CURRICULUM VITA - Seattle Pacific University

INSIDER GUIDE
KILLER COVER LETTERS & RESUMES
CONSULTING
в�…
WHAT RECRUITERS LOOK FOR в�… SAMPLE COVER LETTERS & RESUMES в�… TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE FOLLOWвЂ“UP
>> The WetFeet Methodology
You hold in your hands a copy of the highest-quality research available for job seekers.
WeвЂ™ve designed the WetFeet Insider Guides to help cut down on the time you spend doing job research
by doing some of the work for you. Hopefully we can make your job search as painless as possible.
Each WetFeet Insider Guide is the product of hundreds of hours of in-depth research, critical analysis,
and precise writing. We survey massive amounts of publicly available information and conduct
dozens of in-depth interviews of rank-and-file employees who work for the companies and industries
we cover. (We keep our company contacts anonymous to encourage candor.)
WetFeet writersвЂ”experts at reading between the linesвЂ”speak with company recruiting staff
members to make sure you get accurate information about the recruiting process, compensation,
and hiring targets. We also consult countless experts, from career coaches and networking gurus to
authorities on professional etiquette and personal branding, in order to provide you insight on the
latest trends affecting job seekers.
Each Insider Guide undergoes extensive editorial review and fact-checking to ensure that the
information and writing live up to our exacting standards. And because WetFeet retains all editorial
control of our Insider Guides, you can be confident youвЂ™re reading the unvarnished truth, not
corporate PR.
WeвЂ™re eager to hear about your experiences on the recruiting front, and we welcome your feedback
(both positive and negative) about our products and services. DonвЂ™t hesitate to contact us at
orders@wetfeet.com.
>> The WetFeet Guarantee
YouвЂ™ve got enough on your mind with your job search in full swing. So, if you donвЂ™t like this
Insider Guide, send it back within 15 days of purchase and weвЂ™ll refund your money.
Contact us at 215-546-4900 or orders@wetfeet.com
Insider
Guide
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes:
Consulting
4th edition
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
WetFeet
1518 Walnut St.
Suite 1800
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (215) 546-4900
Fax: (215) 546-9921
Website: www.wetfeet.com
Killer cover letters & Resumes: Consulting
4TH Edition
ISBN: 978-1-58207-965-3
Photocopying Is Prohibited
Copyright 2012 WetFeet. All rights reserved. This publication is protected by the copyright laws
of the United States of America. No copying in any form is permitted. It may not be reproduced,
distributed, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, in part or
in whole, without the express written permission of WetFeet, Inc. The publisher, author, and any
other party involved in creation, production, delivery, or sale of this WetFeet Insider Guide make no
warranty, express or implied, about the accuracy or reliability of the information found herein. To
the degree you use this guide or other materials referenced herein, you do so at your own risk. The
materials contained herein are general in nature and may not apply to particular factual or legal
circumstances. Under no circumstances shall the publisher, author, or any other party involved in
creation, production or delivery of this guide be liable to you or any other person for damages of any
kind arising from access to, or use of, its content.
All illustrations by mckibillo
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTer
1
1
consulting
resumes At A
glAnce
2
3
4
5 thirty seconds
to sAtisFy
11 getting reAdy
to Write
19 Killer
consulting
resumes
6 make your Resume
12 Do the legwork
20 The Resume
Work for you
Deconstructed
12 collect Information
6 What you Need
about yourself
to know
Formatting
13 highlighting the
7 Resumes from the
consulting FirmвЂ™s
your Resume
Skills consulting
Firms Want
Perspective
8 The Bottom line
Killer Cover
Letters & Resumes: Consulting
4TH EDITION
23 Writing and
26 Resumes Reviewed
5
6
7
63 Killer
cover letters
77 digitAl delivery
85 From resume to
intervieW
64 cover letters
78 This application Is
86 Tips for Getting your
covered
Experiencing
Foot in the Door
Technical Difficulties
64 contents of a
cover letter
87 Following Up
79 Getting Past the
Spam Guard Dogs
89 Interview Prep
66 cover letters
Reviewed
80 Using online
application Systems
91 additional WetFeet
Resources
contents
Consulting
Resumes at
a Glance
1
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
at a Glance
30 Seconds to Satisfy
вЂў Your resume has one primary purpose: to help determine if you merit an interview. A well-constructed
resume by itself wonвЂ™t win you the job.
вЂў Your resume must make you stand out quickly. The
typical resume reviewer will spend less than 30 seconds looking at your materials.
вЂў Consulting firms typically look for four key skills
in a candidate: analytical ability, intellectual capacity, leadership capability, and a record of achieving
results.
вЂў Cover letters are much less important to your application, and if written poorly can even hurt your candidacy.
The Killer Consulting Resume
вЂў Resume readers care about content. Use clear, jargon-free language. Design isnвЂ™t as important, but it
shouldnвЂ™t call attention to itself.
вЂўConsulting resumes should have three sections:
Education, Experience, and Additional Information,
beginning with either Education or Experience
(whichever is strongest).
вЂў Write up your experience in brief bullets (preferably
no more than a line). Focus on outcomes, not lists of
skills. Whenever possible, quantify results.
вЂўAvoid the most commonly cited resume pitfalls:
overuse of buzzwords, inflated experience or titles,
factual inaccuracies, overkill, and spelling errors.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
2
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
The Killer Cover Letter
вЂў Include a cover letter only when you have to. The
same rules apply online.
вЂў Keep it brief.
вЂў Your cover letter should be personalized; avoid
anything that seems generic. Name-dropping is
a definite plus, but make sure that the people you
name know who you are.
Applying Online
вЂў Make sure all your digital materials are in accessible,
printable formats.
вЂў Save four versions of your resume: a Word document for printing, a PDF for email attachments,
a plain text version with line breaks for the email
body, and a plain text version without line breaks for
online forms.
вЂўDonвЂ™t be afraid to use online application
systems, especially if a firm directs you there.
Follow the instructions precisely, complete the entire
application, and choose keywords carefully.
From Resume to Interview
вЂўThe best time to apply for a consulting position
is October for full-time hires and early winter for
summer hires.
вЂў Follow up, but not in an off-putting manner.
вЂўExpect weak spots in your resume to be probed
during the interview, so have your answers ready. Be
prepared for interviewers to develop case questions
based on the experience they see on your resume.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
3
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
Thirty Seconds
to Satisfy
2
Make Your Resume
Work for You.................................. 6
What You Need to Know............... 6
Resumes from the
Consulting FirmвЂ™s Perspective......... 7
The Bottom Line............................ 8
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
Make Your Resume What you need
Work for You
to know
вЂє YouвЂ™re set on scoring a job with Bain, McKinsey,
вЂє This publication is designed to help graduate
BCG, or one of the other top consulting firms. You also
know that the competition for open positions will be
fierceвЂ”so your materials had better be pitch-perfect.
Yet here you are, just a few days away from the application deadline, fiddling with your resumeвЂ™s formatting. Palatino, Times, HelveticaвЂ”bold, italicвЂ”nothing
seems to make it look better. A twinge of despair is setting in. YouвЂ™ve convinced yourself that your resume isnвЂ™t
worth a second look.
Well, maybe. Then again, maybe not.
Although thereвЂ™s no question that competition for
jobs with the elite management consulting firms is
intenseвЂ”at leading business schools, some 75 percent
of students interview with one of the big firmsвЂ”it
would be a mistake to assume that you need a 4.0 GPA
or a Harvard MBA to win a position. You donвЂ™t. Nor
do you have to have prior consulting experience. (If
you did, how would anyone ever get started in consulting?) In fact, the leading firms are hungry to attract new
blood and diverse perspectives. So thereвЂ™s no reason to
count yourself out.
There are, however, some significant hurdles any
applicant must clear. In most cases, the first step in the
path to a plum consulting position is to land an interview. And to do this you must have a compelling resume.
By compelling, we donвЂ™t mean in a general well-written
sort of way, though excellent writing is always a plus.
We mean that your resume must convincingly present your consulting skills and capabilitiesвЂ”regardless of
whether you have prior industry experience. By identifying and presenting your analytical skills, intellectual
horsepower, and leadership capabilities in a form that
consultants can easily understand, youвЂ™ll undoubtedly
improve your chances of securing that initial interview.
and college students (or anyone else pondering a career
in consulting) present themselves effectively to recruiters, resume readers, and interviewers at top U.S. management consulting firms.
This Insider Guide will help you do the best possible job of presenting your qualifications for a consulting position. Although it wonвЂ™t guarantee you a job at
a prestigious firmвЂ”thereвЂ™s a lot more to getting a job
offer than sending in a resumeвЂ”it should give you
increased insight into the resume review process at leading consultancies.
We spoke to insiders from several of the industryвЂ™s
elite firms to find out exactly what they look for in
resumes, cover letters, andвЂ”down the lineвЂ”interviews. Their comments were remarkably consistent:
both substance and packaging matter. In this Insider
Guide, we show you how to get a handle on both.
6
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
YouвЂ™ll learn
вЂў How management consulting firms evaluate resumes
and cover letters.
вЂў What information to include in your resumes and
cover letters when applying for management consulting positions.
вЂўStrategies for writing about your experiences and
education in a way that appeals to the consulting
firm reviewer.
вЂў How to prepare effective digital materials, and tips
for online applications.
вЂў YouвЂ™ll also read critiques of actual resumes and cover
letters (along with suggestions for improvement).
вЂў WeвЂ™ll conclude by telling you a little about what happens after your new and improved materials land you
that consulting interview youвЂ™ve been dreaming about.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
> TIP
Though management consulting firms may be
supported by an HR staff, itвЂ™s the consultants
who tend to dominate the recruiting process.
But the consultants are also busy with their
day-to-day duties,so donвЂ™t expect them to
spend a lot of time examining your resume.
Keep it concise.
7
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
From the firmвЂ™s point of view, the resume has one primary purpose: to help determine which candidates merit
interviews. No more, no less. Should you progress to the
first and subsequent interviews, your resume will serve as
the starting point of your conversation with recruiters.
Each person who interviews you will probably have not
only a copy of your resume, but notes about you taken
during previous interviews. Your interviewer will use the
resume to identify areas to explore. Weaknesses or holes
will be probed, strengths will be questioned, and anything that seems suspect will be tested.
Most firms recruit regionally and have recruiting
teams in each office or region that cover one or more
schools. Recruiting teams usually consist of consultants from several levels (ranging from recent hires to
partners or VPs) as well as one or more administrative
support staffers. At least one of the recruiters will probably be a recent graduate of your school. This helps the
team distinguish between real and inflated points on a
resume and make informed judgments about your credentials. For example, at one school, being on the deanвЂ™s
list might mean youвЂ™re in the top half of your class,
while at another that distinction is reserved for only the
top few students. Such differences are important and
will be noted as your resume is reviewed. As one insider
puts it, вЂњWe know whatвЂ™s what on the resumes.вЂќ
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
How Resumes Are Used
Typically, one or more members of this recruiting
team conduct a first-pass review of all the independently submitted resumes from the schools they cover.
These consultants flag resumes that look promising
based on the firmвЂ™s criteria as well as their own judgment. Bear in mind that itвЂ™s not a one-size-fits-all
process: Instead of forcing reviewers (and applicants)
into a formal resume grading system, most firms give
individual reviewers a degree of discretion when they
evaluate job seekers. ThatвЂ™s not to say, however, that
consultants have a completely free hand. In order to
keep the process as evenhanded as possible, the majority
track resumes against the firmвЂ™s key criteria, keeping a
mental tally of how many of these the candidate appears
to meet on his or her resume.
The next step at many firms is for the recruiting
team to discuss the top candidates and decide who will
receive interview offers. In these sessions the reviewer
might be asked to describe the candidate, tell his or her
вЂњstory,вЂќ and explain what is compelling about the candidate. In some cases, a senior consultant will do a final
resume review and make interview decisions, either
after the group discussion or in lieu of it.
The critical thing to recognize about this process is
that you have to stand out quickly. Many members of
the recruiting team are juggling their recruiting duties
with other day-to-day responsibilities, such as managing
client projects. Further, they tend to review large numbers of resumes at a time (often hundreds), leaving them
little time to spend on each one. Yours must stand out.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
вЂє LetвЂ™s begin by considering your resume from the
consulting firmвЂ™s perspective. Our consulting insiders
tell us that a resume plays different roles throughout the
selection, evaluation, and interviewing process. What
is more, consultancies scan each resume for a set of
hallmark attributes before reaching a decision to
interview.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Resumes from the
Consulting FirmвЂ™s
Perspective
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
What Reviewers Look for
WeвЂ™d be lying if we said that every reader evaluating
your resume approaches it in the same way. Based on
our interviews, weвЂ™ve seen any number of reviewing
types from вЂњbig nameвЂќ hunters (You used to work for
Google? Nice!), to alma-mater animals (You played
hockey for Ohio State? So did I!) to dreamy idealists
(My ideal candidate has straight AвЂ™s, student government leadership experience, and has conducted charity
work in Mongolia).
ThatвЂ™s because when you dig a little deeper and
compare the attributes recruiters are looking for, youвЂ™ll
find overwhelming agreement about which skills matter most. Most consulting firms look for four key skills
and several supporting ones that predict a candidateвЂ™s
likely success as a consultant. As a general rule, candidates arenвЂ™t expected to excel at every key skill, but they
should demonstrate them all and show outstanding
capability in at least one. The вЂњBig FourвЂќ are as follows:
1.Analytical and problem-solving ability
2.Intellectual capacity
3.Leadership capability or potential
4.Aspiration, achievement, and a record of results
(Later in this guide, weвЂ™ll discuss these factors in
greater depth and show you how to demonstrate your
skills in these areas.)
Supporting skills or attributes that are frequently
cited include:
вЂўRelevant industry or functional experience (very
important for experienced hires)
вЂў Ability to work well on a team
вЂў People skillsвЂ”the ability to communicate effectively
вЂў Ability to balance multiple responsibilities
вЂў Graduating from a top school
вЂў Interesting activities
вЂў Background of personal interest or relevance to the
reader
8
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Naturally, different firms weigh these items differently, depending on the type of work they do and how
they deploy junior-level staff. That said, if your resume
effectively demonstrates the first four key skills (and
some supporting ones), youвЂ™re likely to be on stable
ground.
The Bottom Line
вЂє HereвЂ™s the first hard truth: Your resume wonвЂ™t
get you a consulting jobвЂ”but it can help you secure
the job interview. And hereвЂ™s the second: Though the
resume can help you win that coveted interview, itвЂ™ll
have to make the right impact in less than 30 seconds.
Hard? YesвЂ”but not impossible. The next part of this
book will help you construct an excellent consulting
resume, one that conveys an image of who you are,
what youвЂ™re capable of, and how you have used your
capabilities to accomplish results.
Although insiders tell us вЂњthere isnвЂ™t one right
answerвЂќ to the question of how to create a good resume,
they say the best resumes are concise, results-oriented,
and clearly presented. The correct structure can make
you a more likely interview target and can even help
you sail more smoothly through the interview process.
Even better, we learned from many recruiters that a lot
of aspiring consultants donвЂ™t get it right. So we hope
this guide will help you cut in front of them.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
9.
Something that makes you stand out from all
the other Stanford/Harvard/Wharton
graduates applying for this job.
8.
A balance (as if consultants really know what
that means!).
7.
Experience in the industry of my current client
and availability to be staffed immediately.
6.
A typoвЂ”so I can throw it out.
5.
Evidence that youвЂ™ll be willing to jump on a
plane and spend every week in Omaha
(without complaining).
4.
Someone who went to my alma mater. Not
that IвЂ™m biased.
3.
An indication that youвЂ™re breathing.
2.
вЂњIвЂ™ll know it when I see it.вЂќ
1.
вЂњYouвЂ™re assuming I actually get a chance to
read resumes.вЂќ
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
The time zone you live in.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
10.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Top Ten Things an Interviewer Looks
for When Reviewing a Resume
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
9
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
Getting Ready
to Write
3
Do the Legwork........................... 12
Collect Information
about Yourself.............................. 12
Highlighting the Skills
Consulting Firms Want.................. 13
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Do the Legwork
вЂє Before you put fingers to keyboard, spend some
time researching the firms you are targeting. This information will help you think about what, specifically,
might appeal to the recruiting team at a given firm,
and which items are best left to a cover letter. Look into
the firmвЂ™s areas of strength and focus, find out which
industries or functional practices it pursuesвЂ”strategy
vs operations vs technologyвЂ”and find out where the
nearest office is. All of this information should affect
the way you present yourself. Fortunately, most firms
have extensive websites from which you can quickly get
basic information and host live recruiting events which
offer opportunities to flesh out these details through
direct interaction with its employees.
Before you begin writing your resume, you must
also scrutinize yourself. Which elements of your work,
academic, and life experience belong on a single sheet of
paper, and which donвЂ™t? What characteristics make you
distinctive, demonstrate your ability, and prove youвЂ™re a
team player? This section will help you think through
your activities and accomplishments so you can tell
your story in a compelling way.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
вЂє In addition to knowing all the factual information about yourselfвЂ”degrees, grades, and so onвЂ”you
need to think about how to portray yourself in a positive, confident light while telling the true story of who
you are and what youвЂ™ve accomplished. YouвЂ™ll also need
a firm grasp of your experience, strengths, and weaknesses to create a compelling resume. There are any
number of ways to approach this task, but here are a
few resources that anyone can use as a starting point:
Academic Records
Gather your school transcripts, standardized test scores,
scholarship applications and awards, and any other
information that will help you paint a picture of your
academic strength. Calculate your GPA, because youвЂ™ll
probably need that information at some point. As we
mentioned earlier, unless your GPA is superlative, you
may want to leave it off your resume. But keep in mind
itвЂ™s still likely to come up as a topic at some point. If you
are concerned, try calculating it (make sure you use the
standard 4.0 scale) using different data cutsвЂ”overall,
major-only, by year, and so onвЂ”to see which provides
the most favorable view.
Recommendations
Reread any recommendations people have written for
you as part of school, job, or contest applications. Note
the strengths they mentioned; you can often highlight
them as you detail your experience and accomplishments in your resume.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Collect
Information
about Yourself
Performance Reviews
Employer reviews may contain information on your
skills as compared to those of your peers. They also tend
to include recaps of your accomplishments during the
period being discussed.
12
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Survey Your Strengths
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
13
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
You obviously wonвЂ™t highlight your weaknesses on your
resume, but any omission of information might prompt
an interviewer to question you about the area in question. If your resume lacks information on leadership
positions, for example, youвЂ™ll need to show strengths in
several other key areas to compensate. ItвЂ™s a good idea to
have thought through this before your interview anyway, because some interviewers still ask the old вЂњWhat
are your weaknesses?вЂќ question.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Consider Your Weaknesses
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Using the information above, think about the types of
work or activities in which you have consistently succeededвЂ”those situations in which youвЂ™ve performed
well and felt good about it. The skills you used in
these situations are most likely some of your strengths.
Include evidence of these on your resume so the reader
will identify you as a strong analyst, born leader, or
formidable communicator. These areas will likely be
explored further in your interviews.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
List the most significant accomplishments from your
professional, academic, and personal life. For each one,
explain why it is significant to you, how you achieved it,
how others helped you, and how you have measured its
success. YouвЂ™ll need to include information about at least
two of your top accomplishments in your resume, preferably with a precise quantification of the results achieved.
вЂє If you suspect that former consultants get
more consulting interviews than other candidates,
your hunch isnвЂ™t wrong. Just as in any field, firms are
biased toward experienced practitioners who can вЂњhit
the ground running.вЂќ Rightly or wrongly, consulting
firms assume that someone who has been a consultant
before has the skills and characteristics required to do
the work again. However, consulting firms continually
have to bring in new blood as well. (The turnover rate
is much too high for firms to survive on industry veterans alone.) Therefore, if youвЂ™re one of those applicants
who hasnвЂ™t worked for a consulting firm in the past,
you should try for the next best thing: demonstrating
that youвЂ™ve done the same type of work, even if it was
in a different context. If youвЂ™re an undergraduate, of
course, youвЂ™re probably not going up against seasoned
consultants, but the same advice holds trueвЂ”you want
to demonstrate the consulting-type activities youвЂ™ve
undertaken as part of your other pursuits.
So how can you do this if youвЂ™ve never consulted
a day in your life? Well, first of all, you probably have
done something that resembles consulting. Remember,
consulting in its purest form is problem solving. Who
hasnвЂ™t had a chance to take a problem, analyze it, make
hypotheses about it, and through research come to
understand whether those hypotheses are correct? You
can probably draw examples of this from work, school,
or extracurricular activities.
Second, as discussed earlier, your resume reviewer
will be looking for evidence of skills in several areas:
analytical ability, intelligence, leadership capability, and
so on. Think about the things you have done that showcase your abilities in these key areas. In the next few
sections, weвЂ™ll visit these areas one at a time, presenting
you with a list of questions that will help you tease out
those experiences that can demonstrate your aptitude
for actual consulting work.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Review Your Top Accomplishments
Highlighting the
Skills Firms Want
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
If you donвЂ™t already have one, prepare a chronological
history of the major jobs youвЂ™ve held. Include company
names, job titles, the names of your managers, time
spent in each position, starting and ending salaries, and
primary responsibilities. Hopefully, this history will
help detail the upward trend of your careerвЂ”increasing
responsibility, increasing salary, or other advancement.
Your employment history will also help you identify
any gaps that youвЂ™ll need to account for on the resume.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Employment History
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
Analytical and
Problem-Solving Ability
Analytical and problem solving skills are critical components of a consulting resume. They are fundamental to
your success as a consultant, especially during the first
few years, so expect to have these abilities tested during
your interviews.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Have you
вЂў Used spreadsheets to create data models?
вЂў Synthesized large amounts of information to draw
conclusions?
вЂў Identified a problem and taken a proactive approach
to solving it?
вЂў Used an unusual method or perspective to solve a
problem?
вЂў Worked backwards from symptoms of a problem to
isolate its root cause?
вЂў Performed experiments that required formulation of
hypotheses and the collection of evidence to prove
or disprove them?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, itвЂ™s
a good sign you were engaged in analysis and problem solving, so be sure to include the corresponding
experience in the appropriate section of your resume.
Intellectual Achievement
Intellectual ability is the primary trait consulting firms
test for in case interviews. If you graduated from college
magna cum laude with a technical degree, you might
be safe from withering scrutiny. If you didnвЂ™t, expect to
show your stuff. Unfortunately, intellectual bona fides
arenвЂ™t amenable to much repackaging: Either you have
it or you donвЂ™t. But a lack of honors probably wonвЂ™t
disqualify you from the running if youвЂ™ve attended
rigorous schools, earned good grades, and scored well
on tests.
14
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Have you
вЂў Earned honors or other academic awards?
вЂў Received academic scholarships?
вЂўTaken particularly challenging courses or had a
heavy workload?
вЂў Pursued intellectual activities (for instance, chess)?
вЂў Attended academically rigorous schools?
вЂў Aced your SAT or the GMAT?
вЂў Earned a high GPA (3.75 or higher, depending on
the firm)?
вЂў Pursued a double major?
If so, youвЂ™ll receive points in the academic capacity category. ThatвЂ™s important because your academic
record is pretty black-and-white. Since a weak academic
record often indicates lack of ability or effort, recruiters
arenвЂ™t especially lenient in this area.
Leadership Capability
Leadership, or the potential to lead, is at the top of most
firmsвЂ™ wish lists. Firms always look for individuals who
have risen to leadership positions on a team, in school
organizations, or in companies.
Have you
вЂў Managed people?
вЂў Facilitated meetings?
вЂў Led teams in solving problems?
вЂў Coordinated dealings with outside vendors?
вЂў Held a leadership position in a school organization,
team, or club?
вЂў Been elected to a post by your peers?
вЂў Organized or coordinated significant events?
вЂў Held a position of responsibility at a previous
employer?
If you donвЂ™t have a track record as a leader, you
should at least be able to show related accomplishments
and results that will earn respect. And by all means,
make sure you also have some stories to tell about being
a great team member.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Record of Producing Results
Teamwork, with clients and other consultants, is a critical component of most, if not all, consulting assignments. Consultants constantly work in teamsвЂ”project
teams, joint client teams, practice development teams,
sales teams, recruiting teams, and so on. The favorite
consulting solution to any problem is to form a team
to study it. Some firms even have teams analyzing what
makes for an optimal team. As one insider states, вЂњWe
need people who can be part of our nimble workforceвЂќ
(read: lots of different teams that are frequently forming
and reforming). What theyвЂ™re looking for is your ability
to balance expressing your own opinions with listen-
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
15
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
If you have a strong understanding of a particular
industry, know the challenges it currently faces, and
can communicate well with clients in that industry,
you may have an edge. Clients today often demand
consultants who can вЂњspeak the languageвЂќ and relate to
their problems. Check out which firms have practice
areas in your industry. TheyвЂ™re more likely to be interested in your particular expertise.
Teamwork
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Industry or Functional
Expertise
If not, donвЂ™t despair. While youвЂ™ll need to be able to
point to other strengths that counterbalance your lack
of industry experience, this is more of a nice-to-have
category than a need-to-have. As you might imagine,
this is especially true if you are an undergraduate.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
If you havenвЂ™t done any of these or similar things,
you might want to reconsider your desire to become
a consultant. These activities are part and parcel of
consulting work, and your ability to perform well in a
results-oriented environment will have a strong impact
on the success of your consulting career. DonвЂ™t forget
that on your resume, quantifying results is better than
merely describing them.
вЂў Worked in an industry for a long time?
вЂў Held various roles within one industry?
вЂў Been responsible for analyzing or selling to an
industry?
вЂў Held similar functional roles in different industries?
вЂў Ever applied functional knowledge learned in one
industry to a similar problem in another?
вЂў Worked extensively in a specific area, such as logistics or manufacturing?
вЂў Written a thesis or research paper about a particular
industry, business issue, or other topic?
вЂўFollowed a particular industry or business topic
intensively?
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
вЂў Brought new customers and revenue into your
company?
вЂў Made something more efficient by saving money or
time?
вЂў Implemented an innovative idea?
вЂў Improved service or responsiveness to customers?
вЂў Set a challenging goal and achieved it?
вЂў Solved a problem that affected your organizationвЂ™s
ability to succeed?
Have you
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Have you
Many consulting firms also have functional practice
groups that seek people with previous work experience
in areas such as supply chain management, marketing,
corporate finance, human resources, and customer service. If youвЂ™re experienced in one of these fields, target
firms that specialize in it.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
More and more firms are emphasizing вЂњresults
orientationвЂќ in their work with clients. Consider
this quick survey of several firmsвЂ™ marketing copy:
вЂњOur clients outperform the market four to oneвЂќ
(Bain); вЂњDeliver[ing] sustained shareholder value
growthвЂќ (Mercer); вЂњThe one firm that delivers results
that endureвЂќ (Booz Allen; no hyperbole here).
Unsurprisingly, firms want to know whether you have
what it takes to deliver real results.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
ing to others. ItвЂ™s important to know whenвЂ”and when
notвЂ”to impose your will.
Have you
вЂў Tackled problems as part of a team in your professional life?
вЂў Been a member of a sports team?
вЂў Worked in study groups?
вЂў Worked on political or volunteer committees?
вЂў Planned and attended group events?
Of course you have! Identify the teams youвЂ™ve been
part of, and think about the role you typically play on
them. If youвЂ™ve led teams, highlight it. In your interview youвЂ™ll probably be asked to speak about a team
experience and how you helped that team reach a goal.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
16
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
17
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
Killer
Consulting
Resumes
4
The Resume Deconstructed.........20
Writing and Formatting
Your Resume................................23
Resumes Reviewed.......................26
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
The Resume
Deconstructed
вЂє First, thereвЂ™s the question of the resume content itself. What should be in? What should be out? A
typical consulting resume has three sections:
1. Education
2. Experience
3. Additional Information
The first two are essential, while the вЂњAdditional
InformationвЂќ section is optional (include it only if
you have useful information that doesnвЂ™t fit neatly
into вЂњEducationвЂќ or вЂњExperience.вЂќ). As for sequencing
these items, lead with your strength. Typically, if you
are a student (particularly from a top-ranked school)
you would lead with вЂњEducationвЂќ. On the other hand,
working professionals (those a few years or more out of
school) should always lead with вЂњExperience.вЂќ As your
school days become more distant, they become less relevant, and firms become more interested in your professional experience than in the fact that you were editor of
your school newspaper. The вЂњAdditional InformationвЂќ
section should always be last.
Many sample resumes floating around include a
вЂњCareer Objective,вЂќ вЂњCareer Summary,вЂќ or other general overview section. This information is superfluous;
if you think you need to summarize your resume youвЂ™ve
probably missed the mark. Besides, youвЂ™ll need that
space to describe your considerable assets. If, despite
everything, you still feel that some of this material is
pertinent, then we suggest putting it in your cover letter instead.
> TIP
DonвЂ™t feel you need to вЂњthink outside the boxвЂќ
when it comes to consulting resumes. Resume
readers care about content more than looks.
The goal of your formatting efforts should
not be to make things flashy but to enable the
reader to pick out useful information quickly.
20
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Education
This section of your resume might be more aptly
thought of as вЂњEducation and Academic Achievement.вЂќ
At a minimum, you should include schools attended
and degrees conferred, along with corresponding dates.
You can also include other information demonstrating
your academic achievement, including GPA, scholarships and awards earned, honor society membership,
class ranking, and significant papers or research. List
only those items that showcase your strengths. A 3.5
GPA isnвЂ™t likely to impress anyone, nor is a 600 on the
GMAT. Though perfectly respectable statistics, they
arenвЂ™t going to wow the reader, so you might as well save
the space for something stronger.
Coming from a top-ranked school is helpful, but
itвЂ™ll hardly qualify you as unique at any of the best firms.
One snobby but honest insider says, вЂњIf youвЂ™re not from
a brand-name school, most firms expect you to be in the
top of the class.вЂќ Another says, вЂњThe first thing that will
cause me to throw out a resume is a second-rate school.вЂќ
When pressed, this insider defined a second-rate school
as one not within the вЂњtop 20,вЂќ which fortunately paves
a fairly wide path among graduate schools. When it
comes to undergraduates, there tends to be more leeway
in the college ranks, though the вЂњtop schoolвЂќ sentiment
is still echoed at most major firms as a quick and easy
way to separate the wheat from the chaff. Either way, if
youвЂ™re from a less well-known institution, be prepared
to show your strengths in other critical areas because
your resume is likely to be a tougher sell.
Strong regional graduate schools are an exception
to this philosophy. Since most firms recruit regionally,
there is a good chance theyвЂ™ll go to a good local school
if they have an office in the area, particularly if alumni
from the school work at that firm.
Experience
Recall what we told you about superior resume writing:
Conciseness and clarity are key. In this section of your
resume, that goal is best achieved by focusing on вЂњoutcomes.вЂќ As one insider puts it, вЂњThe section on work
chAPter 1
aT a GlaNcE
The section on work
experience should be short
on description and long on
verifiable results.
chAPter 2
ThIRTy SEcoNDS
To SaTISFy
chAPter 6
DIGITal DElIvERy
chAPter 7
FRom RESUmE
To INTERvIEW
21
chAPter 5
kIllER
covER lETTERS
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
chAPter 4
kIllER RESUmES
What about non-traditional backgrounds, such as
work in the public sector or the world of nonprofits?
It all depends. If this work experience complements
more traditional business endeavors in your repertoire,
it can help make you a more memorable candidate. If
this non-traditional work makes up the bulk of your
prior experience, however, your situation may be more
challenging. Some of our insiders declared that unusual
backgrounds were fine as long as they revealed a record
of accomplishment: вЂњI remember the resume of a person with an art history major who had taken the initiative to start some programs at her school,вЂќ one recruiter
said. вЂњAlthough she didnвЂ™t have a traditional background, her experience showed results.вЂќ Other insiders were less sanguine: вЂњI tend to shy away from goofy
backgrounds such as Mother TeresaвЂ™s nuns, the Peace
Corps, or other areas with no direct business experience,вЂќ says one consultant.
Our advice if youвЂ™re in this situation? First, take
great pains to ensure that your resume is detailed and
specific about the results you have attained. Second, be
extra-clear about how such achievements will enable
you to excel as a consultant. Finally, despite caricatures
implying that all management consulting firms are the
same, remember that corporate culture does differ from
firm to firm. So pay extra attention to those companies
that have a greater tolerance forвЂ”and interest inвЂ”people with unique backgrounds.
chAPter 3
GETTING REaDy
To WRITE
experience should be short on description and long on
verifiable results.вЂќ We couldnвЂ™t agree more. So while you
should mention the type of work youвЂ™ve done and the
industries in which you have experience, you need to do
so in the context of what youвЂ™ve accomplishedвЂ”and if
you can quantify those accomplishments, so much the
better.
This makes sense when you think about what consulting firms do: They help client companies achieve
their goals. The best consultants point out the direct
impact that their work has on their clientsвЂ™ bottom
lines. To do this, they use measurement systems that
allow them and their clients to track progress along the
way. They want you to have done the same for yourself
and your career.
Consultants also care about the companies youвЂ™ve
worked for. Companies that are known to have good
training programs, such as General Electric or Procter
& Gamble, play well. In addition, companies with
notoriously rigorous selection processes, such as certain
investment banks or high-tech firms, score big points.
A measure of success at any of these companies is a plus,
because performing well for them indicates to the resume
reader that you have what it takes to survive in a competitive, rigorous environment of well-qualified peers.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Additional Information
As unlikely as it may seem, consulting isnвЂ™t only about
crunching numbers and creating great PowerPoint presentations. Managing clients and working with colleagues both require excellent people skills. Solving
complex problems requires creative thinking and the
ability to bring diverse perspectives to bear. And driving
projects to completion requires perseverance and commitment. Use the Additional Information section of
your resume to underscore the personal strengths that
you can bring to the table.
This section is your opportunity to provide a little
personal, but relevant, color. The kinds of things you
might list here include activities, volunteer work,
memberships, and skills you may not have touched on
yet, such as proficiency in foreign languages. But just
because this section of your resume tends to be more
flexible than the others doesnвЂ™t mean that you should
put down anything and everything. Relevance remains
the operative wordвЂ”does the item meaningfully contribute to the picture you are painting of yourself as a
candidate?
Insiders tell us that interesting or unusual information in this section can play a significant role in the decision to award an interview. Says one consultant, вЂњI saw a
womanвЂ™s resume with a blurb at the bottom on how she
started an organization to educate the homeless in her
city, and I thought, this is someone who identifies problems and takes initiative to solve them. This is the type of
person we need on our projects.вЂќ
You can also use the Additional Information section to mention activities that hint at your gender, race,
religion, or sexual orientation. While the debate over
the importance of these topics remains volatile, their
inclusion may positively influence your application if
your activities link you to a constituency that the company is trying to recruit. Many firms are desperate to
recruit a more varied workforce as they serve an increas-
22
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
ingly diverse clientele. We hear regular complaints from
recruiters about how difficult it is to find diverse qualified candidates.
It also goes without saying that you mention personal activities at your own risk. Controversial causes
or activism could spell trouble for your application,
especially if youвЂ™ve publicly championed fervent political or religious beliefs, participated in campus protests,
or expressed your civil disobedience in other ways. ItвЂ™s
probably not a good idea to mention your profanitylaced blog or your communist party membership.
DonвЂ™t forget that consulting firms work for a wide
spectrum of corporate (and sometimes government)
clients, and are unabashed profit-seekersвЂ”youвЂ™re kidding yourself if you canвЂ™t check the bulk of your fervor
at the door.
Skills Will Kill (Your Chances)
Many resume books proclaim the virtues of the skillsbased resume format for dressing up your experience,
especially when youвЂ™ve had many positions or are trying
to change careers. (If youвЂ™re unfamiliar with this type of
resume, theyвЂ™re organized around skill setsвЂ”e.g., technical skills, communication skills, etc.вЂ”rather than
around your chronological employment history.) We
have two words for the skills-based resume: Forget it.
None of our insiders like this alternative format. вЂњIвЂ™m
always suspicious when I see a skills-based resume,вЂќ one
tells us. вЂњI feel like I have to make a leap of faith. I prefer
to see experience that illustrates skills IвЂ™m looking for.вЂќ
Another consultant is more direct. вЂњI hate reading skills
resumes,вЂќ he says. вЂњSometimes I donвЂ™t bother.вЂќ
> TIP
Make sure the items in your вЂњAdditional
InformationвЂќ section are appropriate. DonвЂ™t,
for example, tout your Barbie collection, as
one candidate we were told about did.
Guideline One:
Conform to Structure Norms
Education
Date, degree, school
Experience
Date, title, organization (#1)
вЂў Achievement 1
вЂў Achievement 2
Experience
Date, title, organization (#2)
вЂў Achievement 3
вЂў Achievement 4
Additional information
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 23
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Recall our earlier discussion on good design: your
goal is to help the reader grasp key content quickly,
not marvel at your unusual formatting choices. So, we
recommend:
Contact info
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Guideline Two:
Use Layout and Format to Boost Clarity
Basic Consulting Resume Structure
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
WeвЂ™ve discussed why you should follow the norms of the
resume struture. Take a look at the basic skeleton to the
right.
Putting your dates on the right or left is fine, just
remember that the reader should be able to scan them
quickly. Some insiders suggest adding the location of
the company or school as well. As one consultant said,
вЂњI like to see the location of the company for which
someone worked because I want to make sure theyвЂ™re
interested in living/working here.вЂќ Either way, the
important thing is to be consistent.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
In the case of your resume, superior design promotes
quick scanning. It directs the eye to the key bits of
information. To the reader, the design should be practically subliminalвЂ”it should just work. ThatвЂ™s why violating standard formatting and layout conventions is a
bad ideaвЂ”it pulls the readerвЂ™s attention away from your
content and toward questions about your judgment.
Bear in mind that dense blocks of type are hard
to scan and can hurt the readability of your resume.
Even though youвЂ™re distilling many qualifications onto
a single sheet, less is still more. Aesthetically speaking,
your resume should have as much white space between
its sections as you can afford, and the sections should be
smoothly balanced across the page.
Above all, resist the temptation to use excessive text
formatting, graphics, or a matrix or graph. Such extras
eat up space that could be dedicated to trotting out the
evidence of your qualifications that will win you additional checks or points, and that will help you to land in
the вЂњcall backвЂќ pile.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Top-Level Guidelines and
Preferred Resume Structure
вЂў A single, standard font: Times New Roman, Arial,
or something similar .
вЂўA readable font size: 12-point preferred, but no
smaller than 10.
вЂў Neutral paper color: white or off-white.
вЂў Standard layout: one-inch margins (or larger), leftaligned lines, and line spaces between sections.
вЂў One page in length!
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
вЂє WeвЂ™ve already discussed the fact that your
resume will need to make an impact if itвЂ™s going to
stand out from the crowdвЂ”but we need to add a dash
of nuance to this picture. Submitting a resume with
fanciful formatting or unconventional structure is a
sure way to stand outвЂ”and to torpedo your chances.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Writing and
Formatting Your
Resume
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Guideline Three:
Write Using Bullet Points
When it comes to the words on your resume, superior writing is all about being concise (and using clear,
jargon-free language). One firmвЂ™s vice president tells us,
вЂњIf you canвЂ™t reduce your resume to one page, I immediately think you are unable to tell the important from
the trivial, which is a death sentence for a consultant.вЂќ
One of the best ways to fulfill the preceding aims is
to use bullets. Why?
вЂў Bullets make your resume more concise.
вЂў Bullets make it easier to scan.
вЂў Consultants love bullets; they write in bullets; they
even think in bullets.
Insiders tell us that consultants are more likely to
toss a resume into the ding pile than to spend extra
time plowing through clunky prose to find what theyвЂ™re
looking for. вЂњIвЂ™m impressed when someone has enough
confidence to write just one line followed by short bullet points,вЂќ one partner tells us. вЂњI know writers can B.S.
their way through things by writing prose,вЂќ comments
another.
When you write bullets, remember the following:
вЂў Keep them short (one line if possible).
вЂў Start them with action verbs.
вЂў Structure them consistently.
> TIP
Resume reviewers favor candidates with
backgrounds similar to their own. Read the
employee profiles found on most firmsвЂ™
recruiting websites, looking for individuals
who have worked in the same company or
attended the same school you did.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
6 Ways to Avoid Getting Dinged
WeвЂ™ve advised you at length about what recruiters
like to see on your resume. Now letвЂ™s take a moment
to highlight some stuff they donвЂ™t like to see. If your
resume exhibits any of the following negative traits, you
run a high risk of a ding, no matter how strong your
qualifications are.
The Buzzword Bozo
Buzzword bozos use words in the wrong context or
words that arenвЂ™t meaningful in an attempt to sound
savvy. If you claim to have been вЂњresponsible for re-engineering the audit approval process,вЂќ you risk appearing
more naive than you are. After all, вЂњre-engineeringвЂќ is
just another word for вЂњchanging,вЂќ and вЂњaudit approval
processвЂќ is redundant. Why not lose вЂњapprovalвЂќ and
claim to have вЂњchanged the audit process?вЂќ
The Experience Inflator
The biggest mistake insiders note is the tendency to
overstate experience. Yeah, we know everyone exaggerates their experience to some extent, but insiders tell us
that if a resume looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Therefore, most of them look at a glowing resume with a
heavy dose of skepticism. Yes, do sell yourself and showcase your talents, but do it without going overboard.
The Title Titillator
Title titillators think a fancy title will make their experience sound better. Consider the very impressive-sounding title вЂњDirector of Strategic Operations.вЂќ What on
earth does that mean? Any consultant knows enough
about how various industries are structured to be suspicious of such a title. Go with вЂњDirector of Business
DevelopmentвЂќ instead. When in doubt, simplify so as
to make your role and responsibilities clearer.
The Liar
Frighteningly enough, many insiders we talked to said
they had caught individuals lying about everything
from what degrees they had earned to where they had
24
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Chek YouвЂ™re Speling
Use with Caution
These terms often tip off a reader that the
writer is trying to puff, embellish, or add gloss.
consultsophisticated
complex strategy, strategic
liaisonsuccessful
facilitate recommend
assist work with
co-anything
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 25
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Avoid These Completely
These words have become practically
meaningless through overuse, or they were
never real words to begin with. Either way,
you can be sure that theyвЂ™ll seem вЂњwrongвЂќ to
at least one reader. Our recommendation:
Avoid them.
re-engineering
change management
value chain
incentivize
methodological
any Harvard Business Review buzzword
more than a year old
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Typos wonвЂ™t always get you thrown into the circular, but why take the risk? Our insiders said one typo
wouldnвЂ™t disqualify a candidate, but several typos probably would. On the other hand, any typo is a good
enough reason to nix a candidate and, depending on
the readerвЂ™s mood and level of patience, a typo might
be just the excuse needed to whittle down that pile.
Use your spell checker, but also be sure to proofread
carefully. Spell checkers wonвЂ™t catch homonyms (there
vs their) or misused contractions (your vs youвЂ™re, itвЂ™s
vs its, etc.). Certainly, the spell check function wonвЂ™t
pick up mistakes in the name of the company or the
recruiter! If you catch a recruiter on a bad day, your outdated references to Booz, Allen & Hamilton (instead
of Booz Allen Hamilton) might tip the scale ever-sosubtly against you. Consultants are a notoriously detailoriented bunch, and a seemingly minor glitch might
call your own attention to detail into question. Have
a friend or two read through your resume before you
send it out.
Good, Solid Terms
These words (and their variations) are specific
and quantitative without being too technical,
and imply worthy accomplishments.
result measure, measurement
yieldmodel
analyzeforecast
manageconduct
leadimplement
process percent, percentage
revenuecreate
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Resumes that lack focus are big losers. They include
mentions of membership in seven different clubs without a leadership position in any of them; experience in
five industries in the past four years; and knowledge of
marketing, sales, manufacturing, finance, and information systems. Right. Why donвЂ™t such people just start
their own consulting firms?
While you need to sound business-savvy and
up to date when you describe your experience
and abilities, itвЂ™s critical that you avoid banal
buzzwords and incomprehensible jargon.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
The Jack of All Trades
buzzword alert!
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
earned them to where they had worked. One remembered a candidate from a top finance school who lied
about being on the board of a prominent charity. It so
happened that the readerвЂ™s spouse was on that board,
which made for a very interesting dinner table conversation that evening, and an awkward phone call to
the candidate the next day. Needless to say, he was not
invited for an interview.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
Resumes Reviewed
вЂє By this point you should have a pretty good
idea of how a consulting firm handles its resumes,
and you should have started thinking about how to
present your own qualifications. However, the final
step remains: sitting down and writing your own
resume. To illustrate many of the points we have
offered so far, and to help you along the way, weвЂ™ve
included nine real resumes from aspiring consultants
(changing the names and revealing information to
protect the guilty). Our selection includes an assortment of people from different backgrounds. We asked
our consulting insiders for their thoughts on how these
volunteers could improve their self-presentation for
the consulting screen. These are the suggestions that
resulted (including some direct quotes from recruiters).
Resume 1
MBA with Traditional
Business Background
From Drowning in ExcessвЂ¦
See the numbered items on the resume on pages
27 & 28:
1.If this information is truly important, put it in the
cover letter or вЂњAdditional InformationвЂќ section.
2. This information should be omitted if youвЂ™re
sending your resume to a recruiter in the
United States.
3. This list is suspiciously long; it should be pruned
and moved to the вЂњAdditional InformationвЂќ
section.
4. This section should come after вЂњExperience,вЂќ
since that is more impressive.
5. In general: switch to active voice, shorten by
hitting the highlights, rewrite to mention results
and avoid laundry lists of duties.
6. What does this mean and why is it relevant?
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
7. Be specific: How big a budget?
8. Managed what size staff?
9. Raised how much capital?
Turned a profit in how long?
10. Resulting in what cost reduction annually?
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
11. Managed how many people with what results?
12. So what?
13. Again, so what?
14. Pick one or two of these; which are most
important to you?
26
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
GRANT, Andrew Wesley
27 Ridge View Way, Wellington, New Zealand
(Wk) 821 1234 5991 (Hm) 821 1234 2117 (Mobile) 0419 1234 882
Nationality Work Permits Australian and British
European Union, USA, Australia, New Zealand
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Name Address Telephone Age 32
Experience 15 years work experience, including five internationally
Family Married with two children
Interests Chess, Classical Guitar, Piano, Yoga, Skiing, Running, Photography,
Current Affairs, Travel and the Internet
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
EDUCATION
MBA (Technology) вЂ“ Auckland Business School, University of Auckland
(Studying part time, working full time. 15 out of 20 subjects completed. GPA:>78%)
BA (Economics) вЂ“ Royal Military College, Westland University
High School Certificate вЂ“ Peninsula Grammar School, Auckland
EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
2009вЂ“Current Selecta Multimedia Pty. Ltd.
Position Marketing Manager (Full Time Consultant)
Electronic Commerce
Experience вЂў Complete marketing responsibility for new product development in the area of
Electronic Payments via the Internet, cable, mobile, and basic telephony:
market/industry research, market segmentation and sizing, focus group selection and
brief, positioning, branding, pricing, and promotion. Tools used include sophisticated
database and mapping techniques. Ongoing negotiation and development of channels,
registration processes, and customer care
вЂў Development and successful presentation of the Business Case and Marketing
Strategy for Australian and South East Asian markets
вЂў Determination and management of budgets
вЂў Management of cross functional team of 8
вЂў Provision of technical / systems consultancy in areas of encryption, the
Internet, business system requirements and security
вЂў Developed object oriented model and new Internet based prototype for product
conceptualisation
вЂў Conclusion / ongoing negotiations with New Zealand financial institutions/banks,
merchants and corporates, as well as (geographically dispersed) internal development
team, systems integrators and suppliers
27
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
2008-Current
National Internet Pty. Ltd.
National Internet Service Provider: Dial-up, Web Authoring, Consultancy
Position Founder and Managing Director
Experience вЂў Equity position and startup of a national Internet Service business, employing
three Directors and four staff
вЂў Providing local dial up access nationally, LAN connectivity, web authoring, data
base design and business strategy (Internet) consultancy services
вЂў Servicing consumers, small business and corporates in every mainland state
вЂў Developed Business Plan, Technology and Marketing Strategies
вЂў Generated profit within 18 months
вЂў Raised venture capital
вЂў Setup national inbound/outbound telemarketing and customer care centers
вЂў Prepared and implemented national advertising strategy (print and radio)
вЂў Concluded negotiations for sales and service channel with partner companies in
Sydney, Perth and Canberra
2005вЂ“2008 Selecta Corporation
New Zealand telecommunications company, $15 billion turnover; 70,000 staff
Position Senior Business Analyst (Full Time Consultant)
Corporate Systems and Processes, Corporate Finance
Experience вЂў Successful identification of firmwide work flow and business process redesign
opportunities
вЂў Responsible for development of Business Cases in consultation with senior
management at national level for a number of applications
вЂў Successful development and implementation of associated business requirements,
functional specifications, test strategies and training in support of identified business
process redesign opportunities
вЂў Prime focus on budget and forecasting Management and Executive Information Systems and processes across Selecta
вЂў Successfully performed complex financial analysis for senior management and
Selecta Board вЂ“ affecting balance sheet
вЂў Managed numerous teams across software development life cycle
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
2003вЂ“2005 Jervis Partners Pty. Ltd.
Commodity Traders вЂ“ Precious and Non-Ferrous Metals (FamilyвЂ™s business)
Position Manager вЂ“ Commodities Trading and Risk Management
Experience вЂў Responsible for commodity trading in London / North American markets, and
foreign exchange risk management
вЂў Negotiated international sales purchase agreements (import and export)
вЂў Identified new markets for buying selling of commodities globally, resulting in a
15% increase in profits
вЂў Managed team of 5
вЂў Managed all commodity shipments internationally
вЂў Developed sophisticated financial and scenario modelling to tight deadlines
2002вЂ“2003 First Boston Bank
Position Systems Accountant
Corporate Operating Services
Experience вЂў Successful specification, development and implementation of Management and
Executive Information Systems for European operations вЂ“ within budget and on time
вЂў Managed team of 5
вЂў Reported to London and New York
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
2001 to 2002 1999 to 2001 Baden Business Publications вЂ“ Trainee Financial Accountant, London
German publishing company; 11,000 staff; ВЈ1.1 billion turnover, top ten worldwide
вЂў Financial accounting: monthly, quarterly, and year end
вЂў Monthly variance analysis and presentation to publishers and senior management
вЂў Trial Balance
вЂў Also worked/trained in litigation, credit control, purchase/sales ledger, payroll, and
cashiers departments
1998
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Financial Services вЂ“ Management Accountant, London
Largest U.K. retail chain; 60,000 staff, ВЈ1.6 billion turnover
вЂў Reporting to Director of Finance (Credit Cards):
вЂў Management accounting: monthly, quarterly, year end
вЂў Profitability, bad debt, variance, cash flow and cross spend analysis
National New Zealand Bank вЂ” Undergraduate Trainee, Auckland (Part Time) вЂў Trained in Loan, Securities, Customer Service and Cashiers departments
1995 to 1997 Westland вЂ” Staff Cadet, Royal Military College, Westland
вЂў Third youngest cadet to be accepted at AustraliaвЂ™s most prestigious Officer
Military Academy
OTHER
2009вЂ“Current 2009вЂ“2010 1997/98 1994/95 1994 1994
1992вЂ“94 28
Elected and actively contributing to Board of Management Synagogue
Elected and actively contributed to Student Council
Auckland Business School, University of Auckland
Backpacked through North Africa, East, Central and West Europe
Member of two month Middle East study tour (Israel, Golan, Sinai, West Bank)
Completed High School Certificate at age 16
Member of School Debating and Chess Teams вЂ“ reached State Finals
Attended several Outward Bound Expeditions
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 29
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Continue to
page 30 for
the revision.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 1: REvised
MBA with Traditional
Business Background
вЂ¦To Focused and Relevant
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Our rewrite focuses on AndrewвЂ™s most recent
experience and mentions only his most significant
responsibilities and accomplishments. We used
the active voice to create a more compelling and
less narrative tone, dumped the hyperbole, and
scaled way back on extraneous information. The
result is a resume that shows evidence of the basic
consulting skills (leadership potential, analytical
skills, and some level of academic achievement),
highlights entrepreneurial experience and specific
accomplishments, and shows experience leading
teams, analyzing data, and bringing about change
in an organization. Andrew now has a strong,
balanced resume.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
You can see it on the next page.
30
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Andrew Wesley Grant
27 Ridge View Way
Wellington, New Zealand
Telephone (Wk) 821 1234 5991 (Hm) 821 1234 2117 (Mobile) 0419 1234 882
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
EXPERIENCE
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
1990вЂ“1992 Jervis Partners Pty. Ltd.
Commodity Traders вЂ“ Precious and Non-Ferrous Metals
Manager вЂ“ Commodities Trading and Risk Management
вЂў Identified new markets for buying and selling of commodities globally, resulting in a 15% increase in profits.
вЂў Managed team of five.
EDUCATION
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
2009вЂ“Current Selecta Multimedia Pty. Ltd.
New Zealand telecommunications company, $15 billion turnover; 70,000 staff
Marketing Manager, Electronic Commerce
вЂў Managed all marketing for new products involving electronic payments via the Internet, cable, mobile, and basic telephony. Conducted market/industry research, analyzed segments and size, and set up focus groups, positioning, branding, pricing, and promotion strategies.
вЂў Developed business case and marketing strategy for Australian and South East Asian markets.
The plan was approved and implemented, resulting in an initial market share capture of 15%.
вЂў Managed $500,000 budget.
вЂў Managed cross-functional team of eight.
2008вЂ“Current
National Internet Pty. Ltd.
National Internet service company providing dial-up, Web-authoring, and consultancy services.
Founder and Managing Director
вЂў Founded and managed national Internet service provider serving more than 5,000 consumer and business accounts.
вЂў Developed and implemented technology and marketing strategies, negotiating contracts with
partner companies.
вЂў Raised $500,000 in venture capital and generated profit within 18 months.
2003вЂ“2005 Selecta Corporation
Senior Business Analyst, Corporate Systems and Processes, Corporate Finance
вЂў Developed business cases for new IT systems proposals in consultation with senior national
management.
вЂў Identified and wrote associated business requirements, functional specifications, test
strategies and training programs in support of business process redesign opportunities resulting in a cost reduction of $50,000 annually.
вЂў Performed complex financial analysis for senior management and Selecta Board, which resulted in changes to the balance sheet.
вЂў Managed three teams across software development life cycle to deliver projects on time and on budget.
MBA (Technology) вЂ“ Auckland Business School, University of Auckland
(Studying part-time, working full-time. 15 out of 20 subjects completed.)
BA (Economics) вЂ“ Royal Military College, Westland University 1998
OTHER
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
31
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Member of synagogue board of management.
Elected to Student Council, Auckland Business School, University of Auckland.
Interested in chess, classical guitar, current affairs, and the Internet.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 2
MBA with Traditional
Business Background
From Poorly Quantified AchievementsвЂ¦
See the numbered items on the resume on page 33.
1. Who? How big?
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
2. WhatвЂ™s your role?
3. WhatвЂ™s the result?
4. Conducted? Attended?
5. To do what?
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
6. What was your role? What was the outcome?
7. Second-tier schoolвЂ”need to see some academic
strength here.
8. How selected?
9. Big or small? How many students?
10. Top percent of class?
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
вЂњGerardвЂ™s background probably has many of the elements weвЂ™d look for,
but I donвЂ™t get the feeling heвЂ™d be a good consultant because there is
no indication that heвЂ™s strived for measured results in his professional
endeavors,вЂќ one reviewer tells us. Another cautions, вЂњWithout a degree
at a top school, heвЂ™d need outstanding experience to pass the screen at
our firm, and this candidate just doesnвЂ™t have it. He might be suitable
for one of our European offices.вЂќ The truth isnвЂ™t always pretty, but you
need someone to give you the straight scoop!
The format of GerardвЂ™s resume is excellent: dates on the left, logical
sequencing, companies and titles clearly indicated, and concise bullets.
But the sentence structure for the bullets should be parallelвЂ”each
sentence should start with an active verb. In addition, thereвЂ™s no
evidence of academic achievement.
32
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Experience
Aug. 2010
to date
OMNI SURGICAL, S.A.
Research Analyst вЂ“ New Markets
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
GERALD MAILLAND
306 Green Road Tel. (Home): 901 555 1821
Rochester, NY 27410
Tel. (Work): 901 555 3000
Email: gerald@ccm.com
ROCHESTER, NY
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
вЂў Mexico and Central America
Given the task to develop a market penetration strategy and its implementation.
Establishing an office in Mexico. Selection of potential distributors.
вЂў Medical Device Product Manager
Identified a new market and assessed its possibilities.
Presented the project to the CEO and the Holding Company Director.
Led the product development team and carried out its market entry with the Regional Sales Manager.
вЂў Training at European offices in France and the Netherlands.
Summer 2007
ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
Intern вЂ“ ControllerвЂ™s department
вЂў Forecast analysis of the electric utility market in South West France.
вЂў Updated the вЂњReport on External and Internal Diagnosis of the Company.вЂќ
Education
2008-2009
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
Washington, d.c.
Master of Business Administration, Class of 2010.
Concentration in Global Marketing and Entrepreneurship.
One out of the two first students jointly sponsored by ESLSCA and GMU
to attend Graduate School.
2006вЂ“2008
Notre Dame BUSINESS SCHOOL
PARIS, FRANCE
Business degree, December 2009, International Business.
Ski team captain, co-creator of the baseball team. A.I.E.S.E.C. member.
Organizer of вЂњInternational WeekвЂќ welcoming East European business students.
2005вЂ“2006
LEROI PREPARATORY BUSINESS SCHOOL
Co-creator and editor of the schoolвЂ™s newspaper.
2004вЂ“2005
EXCHANGE STUDENT, REDMOND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated class of 2005. Academic Achievement Award.
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Fluent French and English, proficient Spanish, started Japanese.
IBM compatible systems, Microsoft Office, Netscape. Programming in Turbo Pascal.
Special interest in Latin America and Asia. Backpacked through Central and
South America.
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
33
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Language Skills Computer
Personal
PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
OMNI SURGICAL, S.A.
Intern вЂ“ ControllerвЂ™s department
вЂў Assisted in the development of a valuation tool for contracts.
вЂў Developed a valuation approach for export contracts.
вЂў Corrected the control method of export margins.
вЂў Executed a valuation of total sales & rentals and related analysis.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Summer 2008
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Jan.вЂ“
J. WALTER THOMPSON LATIN AMERICA MEXICO D.F., MEXICO
June 2009
Marketing Analyst вЂ“ GENERAL MILLS account
вЂў Analysis of General MillsвЂ™s allocation of advertising resources throughout Latin America.
вЂў Created a P&L program and a database for the eight Latin American subsidiaries.
вЂў Proposal on chocolate Ready to Eat CerealвЂ™s segment.
вЂў Research on media analysis and planning.
вЂў Presentations to General MillsвЂ™s executives after internal review with the account
Vice President.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 2: Revised
MBA with Traditional
Business Background
вЂ¦To Well-Specified Strengths
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Our revision requires that Gerard put some
thought into how to quantify his accomplishments. This doesnвЂ™t have to entail numbers, but
he must show that heвЂ™s tracking his performance
somehow. His strengths include a solid international background, good research and analytical
skills, marketing knowledge, and lots of experience developing proposals, which comes in handy
in consulting during business development
pushes. He needs to showcase these strengths if
he wants a chance at an interview. The resume on
the next page provides a clear example of how to
do this.
In addition to improving his resume with
quantitative results, Gerard will probably need
to take other steps to successfully secure an
interview for a consulting position. To start, he
should contact alums from his business school, set
up informational interviews with them, and really
seek to understand the industry and the players.
He may want to target some boutique firms that
would value his language skills and international
experience. One possibility would be to consider
firms that focus on providing advice about Latin
America. Alternatively, Gerard might have better luck approaching firms with an interest in
Latin American markets, especially in the consumer goods industry. Finally, because his resume
doesnвЂ™t jump out of the stack, Gerard will want his
story down cold about why he wants to work for
a particular company and what he can bring to it
that is unique.
34
W E T F E E T I N S ID ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
GERALD MAILLAND
306 Green Road Tel. (Home): 901 555 1821
Rochester, NY 27410 Tel. (Work): 901 555 3000
Email: gerald@ccm.com
Washington, d.c.
2006вЂ“2007
NOTRE DAME BUSINESS SCHOOL
Bachelor of Business, December 2008, International Business.
Ski team captain, co-creator of the baseball team. A.I.E.S.E.C. member.
Organized вЂњInternational WeekвЂќ welcoming Eastern European students.
Paris, France
2005вЂ“2006
LEROI PREPARATORY BUSINESS SCHOOL
Co-creator and editor of the school newspaper.
Bordeaux, France
2004вЂ“2005
EXCHANGE STUDENT, REDMOND SR. H.S.
Graduated in top 5% of class and won Academic Achievement Award.
Minneapolis, MN
Other
Fluent in French and English, proficient in Spanish, starting Japanese.
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 35
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
Master of Business Administration, Class of 2010
Concentrating on Global Marketing and Entrepreneurship.
One of only two students to qualify, based on 3.8 GPA in first term, for
Graduate School sponsorship from ESLSCA and GMU.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Education
2008вЂ“2009
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Summer 2007
ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
Bordeaux, France
Intern вЂ” ControllerвЂ™s Department
вЂў Forecasted electricity demand in Southwest France as a basis for bringing on additional generating capacity.
вЂў Researched companyвЂ™s internal structure and external market position, and revised the standard company operating procedures manual used by 75,000 employees.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Summer 2008 OMNI SURGICAL, S.A. Paris, France
Intern вЂ” ControllerвЂ™s Department
вЂў Devised a valuation tool to analyze lifetime cost of manufacturing equipment contracts and
maintenance.
вЂў Developed a valuation system for export contracts that captured exchange rate fluctuations.
вЂў Improved the system for estimating and setting export contract profit hurdles.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Jan. to J. WALTER THOMPSON LATIN AMERICA Mexico D.F., Mexico
June 2009
Marketing Analyst вЂ” GENERAL MILLS account
вЂў Analyzed effectiveness of General MillsвЂ™s $25 million Latin America advertising budget, and proposed reallocation of one-third of budget to higher value channels.
вЂў Created the first standard P&L worksheet covering eight Latin American subsidiaries, which improved cash forecasting capabilities, and allowed office-by-office profit analysis.
вЂў Proposed a brand extension strategy for the chocolate Ready to Eat cereal market, which formed the basis of new product development efforts.
вЂў Made regular presentations about business unit performance to executive committee.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Experience Aug. 2010
OMNI SURGICAL , S.A.
Rochester, NY
to date
(Surgical equipment manufacturerвЂ”$55 million, sales)
Research Analyst вЂ” New Markets
вЂў Conducted a detailed study of the medical device market in Mexico. Managed a two-month research effort, including surveys, interviews and customer visits.
вЂў Identified a new $10 million market, and drafted and presented a market penetration strategy to CEO.
вЂў Led five-person product development team and implemented market entry strategy with Regional Sales Manager.
вЂў Established a new three-person office in Mexico City.
вЂў Identified eight potential distributors and negotiated distribution agreements.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 3
MBA with Small
Company Experience
A Model of ExcellenceвЂ¦
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
вЂњRobertвЂ™s resume is a very easy read. Even at first
glance he looks like a strong candidate. We like
to see a high GPA like his, especially when heвЂ™s
from a less well-known school. And the fact that
heвЂ™s achieved a lot in both entrepreneurial and
corporate settings indicates that heвЂ™d do well at
our firm and with a variety of clients.вЂќ
Even though most of RobertвЂ™s experience is at a
small, unknown company, the explanation of his
role, work performed, results achieved, and career
progression is so clear and thoughtful that the
company becomes almost irrelevant. Would it be
stronger if his experience were at Intel? Maybe,
but then weвЂ™d wonder why he went to business
school at allвЂ¦.
He has clearly described his role and neatly
summarized his responsibilities at the top of
each section. The points in the bullets illustrate
specific, quantified results achieved through research, analysis, and modeling. In addition, Robert
gives examples of team involvement, management
experience, and leadership potential through his
summer employment and activities.
1. He should lead with his experience, since that is
his strength.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
2. Move the dates to the left margin under
experience so that they donвЂ™t become lost in the
locations.
3. Add a location for the GE experience.
36
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
Candidate for MBA Degree to be awarded June 2012
GPA: 3.92
Pittsburgh, PA
BATES COLLEGE
B.A., History, June 2004
National Merit Scholar
Lewiston, ME
EXPERIENCE:
MARKETING ASSOCIATE
November 2009вЂ“present
GE вЂ“ Health Care Division
Work directly with technical and marketing professionals in the design and strategic positioning of high-tech surgical products.
вЂўCo-leader of project team that is developing a surgical product to be used in image-guided neuro-surgery. My role is to perform strategic market analysis, work directly with end-
users to identify key product attributes, and implement global product roll-out.
вЂўWork directly with global product manager and European and Asian marketing managers as lead analyst on long-term, world-wide product strategy. Responsible for identifying global competitive threats and opportunities, evaluating regional and local market trends, and making recommendations for systematic market penetration.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
EDUCATION:
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
ROBERT A. MacPHERSON
422 Applegate Blvd., #633
Pittsburgh, PA 15102
(412) 555-5566
E-mail: bob@macpherson.com
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
GENERAL MANAGER
October 2006вЂ“July 2009
Delivery Express St. Louis, Missouri
Developed strategic systems and managed day-to-day operations for $1.1 million same-day delivery firm.
вЂў Instituted changes within the firm which directly led to sales growth from $250,000 to over $1 million in less than three years.
вЂў Performed market price analysis and customer price elasticity study to determine optimal service pricing and employee compensation levels. Persuaded company president to make changes to these systems that generated 10% increase in net revenue and 80% increase in net profit.
вЂў Created logistical model for customer-specific delivery systems that was initially applied to two accounts that totaled 5% of net income. The increased efficiency from this model delivered a 30% increase in net profit while generating 66% improvement in customersвЂ™ ability to meet critical time parameters. Model was subsequently applied to all accounts in scheduled delivery division.
вЂў Worked directly with client team from a chemical supply firm to customize distribution system. This required careful process mapping, rationalization of service options, and creation of a pull-through vendor-managed delivery system. This system eliminated product
delivery delays and reduced order cycle times to less than 24 hours while reducing the
customersвЂ™ costs by over 15%.
вЂў Used multiple regression analysis to model optimal staff levels and strategically target recruiting efforts. Process rationalization reduced contractor turnover by 50% and recruiting costs by over 70%.
MANAGER, BICYCLE DIVISION September 2004вЂ“ October 2006
Delivery Express St. Louis, Missouri
Directed day-to-day operations of twenty bicycle messengers and two dispatchers.
вЂў Instituted performance standard measurement tools that defined expectations for back-office staff based on analytical performance measures.
вЂў Used competitive benchmarking to establish quantitative goals for critical service parameters. Achieved unprecedented 99.6% on-time delivery rate for bicycle division.
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
37
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
ACTIVITIESPresident, CMU MBA Association (May 2010 вЂ“ May 2011)
AND HONORS: Co-Founder and Chair, CMU Consulting Club (September 2009)
Team Leader, CMU Volunteer Consulting Project (September 2009 вЂ“ January 2010)
Finalist, вЂњMost Valuable Student AwardвЂќ вЂ“ Nominated by peers (May 2010)
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 4
MBA with Nontraditional
Business Background
From Prolific ProseвЂ¦
This list references the numbered items on the
facing page:
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
1. Lose this entire section. DoesnвЂ™t add value.
2. Second-tier school; donвЂ™t focus here first.
3. This will barely make it.
4. What is this? Was he working while going to
school?
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
5. Not good enough to include.
6. Good! Uses active voice and gives results.
7. Bullets, please! Does he expect me to read this
entire paragraph word-for-word?
8. Too much info, most of it unhelpful.
9. Nice, but youвЂ™re not going to be touring Spain
during client travel assignments.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
10. Why total? As opposed to 4 years not totaled?
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
11. Yes, we assume this if youвЂ™re interested in
consulting. Consultants do travel.
38
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
MICHAEL D. NEWMAN
Engineering services and management generalist with over 7 years of
experience in a diversified industry. Seeking position as management consultant with emphasis on operations and decision support.
EDUCATION
BABSON COLLEGE
Wellesley, MA
Graduate School of Business Administration
GPA 3.7/4.0
Candidate for Master of Business Administration, May 2011
Charter Member, Part-Time MBA Association
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Norfolk, VA
GPA 3.0/4.0
PERSONAL
Skilled in WORD, EXCEL, MINITAB, WORDPERFECT, and POWERPOINT.
Skilled in use of decision support programs LINDO and DATA. Working knowledge
of PROJECT, VISIO, and FOXPRO. Read/write Spanish, communicate verbally at
tourist level. Four years total experience as editor of Mace & Crown and County
Dance News. Willing to relocate/travel.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 39
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Testing Support, Nuclear Engineering
Wrote technical procedures for and assisted in oversight of on-site post-repair testing
of reactor plant systems.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Lead Instructor, Nuclear Training
Developed, coordinated and conducted training program for engineering personnel
responsible for directing nuclear reactor systems testing for submarines. Oversaw
preparation and administration of qualification examinations for a division of over 100
personnel.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
EXPERIENCE NAVAL SHIPYARD
New London, CT
2003 вЂ“ 2010
Project Engineer
Coordinated contracts and services of seven engineering divisions for over twentyseven projects valued at $25.9 million. Compiled, presented, and defended
manning and budget proposals for all assigned projects. Led a successful process
improvement initiative to double the quality of cost estimates and managed
implementation of team recommendations. Oversaw development and maintenance
of twenty-three process instructions used to ensure the quality and consistency of
engineering services, including process instructions for planning, estimating, and
engineering nuclear projects. Developed and maintained a database of manning and
budget data for a department of over 400 engineers and technical professionals and
utilized this resource to develop departmental budget and staffing plans. Received
Outstanding Achievement Award for development and presentation of five-year
personnel hiring plan. Initiated and participated in development of departmental
technical resources management system estimated to reduce engineering cost
by $52,000 per year. Developed policy for and maintained functional control over
departmental intranet. Developed process for and maintained functional control over
electronic distribution system for all nuclear process instructions.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CAREER
SUMMARY
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
987 Cantilever Court
Weston, MA 02123
(508) 555-9021
EXPERIENCE NAVAL SHIPYARD
New London, CT
2003 вЂ“ 2010
Project Engineer
Responsible for coordinating contracts, budgets, and services of seven
engineering divisions for 27 projects valued at $25.9 million.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
вЂў
вЂў
вЂў
вЂў
вЂў
Led a process improvement initiative that doubled the quality of cost estimates, resulting in $2 million annual cost reductions.
Created departmental staffing and budget plans by developing and maintaining a database of manning and budget information for a department of more than 400 professionals.
Earned Outstanding Achievement Award for development and presentation of five-year personnel hiring plan.
Initiated technical resources management system estimated to reduce engineering costs by 12% per year.
Developed policy for and maintained functional control over departmental intranet serving 130 users.
Resume 4: REvised
Resume 5
MBA with Nontraditional
Business Background
PhD with Non-Business
Background
вЂ¦To Precise Bullets
From вЂњTake My Word for ItвЂќвЂ¦
Above is the edited version of MichaelвЂ™s most
recent experience (bulleted, of course):
Michael should add a summary of responsibilities, as weвЂ™ve done, making sure that itвЂ™s short
but captures the essence of his role as project
engineer. Note that in describing his accomplishments we omitted some of the fluff words, such
as вЂњsuccessful,вЂќ and added information on specific
results achieved, to clarify MichaelвЂ™s depth of
responsibility. We exchanged the dollar figure for
a percent, because 12 percent is more impressive
than $52,000 (the loaded equivalent of less than
one engineer). Unless the dollar figures for the
items on your own resume are very large, we recommend that you use the percentages approach
as well.
This list references the numbered items on the
facing page:
1. How significant are these? How much money?
2. Indicate skills by showing experience.
3. Good, but how would this be relevant to
consulting?
4. Sort of a jumbleвЂ”need to illustrate with better
examples.
5. No clear evidence of achievement, not to
mention a very unfortunate typo on the
second line.
6. What? This makes me worry that heвЂ™d wax
scientific and lose sight of the business
fundamentals.
2вЂ“6. Combine these sections, make chronological,
illustrate work performed and achieved.
Overall: Does this guy have enough business
knowledge to have an impact on clients? Readers
would be skepticalвЂ¦.
40
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
BRANDON R. SHEA
HOME:
245 S. Braithwaite Ave. # 201
Boston, MA 02140
617 555 1244
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
OFFICE: Physics Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA, 02134 617 555 7854
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Physics Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Sept. 2005
B.A., Physics (with highest honors)
Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
May 2000
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
2009
2009
2007
2005
United States National Science Foundation, International Fellow (Japan)
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Invitation Fellow
Alton Bergmann Research Publication Award
Achievement Research for College Scientists Fellow
TECHNICAL SKILLS
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Analysis of complex data. Numerical modeling. Code development on parallel supercomputers.
Extraction of signals from noise. Image processing. Technical and proposal writing.
Undergraduate instruction (see teaching experience, below).
MANAGERIAL AND TEAM EXPERIENCE
Supervised MITвЂ€Monitor Pulsar Project. Coordinated multi-institute NASA observing
proposals. Served as principal investigator and coinvestigator on successful U.S., European, and
Japanese observing programs. Frequent visits to Japan and Europe for collaborative research and
preparation of scientific papers. Supervised graduate and undergraduate students.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS
SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, MIT 2008 to present
RESEARCH ASS OCIATE, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
2005-2008
RESEARCH ASSISTANT, Harvard University and Institute of Space and 2002-2005
Astronautical Science, Frankfurt, Germany
Developed computationally efficient technique for signal detection with parallel supercomputers.
Compiled major review paper on accreting pulsars. Discovered microsecond time lags in a new coronal diagnostic in binary stars. Developed optimal techniques for measuring time differences between noisy aperiodic signals. Helped develop data acquisition and refrigeration systems of the Harvard neutrino detector. CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Initiated and helped coordinate two world-wide astronomical observing campaigns.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2010вЂ“2011
2011
2005
2000вЂ“2001
1998вЂ“2000
Mentor, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, MIT
Summer Instructor, Physics Department, Rice University
Supervisor and Instructor, Oberlin College Winter Term Project
Teaching Assistant, Physics Department, Harvard University
Tutor, Physics and Mathematics Departments, Oberlin College
PERSONAL
Engineering Management Certificate, MIT Industrial Relations Office
Languages: Japanese, Dutch, and German
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
41
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 5: revised
PhD with Non-Business
Background
вЂ¦To Bona Fide Experience
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
вЂњBrandonвЂ™s experience just doesnвЂ™t seem relevant
to consulting,вЂќ notes one of our reviewers. вЂњI
question his ability to add value in a business
situation.вЂќ This one is a real stretch, but we think
thereвЂ™s hope for Brandon. After all, someone with
a PhD in physics has to be smart, right? (Big points
for intellectual capacity!) BrandonвЂ™s challenge is
to beef up the information in the other checklist
areas: leadership, record of results, and analytical
skills.
BrandonвЂ™s uncommon background, coupled with
a nonstandard resume format, may confuse readers who are used to looking for top schools and
GPAs. Brandon should definitely put his resume
into the standard three-section format to help
reviewers sift through his credentials.
We suggest the substantial rework on the
following page:
42
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Experience
2008 to current Senior Research Fellow Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
вЂў Supervised Monitor pulsar project. Managed staff of four analysts.
вЂў Responsible for structuring standard analysis, monitoring campaign, and publishing findings.
вЂў Analyzed very large quantity of data drawn from many sources with significant variability. Developed analysis techniques and numerical models to illustrate project
findings.
Cambridge, MA
OBERLIN COLLEGE B.A., Physics, with Highest Honors, May 2000.
Oberlin, OH
Other
Fluent in Dutch, Japanese, and German.
Active swimmer and member of the Harvard cycling team.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 43
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
HARVARD UNIVERSITY Ph.D., Physics, September 2005.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
2005вЂ“2008
Research Associate University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
вЂў Developed a computationally efficient technique for signal detection with parallel supercomputers.
вЂў Discovered microsecond time lags in binary stars, and developed optimal techniques for measuring time differences between noisy aperiodic signals.
2002вЂ“2005
Research Assistant
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
вЂў Promoted from Teaching Assistant.
вЂў Initiated worldwide campaign to observe an astronomical object.
вЂў Published four papers that helped solve a long-standing problem related to binary stars.
вЂў Became the youngest recipient of the Alton Bergmann Research Publication Award for excellence in scientific publishing.
Education
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Cambridge, MA
Engineering Management Certificate, 2011.
Coursework included general business and management topics.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
2010
Member, Board of Directors Colton HomeownerвЂ™s Association, Pasadena, CA
вЂў Elected to Board of Directors of 100-member homeownerвЂ™s organization.
вЂў Responsible for managing $150,000 budget and negotiating contracts.
вЂў Identified opportunity for management improvements that resulted in 20% annual savings in homeownersвЂ™ costs.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
2011
Summer Instructor University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
вЂў Developed the curriculum for a three-month class in only one week, cutting the standard development time by 70%.
вЂў Received the highest ratings from student reviews ever received for a scientific class.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
BRANDON R. SHEA
245 S. Braithwaite Ave. #201, Boston, MA 02140
Home: (617) 555вЂ“1244 Office: (617) 555вЂ“7854
brandon_shea@mit.edu
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 6
basic undergraduate
From Light on DetailsвЂ¦
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
This resume would be borderline or outright
rejection at most firmsвЂ”though high grades
might entice a reviewer, they arenвЂ™t enoughвЂ¦.
This list references the numbered items on the
facing page:
1. Probably not relevant to consulting, so why add?
2. Good GPAвЂ”makes the mark.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
3. What kind of company is Webstreet?
How big is it?
4. Good.
5. How much money managed?
6. Not necessary.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
7. Funny, but offbeat; would go over well in some
places, may not at others.
44
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
EDUCATION:
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Bachelor of Arts in English, 12/09
вЂ“Substantial additional course work in global environmental issues
вЂ“GPA: 3.8
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
EXPERIENCE:
Kidsoft, San Mateo, CA
Technical Writer, 10/10-present
вЂ“Wrote text for childrenвЂ™s software
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Webstreet, San Francisco, CA
Copywriter/Database Editor, 7/10вЂ“8/10
вЂ“Wrote ad copy for the World Wide Web
вЂ“ Edited FileMaker Pro database
New Hampshire Conference Center, Hanover, NH
Dining Room Floor Manager, 4/10вЂ“6/10
вЂ“Supervised staff of 15 servers and bussers
вЂ“Managed deluxe meal service to 150 guests
Summer Staffer, 6/08вЂ“9/08, 6/09вЂ“9/09
вЂ“Developed and implemented programs for kidsвЂ™ groups
The Weekly Review, Amos Tuck Graduate School of Business, Hanover, N.H.
Layout Manager, 9/09-12/09
вЂ“Duties included copy editing and layout of a bi-weekly newspaper
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 45
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
вЂ“Published article in Winter вЂ™09 issue of SOMA magazine
вЂ“Member, Phi Beta Kappa
вЂ“Fluent in Spanish
вЂ“Familiar with Macintosh and Windows (proficient on software such as
Word, Excel, Photoshop, and FileMaker Pro)
вЂ“Extensive volunteer experience with at-risk youth
вЂ“Can play guitar and harmonica simultaneously
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Chacra Millalen, El Hoyo, Argentina
Farm Hand, 1/10вЂ“2/10
вЂ“Tended large, organic, biointensive garden
вЂ“Prepared meals for 10вЂ“20 people
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
NATHAN ROSENBERG
3446 30th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 555-2429
nathan@earthlink.com
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 6: revised
basic undergraduate
вЂ¦To Materially Convincing
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
HereвЂ™s an excerpt demonstrating how we would
rewrite several entries from NathanвЂ™s вЂњExperienceвЂќ section. Through conversations with him
we uncovered additional relevant tasks that he
had performed while employed at each of these
companies, but that he hadnвЂ™t believed were
important for his resume:
46
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
7/10вЂ“8/10
Webstreet, an online e-mail startup
Copywriter/Database Editor
вЂў Created and maintained database to manage a dynamic portfolio of product text.
вЂў Responsible for writing, reviewing and editing text for more than 30 greeting products.
вЂў Developed several innovative greeting concepts that became profitable new product lines.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
10/10вЂ“present
Kidsoft, Inc., a $14 million software company
Technical Writer
вЂў Wrote text for educational software targeting children.
вЂў Evaluated competitive products and created new format for best-of-class documentation in childrenвЂ™s educational game market.
вЂў Was named вЂњmost valuable team memberвЂќ by peers for work in communication and coordination across products.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
47
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 7
Undergraduate with
Volunteer Experience
From Very GoodвЂ¦
This list references the numbered items on the
facing page:
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
1. Needs an email address!
2. Excellent academicsвЂ”top schools and grades.
3. What has she done related to this? Clubs?
Coursework?
4. Use вЂњExperienceвЂќ instead of
вЂњHonors and Activities.вЂќ
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
5. Bullet each of these positions.
6. Move dates to left margin.
7. Many school activitiesвЂ”shows balance,
leadership, and initiative.
8. Many honorsвЂ”sounds good, but is it real?
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
9. Delete this and consolidate with the material
from the section above.
10. What kind of work?
11. TYPO!! NO-NO!!
12. Not helpful; better to show evidence of these
skills through experience.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
13. You want to be a typist?
14. Not needed.
48
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Home address:
1465 Kapiolani Blvd, #2222
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 555-7854
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ. Anticipated BA degree, June 2011. Senior status.
GPA: 3.9/4.0. Double Major: International Relations and American Studies.
Strong interest in Business/Management and Public Policy.
Punahou High School, Honolulu, HI. Graduated May 2007. Valedictorian.
GPA: 4.0/4.0. National Merit Scholar. Earned college credit in English, Calculus,
Physics, Spanish.
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, Summer 2003 and 2005.
GPA: 4.0/4.0. Coursework included Spanish, Honors English Literature and Exposition.
HONORS AND ACTIVITIES:
University Undergraduate Student Government, elected Secretary of Class of 2011.
Initiated activities to promote class spirit and unity among 1200 undergraduates.
Headed publicity committee and facilitated communication with students.
President of Volunteer Organization, 2006-07 school year.
Coordinated frequent volunteer projects with over 35 community organizations.
Presided at weekly meetings with over 60 students to discuss volunteer opportunities.
Honored at Samantha Stone international competition for Service to Community.
Honored in 15th Annual Volunteer Service Awards of Honolulu.
Commissioner of Community Action, Student Government Executive Board, 06вЂ“07.
Acting liaison between school and community for all school-wide projects.
Head Coordinator of canned food drives, clothing drives, Volunteer Week
(school-wide event to promote healthy, drug-free alternatives to substance abuse).
Vice-President (2 Years), Spanish Club, 2005вЂ“06 and 2006вЂ“07 school years.
Started organization at school. Planned activities to promote language and cultural exploration.
First Place honors at State Declamation Foreign Language Championships.
Director of Youth Program, Volunteer Center of San Diego. San Diego, CA. 6/08вЂ“9/08.
Led the start-up and development of a youth volunteer program connecting 50 high
schools with community organizations. Entailed extensive research. Created database of
surrounding schools.
Library staff, West Street Library, Wellesley, MA. 9/07вЂ“5/08.
Managed front desk and circulation records.
Peer tutor, Honolulu, HI. 2005вЂ“06 and 2006вЂ“07 school years.
Provided private assistance for high school students.
SMMARY OF SKILLS:
вЂ“Extensive experience as Projects Coordinator, with excellent communications skills.
вЂ“Proficient with MS Word, Excel, WordPerfect, Netscape. Typing speed 80 wpm.
вЂ“High degree of competency in written and spoken Spanish.
вЂ“Quick-learning worker with analytical skills and proven leadership capabilities.
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 49
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
References readily available upon request.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Public Relations Intern, Smith Communications, San Francisco, CA. Summer 2009.
Currently working with Senior Account Executives on managing clients specializing in emerging high technology and healthcare areas.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
EDUCATION:
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Summer address:
1642 Oxford Terrace
Palo Alto, CA 94305
(415) 555-5969
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Amy Y. Chan
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 7: revised
Undergraduate with
Volunteer Experience
вЂ¦To Nearly Perfect
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
While AmyвЂ™s resume is very good, we have a few questions
and suggestions. For her experience section, she should
select the most important activities and experiences
and list them chronologically. We recommend reverse
chronological order. She also needs to describe the work
she performed as a PR intern. Did she do research, write
reports, resolve client issues? The inclusion of her work
as director of a youth program is good, but what type of
research was conducted? Market research? Competitive
research? What kind of database was created and for
what purpose? The mention of her experience as a library
staff member looks strange because it occurred during
the school year in Wellesley, Massachusetts, during
what would have been her first year at Princeton. We
immediately wonder whether she started out at Princeton, or whether she completed her first year of college
at another university. This probably wouldnвЂ™t affect the
decision to offer an interview, but it is a distraction that
would definitely be addressed early in an interview. The
rest of the information in the вЂњWork ExperienceвЂќ section
can be included elsewhere in the resume or is superfluous. She should move the student government mention
to the вЂњEducationвЂќ section. And if she feels itвЂ™s important,
she can mention the Foreign Language Championships in
the вЂњOtherвЂќ section, where she talks about her Spanish
language competency.
The вЂњSummary of SkillsвЂќ section isnвЂ™t necessary for
a consulting resume because firms already know what
theyвЂ™re looking for. Including information on standard
software packages is unnecessary. Including typing speed
is unnecessary unless youвЂ™re looking for a position as
an assistant rather than a consultant. Amy says sheвЂ™s
a quick study, and weвЂ™ll take her word for it because of
her grades. But she also claims to have analytical skills,
although there is no evidence in the resume of how or
when theyвЂ™ve been used.
50
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Amy Y. Chan
amy_chan@URL.com
Present address: 1642 Oxford Terrace, Palo Alto, CA 94305; (415) 555-5969
Home address: 1465 Kapiolani Blvd., #2222, Honolulu, HI 96817; (808) 555-7854
Education
Princeton University Princeton, NJ
вЂў B.A. expected June 2011. Double major in International Relations and American GPA: 3.9
пїЅпїЅStudies. Extensive coursework (approximately 15 credits each) in Business/Management
and Public Policy departments.
вЂў Secretary of Class of 2011. Elected by peers to plan activities that promote class
spirit and unity among 1200 undergraduates. Head publicity committee to promote
major class events.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Punahou High School Graduated May 2007. Class valedictorian. National Merit Scholar. Earned college credit in
English, Calculus, Physics, and Spanish.
Honolulu, HI
GPA: 4.0
Work Experience
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Smith Communications San Francisco, CA
Public Relations Intern
Summer 2009 to present
вЂў Work with senior account executives to manage relationships with clients in emerging
high technology and healthcare industries.
вЂў Assist with the writing, editing, production, and distribution of press materials, including
press releases and fact sheets.
вЂў Conduct account-related research and compiled findings into complete coverage reports.
вЂў Develop and maintain media lists and editorial calendars.
вЂў Collaborate with office staff to devise publicity strategy and coordinate publicity
logistics for major client events.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Volunteer Center of San Diego San Diego, CA
Director of Youth Programs
Summer of 2008
вЂў Led the start-up and development of a youth volunteer program that connects 50 high
schools with community organizations in need of volunteers.
вЂў Conducted extensive research to identify participating community organizations, interview
organizationsвЂ™ leadership, and determine their most immediate volunteer needs.
вЂў Created a comprehensive database of area schools that enabled program to effectively
match student volunteers and community groups.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
West Street Library Wellesley, MA
Library Staff
September 2007 to May 2008
вЂў Managed front desk and circulation records.
вЂў Worked part time while completing first year of college in Wellesley, MA: worked an
average of 10вЂ“15 hours per week while maintaining a full course load.
Personal
вЂў High degree of competency in written and spoken Spanish (founded high school Spanish
club; received first place honors at State Declamation Foreign Language Championships, 2007).
вЂў Demonstrated interest in community service initiatives (president of high school volunteer
organization; honored at 15th Annual Volunteer Awards of Honolulu).
51
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 8
Undergraduate with
Scientific Background
From UntailoredвЂ¦
This list references the numbered items on the
facing page:
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
1. Relevant? Depends on desired type of consulting.
2. Bullets would make this easier to read.
3. Not clear how significant these research
projects are.
4. Analytical? Theoretical?
What types of techniques?
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
5. Is this a team experience?
6. Move togetherвЂ”delete a space.
7. GoodвЂ”tells us sheвЂ™s not just science-oriented,
has a sense of humor; shows critical balance.
8. Funny!
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
ChristineвЂ™s resume indicates decent academic
achievement in a competitive major usually
frequented by pre-meds. Her standardized test
scores show that sheвЂ™s not just a science geek. Her
experience is very science-focused so sheвЂ™ll need
to clarify her roles in terms that are appealing to
consultants. In all fairness, however, undergraduates arenвЂ™t expected to have nearly the business
experience or acumen expected of MBAs and
experienced hires.
52
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Permanent Address
1263 33rd Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 555вЂ“1258
EDUCATION
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Candidate for B.S. in Biological Sciences, June 2011
вЂ“Overall GPA 3.74/4.0 SAT Math 740 Verbal 710
вЂ“Presidential Scholar (one of 68 for the Class of 2011).
вЂ“Selected coursework includes: computer programming, computer consulting, and statistics.
EXPERIENCE
Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical Center.
4/10вЂ“9/10
Undergraduate Researcher: Worked on an independent project involving the production and characterization of polyclonal antibodies. Utilized molecular biology techniques.
Brainstormed various methods to bypass problems with past experimental protocols.
Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Center, Boston, MA.
6/09вЂ“9/09
Researcher: Studied complications of diabetes mellitus at Mass General, concentrating on the eye. My
project involved studying the effects of glucose concentration on pericyte growth. Assisted other lab
members in carrying out experiments.
6/07вЂ“9/07
Analytical Laboratory Assistant: Conducted polymer characterization tests. Assisted with
implementation of new test procedures. Data entry.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Exxon Chemical Company, Houston, Texas.
6/08вЂ“9/08
Process Technician: Conducted bench-scale polymerization runs and polyester recycling studies. Data
entry and analysis.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Department of Biological Sciences, Harvard College.
1/11вЂ“present, 1/10вЂ“6/10
Biology 201 and 202 Senior Course Assistant: Supervise a weekly 5-hour core experimental laboratory
course on plant physiology and animal behavior, respectively. Deliver weekly 45-minute lecture/slide
show, help students design and run experiments, and teach students statistics and analysis of observed
data sets. Also, serve as mentor and advisor to select group of students. (This course is required for all
biology majors at Harvard College.)
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Rockridge High School, San Francisco, California.
Graduated in June 2007.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Present Address
Mather House #421
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 555вЂ“5596
Christine Elaine DeMichele
cdemichele@fas.harvard.edu
RELATED ACTIVITIES
The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College.
1/2009вЂ“2/10
Columnist: Co-created and co-wrote вЂњThe Daily Grind,вЂќ a satirical column that depicted the lives of five
college students as they searched for good grades, romance, and some sort of explanation for why they
were getting neither.
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 53
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Harvard Hotline, Harvard College
2007вЂ“2008
Peer Counselor: Fielded phone calls from members of the Harvard community who were upset,
depressed, or just needed someone to talk to.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Computer Lab, Harvard College
Spring 2010
Computer Consultant Intern: Assisted members of the Harvard community with computer-related
problems in a Macintosh-based computer cluster.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 8: revised
Undergraduate with
Scientific Background
вЂ¦To Consulting-Friendly
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
In the revision on the opposite page, weвЂ™ve tried to
explain what Christine has done in terms relevant
to consulting. WeвЂ™ve used bullets, of course,
to enable the reader to zero in on some of her
achievements. And weвЂ™ve sprinkled in some of our
preferred terms in places where her experience
allows for it.
The activities mentioned in the вЂњRelated ActivitiesвЂќ section provide a critical balance to our view
of Christine as a very scientific, analytical person.
We might wonder about her ability to operate
in a team environment, to work with people,
and to think creatively. With the addition of her
experience as a columnist, which is very cleverly
described, as well as her role as a peer counselor,
we can assume that she has at least the minimum
necessary people skills.
54
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Christine Elaine DeMichele
Education
Work Experience
Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical Center Cambridge, MA
Undergraduate Researcher, focused on production of polyclonal antibodies
April 2010 to September 2010
вЂў Developed and structured an independent project to identify the characterization of
polyclonal antibodies.
вЂў Used molecular biology techniques to collect and analyze data.
вЂў Identified problems with past experimental protocols and developed new methods
that resulted in more accurate and reliable experimentation.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Center Boston, MA
Researcher, focusing on complications of diabetes mellitus, concentrating on the eye
June 2009 to September 2009
вЂў Formed hypotheses, developed research methodology, and conducted tests to identify
the effects of glucose concentration on pericyte growth.
вЂў Measured results of tests to prove hypotheses and draw relevant conclusions.
вЂў Acted as a team member at large, assisting other team members on experiments as needed.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Department of Biological Sciences, Harvard College Cambridge, MA
Senior Course Assistant, Biology 201 (plant physiology) and Biology 202 (animal behavior)
January 2011 to present; January 2010 to June 2010
вЂў Supervise a weekly 5-hour core experimental laboratory course sequence required of
all biology majors at Harvard College.
вЂў Prepare and deliver a weekly 45-minute lecture and slide show on course material.
вЂў Assist students with the design and execution of laboratory experiments.
вЂў Teach statistical analysis of observed data sets to help students interpret outcomes.
вЂў Provide mentoring and academic advising services to select group of students.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Harvard University Cambridge, MA
вЂў Candidate for B.S. in Biological Sciences, June 2011. Extensive coursework in computer programming, computer consulting, and statistics.
GPA: 3.74
вЂў Named a Presidential Scholar (one of 68) for class of 2011. Selection based on academic
achievement, leadership, and service to the community.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
cdemichele@fas.harvard.edu
Present address Home address
Mather House #421
1263 33rd Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
San Francisco, CA 94123
(617) 555-5596 (415) 555-1258
Activities
Spring 2010
The Harvard Crimson Columnist, Harvard College January 2009 to February 2010
Co-created and co-wrote вЂњThe Daily Grind,вЂќ a satirical column that depicted the lives of
five college students as they searched for good grades, romance, and some sort of explanation
as to why they were getting neither.
Harvard Hotline Peer Counselor, Harvard College Fielded phone calls from members of the Harvard community who were upset, depressed,
or just needed someone to talk to.
2007вЂ“2008
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 55
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Computer Consultant Intern, Harvard College Assisted members of the Harvard community with computer problems in a Macintoshbased computer cluster.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Resume 9
College grad with ceo ego
From CockyвЂ¦
This list references the numbered items on the
facing page:
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
1. Very strong academics.
2. Move dates to left column, under вЂњExperienceвЂќ
to show chronology.
3. Including emptying the trash every evening?
4. GoodвЂ”very results-oriented.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
5. Define success.
6. Is this a soap opera or a resume? Consistent use
of melodramatic terms is distracting and
unprofessional.
7. Typo!
8. Good, quantified.
9. Innovative.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
10. A long time agoвЂ¦probably not that important
anymore. Why is he clinging to the past with so
many more recent accomplishments?
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
вЂњThis resume is a great example of someone who
thinks extremely highly of himself,вЂќ says one
of our reviewers. вЂњThe way itвЂ™s worded shouts,
вЂ�Me, Me, Me!вЂ™ IвЂ™m immediately concerned that
this person, although very accomplished, isnвЂ™t a
team player and would not collaborate well with
clients.вЂќ
Although this is a strong resume as far
as accomplishments go, we agree with this
consultant that RichardвЂ™s ego comes across as
56
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
too forceful. Confidence is a good thing, but
boastfulness is a problem. WeвЂ™ve underlined and
boxed the language that is particularly suggestive
of an enormous ego. We suggest that Richard tone
it down and make a few layout changes.
To make it easier to track his tenure at Clorox,
we suggest that he move the dates to the left side
of the page and mention the company name only
once, at the top. His rapid career progression is
impressive and should be highlighted.
In addition, he should move his state student
award to the education section, where readers
look for academic achievement. We caution
against touting the awards earned in high
school (and weвЂ™ve left it out of our rewrite),
but if he canвЂ™t resist, he should include them in
the activities section or under the high school
mention.
To change the tone, we suggest eliminating
the words вЂњmyвЂќ and вЂњpersonally.вЂќ Since this is his
resume, we know itвЂ™s what he did; otherwise it
wouldnвЂ™t be included. Other ways to alter the tone
include eliminating words that donвЂ™t add meaning,
such as вЂњsuperior,вЂќ вЂњsignificant,вЂќ and вЂњsuccessful.вЂќ
For example, вЂњDeveloped a superior media planвЂќ
should be illustrated through the results of
cutting 25 percent from the budget. We donвЂ™t
need RichardвЂ™s opinion that his plan is superior.
RichardвЂ™s resume would be stronger and much
less irksome to a consultant reviewer if he stuck
to his results, which are significant, and spared
us the hype. His efforts to convince management
of their mistakes might be a good learning
experience to discuss in an interview, but such a
mention on the resume raises red flags.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Richard M. Corbin 18 Elm Street; Branford, CT 02130; (222)555вЂ“4005
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
EDUCATION Princeton, Princeton, NJ
вЂ“ Earned B.A. in English in May 2008. GPA: 3.9/4.0
вЂ“ Graduated magna cum laude and with distinction from the English Department.
вЂ“ Elected to Phi Beta Kappa after junior year (awarded to top 5% of class).
вЂ“ Test scores: GMATвЂ”750; SATвЂ”760M, 660/v; Math IвЂ”800; Math IIвЂ”800
Fieldview High School, Branford, CT
вЂ“ Graduated 1st in a class of 253 in June 2004. GPA: 4.00/4.00
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
EXPERIENCE Assistant Brand Manager, CLOROX, September 2010 вЂ“ June 2011
вЂў Led every aspect of a International food product launch ($65 million annual sales potential).
вЂ“ Created marketing plans which improved US projectвЂ™s NPV +92%, Profit +22%,
and Volume +20%.
вЂ“ Developed new TV ads with +49% higher trial potential than the strongest
previously developed ads.
вЂ“ Developed introductory sales plans which shipped 198% of 12-week objective.
вЂ“ Successfully executed test plans (including Clorox FoodвЂ™s biggest ever Year I sampling plan).
вЂ“ Led development of plans for launching this product in Canada, Mexico, England, and Japan.
вЂ“ Consulted on international marketing issues; significantly improved launch plans in
every country.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
вЂў Developed on my own initiative an enormously improved basic strategy for the Hidden Valley brand.
вЂ“ Determined that a flanker strategy couldnвЂ™t work for Hidden Valley. Recommended
an equity strategy instead.
вЂ“ For 30 months management rejected my recommendation, and consequently lost
$38 million.
вЂ“ After finally implementing my strategy, HV is seeing its first potentially positive
results since 2005.
вЂў Reversed Hidden ValleyвЂ™s 3 year share decline among US Hispanics
вЂ“ Dramatically improved Hispanic advertising by reapplying successful ads from Anglo business.
вЂ“ Developed a superior media plan which exceeded all objectives while cutting-25%
from the budget.
вЂ“ Identified opportunities to import products from Mexico. Project has $10 million NPV.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
вЂў Saved +$7.7 million by developing and implementing profit maximization plans on a
struggling brand.
вЂ“ Analyzed results of a recent food product initiative; concluded further spending would be futile.
вЂ“ Gained managementвЂ™s agreement to my recommendation and implemented the plan successfully.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Brand Assistant, CLOROX, September 2010 вЂ“ September 2010
вЂ“ My supermarket marketing plans delivered +90% more recommendations than
objective and went national.
вЂ“ My in-home trial program for senior citizens shipped +50% more units than objective
and went national.
вЂ“ My Hispanic promotion plans grew our retail business +20% more than objective and paid out.
вЂ“ Promoted to Assistant Brand Manager in September 2010.
Sales Management Intern, CLOROX
вЂ“Surpassed all sales quotas and job expectations. Sold 179 new items worth $100,000
annually.
вЂ“ Managed 18 accounts. Developed persuasive selling skills.
Received full-time offer. Summer 2008.
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
57
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Sales Representative, EASTERN IMPLEMENTS CORPORATION
вЂ“ Developed winning price proposals in bidding situations. Fully managed sales and
service for 25 accounts.
вЂ“ Created scheduling processes which improved efficiency and ensured we met all
deadlines. Summer 2007.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
ACTIVITIES Co-Founder, STUDENT ADS COMPANY
вЂ“ Sold ad space on text book covers; distributed 2,000 covers to students.
вЂ“ Personally sold $3,500 in ads on cold calls. Made a profit of $2,000 on sales of
$5,250. Summer 2006.
Independent Travel, July 2009 вЂ“ March 2010
вЂ“ Fulfilled a lifelong dream by backpacking through Viet Nam, Thailand, India, Nepal, and Egypt.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Princeton Activities
вЂ“ Co-edited a weekly humor and satire newsletter throughout 2008 and 2009.
вЂ“ Elected by classmates to serve on PrincetonвЂ™s student body government. Led efforts to
improve campus safety.
вЂ“ Created a volunteer student escort service to operate nightly from
12:30 AM вЂ“ 2:30 AM. 2007-08
AWARDS
вЂ“ State Student Fellowship; Awarded to 1 outstanding undergrad in Connecticut. 2008
вЂ“ All-American Band & Jazz Band; Awarded to top 104 and 23 of 4,000+ applicants. 2005.
вЂ“ Eagle Scout Rank; Earned from Boy Scouts of America. 2005.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Resume 9: revised
College grad with ceo ego
вЂ¦To Just the Facts
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
WeвЂ™ve incorporated our suggested changes into
our resume rewrite on the following page. In the
revised version, the recruiter will immediately see
evidence of RichardвЂ™s steady career progression
without being distracted by the extraneous, selfcongratulatory language he used to describe his
achievements. RichardвЂ™s achievements speak for
themselves; as the second resume demonstrates,
he doesnвЂ™t need to beat the recruiter over the head
with them.
However, the recruiter reviewing RichardвЂ™s
resume still might question the extent to which
he is a team player; consulting recruiters like to
see a record of measurable results, but they also
know that consultants rarely achieve these results
in isolation. It would be reassuring to see some
evidence of teamwork on RichardвЂ™s resume. By
reframing a few of his accomplishments in a teamoriented context, Richard can polish his resume
even further.
58
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Richard M. Corbin
18 Elm Street, Branford, CT 02130
Tel: 222-555-4005; E-mail: rmcorbin@isp.com
EXPERIENCE
2009вЂ“2010
Summer 2008
Sales Management Intern
пїЅпїЅ Managed 18 accounts and sold 179 new items worth $100,000 annually,
exceeding personal sales quota.
пїЅпїЅ Received full-time employment offer at the completion of internship
program.
EASTERN IMPLEMENTS CORPORATION
Sales Representative
пїЅпїЅ Developed winning price proposals in bidding situations. Fully managed
sales and service for 25 account.
пїЅпїЅ Created scheduling processes that improved efficiency and timeliness.
ADDITIONAL
Recently spent eight months traveling throughout Asia; visited Vietnam, Thailand, India, Nepal and Egypt.
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 59
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
STUDENT ADS COMPANY
Summer 2005
Co-founder
пїЅпїЅ Sold ad space on textbook covers; distributed 2,000 covers to students.
пїЅпїЅ Personally sold $3,500 in ads through cold calls. Business made a total
profit of $2,000.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Summer 2007
Brand Assistant
пїЅпїЅ Developed supermarket marketing plans that exceeded objectives by
90% and were adopted on a nationwide scale.
пїЅпїЅ Recommended and implemented an in-home trial program for senior
citizens that exceeded sales objectives by 50% and was adopted on a nationwide
scale.
пїЅпїЅ Devised improved promotion strategies to increase market share among
Hispanics, resulting in retail sales growth exceeding projections by 20%.
пїЅпїЅ Promoted to assistant brand manager after one year.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Assistant Brand Manager
пїЅпїЅ Led the international launch of a food product with projected annual sales of
$65 million.
пїЅпїЅ Created marketing plans that improved U.S. projectвЂ™s net present value by
92%, profit by 22%, and sales volume by 20%.
пїЅпїЅ Developed new TV advertisements with 49% higher trial potential than
previous ads.
пїЅпїЅ Developed introductory sales plans that resulted in achieving 198% of
12-week objective.
пїЅпїЅ Led development of plans for international product marketing and consulted
on international marketing issues.
пїЅпїЅ Initiated and executed an equity strategy for Hidden Valley brand, which
resulted in the brandвЂ™s first positive sales growth since 2005.
пїЅпїЅ Saved $7.7 million by developing and implementing profit maximization plans
on a struggling brand.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CLOROX CORPORATION
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
2010вЂ“2011
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
пїЅпїЅ English B.A. in May 2008. GPA: 3.9.
пїЅпїЅ Graduated with high honors and with distinction from the English
department.
пїЅпїЅ Elected to Phi Beta Kappa (awarded to top 5% of class) after junior year.
пїЅпїЅ GMAT score: 750.
пїЅпїЅ Elected by classmates to serve on PrincetonвЂ™s student body government.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
EDUCATION
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
resume Dos and DonвЂ™ts
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
DONвЂ™T
DONвЂ™T
DO
use vague qualitative terms such as вЂњlargeвЂќ or
вЂњmany,вЂќ which leave the reader with questions
about specifics.
use numbers where appropriate to clearly
describe your accomplishments, as in вЂњled a team
of nine sales reps.вЂќ
DONвЂ™T
DO
waste resume space with frivolous information,
such as вЂњmy favorite color is blue.вЂќ
include personal information that is relevant
and gives the reader a better understanding of
who you are.
DONвЂ™T
DO
try to differentiate yourself with an unconventional format or tactics such as graphics and
colored paper.
stick to a basic, clear format that helps the reader
glean information quickly and with minimal
effort.
DONвЂ™T
DO
puff up your titles to make them sound more
impressive.
focus on your responsibilities more than your
titles, describing work performed and results
achieved.
DONвЂ™T
DO
try to portray yourself as a jack-of-all-trades in the
hope that something will strike the readerвЂ™s fancy.
discuss two or three of your biggest strengths and
illustrate them with experience and achievement.
DONвЂ™T
DO
use dramatic, self-congratulatory language to
describe either your accomplishments or your suitability for consulting.
let your achievements speak for themselves by
describing them succinctly and objectively.
DONвЂ™T
DO
get caught in the passive voice trap, writing as if
things happened to you.
use the active voice with verbs that indicate
youвЂ™re in charge.
DONвЂ™T
DO
try to sound like an expert through the reckless
use of buzzwords and industry jargon.
spend time on industry and company research
before putting together your resume.
DONвЂ™T
DO
even think of writing more than one page, unless
you have more than 10 years of experience.
60
DO
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
distinguish the important from the trivial in your
background to fit the most relevant and significant elements onto a single page.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
61
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
Killer
Cover Letters
5
Cover Letters Covered..................64
Contents of a Cover Letter...........64
Cover Letters Reviewed................66
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
Cover Letters
Covered
вЂє What about cover letters? Whereas your
resume will almost always accompany you through the
interview process, the cover letter is less important to
your candidacy. Insiders overwhelmingly indicated that
little, if any, attention is paid to cover letters. Sometimes
recruiters attach it to the resume when they forward it,
sometimes not. According to those few insiders who do
read them, cover letters can be useful for introducing
your resume, highlighting a few relevant points, and
explaining your interest in interviewing with the firm
in question.
In short, cover letters, like doctors, should be forced
to take the Hippocratic oathвЂ”вЂњFirst, do no harm.вЂќ
None of the recruiters we spoke with could recall outstanding or memorable points mentioned in a candidateвЂ™s cover letter, but many of them remembered cover
letters that had hurt an applicantвЂ™s candidacy.
With these considerations in mind, we recommend a
low-risk strategy: If you donвЂ™t have good reason to cover,
donвЂ™t. If you do, the cover letter should be concise, wellwritten, and personalized (enough so that the recruiter
wonвЂ™t suspect that youвЂ™ve sent this same cover letter to
multiple recipients, changing only the names of the
recruiter and the company). Well-written cover letters
seek to establish a rapport with the reader and convey
an image of professionalism, interest, and enthusiasm.
HereвЂ™s a list of situations where weвЂ™ve learned the benefits of a cover letter make writing one worthwhile:
вЂў YouвЂ™re applying for a position directly, rather than
through a campus recruiting effort. Naked resumes
(especially ones sent in the mail) can hurt your
chances if they lack supporting context.
вЂўYour background is highly technical or youвЂ™re an
international candidate from a non-English-speaking country seeking a position in the United States.
Insiders tell us that cover letters are used to assess
candidatesвЂ™ ability to write clearly and concisely,
64
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
especially in cases where they may have cause to
question an applicantвЂ™s fluency in the language.
вЂў YouвЂ™re changing careers or applying for a position
for which your qualifications donвЂ™t appear to match
up very well. When recruiters review resumes from
career changers looking to make a switch from
another industry to consulting, they often look to
the cover letter to understand the candidateвЂ™s interest
in consulting (You want to give up managing a retail
supply chain in favor of living out of your suitcase
four nights a week? Why?) and for evidence of compelling, readily transferable skills.
вЂў YouвЂ™re submitting an application based on a personal
connection or for an internal referral. The cover letter is the perfect place to drop a name or make a
personal connection clear (if youвЂ™ve got it, flaunt it),
but be sure the tie is a valid one, or you risk getting
burned.
Contents of a
Cover Letter
вЂє While the cover letter (or cover message if
youвЂ™re emailing) should be both thoughtful and personalized, this isnвЂ™t the place to regurgitate your resume
in prose, nor is it the forum to lovingly narrate every
career decision youвЂ™ve made to date. The purpose of the
cover letter is to set the stage for your resume, not to
explain anything on itвЂ”or worse, repeat it.
At a minimum, your cover letter should indicate the
position to which youвЂ™re applying (and if applicable,
where you saw the position listed), the primary reason
for your interest in the specific role at the company, and
a brief overview of the one or two qualifications that
make you a compelling candidate. Finally, the cover letter should suggest logical next steps (politely, and never
presumptuously), such as a brief telephone conversation
or an in-person meeting. By the time youвЂ™ve made each
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Name-Drop
DonвЂ™t Be Presumptuous
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 65
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Consider this scenario: YouвЂ™re a second-year MBA student. ItвЂ™s 10:00 a.m. on a Friday and the consultant
in charge of recruiting at your campus goes through
his email and finds your cover letter and resume. HeвЂ™s
crankyвЂ”heвЂ™s been on the road since Sunday night and
didnвЂ™t get to bed until 3 a.m. because of airport delays.
HeвЂ™s counting on an easy day at the office so that he can
leave early and spend some quality time tossing a tennis ball around in the backyard with his prize-winning
golden retriever, Junior. HeвЂ™s already smelling the aroma
of freshly cut grass when he reads the end of your cover
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Before writing a cover letter to a firm, do some research.
What interests you about the organization? It may be an
industry or functional practice specialty, an article published by one of the firmвЂ™s consultants, or a discussion
with a current employee that piqued your curiosity. It
helps if the reasons you cite for your interest donвЂ™t belie
blatant plagiarism of the companyвЂ™s website or word-forword regurgitation of the job description; a little judicious
paraphrasing never hurt anyone, but the obvious cut and
paste ranks high among recruitersвЂ™ lists of pet peeves.
Whatever the case, make sure that what you write is
accurate and shows that youвЂ™ve done your homework. If
you target BCG for its leadership in re-engineering or
Monitor for its storied history, youвЂ™ll never make it into
the reception area.
> TIP
Complete the вЂњTo:вЂќ field only after preparing a cover message to introduce an emailed
resume. This way, you wonвЂ™t accidentally click
вЂњSendвЂќ before your message is ready, and
donвЂ™t forget to actually attach that resume.
An вЂњIgnore last message!вЂќ or вЂњOops!вЂќ email can
instantly destroy your credibility.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Do Your Due Diligence
The purpose of the cover letter is to communicate to
the employer a specific personal message about your
potential value to that organization. While you should
include information on what specific factors have
attracted you to the company, make sure your approach
is balanced. DonвЂ™t forget to tell the reader why the company should be attracted to you. After all, your cover letter should suggest that hiring you would be a mutually
beneficial decision for you and the employer.
Alternatively, you can use the cover letter to address
an area of potential concern. If you have a non-business
background or are changing careers, briefly explain why
you are pursuing a career in consulting. If there are
any chronological gaps in your work experience, and
legitimate reasons for the holes, you can explain them
in your letter.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Address your cover letter to a specific person, and,
when appropriate, include how you have obtained that
personвЂ™s contact information. For example, if you are
writing on the basis of a referral, mention the referring
personвЂ™s name early in your text; when a recruiter scans
a cover letter, sheвЂ™s more likely to pause and review your
credentials if she recognizes a colleagueвЂ™s name in the
text. Even better, if you know someone at the firm, send
him your resume and have him forward it along for
you directly. If you donвЂ™t know anyone at the company
(not a good sign if youвЂ™re in school and the firmвЂ™s hosted
recruiting events at your campus), call the companyвЂ™s
main number and ask for the name of the relevant
recruiting manager.
Spotlight One or Two Strengths
or Address an Area of Potential
Concern
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
of these points, youвЂ™ll probably have reached the desired
cover letter length: no more than one page in hard copy,
and no more than one screenвЂ™s worth if youвЂ™re sending
your resume via email. If your message is polite, brief,
well informed, and error-free, itвЂ™ll have served its primary purpose.
Now letвЂ™s unpack this advice in more detail:
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
message: вЂњI will call your office at 4:00 p.m. on Friday
to arrange a convenient time for a telephone interview.вЂќ
He thinks to himself, вЂњWho does this kid think he is?вЂќ
Your resume would then win a one-way ticket to the
trash can.
While we advise suggesting next steps in your cover
letter, donвЂ™t presume that youвЂ™re assured an interview or
that you can elbow your way onto the recruiterвЂ™s calendar at a time thatвЂ™s convenient for you. In your cover
letter, itвЂ™s much more diplomatic to request (politely, we
might add) a brief telephone conversation or an in-person meeting rather than an interview. Furthermore, the
stated purpose of this meeting should be to learn more
about the firm, the position, or how the recruiter himself attained consulting fame and fortuneвЂ”not how he
can help you land a job.
Email Takes Cover, Too
Put the same care into preparing a cover message, the
electronic version of your cover letter that youвЂ™ll use
when submitting your resume via email. The ease and
informality of email can be deceptive and dangerous;
in fact, the same rules of engagement apply. No matter
how brief the cover message, it has to be flawless. ThatвЂ™s
why we highly recommend that you actually compose your electronic cover letters in a word processing
program like Microsoft Word that offers spelling and
grammar checking, as well as the ability to preview
your work. Then when youвЂ™re ready to send it, simply
paste the revised, final copy into the body of your
email.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
66
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Cover Letters
Reviewed
LetвЂ™s check out some concrete examples of
what cover letters might look like. The first example
below fills its role effectively. The second could easily
cause trouble for the writer, regardless of her qualifications. The third letter, while brief, lacks enough substance. Suggestions and revisions for each are included.
cover letter 1
review
This is a very solid letterвЂ”clear, concise, and
direct. WeвЂ™d recommend just a few minor changes.
If Bill wants to reach Cathy in person, he should
contact her on Friday, since consultants are often
in the office then. Otherwise he can leave a voice
mail message, though that puts him at risk of
initiating a game of phone tag, which can be
frustrating. Bill should also check grammar
carefully. Sticklers would note the improper use
of the preposition вЂњatвЂќ after the word asset.
The proper wording is, вЂњI would be an asset to
McKinsey & Co.вЂќ
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
July 14, 2011
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
McKinsey & Company
Attention: Cathy Stevenson
75 Park Plaza
3rd Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02116-3934
Dear Cathy:
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Frank William suggested that I forward my resume to you for your
consideration. I am a second-year MBA student at the Krannert Graduate
School of Management at Purdue University, and I am currently working
as a summer associate at Motorola in Chicago.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
As Frank may have mentioned, I am in the top 5% of my class at
Krannert, and I was recently elected President of the MBA student body.
In and out of the classroom I have consistently demonstrated my capacity
to make a positive impact regardless of the situation. My analytical and
personal skills are ideally suited to management consulting, and I am
confident that I would be an asset at McKinsey & Co.
I will call you next Wednesday to discuss next steps. If you do have any
questions regarding my resume or qualifications, please donвЂ™t hesitate to
call. I look forward to speaking with you.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Sincerely:
Bill Pendleton
67
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
cover letter 2
review
From Way Too MuchвЂ¦
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
вЂњI couldnвЂ™t get through the entire letter, given the
daunting length and small font,вЂќ one consultant
tells us. вЂњThis is far too much information, and yet
it doesnвЂ™t tell me what I need to know: how her
experience is relevant to consulting.вЂќ
Aside from the verbosity, numerous red flags
pop up to reviewers of this cover letter. The opening paragraph is almost silly in its confident tone.
Most of our insiders agreed the first sentence was
a real turnoff, detracting from LindaвЂ™s credentials.
The long-winded explanation of her career path,
including the mention of her sisterвЂ™s illness, reads
like a novella and indicates that she has difficulty
separating the important from the unimportant in
the context of a cover letterвЂ”not a good quality
in an aspiring consultant. Linda has gone to the
trouble of including her transcripts, which arenвЂ™t
generally necessary and serve to complicate and
clutter her message. A GPA on her resume would
suffice. She has even asked for advice on whether
to pursue an MBA! By the time weвЂ™ve read the
cover letter, weвЂ™re pretty sure sheвЂ™s not cut out to
be a consultant.
68
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
LINDA S. BRADFORD
305 Locust Drive #12, Los Angeles, CA 90046
310вЂ“555вЂ“0883
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
August 30, 2011
Dear Hamilton:
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
I appreciate your time and attention and look forward to discussing with you and your colleagues a mutually
beneficial association with Accenture Consulting. I am highly motivated and will provide quality results in a
cost-effective manner. I would also appreciate your advice on the benefits of obtaining an M.B.A., which
I am more than willing to pursue should this make me more useful to your firm. If I donвЂ™t hear from you in
the next several days, I will call to schedule a meeting.
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
I am primed for a career change and the following explanation of my situation should give you some insight
into my decision. After graduating from Harvard Law School, I gained extensive experience in high profile
corporate litigation and counseling as a business litigator with two well-respected law firms, Rosenberg,
Henredon & Spear and Letz, Milkum, Cheatum & Leave. In 2000, I returned to California to spend time
with and care for my sister who was terminally ill. After my sisterвЂ™s death, I decided not to resume a
вЂњbig firmвЂќ law practice so that I could explore business opportunities in the entertainment industry, while
continuing to practice law as an independent contractor. Recently, after having spent sufficient time to
have gained an insiderвЂ™s perspective, I concluded that I donвЂ™t wish to continue pursuing a career in the
entertainment industry. Rather, I desire to embark upon a business career at the level of sophistication
that I was accustomed to in New York, primarily so that I can fully use my communication, analytical, and
interpersonal skills, and because I genuinely miss the intellectual challenge, innovative thinking, pride in
work product, and opportunity to provide the highest quality service to clients. Instead of resuming a purely
legal career, I intend to translate my experience and abilities to the dynamic and productivity enhancing
realm of business and management consulting. I have identified your firm, with its stellar reputation and
corporate clientele, as an ideal match in light of my qualifications, work ethic, and interest. вЂ€I am particularly
interested in the Process and Strategic Services Competency Groups, and am very willing to travel
extensively. I would prefer to be based on the West Coast, and am very interested in relocating to San
Francisco.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
The purpose of this letter is to introduce myself to you and to present Accenture Consulting with the
opportunity to increase profitability by securing my services as a professional. I have excellent academic
and professional credentials, as reflected by my enclosed resume and Harvard Law School and
undergraduate transcripts. Throughout my professional career, I have adhered to the highest standards
of excellence and have demonstrated strong communication skills, analytical ability, poise, creativity, and
dedication.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Hamilton Trout
Accenture Consulting
Spear Street Tower
One Market Plaza
Suite 3700
San Francisco, CA 94105
Very truly yours,
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 69
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Linda S. Bradford
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
cover letter 2
revised
вЂ¦To Short and Professional
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
We recommend the following rewrite, which is
simple, clear, and to the point:
70
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
LINDA S. BRADFORD
305 Locust Drive #12
Los Angeles, CA 90046
310-555-0883
August 30, 2011
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Hamilton Trout
Accenture Consulting
Spear Street Tower
One Market Plaza
Suite 3700
San Francisco, CA 94105
Dear Hamilton:
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
I am writing to introduce myself as a candidate for a consulting position at your firm.
I have excellent academic and professional credentials, as indicated on my enclosed
resume. Throughout my professional career, I have adhered to the highest standards of
excellence
and have demonstrated strong communication skills, analytical ability, poise, creativity,
and dedication. [note - we need to then see clear evidence of these claims on the
resume!]
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
AndersenвЂ™s excellent reputation and corporate clientele are an ideal match with my interests.
In particular, I believe my experience in formulating legal strategies and preparing analyses
for complex litigation cases would be an excellent addition to your Strategic Services
Competency Group.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
I plan to be in San Francisco the week of September 15 and would like to meet with you
then to further discuss my qualifications. I will call you on Friday and look forward to
scheduling a meeting at your convenience in mid-September.
Very truly yours,
Linda S. Bradford
71
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
cover letter 3
review
From GenericвЂ¦
72
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Dear Ms. Conroy,
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Through the www.careerbuilder.com website, I learned of your opportunity for a
Senior Benefits Specialist. I am submitting my resume for your consideration.
I received my MBA in Management Information Systems and my BBA in Finance,
Risk Management and Insurance from Temple University. For an MBA studentвЂ“
consulting project, I assisted in reviewing and redesigning the compensation structure
for a suburban Philadelphia engineering firm.
For the past six years, I have worked at Aon Consulting, the 5th largest human
resources consulting firm in the US. My primary responsibility is valuating retirement
programs. I work on Qualified Pension Plans, Retiree Medical Plans, Supplemental
Executive Retirement Programs, Deferred Compensation Plans, and Multi-employer
Union Plans. Some projects that I have worked on include mergers and acquisitions,
preparing benefit statements, calculating severance packages, projecting benefits,
calculating FICA tax calculations for Executives, and conducting pay studies.
I look forward to discussing this opportunity with you and how my skills can be an
asset to your company. I can be reached at (212) 555-6867 or via e-mail at graceadler@
adler.com.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Sincerely,
Grace Adler
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
73
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
cover letter: 3
Revised
вЂ¦To Targeted and Personalized
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
HereвЂ™s our rewrite of GraceвЂ™s cover letter, which
explains specifically why sheвЂ™s interested in this
position and this organization:
74
W E T F E E T I N S ID ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Dear Ms. Conroy,
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
I am writing to you to apply for the senior benefits consultant position in the Stamford
office of Hewitt Associates. I learned of this opportunity through the CareerBuilder
website, and based on the experience, skills, and qualifications outlined in the job listing, I
believe that I am well suited to join your team in this capacity.
As the attached resume indicates, I have spent the past two years working as an actuarial
analyst with Aon Consulting; I was promoted into this role after my two-year tenure as a
data analyst at the same firm. At Aon, I provide analysis and recommendations on a range
of retirement investment vehicles, including qualified pension plans, retiree medical plans,
supplemental executive retirement programs, and deferred compensation plans.
Now that I have developed a solid technical understanding of plan valuation and
administration, I am eager to assume a more strategic advisory role in the creation, review,
and redesign of competitive employee compensation packages. I am excited by the
prospect of applying the client-facing, team-building, and results-oriented focus that IвЂ™ve
developedвЂ”as well as my familiarity with the employee benefits terrainвЂ”to a career with
your organization. Not only does the senior benefits consultant position represent a logical
next step in my desired career path, but it offers a unique opportunity to join a firm that
is committed to providing both clients and employees with opportunities for continuous
development and growth.
I would be delighted to meet you to discuss this opportunity further. Should you have
any questions, or should you wish to schedule a time to speak about this position in greater
detail, please feel free to contact me via email or telephone.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Kindest regards,
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Grace Adler
Telephone: (212) 555-6867
E-mail: graceadler@adler.com
75
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
Digital Delivery
6
This Application Is
Experiencing
Technical Difficulties................... 78
Getting Past the
Spam Guard Dogs........................ 79
Using Online
Application Systems.................... 80
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
This Application
Is Experiencing
Technical
Difficulties
вЂє You may think email is the best thing since the
Pony Express, but that doesnвЂ™t mean your recruiter
does. DonвЂ™t expect the person on the receiving end
to fumble around with an attached file in a desperate
quest to review your qualifications. If you have any
doubts about the quality of the format in which your
resume will arrive, because of platform or application
variables, itвЂ™s best to send a hard copy as well. вЂњNothing
is worse than printing an emailed resume with a bunch
of garbage symbols in it!вЂќ rants a recruiter. Faxing
is almost as fast as email, and often more reliable,
although itвЂ™s definitely a good idea to follow up a faxed
resume with a phone call to make sure it was received
in legible form.
LetвЂ™s take a look at some steps you can take to
increase the likelihood that your exquisitely planned
and masterfully written resume actually makes it into
the hands of its intended recipient in legible form.
Save Four Versions
of Your Resume
Once youвЂ™ve crafted the perfect resume, be sure to save
it in four electronic versions:
1.Microsoft Word or other word processing software
document: This is your presentation resumeвЂ”the
one with every formatting and stylistic bell and
whistle, and which youвЂ™ll print on high-quality, heavy
bond paper. This is the one that youвЂ™ll send to recruiters via regular mail and the one youвЂ™ll take with you
when you interview. Keep several copies on hand.
2.AdobeвЂ™s PDF format: Increasingly, PDF is the preferred format for sending a formatted copy of your
resume via email. PDF documents tend to display
and print with greater consistency on different com-
78
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
puting platforms than Word documents do. In addition, Adobe Reader is a free download and comes
preinstalled on nearly every computer shipped today.
PDF also strips out macros and revisions (sometimes
exposed by your softwareвЂ™s вЂњtrack changesвЂќ tool) that
could potentially cause problems.
3.Plain text format with line breaks: Formatting
your resume as plain text allows databases and data
recognition software to read it without the confusion caused by formatting. Use this version to cut
and paste your document into the body of an email
message. In Microsoft Word, use the вЂњSave AsвЂќ
option to save your resume (named differently from
the first version) as plain text. Select the вЂњInsert line
breaksвЂќ checkbox.
4.Plain text format without line breaks: Use this version when youвЂ™re cutting and pasting parts of your
resume, such as into multiple fields on a Web form.
In Microsoft Word, use the вЂњSave AsвЂќ option to save
your resume as plain text, but donвЂ™t select the вЂњInsert
line breaksвЂќ checkbox.
Using plain text versions will help you avoid formatting conflicts that can make your document difficult to
read. Unfortunately, in the plain text versions youвЂ™ll lose
much of the formatting you took great care to develop
for the presentation resume. To minimize the damage:
1.Replace bullets with asterisks (*).
2.Offset category headings with a row of tildes (~) or
capital letters.
3.Change your margin settings to 2 inches; 60 characters (including spaces) is the maximum line length
you should use to ensure your resume displays correctly in different email programs. This setting will
allow you to see and control where line breaks occur.
4.Select a fixed-width typeface like Courier and a
12-point font size.
5.Add white space for readability.
6.Do a test run. Email to yourself or a friend.
79
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
If you have been instructed to send your resume as
an attachment, thereвЂ™s often an accompanying list
of acceptable file formats that you should most definitely pay attention to. If not, weвЂ™d recommend either
PDF or Microsoft Word. A word to the wise on Word,
however: Starting with the release of Microsoft Office
2007, Word will by default save files using a new format (Open XML, with a .docx extension) that older
DonвЂ™t leave the subject line blank, but do keep it short
and sweet. Avoid words that are often used by spammers, such as вЂњfree,вЂќ вЂњoffer,вЂќ вЂњincrease,вЂќ and so on. In
short, the less your email looks like a spam message,
the less likely it is to be filtered. If youвЂ™re responding to
an online job announcement, you may want to include
the job title or requisition number in the subject line,
keeping in mind that the recruiter receiving your message may be responsible for filling multiple positions.
The job posting will often include specific instructions
for what to include in the subject line. These arenвЂ™t suggestions; Follow the directions that the employer has
outlined.
Leave punctuation marks (especially exclamation
marks) out of the subject line, and donвЂ™t use all capital
letters or colored backgrounds. While it may be tempting to use the subject line of an email as a marketing
ploy to grab a recruiterвЂ™s attentionвЂ”Attention! Ace
Analyst AvailableвЂ”we recommend a more conserva-
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Two Words: Easy Access
Use a Spam-Filter-Resistant
Subject Line
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
If a company has advised you not to send email attachments, donвЂ™t. In fact, unless a company or recruiter
specifically instructs you to send your resume as an
attachment, send it in the body of your email in plain
text format.
We know that plain text resumes wonвЂ™t win any
beauty contests, but they often represent the most reliable way to communicate your qualifications to hiring
personnel. If you simply canвЂ™t bear the thought of sending a plain text resume on its own, you can always follow
up with a beautifully formatted paper copy in the mail.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
First and Foremost,
Follow Directions!
versions of the software wonвЂ™t be able to open without a converter. So donвЂ™t forget to save your materials
using the вЂњSave AsвЂќ command, selecting the older .doc
format. Along the same lines, never send zipped or
otherwise compressed files that the recipient will have
to manipulate in order to read; a busy consultant isnвЂ™t
going to bother.
While weвЂ™re at it, hereвЂ™s a quick note on naming your
document: Be sure to include your name (at least your
last name) in the name of the file (Jane_Doe_resume.
doc) so that it can be reunited with your cover message
if the two part ways.
One last tip for resumes and cover letters attached to
e-mails: When you run a spell check before sending off
your attachments, make sure to click on вЂњIgnore AllвЂќ for
any words, terms, or proper names that your spell check
doesnвЂ™t recognize. You donвЂ™t want the recruiter to open
up a resume or cover letter filled with red and green
squiggly lines.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
вЂє Spam and computer viruses have changed
the rules of the road for communicating with potential employers via email. Many companies now use
sophisticated filtering to guard company inboxes from
potentially hazardous emails. In many cases these filters
delete or divert suspected spam before it even reaches
its intended target. You might be wondering how this
affects you, the innocent job seeker. After all, youвЂ™re
not peddling Viagra or get-rich-quick schemes, so your
emailed resume should be safe, right? Wrong! Most
spam filters donвЂ™t even bother notifying the sender,
meaning your email may disappear into a black hole.
How can you avoid the curse of the overzealous spam
filter? We suggest the following precautionary measures:
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Getting Past the
Spam Guard Dogs
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
tive approach that will help the person on the receiving
end track, file, or forward your resume to an interested
colleague. When in doubt, include your name and the
position applied for. For example:
вЂў Grace Adler, Business Analyst
вЂў Karen Walker, Strategy Consultant
Check Your Resume for Words
that Are Overused in Spam
Stay away from action phrases that are also used to market unsavory content over email. You may not wish to
say, for example, that youвЂ™ve вЂњenhancedвЂќ or вЂњenlargedвЂќ
anything, even if these terms are used in a perfectly
appropriate way in your resume. A word to the wise
about numbers: Rather than citing the $50,000,000 in
sales youвЂ™ve personally supervised, change your numerical reference to $50 million, which is less likely to set off
the spam filter alarm bells.
Send Emails in Plain TextвЂ”Not
HTMLвЂ”Format
How can you tell which is which? If youвЂ™re writing an
email in which you can alter the appearance of text (you
can italicize words, underline text, or change the font),
then youвЂ™re likely composing an HTML email. Most
email programs allow you to toggle between the two
formats; if youвЂ™re using Microsoft Outlook and want to
double-check, click on вЂњFormatвЂќ in your new message
window and be sure that вЂњplain textвЂќ is selected.
Use a Professional Email
Address
Stay away from clever, cutesy orвЂ”even worseвЂ”potentially provocative email addresses. You may think that
drolltroll@underthebridge.com is absolutely hilarious,
but the overworked consultant on the receiving end
may be less amused.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Play It Safe
If you are able, ask a personal contact within the firm
to forward your resume to the appropriate hiring man-
80
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
ager on your behalf; that way you can check to be sure
that your email has been received without incident.
Alternatively, if you can, follow up on your emailed
resume with a hard copy sent through regular mail.
Using Online
Application
Systems
вЂє Many firms today use online tracking systems
to manage their inflow of resumes; some even use their
online systems exclusively. If you fail to properly enter
your information into the system, you may never be
visible in the candidate pool. Recruiters rarely add
hard copy resumes into these systems, so even though
you may prefer human contact, itвЂ™s a mistake to avoid
the online application process. You do, however, need
to be savvy about how these systems work so you can
optimize your application materials for the best results.
How They Work
Though they differ in the amount of information they
capture, online application systems tend to be quite
similar behind the scenes. Most automatically evaluate a candidateвЂ™s fit against a given open position. They
also typically dump your information into a candidate
database, for automated matching against positions
that open up in the future, or for recruiter-driven data
searches. Regardless, expect to apply directly for each
position that interests you, which may involve repeating the whole form-filling process again or creating an
account on the firmвЂ™s site.
After you submit an application, some systems will
send you a confirmation email, some will display it on
screen, and some will give you no sign that your submission has gone through successfully. If the instructions
indicate that you are supposed to receive a message and
you donвЂ™t, try reapplying, or contact the company to
ensure that your application has been received.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Be Thorough and Thoughtful
Personal
Characteristics
Analytical ability
Attention to detail
Client focus
Communication skills
Follow-through
Intellectual curiosity
Interpersonal
aptitude
Goal orientation
Motivation
Multitasking ability
Negotiating ability
Persuasiveness
Quantitative skills
Results focus
Tolerance of
ambiguity
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Tools
Excel spreadsheet
Financial modeling
PowerPoint deck
81
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Baseline
Benchmarking
Branding
B-to-B (or B2B or
business-to-business)
B-to-C (or B2C or business-to-consumer)
Business process
reengineering
Case team
Change management
Commerce chain
management
Consultancy
CRM (or customer
relationship
management)
Engagement
Enterprise
application
ERP (or enterprise
resource planning)
Five forces
Gross margin
Internal consultant
Inventory
management
Just-in-time (JIT)
delivery
Knowledge
management
Market
segmentation
Outsourcing
Sell-through analysis
Six Sigma
Supply chain
Total quality
management
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
You may be aware that many firms try to streamline
their recruiting process by using specialized software
that scans your resume and other materials for keywords and phrases selected by the recruiter. The more
matches, the higher your applicationвЂ™s score. As this
type of software has become more prevalent, career
advisors have begun suggesting that candidates pepper
their resumes and cover letters with frequently occurring keywords and phrases.
HereвЂ™s what you need to know about them: TheyвЂ™re
generally nouns or short phrases. They include specific
skills, tools, credentials, attributes, and experiences
germane to the job in question. They probably mirror
some of the language used in the job postings and on
the firmsвЂ™ websites. If you get the chance to interact
with employees at the firm, listen to the words they use,
keeping in mind that firms specializing in a particular
industry or functionвЂ”such as health care or human
resourcesвЂ”have their own lingo as well. WeвЂ™ve composed the list to the right to get you started.
Industry Terms
Analysis
Applications
Applied research
Balanced scorecard
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
Key in on Key Words
Key words
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
DonвЂ™t be fooled by the one-sidedness of these systems;
recruiters really are on the other end evaluating your
responses. So donвЂ™t skip questions, ignore instructions,
or bang out your answers without editing them, thereby
proving your lack of fitness for consulting. You should
treat your responses with the same seriousness and care
you bring to your other written materials. Another tip:
Some of these systems allow you to both enter your
information into web forms and upload your materials;
unless you are specifically instructed not to, we recommend you do both, because this may make your information more visible to the recruiter.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Having said all this, we should close with a warningвЂ”itвЂ™s best to temper your enthusiasm for keywords
with a healthy dose of good judgment. Particularly if
youвЂ™re applying for a consulting position through an
on-campus recruiting process at your college or business
school, your resume will be reviewed first and foremost
by a human being (and quite possibly an entire committee of them who will decide on your interview fate
by consensus). For better or for worse, consulting firms
have their own unique set of screening criteria that
enable them to pare down the consulting hopefuls from
the consulting hapless, and at the resume review stage,
itвЂ™s typically the perceived quality of the school youвЂ™ve
attended (both undergraduate and graduate), your academic achievement (read: GPA and test scores), and the
quality of your work experience to date that matter.
So donвЂ™t get carried away. Never attempt to cut
and splice the entire job description into the body of
your resume (or cover letter) in an attempt to cram
in as many keywords as possible. This strategy almost
always backfires; to the recruiters who are reviewing
your resume, youвЂ™ll come across as contrived rather than
credible. Rather than trying to outsmart resume scanning software, your best bet is to focus on the skills that
the consulting profession requires and write a resume
that highlights a record of sustained achievement in
these areas.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
82
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Do Cover Letters Still
Apply Online?
When it comes to online cover messages, we suggest
you follow the same guidelines we gave you when talking about cover letters in print. If you can do without,
great (especially if youвЂ™ve already answered some openended questionsвЂ”like вЂњWhat most qualifies you for the
XYZ position?вЂќвЂ”during the application process). If
youвЂ™re given a text field in which you can paste a cover
letter, you probably should. If youвЂ™re not given one,
but have a valid reason to submit a cover letter, simply
include it in the same document with your resume. (If
you do this, be sure to add a hard page break between
your cover letter and resume so that your formatting
stays intact and the entire package is more presentable.)
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 83
From Resume
to Interview
7
Tips for Getting Your
Foot in the Door..........................86
Following Up............................... 87
Interview Prep..............................89
Additional WetFeet
Resources..................................... 91
chAPter 1
aT a GlaNcE
chAPter 2
ThIRTy SEcoNDS
To SaTISFy
chAPter 3
GETTING REaDy
To WRITE
chAPter 4
kIllER RESUmES
chAPter 5
kIllER
covER lETTERS
chAPter 6
DIGITal DElIvERy
chAPter 7
FRom RESUmE
To INTERvIEW
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
tiPs for GettinG
Your foot in the
door
вЂє hopefullY, YouвЂ™re feeling better about the
prospect of assembling your resume and cover letter,
but thereвЂ™s still much you can do to get your foot in
the door. First, time your job search to your advantageвЂ”most firmвЂ™s recruiting cycles gear up around
October for full-time hires and early winter for summer hires. This also tends to be when the number of
open positions is greatest. So try your best to hit these
windows, or at worst, not to miss them by more than a
few weeksвЂ”you wonвЂ™t look very smart if youвЂ™re late to
the party.
if youвЂ™re a Student, taKe
advantage of campuS recruiting
For students of all types, the campus recruiting pipeline is by far the best path to a consulting offer. Most
consulting firms arrange resume drops with the career
centers of top school. Some, such as McKinsey, even
look at top JD and PhD programs.
In addition, consulting firms typically hold recruiting events and information sessions on campus, especially at competitive schools. The point of these events
is to meet as many potential candidates as possible
(otherwise, why bother?), so donвЂ™t be afraid to attend
and introduce yourself. Many insiders we spoke with
said they were more likely to spend extra time reading
a resume ofвЂ”and even giving the benefit of the doubt
toвЂ”a candidate who had expressed interest in the firm
by attending events and making an effort to meet some
of the consultants there.
If the firm youвЂ™re interested in doesnвЂ™t recruit on
your campus, try calling the firmвЂ™s local or regional
office to ask for contact. This individual may be able to
arrange an interview or visit with you; at a minimum,
theyвЂ™ll be able to tell you where you should you direct
your application materials.
86
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
if youвЂ™re not in School, put on
your networKing ShoeS
If youвЂ™re not currently on campus (or are at one thatвЂ™s
not on consultanciesвЂ™ radar screen), recognize that
you face a greater challenge. In these cases, insiders unanimously agree that your best bet is to try to
find someone you know at the firm or someone who
has a contact at the firm. Search your schoolвЂ™s alumni
directory to see if any graduates work there. Or get a
contact name in the practice area in which you have
relevant experience. If you must, just call the switchboard and ask for names.
The best route is to call the contact person, give
him or her your 15-second resume summary, and ask
for information about the firm that you canвЂ™t find
online. You have two objectives in doing this: to get
more information on the firm to use in your interview, and to get that person to ask for your resume so
he or she can forward it to the right person.
Why would some stranger do this for you? Money.
Many firms offer employee referral bonuses. вЂњIf I
refer somebody who gets hired as a consultant, I get a
$5,000 bonus,вЂќ explains one insider. вЂњSo I have a big
incentive to help bring in the right people.вЂќ
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
вЂє One head of recruiting confesses, вЂњThe biggest
You: This is Susan Brown calling on Wednesday at 10
a.m. I sent you my resume on Monday and wondered
whether youвЂ™d had a chance to take a look at it. IвЂ™ll be in
all day today, at (333) 555-8956.
Consultant thinks: Who is Susan Brown again? Did she
send something to my office? (He hasnвЂ™t been in, after all.)
Or has she sent me an email I havenвЂ™t had time to look at?
Whatever.
>> He certainly wouldnвЂ™t have seen SusanвЂ™s resumeвЂ”heвЂ™s
been busy since last Friday. And even if he did receive
her materials, heвЂ™s not going to bother calling her back
while heвЂ™s on site.
87
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
pains-in-the-asses finally do get interviews.вЂќ We donвЂ™t
advocate becoming a nuisance, but there is something
to be said for persistence. After all, as we said above,
many firms look for people who take initiative and are
good problem solvers.
Here are a few basic rules for following up:
вЂў Be persistent but not peskyвЂ”two calls in one day
are overkill; two calls in a week are probably fine.
вЂў Be prescriptive in your requestsвЂ”ask specifically for
what you want, whether itвЂ™s to schedule an interview
or have a casual chat on the phone.
Insiders tell us that one of the most difficult things to
do is return phone calls while on the road. Put yourself
in the shoes of the average consultant with recruiting
responsibility. YouвЂ™re at the client site at least four days
a week, with the possibility of Fridays in your office.
YouвЂ™re under a deadline and your analysts are behind
schedule due to a software glitch. The client is getting antsy about the amount of change that might be
required. The head of your practice has scheduled an
impromptu visit to check in on the project tomorrow.
Your significant other is mad because you forgot to call
back last nightвЂ¦.
HereвЂ™s what happens when a consultant listens to
your voice mail at 11:53 p.m. on Wednesday:
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Following Up
The Phone Fandango
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Whether you have an inside networking contact or not,
you may still be required to submit a resume through an
employerвЂ™s website. Online applications are more effective at small firms that donвЂ™t recruit much. Large firms
fill most entry-level positions with on-campus recruits,
and are generally swamped with a surplus of applicants,
so youвЂ™re more likely to get lost in the crowd.
вЂўMake yourself easily availableвЂ”provide a
number where a message can be left at any time.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
applying online
вЂў Keep the ball in your courtвЂ”youвЂ™ll probably feel
more in control if you can plan the next steps rather
than wait by the phone.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Once you have a contact, send your resume to that
person. Ideally, the contact will forward the resume
to the appropriate recruiter, with a note asking that
an interview be granted. ThereвЂ™s always the risk that
the contact will think youвЂ™re not the right fit, in which
case you wonвЂ™t be recommended. DonвЂ™t worry. Your
contact isnвЂ™t the only person who reviews resumes.
Most firms recruit in a decentralized system. You have
many more doors to knock on in different practice
areas and in different offices within the firm.
Insiders tell us that an employee recommendation strongly influences their decision to interview a
candidate. Though we donвЂ™t have statistics, all agree
that your chances of getting an interview through a
personal contact go way up, even if your resume is
less than stellar. With a recommendation and a stellar
resume, youвЂ™ve got a great chance.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
Savvy Voicemail Strategies
If you plan to call, here are some better approaches:
You: This is Susan Brown calling on Wednesday. At
Sandy SmithвЂ™s request, I sent my resume to you on
Monday. I would like to schedule an interview and will
call you on Friday to discuss my qualifications.
Consultant thinks: IвЂ™ll deal with this Friday if I have
time in the office.
>>This is an improvement. Now at least the consultant can
be on the lookout for the resume and has some incentive
to do so, because Sandy is a friend and colleague.
A good idea for your second follow-up call next week
might go something like this:
You: This is Susan Brown, the candidate with manufacturing experience in packaged foods and an MBA
from Fuqua. IвЂ™ll be in Boston this Friday and would like
to meet with you to discuss my qualifications if your
schedule allows. If you would call me back and let me
know if it would be possible to arrange a short meeting
on Friday, I would appreciate it. You may leave a message for me any time at (333) 555-8956, or IвЂ™ll call you
Friday morning to make plans then.
Consultant thinks: Hmm, I remember this resume and
itвЂ™s probably worth seeing her. IвЂ™ll check my schedule and
leave a message for her this evening.
>> You left another brief summary of your experience so
the consultant would remember seeing the resume.
You were specific about your plans to be in Boston on
Friday, which gives the consultant an opportunity to
interview you without having to pay your airfare.
88
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
If youвЂ™ve left a message and your call hasnвЂ™t been
returned, donвЂ™t hesitate to call again. Remember, consultants are usually fully booked during the day and often
work late into the night, when the last thing on their
minds is returning resume calls. The best tactic is to be
persistent and pleasant without badgering. Most insiders
we spoke with said they usually make an effort at least to
return a call, even if they arenвЂ™t interested in interviewing
the candidate. DonвЂ™t give up until youвЂ™ve tried at least
three times over two weeks to contact the consultant.
If youвЂ™ve left three messages and all have been
ignored, you may want to send your resume to someone else and start the process again. Another option is
to contact an administrator in the office, or the consultantвЂ™s assistant if one exists, and determine the best
method of contacting your target. Many firms communicate primarily through voice mail, although you
might have luck using e-mail or even leaving a good
old-fashioned message with the secretary. Tailor your
approach to what you have learned about how the particular firm communicates.
If you donвЂ™t reach the consultant, your treatment
of the recruiting administrator should be positive and
respectful. Treat any person at the firm the same way you
would the professional responsible for reviewing your
resume. We know of more than one candidate rejected
by the recruiting administrator because of an attitude!
Consultants want evidence
that you are thoughtful
about your experienceвЂ”both
successes and failuresвЂ”and
that you demonstrate a
capacity to learn and grow.
Develop Your Spiel
One reason consultants like chronological resumes is
that they want to know whether a candidate took time
off between school years or jobs. Time off isnвЂ™t necessarily a bad thing, but you need to be prepared to explain
any lapses between jobs or in your schooling. If you
traveled, be prepared to describe something you learned
during that time. If you took time off to have a baby,
resolve a personal issue, or вЂњfind yourself,вЂќ you need to
practice your answer to the time gap question. ItвЂ™s usually best not to go into a lot of personal detailвЂ”insiders
tell us this is a warning sign, especially in the first interview. But be clear and focus on what you accomplished
during that time. Firms want to be sure you can handle
the normal rigors of four or more years in academia,
jobs with increasing responsibility, and balancing your
personal and professional lives.
Inconsistent Performance
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 89
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
If your accomplishments appear strong in one area and
weak in anotherвЂ”1200 on the SAT with a 3.2 GPA,
honors graduate of a top school with no notable professional accomplishmentsвЂ”you should expect questions
about this disparity. The interviewer will want to know
the reason for your low GPA (did you work part time
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
Particularly if youвЂ™re an undergraduate, your interviewer
may use your resume as a basis for a case interview question. If youвЂ™re not familiar with them, case interviews
are essentially word problems based on a real-life (or
simulated) consulting situation. Thus, the interviewer
might say, вЂњOkay, Terry, I see you worked at a small
organic cotton T-shirt business. Suppose a client were
planning to enter this line of businessвЂ”how large
would you figure the worldwide market for organic cotton T-shirts to be?вЂќ
Cases come in all shapes and sizes, from the simple,
straightforward question designed to see how you think
about a problem, to the highly complex business strategy issue that takes 20 minutes to explain and involves
Time Gaps
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
Get Ready for Case Interviews
As weвЂ™ve previously mentioned, your resume will help
the interviewer identify areas to probe during the first
interview. You should expect consultants to look for
weaknesses or inconsistencies to check. Read your
resume with a critical eye, looking for things that might
appear odd or inconsistent. WeвЂ™ve flagged some of the
most common trouble spots below.
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Once youвЂ™ve written your resume, develop and practice
a 20- to 30-second spiel that summarizes your experience and major achievements. YouвЂ™ll use this countless
times, to introduce yourself over the phone or in an
interview when the interviewer has not had a chance
to review your qualifications. This will also be your
answer to the dangerously open-ended вЂњTell me about
yourself вЂќ lead-in that so many interviewers open with.
Preparing your spiel will help you articulate the items
listed on your resume.
Resume Blunders
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
know your resume extremely well. Have your 30-second summary down cold so you can quickly familiarize your interviewer with your background and major
accomplishments. Be prepared to explain any of the
points on your resume in a clear, concise, and convincing manner. Consultants want evidence that you are
thoughtful about your experienceвЂ”both successes and
failuresвЂ”and that you demonstrate a capacity to learn
and grow as you progress. You should also be prepared
to address why you want to work for the particular firm
in question.
charts, graphs, and enough consultant-speak to kill a
mere mortal. However, they all have one thing in common: They test a candidateвЂ™s analytical abilities. The
case interview is designed to reveal your resourcefulness,
how you think about problems, and ultimately, your
aptitude for consulting.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
вЂє The best way to prepare for a first interview is to
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Interview Prep
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
during school?) or your mediocre experience. Be prepared to explain any circumstances that had an impact
on your performance, but again, avoid undue personal
detail.
Career Hopping
If youвЂ™ve been at several companies in just a few years,
or never stayed at one company longer than a year or
two, you risk being perceived as a job-hopper. Your
interviewer may wonder whether youвЂ™ve been fired for
poor performance. Frequent career changes sometimes
indicate that a person has difficulty sticking with a situation, working through problems, or committing to a
job. All of these are obvious concerns to consultants,
whose work requires tenacity and a strong commitment
to delivering client value. In addition, most consulting firms look for people who want to stay around for
a while. Three years is often considered a break-even
point, but many firms would like individuals with longer-term tenure in mind.
Former Consultants
If youвЂ™ve been a consultant before and are interviewing
with another firm, expect questions about your interest
in the new firm and your continued commitment to
a career in consulting. вЂњThe early years as a consultant
involve paying your dues,вЂќ says one insider. вЂњI always
question a candidate who has left a firm after a few years
and now is interviewing here. I assume they were forced
out and IвЂ™m skeptical of their consulting ability.вЂќ Most
insiders said they were eager to talk to experienced consultants, but that they definitely quiz the candidateвЂ™s
motive for leaving a former firm.
90
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
Commitment to Relocating
If youвЂ™ve spent most of your academic and professional
life in Boston, you may be questioned about your sudden interest in joining the Chicago office of a firm. This
is especially true for those who have attended school
and worked in California. Midwest and East Coast
firms have a terrible time getting these candidates to
relocate, and in some cases have all but given up trying.
A firm that must fly you out for an interview will probably quiz you over the phone before anteing up. And
relocation costs, often paid by the firm, are reserved for
candidates who demonstrate a real commitment to the
new locale and are prepared to make the inevitable lifestyle compromises that come with relocating.
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
91
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
But thereвЂ™s more to the consulting interview than
case questions. To ensure youвЂ™re prepared for the entire
dayвЂ™s events, check out WetFeetвЂ™s Ace Your Interview:
Consulting guide. HereвЂ™s what youвЂ™ll explore:
вЂўWhat you need to know about yourself, the
position, and the organization to excel in your
interview.
вЂўThe fundamentals of interview success, from how to
dress to how to build rapport.
вЂўThe types of questions that make up the consulting
interview, plus a list of those you shouldnвЂ™t have to
answer.
вЂўThe skills interviewers look for in a consultant and
why each one is vital to consulting.
вЂўStrategies for following up with hiring managers and
building on your first impression.
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
In particular, you might find WetFeetвЂ™s guide to
Careers in Management Consulting helpful. In this
popular guide, youвЂ™ll explore:
вЂў The state of the industry today, including trends
and their impact on consulting hopefuls..
вЂў Industry rankings of the major firms and a breakdown of the largest consulting sectors.
вЂў Profiles of 20 top management consulting firms and
mini-profiles of 20 boutique and specialized firms,
to help you target consulting opportunities beyond
McKinsey and BCG.
вЂў Typical responsibilities for analysts and associates
and profiles of real people working in consulting
today.
вЂў What consultants really loveвЂ”and hateвЂ”about
their jobs.
вЂў How to prepare for the recruiting process, including the dreaded case interview.
вЂў How to determine which firm is right for youвЂ”
based on our exclusive Consulting Firm Appeal Test.
вЂў How a career in management consulting compares
to careers in investment banking, industry, and
technology.
Additionally, once your resume gets you in the door,
your next major challenge on the path to getting hired
will be the case interview. Fortunately, WetFeet is here
to help with Ace Your CaseВ®, our complete guide to the
most dreaded part of the consulting interview. This
best-selling Insider Guide provides:
вЂў An in-depth exploration of consulting interviews,
what to expect, and how firms use cases differently.
вЂў Tips on surviving the case interview, keeping your
cool, and impressing your interviewer.
вЂў An explanation of the different case types, classic examples of each, and what your interviewer is
looking for in your answers.
вЂў Step-by-step lessons on how to attack the case question, including developing frameworks, recovering
from mistakes, and using industry lingo.
вЂў Sample case questions you can use to practice
applying your new skills.
вЂў Detailed examples of how to answer each type of
case question, including how to choose a framework, key talking points, and sample interview
scripts.
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
вЂє Visit WetFeet to get help on everything from
finding the right firm to acing the case interview. At
www.wetfeet.com, youвЂ™ll find:
вЂў Articles on writing killer cover letters and resumes.
вЂў Tips on putting your best foot forward in your
interviews.
вЂў Guides to specific consulting firms.
вЂў Company-specific data on salaries and bonuses for
new consultants.
вЂў Sample case interview questions and answers.
вЂў Plus a wide range of topical information relevant to
your job.
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
Additional
WetFeet
Resources
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
For MBAs and undergrads seeking a consulting
internship, WetFeet has you covered: Getting Your Ideal
Internship: Consulting, from the first stages of recruitment to impressing the higher-ups on the job. HereвЂ™s
what youвЂ™ll explore:
вЂўWhat questions to ask yourself when considering
where to apply.
вЂўWhat your options are, from interning at big-name
consulting firms to consulting pro-bono for a
nonprofit.
вЂўHow to navigate the on-campus recruiting process,
plus how to land an internship with a consulting
firm that doesnвЂ™t recruit on your campus.
вЂўAn overview of the internship project structure.
вЂўThe particular skills and experience recruiters are
looking for, plus how to differentiate yourself from
the competition.
вЂўWhat to do during each step of the consulting
internship to increase your chances of getting a
full-time offer.
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
Killer Cover Letters & Resumes: Consulting
92
W E T F E E T I N S I D ER GUID E
CHAPTER 1
at a glance
CHAPTER 2
thirty seconds
to satisfy
CHAPTER 3
getting ready
to write
CHAPTER 4
killer resumes
CHAPTER 5
killer
cover letters
CHAPTER 6
digital delivery
CHAPTER 7
from resume
to interview
WET F EET IN S IDER GUIDE 93
>> The WetFeet Story
WetFeet was founded in 1994 by Stanford MBAs Gary Alpert and Steve Pollock. While exploring their
next career moves, they needed products like the WetFeet Insider Guides to guide them through their
research and interviews. But these resources didnвЂ™t exist yetвЂ”so they started writing! Since then,
millions of job seekers have used the WetFeet Insider Guides and WetFeet.com to research their next
career move.
In 2007 WetFeet became part of Universum Communications, the global leader in employer branding.
Thanks to the integration of WetFeet into the Universum group, WetFeet products are now used by
job seekers all over the world. In addition to our Insider Guides and WetFeet.com, we produce WetFeet
magazine, which features career advice tailored to undergraduate students.
>> The WetFeet Name
The inspiration for our name comes from a popular business school case study about L.L. Bean, the
successful mail-order company. Leon Leonwood Bean got his start because he literally got his feet wet:
Every time he went hunting in the Maine woods, his shoes leaked. One day he set out to make a better
hunting shoe, doing such a good job that his friends lined up to buy pairs of the boots. And so L.L. Bean
was born.
The lesson we took from the Bean case? Well, it shows that getting your feet wet is the first step toward
achieving success. And thatвЂ™s what WetFeet is here for: To help you get your feet wet and take the right
steps toward ever-greater career goals, whatever they may be.
>> Just 30 seconds. ThatвЂ™s how long a consulting
recruiter spends with your resume, on average, before deciding
whether to grant you an interview. Even the best resume wonвЂ™t
guarantee you a consulting job, but itвЂ™s essential to getting your
foot in the door of a top firm and putting your candidacy into
serious consideration. ThatвЂ™s why your resume must convincingly
present your consulting skills and capabilities, even if you donвЂ™t
have any professional consulting experience. This Insider Guide
will show you how to create a resume that will do just that.
TURN TO THIS WETFEET
INSIDER GUIDE TO EXPLORE
в�… HOW RESUMES ARE USED IN THE CONSULTANT
RECRUITING PROCESS
в�… HOW RECRUITERS USEвЂ”OR DONвЂ™T USEвЂ”COVER
LETTERS
в�… HOW TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR
RESUME TO ENHANCE YOUR MARKETABILITY
в�… BUZZWORD BOZOS: THE QUICKEST
PATH BETWEEN YOUR RESUME AND THE
TRASH CAN
в�… INSIDER TIPS FOR RESUME CONTENT AND FORMAT
в�… WHAT CONSULTING RECRUITERS LOOK FOR
WHEN REVIEWING A RESUME
ISBN 978-1-58207-965-3
$ 14.95 U.S.
в�… REVIEWS AND REWRITES OF RESUMES
AND COVER LETTERS FROM REAL-WORLD
CONSULTING HOPEFULS
WetFeet has earned a strong reputation among college
graduates and career professionals for its series of highly
credible, no-holds-barred Insider Guides. WetFeetвЂ™s investigative writers get behind the annual reports and corporate
PR to tell the real story of what itвЂ™s like to work at specific
companies and in different industries. www.WetFeet.com
INSIDER GUIDE

Download Report