was a director) with no MBA then exited as a senior manager. At various points, I did have larger implementation teams including MBA's working for me - the point being that with extensive management experience (as a military officer) and technical expertise (mine was management and project management) you might want to aim for the same type of entry as a manager - my experience is that management consulting teams need a resident adult as a leader to ensure delivery of meaningful results.

I did not see your area of expertise, and that is key - companies that engage consultants expect a high degree of experience and competence - an MBA helps as an entry point, will not guarantee success.

As an aside, I used my GI benefits to get an engineering degree after I left the service with a young family and full time job in tow - dig in.

Advisor

Anne Prendergast Sterling, VA

Hello,

A graduate degree is certainly a plus and as you pointed out time consuming. Management consulting is also not a regular 9 to 5 type of job. We have many consultants that work with our company and the hours are extreme, especially if it is a contract with a fortune 500 company. The degree will be a good test of work/life balance, since it will only get more difficult with this type of job.

Advisor

John (Casey) Roach Greenwich, CT

Captain,
I can appreciate your concern. In an endeavor to provide you with constructive commentary, I would need to know a good deal more about you. I would be happy to invest my time in trying to be of help, if you would like.
FYI, my background includes serving and leaving as a Captain. I returned, at a different time in history, to work for a major financial institution. Over the years, after working for several banks, I have worked for an investment bank, a major insurance company, and in recent years a registered investment firm and a major bank/broker dealer. At various times, I dabbled in consulting as an independent - very difficult as you have to spend your time getting assignments so as to keep up with the bills.
Call or write: 203-861-5934 or John.h.roach@ml.com.

Regards,
Casey

Veteran

Michael Warren Colorado Springs, CO

Hello all,

Sorry for the late response. Thank you all for the great advice, the overwhelming support has been incredible. I'm still currently preparing to apply to business school as an alternative, but decided to aggressively pursue Management Consulting positions open as I transition in the next 10-12 months. Thank you for all of the support and guidance.

Advisor

Karthik Krishnamoorthy Stamford, CT

Michael,

I am glad you are researching options before going to B-school. An MBA can be powerful but complimenting experience and potential funding for a top 10 school could be more powerful. As you may be aware Deloitte sponsors our best analysts and consultants to pursue a top MBA and holds your job while you are furthering your academic credentials. We even bring you back in with a promotion, after successful completion of your MBA.

If you see the value, hit me up privately - happy to speak and provide counsel.

Best,
KK
Associate Partner - Mergers and Acquisitions
Deloitte Consulting LLP

Advisor

Bob Molluro Wilmington, DE

I have been a Business Advisor for more than twenty years. I call myself a business advisor to distinguish myself from management consulting who generally show up, charge a lot of money to tell you what you should do and then leave and expect you to implement their sage advice. Rather I prefer to work with clients who respect me for being part of their team where remuneration is based on the results produced.
I almost laugh when I see some of the recommendations from the 5 year MBA consultant who has never been asked to actually produce. Try running an organization where you are being held accountable and you need to decide on the strategies, marketing , organizational structure, select key members for your team and build a plan to execute where you need to make sure everyone is on board. That comes from vast experience which far out weighs the MBA. I have a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MBA and I can't think of one situation in the last twenty years where the degrees mattered. My question to you is do you have the attributes, skills and experiences that others would benefit from if you were working with them? Are you passionate about helping those people? Do you feel you would really enjoy the work and could make a significant contribution? Attitude, motivation and passion are what counts with experiences next followed by skills. You can get the skills needed but if you really can't honestly answer yes to the other attributes that are necessary then an MBA is not going to solve your problems.

I apologize in advance to anyone who is offended by my response however I have seen too many consultants who are just fleecing clients of money that could be better spent working with the right advisor. I once worked with a client who told me they had signed a contract with xyz consultants ( one of the big names). He was surprised when I said would you like to see what they are going to say after you pay them the big money. I then outlined five major areas for him. He said how do you know? I said I have seen them deliver the same garbage in three other situations where only the names are changed and the content is boiler plate standard. Just a word of caution as you decide who you are going to sign on with.

Advisor

G. Rino Fazio Arlington, VA

Michael -

If Management Consulting is your goal, then I would suggest using your post-911 GI Bill and apply to top-10 full time residential MBA programs. Starting salaries for top tier residential programs are usually $120k+.

Yes, you don't need an MBA to get into this field, but a MBA from a top tier school can certainly pay off in the short term. If I could do it all over again, I would have applied to a top tier b-school when I was 25-26.

I am about to graduate from Darden's EMBA program, but EMBA programs are in my opinion geared for professionals who already have established careers. Top residential MBA programs are specifically designed to land you a top paying job.

Good luck -

G. Rino Fazio

Advisor

Katie Tamarelli Newport, KY

Hi Michael,

Thank you very much for your service.

BCG does not require an MBA -- if anything, they are aggressively trying to recruit outside the traditional MBA pool. That being said, internships are only available to those in school (any degree). Internships are a large feeder into the full-time population.

It is competitive to get in, but all candidates regardless of background receive the same screening and same interviews.

Happy to connect on the phone if helpful.

Best,
Katie
--------

A few references:
- Vault -- best consulting companies for veterans: http://www.vault.com/company-rankings/consulting/best-consulting-firms-for-diversity/?sRankID=399
- BCG's page on veterans (scroll down): https://www.bcg.com/careers/working-at/diversity-inclusion/default.aspx
-

Advisor

FRANCIS TEPEDINO, ESQ. San Diego, CA

Michael: I am a retired "Management Consultant", having founded my own firm. It was a very satisfying and rewarding 30 plus year career. However -- and there is always a HOWEVER!!! I have degrees in Engineering; Industrial Management, and most important and most critical a Juris Doctor. You will find many MBA's in consulting but dammed few JD's. I went nights for my JD, (University of San Diego School of Law), while having a demanding job, a demanding wife, 3 kids, two cars and a big house payment.

Ask yourself: Are you up to the challenge??? If I could do it, so can you.

Suck it up, don't feel sorry for yourself, and "mount up". Take the LSAT.

I am on the Board at the Univ. of San Diego School of Law - let me know if I can help somehow.

Frank: condorgrup@aol.com

Advisor

Kyle Cragg Mc Lean, VA

Michael,

I will second Drew's recommendation to apply to the Deloitte CORE program. I attended almost two years ago and it was an incredible program with great people.

To address your main question, it is definitely feasible to land a management consulting role without an MBA. Similar to what Drew said, there are some cases where it is required but not always. I currently work in management consulting with KPMG and I do not have an MBA. I can only speak for KPMG but I know that a lot of the veterans we have hired over the past few months dont have one either. This will vary drastically by firm and function. If you were trying to break into McKinsey, it's safe to that an MBA from an M7 school would probably (definitely) be advisable.

Feel free to send me a message if you would like to talk more.

Veteran

Michael Warren Colorado Springs, CO

Drew,

Thank you for the quick response, Deloitte is ironically one of the companies I've set my sights on. I've read some literature on that program and it seems to be an incredible opportunity. I do however want to try and frame my initial question a little differently. In terms of career goals and the time spend identifying what I want to pursue, Management Consulting is most certainly the field I want to put all of my efforts in. I've spent the last year researching the best MBA programs that will not only enhance my skills, but position me to achieve my end result. I've talked with multiple veteran clubs at these B-schools and sought advice at every opportunity possible. I've positioned myself to cover my overhead and backward planned, I don't know how many times. My only reservation is not being able to see the future (wouldn't that be great haha). It just seemed logical to seek advice from such an invaluable resource as this community. Reading books and spending countless hours online has a ceiling and I feel like I've reached it, that's pretty much the basis for my initial question (essentially an azimuth check). There is almost always an exception to the rule, but is seeking an MBA the ideal path to open doors in this career? Ideally, transitioning from the service and moving directly into this career is my preferred course of action. I just haven't found anything that really supports that notion. All of the career sites that I've searched have specific opportunities for individuals currently in school whether an undergrad or MBA candidate. Although I've never worked in consulting, I feel my background supports it. Essentially my goal is to ensure I choose the right path and not find out I could have generally achieved the same opportunities based on my merits without taking a detour completing an MBA.

Advisor

Drew Schildwächter Wilmington, NC

An MBA is definitely required in some cases, but not all cases. While it doesn't hurt, I think the biggest red flag about doing it right now is that you seem undecided about it, or at least reluctant. I recommend the Deloitte CORE Veteran program very strongly for someone in your position because it will help generally with developing a clearer picture of your goals and because it will provide an opportunity to learn a lot about management consulting at a Big Four company.

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/join-deloitte-core-leadership-program.html

Once you have a clearer picture of your goal, then you can pursue the right degree in the right timing.

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