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?

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.

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.

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.