Career Path

While every firm is slightly different, consulting companies tend to offer a similar career progression.

Most firms offer internship programs for students in between their junior and senior year, however, the amount of internship opportunities will be far fewer than full-time roles available come senior fall. More firms are also offering leadership conferences, which last two or three days in between a student’s sophomore and junior year. These programs tend to be targeted towards diversity candidates, but the requirements to apply vary by firm. Participating in a leadership conference or interning with a firm can help a student earn an internship or full-time position with the firm, but these programs tend to be small as consulting firms tend to focus on full-time hiring. 

Following graduation, students can expect to enter as a business analyst, associate, consultant, or equivalent entry-level position. After two or three years, consultants are typically promoted to senior consultant. Historically, many consultants would leave after reaching senior consultant to attend a graduate program or pursue another opportunity. Consultants who stay at their firm typically become a project leader, manager, and principal before making partner.

View our undergraduate First Destination Data to see where students have started their consulting careers upon graduation from Notre Dame.