Instead of creating a BCG resume, it's easy to think that using the generic resume you created for that internship your sophomore summer will be good enough. News flash: it won't. Today, we're examining what BCG wants to see in a resume, along with tips for making your resume stand out in the massive pile of applicants. There's a reason only 3% of applicants get offers at BCG!
[optin-monster slug="mfmzt6jhpqtviy9rqitx" followrules="true"]
The Consulting Resume: How Is It Different?
If you have taken a generic resume writing workshop, you might think following the template is all you have to do to craft a winning BCG resume. Not so fast! Developing a resume for consulting is its own animal, with notable differences even from related fields (such as finance).
The main thing that sets the consulting resume apart is that consulting firms want to see resumes that reflect the requisite skills of successful consultants. In most cases, firms aren't hiring you for your subject matter expertise. They are hiring you for your skills and ability to drive impact. Core consulting skills to include are:
- Data analysis (quantitative and qualitative)
- Problem-solving skills
- Business acumen
- Leadership ability
- Communication skills
- Stakeholder management experience
In addition, BCG values applicants who demonstrate innovation, curiosity, and the ability to impact others.
Beyond these well-known attributes, firms also respond more powerfully to recognizable brands. If you got an MBA from a top program, or have experience working for well known companies, emphasize that in your resume. Likewise, be sure to emphasize good grades and various career achievements, whether that includes awards you’ve won or projects you’ve led. In short, emphasize the impact you’ve achieved in every role you’ve held.
What Should a Consulting Resume Include?
Consulting is a highly competitive industry and employers are looking for evidence of core skills and talent (even if it’s raw). Your BCG resume should highlight your academic accomplishments, from your GPA to any graduation honors. In some cases, you can highlight standout test scores and solid performance in relevant classes (i.e., business and quant).
Here’s one of the best BCG resume tips we can offer: as you detail your work experiences, quantify any results you achieved. Translation: use numbers and metrics whenever possible. Showcase the impact of your work - what did you do, how did you do it, and what did it result in?
It’s useful to say you led a project, but it’s better if you can be specific in regards to how many people you led and how big the budget was that you managed. Did you have to pitch the project to senior leadership to get approval? If so, that's relevant to mention. Finally, point to the specific revenue generation, cost savings, or other impact it achieved. Remember – consulting is a numbers and data-driven profession. Use your resume to demonstrate your comfort with and affinity for numbers.
Finally, you want to take a balanced but serious approach to your extracurricular activities. If your experiences and passions demonstrate you have skills relevant to being a great consultant, then by all means include them. But this is also a chance for you to convey your own individuality to BCG. This helps you stand out from other applicants. It’s especially helpful if you can convey interests that will help you connect with coworkers and clients. Participation in team sports, community service, and charity work are examples of this.
BCG Resume Tips
Here are some key BCG resume tips when it comes to formatting your BCG resume.
-
5 Sections Max
Be sure not to go over five different sections—you don’t want the reviewer's eyes to glaze over before they’re done considering you. A solid resume would include these sections:
-
- Personal Profile (only if you have 10+ years of experience)
- Education
- Professional Experience
- Leadership Experience
- Personal
-
Don't Skip The Personal Section
If you're struggling to keep your resume to 1 page, you may be tempted to cut out the Personal section. Don't! This is the only section of the resume that humanizes you, and we've heard directly from reviewers that this is the one section they make sure to read.
-
Quantify Everything
If a particular bullet point doesn't include a number, we'd question whether it even belongs on your resume at all. Push yourself to be specific about the skills you used and the metric impact you achieved across your experiences.
For more BCG resume tips, be sure to visit Management Consulted’s in-depth Consulting Resume Guide. Want our expert team to do the work for you? Purchase a resume edit.
BCG Resume Mistakes to Avoid
Your BCG resume is going to arrive in a pile with hundreds of others. The person screening it will be looking for any reason to cast your resume aside. It’s crucial that you not make any needless mistakes when it comes to your BCG resume format.
Stick to a single page, no exceptions. No bullet point should be more than two lines long - being a clear and concise communicator is an essential skill for prospective consultants to demonstrate.
When you catch yourself describing your own skills and virtues, remind yourself to make your resume action oriented. Be wary of long lists or overly descriptive sections. Try to remember that there’s a difference between telling and showing—you don’t just want to tell BCG you’ll be a great consultant, you want to show the firm why that’s true.
BCG Resume Template
Even the best BCG sample resumes aren't a silver bullet. But at the same time, you don't necessarily have to start from scratch. Remember, don't just swap out your name and experience and call it good. You have to do the work to make your experience action oriented and tailored to what the firm is looking for.
Conclusion
If you’re hoping to land a consulting role at Boston Consulting Group, you’re likely already a hard worker who’s put in the work to become a well-rounded applicant. But don’t let all that hard work go to waste. Remember that everything you’ve done up until now is only as good as you make it look on your resume.
Now, it’s time to get to work on your resume so you can land an interview! Work with Management Consulted on a resume edit. In 2 rounds of editing, we do the work to make sure your resume stands out to get you in the door and on your way to an interview.
[optin-monster slug="ery2tspocapzstwqmuuf" followrules="true"]
Additional Reading: