Get Mentored – Answers to your queries – Volume 6

Name: Abhijeet Khinchi
Message: Hi!
I am very interested in the field of consulting. My background is mechanical engineering. I have cleared CAT 2010 and will hopefully convert the interview call into an IIM. Can you please tell me an insiders view into your firm. How they work, the remuneration the work culture etc..
Also can you please tell me what criteria are looked for in a candidate in your firm? What subjects should i take in MBA to get there?

I am currently working in Facility planning in Maruti Suzuki Gurgaon.

Thanks in advance..
–
Sulbha: Dear Abhijeet,

All top consulting firms have a great working culture. It is very dynamic and demanding. You are expected to work on multiple clients with stiff deadlines. You must be ready to meet client expectations, You must think on your feet and provide solutions that will help client meet their requirements. You should have an eye for details and also work with highest standard of integrity and honesty.

The remuneration is best in the industry.

I would sincerely suggest that you should not study a particular subject to get into any type of field but study the subjects for which you have inclination, bend of mind and aptitude.

I would request you to do a self analysis and try to see if you are really cut for a consulting job and do you see yourself doing this for at least 10 years of your life. Think about it and then get into it.

As far as choice of the subject is concerned any subject can help you get into consulting but choice will impact the field of consulting. So if you are looking for strategic consulting, finance is the most preferred subject. If HR consulting interests you, you can go for HR subjects.

All the best.

Name: Sanghamitra Dhara
Message: Hello Sulbha,

I am reaching out to you, hoping that you can help in giving some kind of advice around what steps I should take to shift to consulting. Currently, I am with one of the top MNC and have about 4 years of work experience in service sector (Knowledge Management and Market/Business Research to be specific). I had always aspired for a consulting job my whole life, and tried whatever possible in all those years (internal job shift etc.) . However, nothing did actually happen to materialize my goal. Maybe, its all the more difficult as I am a non-MBA, and just an engineering graduate. All the more this time I am feeling really lost. I hear people giving me suggestions to go for a MBA, which I can’t afford to take at this point. And neither am I going to take \”Not possible\” as an answer. There has to be a way out, even though that me be through a tough terrain. All I want from you is to show me the direction.

I was really inspired by the HT article on this portal, and so am turning towards you for your help.
Thanks,
Sanghamitra
–
Sublha: Dear Sanghamitra,

Nothing is impossible if you have the knowledge and talent. Service industry experience cannot be taken at par with the consulting experience but nonetheless can be treated as relevant experience. You should highlight your expertise that you have gained through the years and market them well.

Big 4s are hiring again so you can start applying to them either directly, or through personal contact or through consultants.

All the best.

Name: Karuna Kalra
Message: Dear Maam,
I have completed my MBA with specialization in HR and marketing management with an aggregate of 79.4% from Delhi Productivity council institute of management in the year 2009. I wanted to start my career with a good company and a generalist profile in HR.
As we did not have any campus placements for HR  and unfortunately I also have not been able to find a job that offers a generalist profile  and as a result I have not joined anywhere.
Am I right in not joining any XYZ company that offers me a recruitment profile and a salary of 10,000 p.m and will this gap of an year have a negative impact on my career?

Maam, Please suggest me some advanced courses related to HR and Management . Please suggest a couple of them and also from where should they be pursued.
I am keen on pursuing a career in consulting. Please tell me which companies to target and how do I contact them.
Eagerly waiting for your reply.
Thank You

karuna kalra

Sulbha: Dear Karuna,

After doing MBA it is important that you get placed. Any other advance course or certificate won’t really help you much. To get into HR consultancy without prior experience and MBA (from a tie 2 institute) is difficult.

You should continue your effort of getting a generalist HR role. Incase you are not able to find one, there is no harm in getting into recruitment, this will atleast give you some experience and you may also like the work. Recruitment is a very important aspect of HR function and it does skill and expertise to be a good recruiter.

These day companies have started hiring and there are many vacancies that you can access through online job portals. You should keep looking out from them and in the meanwhile if you get any experience in any field of HR you should take it up.

Hope this will help.

All the best

Name: Upasana
Message: respected mam,
I am upasana and right now i am pursuing PGDM in finance from DPC institute of management(education wing of national productivity council), Dwarka New Delhi. I want to know about opportunity for career in consultancy for a finance graduate. My finance knowledge is good but being a fresher i m lacking in practical knowledge. so please suggest me any short course for enhancing my practical knowledge or some career/job options.
I m highly thankful to u.

Sulbha: Dear Upasana,

Since you are pursing your MBA these days and you would need to do a summer internship, it will be good idea if try to get training in any of the consultancy firm. Such training will not only give you exposure to practical knowledge but will also give you opportunity to reach out to the firm post qualifying your MBA. If you have already completed your internship somewhere else and are now looking out for a job, you may find it little difficult to directly get into an ‘A’ grade consultancy firms. Rather you should look for job either in the knowledge centre of these firms or look out at opportunities at some small consultancy firms which will give you exposure to the consulting environment and work culture, which can help to get a better job at a later stage.

Name: Paromita Ghosh
Message: Dear Madam,

I have done PhD in Chemistry and although I do not have a background in business studies, I aspire to get a job in consulting. Can you please tell me how I can prepare myself for this role, whether doing any course in business management will be helpful, and if so, what course can I pursue for this purpose.

Awaiting your response and thanking you,

Regards,
Paromita Ghosh

Sulbha: Dear Paromita,

Getting into consulting after Phd is quite a unique option. I would suggest that either you do management course from a reputed college otherwise it will be difficult to get placed appropriately or look for opportunity in industry to gain experience and at a later stage look out for opportunity in consulting. Because post your experience you will be in a better position to understand the client’s need and will be able to deliver better suggestions and solutions to them.

Hope this will help.

All the best

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