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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