Interested in obtaining a consulting internship with Boston Consulting Group (BCG)? As a BCG management consulting firm intern, you will create impact on day one as you are mentored by BCG seniors. Through its globally renowned internship programme, BCG has developed thousands of interns into successful management consultants. Bit is a BCG internship right for you?
BCG runs paid internships, where Summer Associate Interns at Undergraduate level earn about $7,000 a month. And that goes up to $13,000 a month for interns at the MBA level, depending on your location and the length of your internship.
To see what it takes to get into the BCG internship and what else is in it for you, read on.
What you need to know about the BCG internship
BCG gives its interns responsibilities within its business functions when they are not coming face-to-face with clients. Interns are rotated from one department to the next to get the full consulting picture. This gives interns broad exposure to consulting in little time.
BCG keeps an eye out for interns to work with full-time staff, despite being juniors. A typical work day of an intern is similar to the typical work day of a permanent consultant. As is usually the case in any business, interns do more manual labour, and are supervised by Project Leaders.
Your duties may include research, finding data, engaging clients in interviews, and problem solving. You may be allocated to a particular Associate to whom you report directly.
How long is an internship with BCG?
Internships are between two to three months in length, although this may vary by a few weeks. The timeline depends on location and your duties in that specific office. It is more common to do a summer internship or one starting in September.
BCG wants interns who are interested in staying on with the firm after completing their internship. Roughly only a slim 1% of intern applicants are onboarded into an intern role, whereas roughly 75% of interns in larger offices are retained into higher roles after successfully completing their internship.
How do know if I qualify for a BCG internship?
The upside of joining BCG as an intern is that consultants are assessed based on factors such as their ideas and experience. BCG prefers diversifying its candidates and believe in being a life-long learner. Graduates from almost all areas of study are considered, although most recruits study business, the sciences, humanities, engineering or law.
As a Big Three firm, BCG has its go-to target schools on its radar. This does not mean that graduates from non-target schools cannot apply for an internship. According to Wall Street Oasis, 33% of BCG interns are from target schools based in the United States. This means that two-thirds of undergraduates from non-target schools are awarded internships each year.
Ultimately, BCG wants a candidate with that extra ‘something’, making them stand out from the crowd. This includes candidates who build up skills, study further, and who build and maintain networking relationships. Outstanding academic achievement is not the only qualifying criterion.
How do I up my chances of landing an internship at BCG?
BCG places an expectation on intern hopefuls to build up skills, qualifications and experience. Passing the tests without thorough preparation is an exception and not the norm.
Candidates normally need two to three months of dedicated preparation to pass the screening, testing and case interview phases. BCG suggests that candidates learn management consulting skills and consulting math, too.
It is also recommended to form networking relationships early on in the process to build a strong referral system. Good forms of networking include finding mentor at your preferred firm location who can guide you in the consulting space.
Your resume and cover letter must be complete, accurate, and presentable. It must be clear from the outset that your application is in line with a consulting role, and is not too general.
When it comes to Case Interviews, it is advised to watch practice runs of what one can expect to be asked, and how to deal with problem solving the issue at hand. Examples of practice videos are offered by Management Consulted, a channel on YouTube. This Case Interview Example in particular is led by a former BCG Consultant:
How Do I apply for a BCG internship?
BCG processes applications online from graduates or students who are close to completing their undergraduate or first degree. BCG also has many campus interviews at universities from February to September each year. An elaborate resume and cover letter is the point of departure at screening stage to determine if you make it to the next round.
Next is a BCG Potential Test which is sort of like an aptitude test. If you are successful here, you then move on to the BCG Fit Interview which will place you in an area of consulting closest to your skills, qualifications, experience and personality.
Finally, you will go through a practical test called the BCG Case Interview. This is a mock-up of a real-life consulting scenario which you will discuss with the interviewer as though they are a client. Case Interviews are approximately 30 – 45 minutes long, and there are normally between two and four case interviews.
What is in it for me if I get an internship at BCG?
BCG pays its interns a pretty penny. BCG is also one of the top three prestigious management consulting firms in the world. This is a badge of honour for any young student aspiring to a career in consulting.
BCG interns are paid for their work. Summer Associate Interns at Undergraduate level earn about $7,000 a month, and MBA level interns can expect to earn at least $13,000 a month depending on location and length of the internship.
What is the career path flow at BCG?
The career path flow within BCG starts at intern stage. The position may then develop into the role of Associate (1 – 3 years’ experience), consultant (3-5 years’ experience), project leader (5 – 7 years’ experience), principal (7-9 years’ experience), to partner (9 – 11 years’ experience).
After a solid decade under your wings, the highest rank is as Director of the firm.
Getting an internship from BCG is possible with proper planning. Early preparation and following our advice is certain to get you on the right track for a possible career with BCG.
