July 7, 2000Kellogg TMPRecruiting Experience and AdviceAgendaIntroduct ionTMP and the Recruiting Process todayThe Recruiting Process che cklistPerform an honest self-inventoryGet to know the different f irmsDevelop a targeted resumePrepare (prepare, prepare) for your interviewsResume ReviewFinal ThoughtsQuestions and AnswersConsult ing interviews — are you ready?Get ready for a wild roller coaste r ride!This fall will be an exasperating juggling actTMP and the Recruiting Process todayThe goodMore firms are starting to recogn ize the TMP program as fertile recruiting groundKellogg is suppor tive of TMP participation in the placement processYou tend to hav e more work experience than your full-time counterpartsYou have d emonstrated the ability to successfully manage a demanding schedu leThe New Economy has made talented people harder to recruit, so most firms are looking more closely at “non-traditional” hires T he badYou do not have the advantage of a summer internshipYou do not have as ready access to information as full-time studentsYou will not have as much free time to engage in recruiting as full-t ime studentsYou do not have the same network as the full-time stu dentsThe uglyMany recruiters still go on campus looking for full- time students. Some are not even aware of the TMP programBe posit ive. TMP Recruiting is getting better all the timeBe honest with yourself, consulting may not be right for youThe Recruiting Proc ess checklistPerform an honest self-inventory: When I grow up, I want to be… What characteristics are you looking for in a job? W hat characteristics do you want to avoid in a job?What special re quirements do you have?Geographic locationTravel versus non-trave lOffice environment versus industrial settingHow does my family f actor into the equation?Do your desires fit with your abilities?W hat are your strengths?What are your weaknesses?How will all of t he above change in 5 years? 10 years?The Recruiting Process chec klistGet to know the different firmsIdentify resources and collec t informationCompany literatureWeb pagesWet Feet PressHarvard Bus iness School guide to Management ConsultantsThe Directory of Cons ultants and Consulting OrganizationsPeriodical searchesYour peers /fellow studentsDo not forget about the consultants! Remember: Kellogg Alumni help Kellogg studentsCreate your own list of key r equirementsMeasure all the firms against your key requirementsRan k and segment the firms that most interest youDevelop a plan to t alk to every firm on your shortlist. You will need this for your bid strategyRemember, work is a four letter word: do not get ca ught up in the hype!Make an educated decision about your next emp loyerThe Recruiting Process checklistDevelop a targeted resumeUse an “action, results” format (i.e., do not tell me what you are r esponsible for, tell me the success you have had)“I did this, lea ding to that”Make sure that the results stated are important to y our targeted firmsQuantify your achievements where possible, but do not ignore nonquantifiable resultsSpeak in the vernacular of y our targeted audienceUse consulting buzzwords where appropriateSa nitize your resume of phrases that an outsider will not understan dDoes your resume pass the “Mom test?”Do the obviousShow promotio nsItalicize key wordsMake sure dates are consistentSpell check!Us e high quality, white paperTell me something about yourselfDiffer entiate yourself but be professionalDo you know how many resumes we see? Spend the time to give yours a chanceThe Recruiting Proc ess checklistPrepare (prepare, prepare) for your interviewThe Gen eral InterviewAnticipate all questionsWork up responses to antici pated questions (be as honest as you can!)Draw upon your past exp eriences to create stories and show depthRehearse not sounding re hearsed! (We know you practice, but do not overdo it)Preparation does not mean leaving your personality at homeShow me your human sideRemember, the interview goes two waysHave at least three int elligent questions preparedDo not be afraid to ask the difficult questionsTake a good, hard look at the people you are interviewin g with and their surroundingsBe yourself. If you cannot get an o ffer as yourself, you do not want the job!The Recruiting Process checklistPrepare (prepare, prepare) for your interviewThe Case In terviewPractice makes perfectConsider the types of cases and what preparation might help youProfit and loss: “The Mind of the Str ategist,” Chapter One, by Kenichi OhmaeStrategy and Industry anal ysis: Porter’s Five Forces modelOrganizational DesignOperational EfficiencyI am sure you can think of othersGiven the above comme nt, do not try to force fit every case into some pre-established structure!If it helps, develop a standard introductionUnderstand the end state where you want to be when you have finished the cas eNext, start at a fairly high level and think through what you ne ed to do to get to your desired end state Explain the methodology you will use to solve the caseUnderstand and organize what infor mation you have been given up front and what else you will needSt art asking questionsHumble pie does not taste good, but do not ta ke the rejection personallyThe Recruiting Process checklistPrepar e (prepare, prepare) for your interviewThe Case Interview (contin ued)During the interviewListen, Listen, Listen. Most information is given to you for a reasonThink transparently (this is not, how ever, a license to babble)If the interviewer does not understand where you are going, he/she cannot help youAsk questions. Help t he interviewer help youDrive to a conclusion and state it (within your time limit)Double back if necessary to make sure you have n ot missed something, or left something undoneHumble pie does not taste good, but do not take the rejection personally A.T. Kearney Resume Review E-mail Resumes to Jeff Changjeff.chang@atkearney.c omDeadline to Submit Resumes for ReviewJuly 21, 2000Contact Numbe r(312) 223-7543Final ThoughtsTime is short, get started nowDevelo p a game plan forLearning about firms/obtaining interviewsSucceed ing in case interviewsDealing with the worstDevelop your support network to deal with the stress of it allFamily and friendsNon-Ke llogg career mentorsBe yourself and have funNever say never!Best of luck. Oh, by the way, did I mention that A.T. Kearney is the consulting firm of the 21st century? Appendix 1 — Common Mistake sCommon mistakes during the consulting interview processMost impo rtantly, be courteous to your fellow students. The alumni bridge is a bad one to burn!Self-InventoryNot being honest about what y ou want for your future and which career path is right for youFai ling to realize that the Kellogg degree opens many doors — there is more to life than consultingThe firmsGetting caught up in the name/image of a given firm and ignoring their personality and/or practice specialtyFalling for the recruiting “sales pitch” and not asking enough questionsIgnoring/snubbing the Big 5Resume Chronologically listing daily responsibilities and not emphasizing accomplishments or leadership abilitiesIgnoring the CMC format (e.g., more than one page, grammatically correct sentences)Interview/closed listBeing too pushy about getting on closed listsTaking the interview process too lightlyFailing to practice a full repertoire of casesTaking rejection personally |
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