When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 5 modules in this course
This is the #2 course in the specialization on management consulting.
In this course, we will learn how consulting firms work and how they make money. This can help you network with recruiters and prepare for the case interviews. Some of the topics covered:
• What drive project profitability?
• What competencies do I need at each stage in my career?
• How are consulting interviews different?
• How to do well on case interviews?
• How much do I need to practice cases?
Consulting firms (like law, tax, audit, tax firms) are built on a leverage model. This means that projects have senior practitioners (partners, directors) who sell the work and develop the executive relationships. Managers keep the teams productive and the client happy. Junior staff do the work; conduct interviews, gather data, run analyses, put together presentations.
Understanding consulting leverage and project economics•12 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 4 minutes
Optional: meet and greet•4 minutes
Consulting Competencies and Skills
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
Management consultants are good at many things. They can quickly scope ambiguous problems, find and analyze messy data, manage small diverse teams, keep the client engaged, and run profitable projects. How can you do them all and which skills should you learn first?
What's included
5 videos3 readings2 discussion prompts
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 32 minutes
2.3.1 Finders, minders, grinders•6 minutes
2.3.2 Consulting competencies•7 minutes
2.3.3 GenAI competencies•5 minutes
2.4 Do simple tasks well (e.g., executive communications)•7 minutes
2.5 Do simple tasks well (e.g., meeting minutes)•7 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
Consulting careers often look like an hourglass•10 minutes
What does work/life balance look like in consulting?•10 minutes
Make email better: 20 tips•10 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 12 minutes
Optional: Evaluate your own skill level•6 minutes
Optional: How well do you listen?•6 minutes
What are Consulting Projects Like?
Module 3•1 hour to complete
Module details
Consulting projects vary enormously. I've been on 6 month-long implementation with 20+ practitioners coming and going, and 3 person assessments that only lasted 3 weeks. The executive sponsor often varies - CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, or CIO. You'd be surprised how many similarities these diverse projects have.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 25 minutes
2.6 Projects can vary from 3 weeks to 1 year•9 minutes
2.7 What to do before the project starts?•9 minutes
2.8 Internal consultants have a huge opportunity •7 minutes
2 readings•Total 30 minutes
Beware the long middle of a project•10 minutes
How to get smart quickly•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
Consulting skills used on projects•15 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 8 minutes
Optional: Tell us about a project challenge•8 minutes
What are Consulting Firms Looking For?
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
Consulting is a great career path. Many people want to compete for these rare consulting job offers. So, it's important to "reverse-engineer" what the consulting firms are looking for in new recruits.
Consultants help make clients successful. Firms are looking for candidate who are smart, curious, good communicators, and know how to effectively network.
2.9 Networking is important and it takes effort•8 minutes
2.10 Who should I network with?•7 minutes
2.11 Recruiting is a people business•6 minutes
2.12.1 What are consulting firms looking for?•9 minutes
2.12.2 Informational interviews•8 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
Networking = being a useful human•10 minutes
Career tip: What is an informational interview?•10 minutes
Resumes are bait, make it count•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 12 minutes
Networking and recruiting•12 minutes
1 peer review•Total 40 minutes
Linkedin profile review•40 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 6 minutes
Tell us about your networking•6 minutes
How to Prepare for Interviews
Module 5•1 hour to complete
Module details
Consulting interviews typically come in two flavors. 1) Behavioral interviews are the ones we are accustomed to; interviews ask about our resume, motivations, and try to understand our "fit" with the organization. 2) Case interviews are a collaborative problem-solving exercise to see how you think + communicate + smile at the same time.
What's included
3 videos4 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 20 minutes
2.13 What is a behavioral interview?•9 minutes
2.14 What is a case interview?•9 minutes
Congratulations on completing course #2•2 minutes
4 readings•Total 32 minutes
Be likeable, be yourself (on your best day)•10 minutes
Case interviews, “We want to see you think.”•10 minutes
How to do well with case interviews? Practice•10 minutes
Please take 2 min and leave a review•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 20 minutes
Behavioral and case interviews•20 minutes
Earn a career certificate
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Emory University, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the world's leading research universities. Its mission is to create, preserve, teach and apply knowledge in the service of humanity.
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AS
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Reviewed on Jun 25, 2024
We appreciate your efforts, sir. The best content on this platform is aiding us in developing our skills. Your contribution to my success is something I always remember.
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CG
5·
Reviewed on Nov 30, 2023
I have enjoyed learning about how to get a consulting job. John Kim has put together a wealth of information and insights into the consulting business. Highly recommend this course.
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SG
5·
Reviewed on Jan 3, 2024
This course really puts a lot of structure to scouting, applying for, and interviewing for consulting jobs. Highly recommended for those now starting their consulting journey.
The last 1/3 of this course is focused on networking, behavioral interviews, and case interviews. Just as important, the first 2/3 of the course deals with the mindset and skillset you need to do great during interviews. Do you know what consulting firms are looking for?
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.