How Can You Get a Job at Boston Consulting Group in 2018?
Boston Consulting Company—a global management consulting firm— has offices across more than 90 cities and 50 countries, advising clients in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, including a healthy chunk of Fortune 500 companies. Considered one of the most prestigious management consulting firms in the world, BCG was ranked fourth in Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2018.
But, how can an MBA help you land a BCG job?
Working for BCG
According to Management Consulted, BCG has a demanding recruiting and hiring system. The firm hires undergrads as associates who work for two to three years before moving on or pursuing an MBA. However, it is very difficult and highly unlikely for an associate to make the leap to consultant without an MBA. If you’re hired as an MBA, you enter as a consultant with plenty of room for growth—to project team leader, principal, and then, finally, as a partner partner.
According to former BCG senior partner Lucy Brady, the company looks for a candidate’s record of academic and professional success, but also want to hire candidates who have overcome setbacks.
“We look for resiliency and adaptability, and the ability to learn from your mistakes and grow from them,” she said in a previous interview.
CNN revealed that 11.72 percent of MBAs want to work for BCG. However, BCG’s recruiting process is demanding, with Glassdoor previously ranking the firm among the most difficult companies to interview with.
The high job demand and lengthy interview process isn’t without reason: MBAs typically thrive at BCG due to the companies the emphasis on career development. BCG’s PTO (predictability, teaming, and open communication) policies allow for a healthy work-life balance for employees, which has paid numerous dividends. Internal surveys have shown that the program has led to a 74 percent increase in reported intentions to stay with the company for the long term. BCG was also among the companies that signed the 2016 White House Equal Pay Pledge.
BCG Recruiting on Campus
BCG actively recruits students on college and university campuses around the world. Campus visits are a way for students to connect with BCG, learn more about potential job opportunities, and feel out whether a career at BCG is a good fit.
“We have a presence at many of the top universities across the U.S., including Harvard, Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern, University of Michigan, Duke, and the University of Texas,” Tina Gao, BCG recruiting director, said in a previous interview. “We come to campus and hold a presentation to introduce the company and then are available for Q&A sessions. We also come back to help people train for our interviews and learn more about the company. We’ll come back to campus to interview the candidates we choose.”
You can see more upcoming BCG on campus events here. However, if your campus does not have a dedicated page, BCG encourage students to complete an online application for consulting internships.
BCG Internships
BCG’s consulting internship programs can be a great opportunity for students to get a feel for the the life of a consultant. BCG Associate and Consultant interns work with current BCG consultants, and are expected to contribute to a real client project. Interns are considered as true case team members and are tasked with everything from working on client projects to socializing with colleagues.
According to BCG, internships vary depending on the project or location. Some interns are expected to travel, but do return to their home offices at the end of each week for special events and social activities. Orientation and training sessions ease interns int their roles before being assigned to a case that aligns with their personal and professional goals, as well as the firm’s business needs.
BCG accepts online applications from exceptional business school, engineering, science, law, and humanities students who are nearing the completion of their undergraduate or graduate studies.
BCG MBA Fellows
If you’re an MBA who wants to get your foot in the door at BCG, it’s worth looking into the BCG Fellows MBA Program, which provides top applicants with monetary awards and individual mentorship by BCG consultants.
The fellow program is only available to full-time MBAs studying at the following business programs: Columbia Business School, Fuqua School of Business, Kellogg School of Management, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stern School of Business, Tuck School of Business, Anderson School of Management, Booth School of Business, Ross School of Business, Darden School of Business, The Wharton School and Yale School of Management.
BCG MBA Salaries
If you score a job at BCG, you’ll also be earning a big paycheck—well worth the hours of MBA studies and the rigorous recruiting process. According to Management Consulted, MBAs hired a BCG make earn the following within their first year of employment:
- Signing Bonus: Up to $30,000
- Base: $147,000
- Relocation: $2,000-8,000
- Performance Bonus: up to $44,100
- Retirement: Profit-sharing into a 401k
School v. School: NYU Stern or Columbia Business School?
What happens when you pit two of the New York metro’s top business school’s against each other in a head-to-head duel of MBA might? It’s a school vs. school showdown, as we compare Columbia Business School to the Stern School of Business. Let’s take a deeper dive! Continue reading…
Getting To Know The Denver Metro
Resting beside the scoping silhouette of the Rocky Mountains lies Denver, the 19th most populous metro area in the United States, and arguably its most serene, uniquely blending urbanization and naturalism.
As the Denver metro continues to expand and its economy continues to swell, we at MetroMBA are expanding as well. As we continue our coverage of the best MBA offerings in North America and the UK, we welcome our readers to take a look at the best business schools Denver has to offer.
Getting To Know The Denver Metro
If you haven’t heard already, Denver—The Mile High City—rests one mile [5,280 feet (1,609 meters)] above sea level. For those already familiar with the joyous overture of altitude sickness (bring a water bottle—everywhere), this not-so-fun-fact is only a small part of Denver’s academic environment. Located only several minutes south of center city Denver is the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. Founded in 1908, Daniels is among the eight oldest business schools in the United States, and features over 2,200 combined graduate and undergraduate students. Named after Bill Daniels, who donated an immense grant to the institution, the school officially changed its name from the College of Business Administration to the Daniels College of Business in 1994.
The school is routinely lauded by the likes of U.S. News, Forbes, and the Financial Times for its highly-recommended entrepreneurial and Executive MBA programs, as well as the MBA@Denver Online MBA. For the 2017-18 academic year, the Daniels full-time MBA (known as the Denver MBA), will cost students $69,391. This is just shy of the average Daniels MBA graduate average starting salary of $69,842. About 68 percent of Daniels’ graduates earn a full-time job just three months after graduation.
Located right in the middle of center city Denver is the Colorado University Denver Business School, which features five different MBA program offerings, including: a full-time Professional MBA; an 11-month accelerated MBA; the CU Denver Business School Executive MBA; the Health Administration MBA; and the highly-ranked Executive MBA Program in Health Administration, which is regarded by U.S. News as one of the 25 best “graduate programs in health services administration.” The UC Denver Business School, which was originally part of CU Boulder, has a second location 20 miles south of its center city location at the Liniger Building, formally part of CU South Denver.
Its original home, the University of Colorado Boulder, houses the most highly-regarded business institution in the state: the Leeds School of Business. Ranked among the best business schools in the country by both U.S. News and Forbes, Leeds is located less than 30 miles northwest of center city Denver. It offers both an exceptional full-time and Evening MBA, enrolling around 300 total students in both programs.
The accredited business school is, in fact, two years older than the aforementioned Daniels College of Business, making it the oldest business school in the state. Leeds holds a staggering 97 percent graduation rate for MBA students, who earn an average of $80,123 upon receiving full-time employment. MBA students that graduate from Leeds have been recently employed by notable companies like Deloitte, McKinsey & Co., Microsoft, Oracle, and more.
Travel about an hour north of Denver and you’ll find the Colorado State University College of Business, located in Fort Collins. The CSU College of Business, located on the north end of the CSU campus, hosts a myriad of well-rounded MBA programs, including the universally well-regarded Online MBA—ranked among the 20 best in the world by the Financial Times. The MBA program is also one of the most affordable in the state, with current full-time tuition coming at a total cost of $40,368, and $40,897 for part-time students.
The Denver Metro Business Community
After the federal and state government, both the first and second largest employers in the state, Denver is home to several of the country’s largest healthcare institutions, including American Medical Response and DaVita, as well as large employment branches for companies like Kaiser Permanente. The metro area is also home to the famous Coors Brewing Company, as well as more than 160 other brewing companies, which helped the city earn the nickname “The Napa Valley of Beer.” In addition, Denver is the original home of Western Union, Frontier Airlines, and multiple fast food chains, including Chipotle, QDoba Mexican Grill, and Quizno’s. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the city has also seen employment figure increases in almost all industries.
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Return on Investment: Getting Your Money’s Worth in Washington DC
Earning an MBA is a big commitment in terms of both time and financial resources. Attending school in Washington, D.C. will open students up to a wealth of job and internship opportunities. However, with the cost of living and education in the financial capitals of the US rising at an alarming rate, choosing a school that will leave you with the smallest debt for the best job prospects is paramount to not being saddled with debt for the next 30 years of your life.
Though a price can’t be put on the value of the stellar education and business acumen you’re sure to get in business school, we can certainly try. Below, we’ve worked out the schools that guarantee the best return on investment in Washington DC metro.
Washington DC MBAs That Offer the Best Return on Investment
University of Maryland R.H. Smith School of Business
At the University of Maryland’s R.H. Smith School of Business, students can earn their degree just eight miles from the White House. Tuition at UMD Smith comes to about $47,004 for in-state residents per year and $56,184 for those from out-of-state. Though the business school’s MBA program may not be considered “cheap,” the average starting salary for MBA’s from the class of 2016 was $95,600—nearly double the annual tuition cost for both in and out-of-state students. This incredibly high average starting salary makes Smith well worth the price. In the past, Smith alumni have landed internships and full-time positions at companies like Amazon, Marriott, and Google. Thus far, majority of Smith MBA grads have gone on to pursue careers in marketing or consulting.
According to the recently released Forbes list of the best MBA programs in the U.S., UMD Smith (46th overall) MBA grads now expect a net-gain of $45,000 five years after graduation, when taking into account the average salary increase, cost of the program, and more.
Perdue School of Business—Salisbury University
Though it is closer to Baltimore than DC, Perdue School of Business MBA students are sure to see a significant return on investment for their education. The tuition is only about about $11,760 for in-state residents and $23,850 for out-of-state applicants. Not to mention the average alumni salary is $56,500, which essentially means the average alum sees a significant return on investment in less than a year. The year-long program is delivered in a hybrid format, so students only need to meet on campus one night per week. Students looking for even greater flexibility can also choose to take 100 percent of courses online. Additionally, students who wish to move at a slower pace can take classes part time and choose their own schedules.
Howard University School of Business
The Howard University School of Business MBA program was the first DC university to earn AACSB International accreditation. Annual tuition for the full-time MBA program per year is a reported $33,996. The total for the two-year program comes to around $70,968. Considering U.S. News puts the average MBA starting salary at $91,084, the return on investment is undeniable. Howard also offers a variety of dual degree programs, including JD/MBA, MD/MBA, BSE/MBA, and more. One unique feature of Howard is its Global Trilateral MBA (GTMBA), which gives students international consulting experience in places like China and South Africa.
Which Dallas MBA Programs Offer the Best Starting Salary?
It’s naive to think that folks who earn their MBA degree don’t expect to earn a decent salary. After years of balancing work, studying, and life, an MBAs starting salary is the cherry on top of the grad school sundae. For those looking to work in or are attending school in the Dallas metro, here are the programs that can help you find that well-deserved pay day the fastest.
High Rollers
McCombs School of Business – University of Texas at Austin
According to statistics provided by the McCombs School of Business school, the average full-time MBA student goes on to earn a starting salary of $113,481 following graduation. The average full-time MBA grad also receives a signing bonus of $27,564. A full breakdown of McCombs full-time MBA salary statistics can be found here.
The McCombs School of Business is usually ranked among business schools in the U.S. for the number of MBA graduates who earn job offers. In fact, career planning is also built into the curriculum of the full-time MBA. During the first year students take a class called Strategic Career Planning—a course that was created to best prepare students to make career choices and help them achieve their career goals. The class teaches students skills like interview training and marketing and networking techniques.
Cox School of Business – Southern Methodist University
According to SMU’s MBA Placement Data, graduating MBAs at the Cox School of Business earn an average salary of $96,587. Recent Cox MBAs have been offered jobs at companies such as Amazon, At&T, Capital One, Deloitte, and more.
Students have the option of customizing their education by completing up to two concentrations in addition to the MBA program. While all full-time students are enrolled in the General Business concentration, additional majors include: accounting, business analytics, finance, general business, information technology and operations management, management, marketing, real estate, and strategy and entrepreneurship. MBAs majoring in strategy, general management, leadership, and consulting earn a bit more, averaging $108,333 to start, while accounting, finance, and real estate majors earn a bit less, averaging $94,173 annually.
Next Tier
Neeley School of Business – Texas Christian University
The TCU Neeley School of Business full-time MBA program is designed for professionals who may not necessarily have a background in business, but are interested in changing careers or transitioning into a new field where business and management knowledge would be necessary. According to StartClass, TCU MBAs earn an average salary of $89,579 post-graduation.
To help secure a job with a well-paying salary, MBA students have access to The Neeley Professional Development Center and the Graduate Career Services Center. The Professional Development Center provides Neeley students with personal and professional training and coaching for presentations, business writing, and career preparation. Meanwhile, the Graduate Career Services Center provides students with resume help, job search, networking events, career coaching, interview prep, and skill building programs.
CHECK THIS OUT: “The Most Affordable MBA Programs in Dallas“
Commerce College of Business – Texas A&M University
Different from the Mays School of Business on A&M’s main campus, the Commerce College of Business is located about one hour northeast of the Dallas metro. PayScale data reveals that Texas A&M Commerce MBAs earn a starting salary of $89,393.
Commerce students have access to the office of Career Development, which offers students special events such as networking nights, job shadow programs, business etiquette dinners, career fairs, and job search workshops. The CD can also help students with resume and cover letter consultation, LinkedIn consultation, mock interviews, career assessment, and counseling and employment application
Naveen Jindal School of Management – University of Texas at Dallas
Students who graduate with an MBA degree from the Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas earn an average starting salary of $86,644.
According to U.S. News, MBA graduates from the Naveen Jindal School of Management have the best salary-to-debt ratio of any ranked school. As stated above, Jindal MBAs earn an average starting salary of $86,644 and have an average student loan debt of $7,132—an earnings-to-debt ratio of 12.148. The average ratio for ranked business schools that reported the data is 1.986.
Up-And-Coming
Hankamer School of Business – Baylor University
Baylor Hankamer School of Business MBA graduates earn a reported average starting salary of nearly $65,000. Recent Baylor full-time MBA graduating class had a 64 percent job placement rate at the time of graduation and 86 percent placement rate 90 days after graduation.
University of North Texas College of Business
PayScale reports that the average starting salary for North Texas College of Business MBA grads is also $65,000. North Texas features the Career Center at the Business Leadership Building where students receive one-on-one advising, career planning, and career exploration help from graduate advisors. These advisors help students with résumé and cover letter writing as well as mock interviews.
Getting Paid: The Highest MBA Salaries in Atlanta
Looks like the secret’s out and ATliens’ extraterrestrial days might be numbered.