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Consulting

Consultants provide expert advice. They are skilled problem solvers who provide an objective perspective or specialized knowledge. Organizations across industries rely on consultants for expertise to maximize profitability and increase effectiveness.

  • Large management consulting firms such as McKinsey, Bain, and Boston Consulting Group help organizations improve their structure, management, profitability, and assist in the development of strategies for short- and long-term growth. Undergraduate students starting at a large management consulting firm often begin as a generalist and gain exposure to many fields. Graduate students with prior work experience or expertise may specialize earlier at these firms.
  • Undergraduate students seeking to specialize should consider boutique consulting firms, which offer specialized guidance for clients in areas such as nonprofit, economic development, health care, government, environment, or engineering.
  • Nonprofit consulting firms help nonprofits raise funds, improve operations, and maximize their impact.

Consulting firms seek talent from diverse backgrounds, including social sciences, humanities, and STEM fields. Read on to learn about the types of consulting firms, the breadth of roles, and how to assess whether this career is right for you.

Management/strategy consultants work on organizational issues, such as operations, marketing, government relations, environmental , finance, human resources, and data systems.

Typical projects include:

  • Recommending a new strategic direction for a growing company
  • Determining how a Hollywood studio can reposition to maximize profits 
  • Developing a strategy for a company to revive a 50-year-old brand for relaunch

Financial consultants provide advice on profit-and-loss reporting, risk management, financial control, and compliance.

Common financial consulting projects include:

  • Assisting clients with capital budgeting, financial statement preparation, and/or project valuation
  • Identifying and analyzing potential financial risks and helping clients control risk exposure
  • Supporting an investment firm to identify a strategy for a new target market

Information technology (IT) consultants have in-depth knowledge of the IT industry and IT products to help clients achieve their goals.

Services provided by IT consultants include:

  • Assisting a large retailer to better use technology to improve a distribution network
  • Helping a health care system make the transition to a new record-keeping system
  • Developing client-specific software for an insurance company to run more effectively

Public sector consulting firms help governments and other public service organizations achieve high performance in the face of complex challenges by identifying and addressing operational and strategic challenges to increase efficiency and profits.  Firms dedicated to helping governments often specialize by type of agency (environmental, defense, criminal justice, etc.).  A nonprofit consulting firm’s goal is to help nonprofits reach more donors and raise more funds. They do this by providing the necessary tools and ideas to improve their clients’ fundraising.

OCS has compiled the following Nonprofit Consultants List. This list is a sampling of nonprofit consulting firms for students to start researching as they look into this career path.

Healthcare consulting firms often advise hospitals, medical organizations, and health insurance companies on how to improve operations, financial management, and patient care.

Services provided may include:

  • Identifying ways organizations may cut unnecessary costs, optimize billing, and better manage budgets
  • Support organizations through complex and changing government laws and policies as they come into compliance
  • Partner with senior leaders to develop a long-term strategic plan

Approximately 60 percent of an organization’s spending is tied to human capital, including recruiting, training, compensation, and benefits.

Human resources consultants work on the following types of projects:

  • Human resources policy research during the pandemics and other unexpected events
  • How to navigate the future of work from talent acquisition to updating skills
  • Succession planning for leadership roles

Training The Street – Virtual Finance Prep Program (10/18)

This virtual training is recommended for any student considering finance career paths. Due to the generosity of a donor, this program is offered free of charge to students.

Since 1999, Training The Street (TTS) has offered targeted training courses. TTS …

By Yale Office of Career Strategy
Yale Office of Career Strategy
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How McKinsey, BCG, and Bain Are Testing AI Skills in Interviews

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way consultants work, and now it’s beginning to influence how consulting firms evaluate candidates. If you’re preparing for interviews with McKinsey, BCG, or Bain, it’s worth understanding how AI is showing up in the …

By Yale Office of Career Strategy
Yale Office of Career Strategy
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Resume Reviews and More Available in Your Residential College Every Week

The OCS and Fellowships Marketing Outreach Coordinators have office hours in every single Residential College every week. Stop by to get your resume reviewed, ask about Fellowships, and more! No appointment needed. Office Hours will start on Monday, September 14th.

…

By Robyn Acampora
Robyn Acampora Deputy Director, Office of Career Strategy
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YC Career Outcomes

The Office of Career Strategy collects information about Yale College graduates. This tool allows users to search outcomes by year and major. Please visit Statistics & Reports for more information on our data collection.

  • First Destination summaries are based on the Knowledge Rate of graduate outcomes six months after graduation according to National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) guidelines.
  • Knowledge Rate, defined by NACE, includes direct survey responses and basic employment or graduate school information collected through other sources, such as faculty, academic advisors, or LinkedIn. Yale’s information below on Starting Salary and Time of Year Offer Received is based only on direct survey responses.

Helpful Tips for the Interactive Tool:

  • There is no Enter or Submit Button; results will appear automatically
  • The default is ‘All Years’ or ‘All Majors.’ Choose specific years or majors for more granular results. Uncheck the selected major(s) to reset your search.
  • The tool returns results with at least five responses. For small majors, choose ‘All Years’ to show results
  • To ensure confidentiality, results are reported in the aggregate
  • If you require additional information contact the Office of Career Strategy

Most Recent Class Overview: Class of 2025

Knowledge Rate Employed or in Graduate School Mean Starting Salary Top Five Industries
90.7% of those graduating between July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025.

  • Survey Responses: 1,458 (85.4%)
  • Confirmed through LinkedIn or other sources: 249 (14.6%)
 95.3% employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation $94,028 among graduates employed full-time in the United States Financial Services, Education, Technology, Consulting, and Healthcare

 

  • First Destination
  • Top Employers
  • Employment Industry and Function
  • Size of the Organization
  • Starting Salary
  • Time of Year Offer Received
  • Study Abroad and Experiential Learning
  • First Destination Locations
  • Top Universities
  • Advanced Degrees Pursued

First Destination

First Destination refers to the postgraduate plans of Yale College graduates six months after graduation. The pursuits of Yale graduates include employment, graduate school, independent research, military service, and more.

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