There are two givens in business school. First, if you’re an incoming MBA student, there’s a good chance you might be interested in pursuing a career in consulting. Second, if you’re an incoming MBA student and you’re not interested in pursuing a career in consulting, chances are you’ll think about pursuing a career in consulting.
I had the chance to chat with Najee Johnson (Kenan-Flagler, ‘15) who came from a non-business background and recently started his post-MBA career in management consulting. Najee shares his journey to consulting, why he chose to pursue it, and his advice for those thinking about it.
MBASchooled: Before entering business school, you had a good idea that you wanted to pursue a career in consulting. What attracted you to the industry?
Najee: A large part of my decision to go to business school involved a desire for a new intellectual challenge. From reading everything I could get my hands on to talking to friends who worked at major firms, I gathered that there was no better career choice for being challenged on a consistent basis in a variety of ways. I also wanted some unpredictability, and consulting certainly can provide that. You can be working for a major financial services client on one project and then work for a local non-profit on your next. I wanted to learn about a number of different industries.
MBASchooled: Coming from a non-business background, what was most challenging to you about the consulting recruiting process?
Najee: Honestly, the biggest challenge of the recruiting process was maintaining a mindset that I had the intellectual capacity to be a consultant. I had such impressive classmates who had a variety of different business experiences, whether in marketing, finance, or consulting, and at times it was an intimidating prospect to believe that I could prove to a firm that I could add value to clients despite my non-traditional background.
What were things that you did that you think helped you succeed in the internship recruiting process?
I would say there were three key things I did to set myself up for success (including coming up with three points to summarize everything in life).
- I talked to as many consultants as possible. The second years at UNC Kenan-Flagler who had done consulting internships proved to be a valuable resource, as they had a fresh perspective on what it was like to be in my shoes and succeed in the recruiting process. I also reached out to friends who were consultants to try to get an even more authentic view of their careers. If you have friends who are consultants, talk to them as much as you can. In addition to the rundown about fancy client dinners and airline rewards programs, they can describe what it’s like to stay up until 4 AM finishing a deck or a model for an important 8 AM client meeting. Its important to have an idea of everything being a consultant entails.
- I read as much as I could about consulting, and business in general. In addition to reading WSJ, Business Week, Business Insider, TechCrunch, etc., I spent a lot of time on a site called Management Consulted. It’s a site run by former consultants that gives those seeking a consulting career great advice about the process. Being a bit of a history buff, I also borrowed a book entitled “The Lords of Strategy” from Alex to learn about the origins of the industry and how consulting has changed over time.
- CASE. CASE. CASE. Lastly, I spent a good deal of time prepping for my interviews. There’s no magic formula for determining how to practice case interviews, other than to figure out what works for you. I practiced a lot with classmates, and the collaborative culture at Kenan-Flagler meant that not only were there a lot of people willing to practice, but they were willing and able to give great feedback and advice to make me a better after each case.
MBASchooled: During the recruiting process and during your internship, you got the chance to network with a wide range of professionals. Was there any advice you got that you found to be helpful?
Najee:One great piece of advice that stuck with me during the summer came from the manager of one of my projects. He told me to know my workstream thoroughly, because even as a summer intern, I needed to be the expert on whatever I was working on. There were partners on the team with 10+ years of experience in the field, but when I was talking them through a powerpoint deck, I had to command the room and provide real insights because as an associate, I was on the ground everyday. This advice was extremely helpful because it helped me develop a comfort with working with very senior level people. After he told me that, I didn’t feel like the new kid with no experience, but like a member of the team who could add value.
MBASchooled: Knowing what you know about consulting, what kind of advice do you have for individuals thinking about transitioning into consulting during their internship or FT after business school?
Najee: The main piece of advice I would give would be to really figure out why you want to be a consultant. It’s a career path that can carry prestige and lots of opportunities, but it’s also one that involves travel, long hours, and unpredictability. Knowing why you want to be a consultant will help you deal with the late nights in the team room as much as the great parts about the job.