In his eyes, the fact that he’s studying engineering is a big minus on his profile, but I saw things a little differently. Check out my response below for more info.
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TG wrote:
First let me introduce briefly myself. I am [TG], and I am currently studying a Master in Engineering in France. (please excuse my poor english!). I have been reading a bit your blog and also an interview of you on another website. I wanted to have your opinion on the possibility to get an internship in one of the big consulting companies while still studying engineering. Actually, I am really interested in the consulting job and I wanted to get some professionnal experience. But it seems to me that my profile isn’t very attractive for the HR of those companies.
Hoping to hear from you soon,
Sincerely yours,
TG
Hello Sir,
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My response:
Hi Thomas,
I hope this message finds you well. Thanks for reaching out to me with your question. I’m sorry for taking so long to get back to you…I receive many emails and, with my schedule, it can sometimes take me a while to send replies.
Your question about whether an engineering educational background is attractive to consulting firms is a good one because many people would assume that only business majors would have a chance at full-time or internship positions at consulting firms.
The quick answer to your question is ‘yes’…your background in engineering might make you a good candidate for an internship in management consulting. One of the keys here is that engineers tend to be very good problem-solvers and very analytical thinkers, both of which are highly relevant to the work done by management consultants.
A question that arises is whether your school is one where management consultants target for their recruiting efforts. All of the firms have schools that they visit for job fairs and information sessions each year and, if you attend one of those institutions, then you’re in good shape. If not, you’d likely have to apply online, which, while not an impossible path, is not necessarily the most direct way to have recruiters see your application profile. Keep that in mind as you engage in your internship search with consulting firms.
For more information, I’d recommend reading through some of my older blog entries because I’ve been asked similar questions from people with engineering backgrounds in the past.
Again, I’m sorry that it has taken me so long to respond to your email. I hope that this message has gotten to you in time to be helpful.
Marquis
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