consulting cover letter mckinsey

Consulting cover letter guide (for McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)

Today we’re going to explain everything you need to know about writing consulting cover letters.

We’ll start by reviewing an example cover letter that got interview invitations from ALL the MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG, and Bain). 

And then we’ll explain exactly how you should write your own cover letter to land consulting interviews. Here’s a full list of the topics in this guide:

• Example cover letter

How to write your consulting cover letter

Consulting cover letter tips.

• The skills consulting firms look for

Consulting cover letter screening process

• Get help with your cover letter

Let’s get to it! 

Click here for a consulting letter/resume review with an ex-MBB consultant

Example cover letter (which got interviews at mckinsey, bcg, and bain).

Below is an anonymised cover letter from a candidate who got interviews at McKinsey, BCG and Bain. So you can trust that this template works.

The image here highlights the different sections of the cover letter, but we’ll dive deeper into the text later, and you can also get a downloadable copy below.

Free download of the consulting cover letter example, here. 

In the next section, we’ll go step-by-step through each part of the cover letter and explain how to go about writing it. But before we dive in, please note the following points about the above template:

• A lot of people use this template. Get inspiration from it, but every sentence in your letter should be written from scratch.
• This cover letter might sound impressive. It's one of the best ones we’ve seen. But even if you have not achieved as much as this person, you can still get an interview.

With that said, let’s dig into the cover letter writing process!

As a starting point, this video provides a nice overview of the full writing process for a consulting cover letter. 

Now let’s break things down further.

1. Introduction

Example - Introduction

Mary Taylor - [email protected]

DD / MM / YYYY

Dear Sir / Madam,

I would like to apply for an Associate position at McKinsey in London.

This section is a formality. It should simply state the following information:

• Your name and email address. You can replace your email address with a postal address although those are not commonly used anymore.
• The date on which you are sending your letter
• The position, company, and office to which you are applying

Keep it short and sweet.

2. Why you? 

Example - Why you?

I started working as an Analyst at Big Finance in New York in September 2020 and was quickly promoted to Associate in a year and a half instead of the average four years. While at Big Finance, I advised a broad range of clients who constantly gave me positive feedback and regularly asked to work with me again. Before joining Big Finance, I graduated as the top student of my MEng in Chemical Engineering at Prestigious University in the UK. While studying, I received two competitive scholarships and awards. In addition, I developed my leadership skills as the President of the Prestigious University Consulting Club. High energy was essential to lead a team of 5 managing the club and growing the number of members by 20%.

This is your "GOLD MEDALS" section. It is the first section of your cover letter and therefore the most important one.

It should state the TOP 3 achievements of your life to date that are relevant to consulting. These achievements should be as unique and as memorable as possible. When your reviewer reads them they should think "Wow, that's impressive. I want to know more about this person."

To write this section you need to step back and ask yourself "What are the most impressive things I've done with my life so far?" This is not an easy question to answer. 

In our experience discussing this with a close friend can help. It's sometimes easier for them to quickly point out the impressive things you have done as they are an external observer.

In addition, notice how achievements are QUANTIFIED in the example above. Saying you have been promoted "in a year and a half instead of the average four years" is much more powerful than saying you have been promoted "quickly." You should quantify your achievements whenever possible.

This section is your chance to grab the reader's attention. If there's nothing impressive in it, they will stop reading and just scan the paragraphs. So don't miss your opportunity!

3. Why consulting?

Example - Why consulting?

There are several reasons why I want to pursue a consulting career. To start with, I know I will enjoy being a strategy consultant because I have already worked in a strategy team in the past. This was in summer 2019 when I was a Strategy Intern at Big Grocery Retailer in London. In addition, I think consulting is a unique opportunity to comprehensively learn about business management by working on a variety of company situations. Over the past two years, I have started building my business skills while advising clients on financial matters at Big Finance. I now look forward to learning more about companies’ management at McKinsey. Finally, I want to work in consulting because I truly enjoy interacting with clients. Throughout my work experiences I have built a successful track record of developing and maintaining relationships with clients including, for instance, the senior strategy team at Big Grocery Retailer.

Once you have convinced your reviewer that you have impressive achievements under your belt they'll be thinking: "Ok, this person is impressive. But do they REALLY want to be a consultant? Or are they just applying because they're not sure what to do with their career."

The third section of your letter should therefore answer the  "Why consulting?" question . But here is the thing about this question: There are some reasons to go into consulting that you should tell your reviewer about. And some reasons that you should really keep to yourself.

For instance, one of the mistakes candidates commonly make in their cover letter is to write something along the lines of "I'd like to spend 2 or 3 years in consulting to learn more about business in general and then decide what I want to do." This is a HUGE mistake. 

Consulting firms want to hire FUTURE PARTNERS. Not employees who will stay for a couple of years. You can watch the video below for more details about this.

The best approach for your "Why consulting?" section is to write about past experiences that really show you know what you are getting into. The perfect situation is if you have done an internship in consulting or in corporate strategy and have enjoyed it. If that's the case, this is the perfect section to write about it.

But even if you haven't done related internships, there are plenty of angles you can use to connect your past experiences to what you will do as a consultant. For instance:

• You might have enjoyed working with clients when you were in M&A or in Sales
• You might have enjoyed structuring and solving tough problems as an engineer

You should use these experiences to say that "working with clients" or "solving tough problems" is something you KNOW you enjoy doing; and you look forward to spending more time doing this as a consultant.

When they read this section, your reviewer should think: "Ok, this person is impressive AND they know what they are getting into."

4. Why McKinsey / BCG / Bain / Other?

Example - Why McKinsey?

McKinsey appeals to me for three reasons. To start with, the different people from the company I have met and worked with all told me they had truly enjoyed their time there. For the past two years, I have worked for Michael Smith, a former Engagement Manager from the London office, who now works for Big Finance. Additionally, I regularly read McKinsey’s reports on financial services and think the insights delivered by Sarah James and others in the Finance practice are truly superior to that of other consultancies. By joining McKinsey, I therefore think I would have an opportunity to work with and learn from the best consultants in the industry. Finally, the fact that McKinsey was selected by Finance Supercorp to shape its digital strategy also played an important role in my decision to apply. This was a first-of-its-kind contract in finance and it shows that while at McKinsey I could get the opportunity to work on truly unique projects.

If you have managed to convince your reviewer that you have an impressive background and that you really want to be a consultant, you have a VERY HIGH chance of getting an interview. 

The only question that's left for you to answer is: " Why McKinsey  / Why BCG? / Why Bain? "

Top consulting firms  have a lot in common. In most regions, they cover the same industries and work for similar clients. They also pay similar salaries, and the career path is more or less the same from firm to firm. So what should you write about in this section?

In our experience, the most efficient way to set yourself apart in this section is to write about three specific elements:

When you write "I've met with Michael Smith," or "I've read report X," or "I've heard about project Y," you are making an argument that's SPECIFIC enough for your reviewer to think: "Ok they've done their homework."

If you stay too GENERIC, your argument will be much less credible. For instance, writing something like "While at McKinsey, I'll be exposed to a broad range of industries which I'm excited about" is a weak argument because you could swap McKinsey for BCG or Bain in that sentence.

In fact, this is the ultimate test. If you can swap McKinsey with another name in your "Why McKinsey?" section you are not being specific enough. You need to work on your paragraph again and mention SPECIFIC people, reports, or projects that you find interesting.

5. Conclusion

Example - Conclusion

For all these reasons, I am very enthusiastic about the chance to work at McKinsey. I am available for an interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Mary Taylor

The last section of the cover letter is a formality again. It should include the following elements:

• A sentence or two saying that you are enthusiastic and available for interviews at any time
• Your final signature

So how do you make it easy for your reviewer to put your cover letter on the "Accept" pile? We have put together the 10 tips below to make sure you can achieve this and avoid common mistakes.

Tip #1 Don't use a template letter

Writing cover letters is painful. But trust us, reading hundreds of them can be at least as painful. That's why you should make every effort to make your letter interesting and genuine. 

It's ok to get inspiration from templates such as the one we provide in this guide. But every sentence in your letter should be written from scratch.

Tip #2 Keep it to one page

One of the unwritten rules of consulting cover letters is that they should not be longer than one page. The trick to achieve this is to only select the MOST RELEVANT experiences from your  resume  and to summarise them. 

The points you decide to highlight should clearly demonstrate that you would make a great consultant.

Tip #3 Standard format and font

It's tempting to use an eye-catching font and format. But that's actually a bad idea. You only risk your interviewer thinking: "I've never seen this font, it looks really weird. Who is this person?" Your cover letter should stand out because of its content, NOT because of its format.

Tip #4 Not the time to be shy

Your cover letter is not the time to be shy. If you went to Harvard and have three Olympic medals, now is the time to say it! Most of us don't, and that's fine. But the point is that you should really push yourself to bring your most impressive accomplishments forward.

Tip #5 Network, network, network

This might sound surprising, but a big part of the cover letter is  how much networking you have done . Having networked with people from the firm you are applying for pays dividends for multiple reasons. 

First, they might recommend you to the HR team. But most importantly, these people will give you insight into what makes their firm UNIQUE. Then you can quote what you've heard in your cover letter (and name drop the person you heard it from) to show that you really understand the firm you are applying for.

Tip #6 Read, read, read

Unfortunately, networking is not always easy or possible. In these cases, your second best option is to read as much as you can on the firms you are applying for. You should read about the firm's projects, reports, and partners and find pieces of information you are really interested in. 

For instance, if you did your master thesis on electric vehicles, try to find who works in this area at the firm and what they have to say about it. And then mention what you have found in your cover letter.

Tip #7 One letter per firm

One question we often get is: "Should I write one letter per firm?" The answer is YES. But it's not as hard as it might sound. 

Every cover letter needs to answer three questions: Why you? Why consulting? And why this firm? The only paragraph you will need to change in every letter is the one about "Why this firm?" For each firm, you will have to do the networking and reading mentioned above.

Tip #8 Start writing early

Writing an outstanding cover letter is VERY HARD. Most candidates underestimate how much time it takes and start this process too late. You'll need to take a step back and reflect on everything you have done to date to highlight your most relevant experiences. 

This takes multiple iterations. Start early.

Tip #9 Get feedback

In our experience, great candidates all look for feedback and iterate on their cover letter until it's truly as good as it can get. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.

It’s best to get feedback from peers or consultants. These people will be able to point out which parts of your letter they don't get or don't find impactful enough. If you’d like to have an expert review your cover letter, check out our team of  ex-consultant coaches .

Tip #10 Proofread multiple times

Finally, you should check and double check your letter for typos and grammar mistakes - multiple times. A cover letter is (not so secretly) a writing test and you should really treat it like one.

What consulting firms look for

To get multiple interviews at  top consulting firms , it’s extremely important to understand what those firms are actually looking for. 

The good news is that most of the leading consultancies are looking for basically the same skills. 

To illustrate this point, here’s what  McKinsey  and  Bain  say that they’re looking for in candidates, along with our own translation of what they mean:

There are also a few unofficial items that consulting firms will look for on your resume, and you can read about those in our  consulting resume guide .

Next, let’s talk about the typical cover letter screening process.

Screening process

Now let's talk about HOW your cover letter will be handled once you send it. Here's how it works.

Your application will be sent to a JUNIOR CONSULTANT who recently graduated from your University. They will score your documents based on a grid provided by the HR team. 

Consultants usually have to score 200 to 400 applications in about 2 weeks. And this is sometimes on TOP of their normal project. It's not uncommon for them to leave the job to the last minute and to have to do it on a Friday night just before the deadline.

Why is this important? The point we are trying to make is your application is part of 100 other applications. And the person who will review it will be tired by the time they get to your cover letter. If they don't understand something, they won't Google it. It's your job to make their job easy.

Why consultancies ask for a cover letter

There are two main reasons why consulting firms ask for cover letters.

First, partners bill several thousand dollars per day to their clients. The opportunity cost of interviewing you is HUGE for the firm. Put yourself in the shoes of a consultancy for a second. What are the top 3 questions you want to answer before investing money in interviewing a candidate?

• Have they demonstrated the skills needed to be a consultant?
• Do they know what consulting is and what they are getting into?
• Are they genuinely interested in working for our firm?

If you don't answer these three questions in a structured and impactful way, your chances of getting past the screening process are very low. This is why every cover letter should be structured as follows:

• Why consulting?
• Why this firm?

The second reason consulting firms ask for a cover letter is to test your writing skills. Consultants write all the time: emails, PowerPoints, Word documents, etc. They spend about 50% of their day writing. And a lot of the time their job is to summarise very large quantities of information in a succinct way.

This is exactly what you have to do in your cover letter. You have to a) look back on all your past experiences, b) select the relevant experiences to convince the reviewer that you are the right person for the job and c) summarise all these experiences in a way that's easy to read and digest.

Cover letters are a disguised writing test. Candidates who end up getting invited for interviews recognise this early on. Making a good impression on paper is way harder than making a good impression in person.

Are many candidates ready to invest HOURS in writing the perfect cover letter? No. That's the whole point. That's how you can set yourself apart. If you spend enough time making sure that your letter is as impactful as it can be, you stand very high chances of getting invited for interviews.

Another reason that it can help to have a cover letter is to explain anything on your resume that may look unusual to a reviewer, such as a time gap or a non-traditional background for consulting. 

Whatever your unique situation is, if you’re not confident in how your cover letter looks today, then we can help you. 

Get an Ex-MBB consultant to review your cover letter

The guide above, in addition to our guide on  consulting resumes , should go a long way in helping you craft documents that will get you interviews. 

But if you still feel you need additional help, we have a team of ex-MBB recruiters and interviewers who would be happy to provide feedback on your cover letter.

You’ll get feedback on how to immediately improve your cover letter, including what experience to focus on, how to optimise your phrasing, formatting, etc.

Start by browsing profiles for available coaches.

Tips for Advanced Professional Degree Candidates

Application and interview information, more than half our consultants have a doctorate, law, medical, or non-business master’s degree..

Working toward your advanced degree means you already have many of the skills and strengths you need to succeed here.

If you like the idea of a stimulating and challenging career alternative and an opportunity to work with highly motivated colleagues in a team-based environment, we encourage you to apply.

Application tips

The following general recommendations give a sense of how we assess candidates with Advanced Professional Degrees and provides suggestions for highlighting your accomplishments.

We review every application completely, so we encourage you to provide accurate and thorough information. There are no knockout factors, and you need not be distinctive on every dimension. You will be better served by providing all the information we ask for than by leaving out elements you feel are weak.

Your application (i.e., cover letter, CV/resume) is our first and primary evidence of your written communication skills, so present it in a thoughtful and compelling manner. Make it easy to identify distinctive elements.

Preparing your CV or resume

Preparing for the online application, preparing for interviews.

• The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview
• Consulting Career Secrets
• Cover Letter & Resume
• McKinsey Solve Game (Imbellus)
• BCG Online Case (+ Pymetrics, Spark Hire)
• Bain Aptitude Tests (SOVA, Pymetrics, HireVue)
• Kearney Recruitment Test
• All-in-One Case Interview Preparation
• Industry Cheat Sheets
• Structuring & Brainstorming
• Data & Chart Interpretation
• Case Math Mastery
• McKinsey Interview Academy
• Brainteasers

How to Write the Perfect Consulting Cover Letter (McKinsey, BCG, Bain)

Last Updated on March 26, 2024

Crafting an exceptional consulting cover letter can significantly elevate your application in the highly competitive consulting industry. Statistics reveal a startling reality: only about 1-3% of applicants secure an offer from top-tier consulting firms like McKinsey , BCG , and Bain . This underscores the crucial role of a solid consulting job application strategy, particularly the cover letter and resume, in surpassing the initial screening phase, which is a great hurdle where up to 75% of hopefuls are filtered out.

Your journey through the rigorous consulting application process typically begins with networking and securing a referral. However, what truly sets your application apart is a well-structured, compelling consulting cover letter. This initial impression can be a decisive factor in advancing to the next stages, including aptitude tests and interviews.

How can you make sure to belong to the 25% that progress to the aptitude tests and interviews?

In this consulting firm application guide, we delve into the intricacies of crafting a cover letter that resonates with top consulting firms. We cover exactly that and answer all your questions related to:

• Why you should not underestimate the importance of the cover letter (but also not overestimate it)
• Structuring your cover letter for consulting firms
• Guidelines on what to include in a consulting firm application for a standout cover letter
• How you should design the cover letter
• What pitfalls and common mistakes you should avoid

The Purpose of Your Consulting Cover Letter

First things first. The cover letter is important but most sources overestimate its importance. If you were to rank it in order of importance for an interview invitation it would look like this:

• Resume . This is your gateway to the consulting world. Crafting a consulting resume showcasing your experiences and skills is essential for opening doors at prestigious firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. It’s the first touchpoint that narrates your professional journey.
• Referrals . Networking for consulting jobs and leveraging referrals can significantly enhance your application. A robust network , comprising varied sources and higher-ups, lends credibility and warrants a more attentive review of your application. In certain cases, strong referrals can even balance out minor gaps in your resume.
• Cover letter. If recruiters spend 20 seconds per resume, how much time do you think they will spend on a 1-page wall of text? You guessed it…yet that is exactly the reason why you should put effort into the creation of it. You need to make sure that your story transpires within a short amount of time. Doubts from the resume can be eliminated, and stories and skills that are especially relevant can be highlighted.

Understanding the essential components of a consulting job application is crucial for success.

While the resume is a chronological display of your experience and skills, the cover letter tells a more personal story to answer three core questions:

• Personal Fit (Why are you a good candidate?): Highlight why you’re an ideal candidate, weaving in stories and skills that align with the consulting ethos.
• Passion for Consulting (Why do you want to work in consulting?): Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field and articulate your understanding of its dynamics.
• Firm-Specific Aspirations (Why do you want to work for this firm?): Detail why you’re choosing a particular firm, aligning your career goals with their values and culture.

Lastly, the cover letter is your chance to demonstrate two meta-skills. It is more than just a narrative. It’s a testament to your ability to:

• Draft Professional Documents : Showcasing your skill in creating well-structured, formal documents.
• Communicate Effectively : The ability to convey your thoughts concisely and compellingly, in a manner that resonates with the consulting world’s preference for clarity and brevity.

Crafting a compelling consulting resume and cover letter is key. Get the help you need to transform your consulting application into a success.

Crafting the Ideal Structure and Content

How to stand out in the consulting job application process?

A standout consulting cover letter is a crucial component of your application, particularly for coveted roles at MBB ). In general, a cover letter needs to consist of three parts:

Introduction: A Compelling Opening (1 short paragraph)

• Purpose : Kickstart your cover letter with an engaging introduction that grabs the attention of recruiters or consultants.
• Key Elements : Clearly state the consulting role you’re targeting, the preferred office location, and any crucial networking references. This opening serves as a crucial first impression, setting the tone for your application.

Body: Demonstrating Fit and Passion (3 paragraphs)

• Your Candidacy : This is where you shine, linking your unique experiences and skills to the role’s requirements. Adopt a storytelling approach, sharing 2-4 impactful narratives that encompass both your educational and professional journeys. Focus on moments that define you as an outstanding candidate, like leading significant initiatives or unique personal achievements. This is the core of the cover letter and should link your personal experience and skills with the demands of the role. Move into storytelling mode and describe how different experiences prepared you for the role you are applying for. It is especially important in this highlight-reel to celebrate and quantify your successes. You need to make sure to incorporate stories that make you a memorable character (”Ah Sarah, she was the one biking through South America with a tent, raising money for charity.”).
• Your Drive for Consulting : Second, discuss why consulting is the best industry for you to work in. Connect your past experiences to the core competencies of consulting. Link your experience and skills to the type of work and qualities needed in consulting. This could include leadership roles, analytical projects, or impactful community work. Emphasize how these experiences align with the demanding yet rewarding nature of consulting, including aspects like diverse project work, talented and exceptional colleagues, steep learning curves, and early-career impact.
• Your Desire for MBB : Third, discuss why you want to work for the respective consulting firm. Tailor this section to the specific firm and highlight 2-4 aspects of the firm that resonate with you, such as their project diversity, professional development opportunities, or their esteemed reputation. Personalize this part by referencing any interactions or insights about the firm from your network or research.

Conclusion: A Strong Closure (1 short paragraph)

• Summarization : Conclude with a concise summary of your motivation and suitability for the role. Reaffirm your enthusiasm and readiness to contribute to the firm, keeping the tone professional and earnest.

Creating the Content for Your Cover Letter

When structuring your consulting cover letter, a strategic approach is to directly align it with the specific characteristics that your target firm values in candidates.

For instance, if you’re aiming for McKinsey, visit the values and purpose statement on their website to understand precisely what they seek in prospective consultants. McKinsey, like every consulting firm, has a set of core values driving their recruitment process, such as problem-solving skills, leadership abilities, a track record of delivering innovation, and a passion for the work.

In crafting your cover letter, it’s essential to weave the key attributes sought by your target consulting firm intelligently throughout the narrative. For instance, incorporating McKinsey cover letter tips can significantly improve your chances. Applying BCG application advice and tips for a successful BCG consulting application, each paragraph should be centered around a specific characteristic valued by Boston Consulting Group. Finally, adhering to the Bain cover letter structure and the best practices for Bain consulting cover letters is essential for crafting a standout consulting cover letter that grabs attention.

Identify moments from both your professional and personal life that vividly demonstrate these attributes, selecting the most compelling instance if you have several to choose from.

This table provides a more detailed overview of what each top consulting firm looks for in cover letters, along with tailored tips for success that reflect their unique values and expectations.

For each attribute, construct a narrative that outlines the context of the experience, your specific actions, and the measurable outcomes, ensuring to quantify these achievements when possible. This strategic approach seamlessly integrates the reasons why you are an ideal candidate for firms like McKinsey, Bain, or BCG, thereby eliminating the need for an explicit statement. Your stories will implicitly convey your suitability for the role. When addressing the question of “Why consulting?”, a brief mention suffices as your examples will have already demonstrated your comprehension of the consulting industry’s requisites.

This technique is particularly advantageous for those with unique backgrounds or for experienced professionals, as it distinctly showcases how their experiences align with the firm’s values and expectations.

Example of a Consulting Cover Letter

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

I am writing to express my interest in the [specific consulting role] at McKinsey & Company in the [city] office. Having been referred by [Referral’s Name], a [Position] at your firm, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to the innovative work McKinsey is known for.

My journey in consulting began unconventionally, as a leader in a non-profit organization, where I spearheaded a project to increase educational access in underprivileged areas. This experience, combined with my MBA from [University Name], has equipped me with a unique blend of grassroots-level impact understanding and strategic business acumen. Notably, leading a team to develop a sustainable funding model, we enhanced educational outreach by 150% within two years, demonstrating my ability to drive significant results in challenging environments. In my recent role at [Your Current/Previous Company], I navigated complex stakeholder environments to deliver a pivotal market expansion strategy, leading to a 30% increase in market share. This experience honed my analytical skills and ability to deliver actionable insights under pressure, qualities I understand are paramount at McKinsey.

The dynamic nature of consulting, with its diverse project work and intellectually stimulating environment, deeply resonates with me. The prospect of working alongside and learning from some of the brightest minds is particularly appealing, as is the opportunity to have a tangible impact early in my career. My experiences have prepared me to thrive in such a setting, where every day presents a new challenge and learning opportunity.

McKinsey’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions and its unparalleled professional development programs are key factors that draw me to your firm. The firm’s global impact and leadership in tackling complex business and societal challenges align perfectly with my professional goals and values.

In conclusion, I am excited about the possibility of joining McKinsey & Company and am confident in my ability to make a meaningful contribution. My background in leading impactful initiatives and delivering results in complex environments, coupled with my passion for continuous learning and growth, make me a well-suited candidate for the [specific role]. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my experiences and skills align with McKinsey’s needs and ambitions.

[Your Name]

Formatting Your Consulting Cover Letter: A Professional Blueprint

A well-formatted cover letter not only reflects your professionalism but also your attention to detail – key traits in the consulting world. Here’s how to structure your letter to meet the industry’s standard formatting requirements:

• Header with Personal Information : At the top, include your name and address. This can be aligned to the left, right, or centered for a balanced look.
• Recipient’s Address : Directly below your information, list the recipient’s details on the left-hand side. This should include the name and address of the consulting firm or the specific individual you’re addressing.
• Date : Place the date on the right-hand side of the page. Remember to spell out the month for clarity (e.g., “1 April 2024” in the UK format or “April 1, 2024” in the US format).
• Reference Number (if applicable) : If your application has a specific reference number, include it on the left-hand side, such as “Ref: Job Application XYZ123”.
• Salutation : Begin your letter with a proper salutation, addressing the recipient respectfully.
• Closing : Conclude your letter with a formal sign-off like “Yours sincerely” (UK) or “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, or “Sincerely yours” (US).
• Signature : Below the closing, leave space for your handwritten signature, followed by your typed name.
• Enclosures : If you’re including additional documents, list them under “Enclosures:” at the bottom of the letter.
• Typography and Margins : Use a standard font size (12) and a professional font like Times New Roman. Maintain standard margins and avoid overcrowding the page to enhance readability.

Following these formatting guidelines, your cover letter will not only look professional but also demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively in a business environment, a critical skill in consulting. The cover letter is not the time for experiments and by sticking to the generally agreed upon guidelines, you will facilitate the work of the recruiters.

Essential Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Consulting Cover Letter

Crafting an impactful cover letter for a consulting role involves not just highlighting your strengths but also avoiding common mistakes. Here’s a checklist highlighting cover letter mistakes to avoid in consulting, ensuring you steer clear of common pitfalls:

• Avoid Introducing Unfamiliar Information : Ensure that every degree, job, or skill mentioned in your cover letter is also present in your resume. Consistency is key.
• Eliminate Redundant Information : Your cover letter should not merely repeat what’s in your resume. Instead, it should complement and expand upon it.
• Adhere to the One-Page Rule : A concise, one-page cover letter is a standard in the industry. Exceeding this length can diminish the impact of your message.
• Foster a Personal Connection : Strive to establish a personal link with the firm or the recruiter. Mention referrals or specific interactions with the firm or individuals to make your application more relatable.
• Back Up Your Claims : Any skill or achievement you mention should be substantiated with a relevant story or example. This adds credibility to your assertions.
• Relevance is Crucial : Focus on experiences and skills that are directly relevant to the consulting role. Irrelevant emphasis can dilute the strength of your application.
• Incorporate Storytelling : Use storytelling to vividly bring out your experiences and skills. This makes your application memorable and engaging.
• Customize for the Firm : Tailor your cover letter to reflect your knowledge of and alignment with the firm’s values, culture, and unique selling points (USP).
• Be Cautious with Templates : Avoid the blunder of using incorrect company names or information, a common mistake when using a generic template for multiple applications.
• Prioritize Proofreading : Grammar, spelling, and typographical errors can significantly undermine your professionalism. Meticulous proofreading is essential.

By diligently avoiding these common errors, you can ensure that your consulting cover letter not only showcases your qualifications but also demonstrates your attention to detail and your understanding of what makes a successful consulting application.

Crafting Your Consulting Cover Letter: A Step-by-Step Process

Creating a standout cover letter for a consulting position is a meticulous process that benefits from careful planning and thoughtful revision. Here’s a guide to crafting yours:

• Structure Planning : Begin by organizing the high-level structure of your cover letter. Use the recommended format of introduction, body, and conclusion to ensure a coherent flow.
• Detail Gathering : Compile all the necessary information you wish to include, such as specific names, references, dates, and pertinent anecdotes or experiences.
• Initial Drafting with Bullet Points : Start by writing a first draft in bullet points. This helps in laying out your ideas succinctly and focusing on key points without getting bogged down by details.
• Seek Initial Feedback : Share this bullet-point draft with a friend, mentor, or colleague. Constructive feedback at this early stage can be invaluable in shaping the direction and content of your cover letter.
• Expand to Full Paragraphs : Transform your bullet points into well-crafted paragraphs. This is where you begin to add depth to your narrative, ensuring each section flows logically into the next.
• Further Feedback and Refinement : Seek additional feedback on this more developed version. Use the insights gained to fine-tune your message, ensuring it aligns with the principles of effective, concise consulting communication.
• Consistency Check with Resume : Ensure that your cover letter complements your resume. It should add to, not repeat, what is in your resume, providing a fuller picture of your qualifications and fit for the role.
• Concise and Clear Writing : “Trim the fat” by eliminating unnecessary words or phrases. Aim for clarity and brevity in your sentences, ensuring each word adds value to your message.
• Formatting Adjustments : Fine-tune the formatting to adhere to professional standards – one page, legible font (like Times New Roman), appropriate font size (typically 12), and correct formalities (such as your name and address).
• Meticulous Proofreading : Use tools like MS Word for an initial grammar and spell check. Then, carefully proofread your cover letter multiple times. It’s also wise to have someone else review it, providing a fresh perspective on both content and form.

With this process, you can develop a compelling and polished consulting cover letter that effectively communicates your strengths and fit for the consulting role you are aspiring to.

Does McKinsey Require a Cover Letter?

How to write a cover letter for a McKinsey consulting position is one of the most common questions I receive.

When it comes to McKinsey & Company, the requirement for a cover letter in your application may not be as stringent as you might think. In most McKinsey offices worldwide, submitting a cover letter is an optional part of the application process. This means that including one does not significantly influence the overall assessment of your application.

However, this doesn’t imply that a cover letter is without merit. If you’ve already crafted a compelling cover letter for applications to other firms, it’s advisable to tailor it specifically for McKinsey. Adjust key details such as the referral source, the targeted office location, the role you’re applying for, and the company’s name. This personalized touch demonstrates your genuine interest in McKinsey and your attention to detail.

Additionally, it boils down to how well your resume speaks for itself. If your resume already paints a clear picture of you as a prime candidate for a firm like McKinsey, then a cover letter might not be necessary. Here are some key indicators that your resume is doing the talking for you:

• Outstanding Academic Record : A high GPA always catches the eye.
• Core School Credentials : Graduating from or attending a school regularly visited by the firm ( a target school ) for recruitment gives you an edge.
• Relevant Educational Background : Degrees like an undergrad in business or economics, or an MBA, align well with what consulting firms look for.
• Solid Evidence of Key Skills : If your resume vividly showcases your leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities through work and volunteer experiences, you’re on the right track.

However, if you feel your resume might leave some room for doubt about your suitability for the consulting world, or the firm specifically, then adding a cover letter can bolster your application. This is your chance to fill in any gaps and directly communicate why you’re a great fit for both the industry and the firm. Think of the cover letter as your personal advocate, underlining your potential and passion for the role.

It’s important to note, though, that the cover letter might not be a focal point during the interview stages. The consultants conducting your case interviews and Personal Experience Interviews (PEIs) typically do not review cover letters as part of their interview preparation. Therefore, while including a well-tailored cover letter can add a polished edge to your application, it’s unlikely to be a discussion point in your interviews.

Elevate Your Consulting Application with Our Expertise

Are you aiming for a breakthrough in your consulting career with firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain or any other consulting firm? Our specialized cover letter and resume services are here to guide you through this critical phase. With our team’s background as former consultants and application screeners at McKinsey, we bring insider knowledge to your application process. We’ve scrutinized hundreds of applications, granting us unique insights into what truly makes a candidate stand out.

Tailored Guidance for Standout Applications

• Comprehensive Resources : Dive into our extensive guides and templates specifically designed for crafting the ideal consulting resume and cover letter. These resources are tailored to meet the expectations of the top consulting firms.
• In-Depth Exploration : We delve deeply into every facet of crafting a winning consulting resume and cover letter. Our materials provide you with the essential stories, phrases, and keywords that capture the attention of consulting recruiters.
• Efficiency in Preparation : Our ready-to-use samples and templates are designed not just for effectiveness but also to streamline your preparation process significantly.

Personalized Document Writing and Review

• Hand-Crafted Excellence : In addition to our guides and templates, we offer a personalized screening service. Here, we write, review, and fine-tune your resume and cover letter, ensuring they are tailored to perfection for your dream consulting role.
• Editing Services : Benefit from our editing services, where we refine your documents to align with the high standards of firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. We focus on enhancing your story, ensuring your skills and experiences resonate with consulting recruiters.

Let us help you create application documents that not only meet the high standards of top consulting firms but also reflect your unique strengths and aspirations.

Consulting Cover Letter FAQ

Navigating the consulting application process can be daunting, especially when it comes to creating a cover letter that stands out to prestigious firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. A well-crafted cover letter can significantly elevate your application, making you a memorable candidate. To help you on this journey, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions with concise answers to guide you in crafting an effective consulting cover letter.

What makes a consulting cover letter stand out to firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain? A cover letter that tells a compelling narrative, demonstrates your unique value, aligns with the firm’s values, and showcases your problem-solving and leadership abilities will stand out.

What are common pitfalls to avoid in a consulting cover letter? Avoid being vague, reiterating your resume, typos, and generic statements not tailored to the specific firm.

Can a strong cover letter compensate for gaps in my resume? Yes, a persuasive cover letter can highlight your strengths and contextualize any gaps, demonstrating your potential value to the firm.

How should I structure my cover letter for a consulting firm? Your cover letter should have a clear introduction, body paragraphs that detail your suitability for the role, and a concise conclusion.

What specific skills should I highlight in my consulting cover letter? Emphasize leadership, analytical abilities, problem-solving, teamwork, and any specific skills relevant to the consulting role.

How can I showcase my passion for consulting in my cover letter? Illustrate your enthusiasm through examples of past experiences, explaining why consulting excites you and how you’ve pursued this passion.

Is it necessary to customize my cover letter for each consulting firm? Absolutely, personalizing your cover letter for each firm shows you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in what makes each firm unique. Also, highlight contacts in the target firms you have interacted with.

What are the key differences between a resume and a cover letter for consulting jobs? A resume outlines your qualifications and experiences, while a cover letter provides a narrative that connects your background to the specific consulting role, demonstrating fit and passion.

Crafting a cover letter that addresses these aspects with clarity and confidence can make a significant difference in your application’s success. Your cover letter is not just a formality but a powerful tool to tell your story and express your enthusiasm for the consulting career path.

Join the Conversation

We hope this guide has illuminated the path to crafting your standout consulting cover letter, whether you’re aiming for McKinsey, BCG, Bain, or any other prestigious firm.

Do you have any questions about the application process, or would you like to share your own tips and experiences? Please, don’t hesitate to ask questions or leave your comments below.

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Florian spent 5 years with McKinsey as a senior consultant. He is an experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach, having interviewed 100s of candidates in real and mock interviews. He started StrategyCase.com to make top-tier consulting firms more accessible for top talent, using tailored and up-to-date know-how about their recruiting. He ranks as the most successful consulting case and fit interview coach, generating more than 500 offers with MBB, tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms through direct coaching of his clients over the last 3.5 years. His books “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview” and “Consulting Career Secrets” are available via Amazon.

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4 ways to start your McKinsey cover letter, according to recruiters and a former McKinsey manager

• A consulting job at McKinsey is hard to get but comes with a salary that can reach the high six figures. 
• Your cover letter is key to getting your foot in the door, recruiters and a former McKinsey manager said.
• They recommended demonstrating problem-solving skills and leadership abilities, and keeping your letter short.

McKinsey and Company is tough to break into but well worth the effort when it comes to salary. Partner salaries average more than $800,000 in total pay, according to job-review site Glassdoor.

One of your first chances to prove your value to this uber-competitive management consulting firm is through a cover letter. As stated on McKinsey's website : "Your application (i.e., cover letter, CV/resume) is our first and primary evidence of your written communication skills, so present it in a thoughtful and compelling manner."

While the company's website notes that a cover letter isn't required in an online application "unless you wish to alert [McKinsey] to an unusual circumstance or to provide information on a reapplication," recruiters emphasized that it's still an important part of the hiring process.

"McKinsey recruiters expect to see applicants with elite problem-solving and leadership abilities who can articulate their achievements, accomplishments, and diverse experiences concisely," said Caroline Stokes, the CEO of executive search and coaching firm  FORWARD , who has experience recruiting and coaching job seekers for many top firms, including McKinsey. "A person's leadership style and executive presence can be determined from this letter alone, so it needs to fully represent how the person would operate in this management consultancy environment with other high-performing talent and clients."

Portia Kibble Smith, an executive recruiter at  Karat  who has four decades of corporate experience and has placed many candidates at McKinsey, added: "The single biggest reason for a cover letter is that when I talk to hiring managers, they're probably reviewing each resume for 10 to 30 seconds. They're shuffling through them so quickly that you need some way to make the strongest part of your resume pop. That's what a cover letter is for." 

These experts and others shared their best tips for writing a letter that gets a hiring manager's attention.

Emphasize leadership, entrepreneurial drive, and passion for client-facing work

Smith said you should first make it clear that you're interested in working with clients — not just interested in working for McKinsey. 

"Demonstrate your passion for client-facing roles, and that you have the tools to hit the ground running on day one," Smith said.

Second, Smith pointed out that the cover letter is your opportunity to pull out the single-most impressive part of your resume and bring it to life. 

"Draw them in with a compelling story so they know your resume is worth more than half a minute of their time," she said. "One example of this is from a candidate that I helped place, who went into detail about their experience leading teams in the telecommunications industry and the value they helped create in a client-facing role."

Lastly, she advised not shying away from your background, but instead leaning into it. 

"If your MBA is from KU [University of Kansas] and not Harvard, the hiring manager already knows this, so there's no need to hide it," Smith said. "What opportunities did you have in Lawrence that may not have been available in Cambridge? Is there a unique perspective you're going to offer to the clients that they can't find anywhere else? That will get you noticed." 

Will Bachman spent four years at McKinsey after business school as an engagement manager, plus another year at the firm during his pre-MBA tenure. Within his management role, he was involved in recruiting for the firm — specifically vetting prospective MBA students and conducting interviews — before he left to cofound Umbrex , a global community connecting top-tier independent management consultants.

Bachman emphasized that McKinsey evaluates applicants on four dimensions: personal impact, entrepreneurial drive, problem-solving skills, and leadership abilities. As a result of this focus, he said that all successful candidates must meet the high bar on all four dimensions, and need to be absolutely distinctive on at least one of those four — which should come out in your cover letter.

"McKinsey consultants are taught to 'lead with the answer' when creating a presentation, and applicants ought to do the same in a cover letter, opening with a powerful anecdote that illustrates one of those four qualities where the candidate is most exceptional," Bachman said.

He also advised not diluting your message by trying to demonstrate competence on all four; instead, you should wow the reader with a story that shows how you are amazing on one of these dimensions.

(Finally, he shared that at McKinsey, the consultants like to capitalize the word "firm" when referring to "the Firm," so for extra credit, you can adopt that practice in your cover letter.)

Keep it short and don't just rehash your resume

Atta Tarki is founder and CEO of ECA , an executive search firm in which 10 out of their 11 managing directors are former consultants themselves with experience at McKinsey and other top consulting firms, and formerly spent six years as a management consultant at LEK Consulting . As such, Tarki works with hundreds of McKinsey consultants aiming to transition out of the firm a year, and has placed consultants with eight out of the top 10 strategy consulting firms.

Tarki advised focusing on something unique in your cover letter that's not in your resume to make your note stand out. 

"Most cover letters are just checking the box and rehashing the resume," he said. "In the extremely rare event that someone looks at it, that [approach] won't help you, and instead it should try to highlight some of your hobbies or things that make you interesting as a person/for the role."  

Tarki added that in the age of Twitter, less is more, whether you're talking about your cover letter, resume, or other communications related to your McKinsey application. He also hammered the point that it's important to get the basics right when applying, such as keeping your emails to HR brief and professional, not having any typos in your cover letter or other parts of your application, and being very responsive when communicating with the firm. 

Related stories

"Within hours is great and within the hour is excellent," Tarki said. "Within 24 hours is acceptable. Anything slower than that raises yellow flags."

He also emphasized making sure every single sentence in your application adds value. "Don't replace quality with quantity," he said.

These experts offered some examples of great cover letter lines

Bachman suggested that your cover letter to McKinsey could begin with something like this opener, which he wrote himself:

[Partner's first name],

I'm interested in joining the [name of practice] as an experienced hire.

Recognizing the value the Firm places on entrepreneurial drive, I thought I'd share the story of how I conceived of a new revenue stream for my current employer, developed the business case on my own time, managed to gain alignment among senior managers to approve funding, and then, as the head of this new service line, built a $50 million annual revenue business with a 22% EBITDA margin ...

Here's another example of an opening paragraph of the kinds of notes that stood out to him when vetting candidates:

Recognizing the value the Firm places on personal impact, I thought I'd share the story of how I built a nonprofit that has distributed a free interview suit and interview coaching to 3,000 low-income residents in my city ...

If you know a partner at the firm, then your cover letter should be addressed to that person. Bachman suggested that in this case, your cover letter could begin like this:

I've thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know you and your colleagues over the past several months, and as we discussed at [venue] on [date], I'd like to be considered as a candidate to join the [name of practice] in the [desired city] office …

Smith also shared the following cover letter template that she uses to help her candidates craft their introductions to McKinsey:

Delivering exceptional results for clients isn't rocket science — it's a lot harder. 

It takes a genuine desire to understand a client's business and goals, from both a granular and big-picture perspective. It takes insight into the client's business trajectory, products, market trends, untapped opportunities, and competitors. It takes critical thinking, robust analytical skills, leadership, and a passion for strategic problem-solving. 

It takes someone who can partner with clients and colleagues to find innovative approaches to problems and work as a key member of the team to develop impactful recommendations. 

These are the things I truly enjoy doing. I use a systematic approach to problem solving that includes analyzing the issue, defining desired outcomes, asking the right questions, looking at the challenge from both creative and strategic viewpoints, and brainstorming in a team environment to form possible solutions. A brief example of my success in problem solving is [example, including results for company or clients].

As a recent graduate of [school] with a [degree] in [major], I am eager to work with an organization like McKinsey, where my education and experience in [area of experience] will add value to both clients and the firm. 

It would be a privilege to speak with you about a consulting role with McKinsey, my qualifications, and a potential match. My resume is attached for your review, and I look forward to the next steps in the selection process. Thank you for your consideration.

[Your name]

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McKinsey Cover Letter Example & How-To (2023 Guide)

Written by James Vandersmith

April 19, 2023.

If you’re looking to break into the top management consulting firms, this is the guide for you. Here, we share insider tips and tricks on how to craft a winning cover letter for McKinsey and increase your chances of success in the application process. From how to structure your cover letter and what words to use to highlighting key qualifications, we’ve got you covered. Follow these tips and tricks to create an impressive cover letter for McKinsey that will make the hiring manager take notice! Remember that your McKinsey consulting cover letter should be tailored specifically to the role at hand. Highlight why you are an ideal candidate for the particular job and explain why it is a great opportunity for you to develop your skill set. That way, you can increase your chances of success in the application process and land an offer from McKinsey!

Make Proper Grammar the Focal Point of your McKinsey Consulting Cover Letter.

First and foremost, it’s important to emphasize that proper grammar and formatted is key when submitting any professional document. Make sure that your writing follows all basic conventions of spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and clarity. If you’re unsure about how to construct a particular sentence or phrase, consider using the assistance of spell checkers or language tools on various online platforms.

Give Your McKinsey Cover Letter a Professional Salutation.

When you start your cover letter, make sure to greet the hiring manager in a professional way. Introduce yourself and explain why you are writing the cover letter – that is, what makes you an ideal candidate for the job position. Be sure to use language that is both positive and respectful. Don’t forget to close your letter with a polite and sincere salutation.

Utilize Your McKinsey Cover Letter to Emphasize Your Qualifications and Skills.

Your McKinsey consulting cover letter should be an opportunity to give the recruiter or hiring manager a brief overview of your qualifications and skills relevant to the job you’re applying for. If applicable, mention any previous work experience related to the job description. It is also important to briefly explain why you are interested in this particular role at McKinsey and how it can help you to develop your skill set.

Highlight Your Most Relevant Qualifications for the McKinsey Job Position.

In your cover letter, be sure to identify your background and qualifications that make you an ideal candidate for the job position at McKinsey. Make sure to mention any past experiences, skills, or education that are relevant to the position you are applying for.

Include Examples of Your Professional Experience Relevant to your McKinsey Cover Letter.

When it comes to writing a cover letter for McKinsey, it’s important to include examples of work experience relevant to the job role you are applying for. You can use specific projects, tasks or initiatives that you have carried out in the past as evidence of your skills and competencies. Doing so will help to demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the job position.

Showcase Your Passion in the McKinsey Cover Letter.

Don’t limit yourself to describing your technical aptitude or job-specific skills. Showcase your passion for the role in your McKinsey cover letter and demonstrate why you are a unique candidate that would be an asset to the team. Be sure to explain why you are excited about joining McKinsey and the value that you can bring to their organization.

Prove Yourself as the Right Fit for a Position at McKinsey.

Your McKinsey consulting cover letter should end with a strong conclusion that emphasizes why you are the right fit for the job. Explain what makes you stand out from other candidates and how your qualifications make you an ideal candidate for the role at hand.

Your Perfect McKinsey Cover Letter Should Be Laser-Focused.

Remember that your cover letter should be concise and focused on the job at hand. Keep it short; no more than three paragraphs. This is not the time for long-winded stories or descriptions of your past achievements; you should be focused on why you are the best person for this particular job at McKinsey.

End Your McKinsey Consulting Cover Letter on a Positive Note.

Make sure to end your cover letter for McKinsey on a positive note in order to leave the reader with an impression of you as an ideal candidate for the job role. Mention any additional information that is relevant to the position and thank the reader for their time.

Proofread Your Cover Letter Multiple Times.

Proofreading your cover letter for McKinsey is an essential part of the job application process. Have someone else proofread it to make sure there are no errors or typos. Make sure that you read it over several times yourself, too, in order to ensure that everything is perfect before submitting your final copy.

Close Your McKinsey Cover Letter with a Call to Action.

In conclusion, write an effective closing sentence on your cover letter that will encourage the hiring manager to contact you. You can include something along the lines of “I look forward to hearing from you soon and discussing how I can contribute to your team” or “Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any further questions about my qualifications for this role”.

The WRONG Way to Structure Your Management Consulting Cover Letter.

When creating your McKinsey cover letter, it is best to avoid common pitfalls. Don’t just copy and paste from a generic cover letter template or an example you find online. Rather, tailor your content to the specific job that you are applying for and make sure that all the information included in your letter is relevant. Similarly, be careful not to use overly flowery language or jargon; keep it professional.

The RIGHT Way to Structure Your Management Consulting Cover Letter.

Now that you know what not to do when constructing your McKinsey cover letter, let’s take a look at the right way to go about doing this. Begin by introducing yourself, followed by a brief overview of your qualifications and experience that make you the ideal candidate for the role. You can then move on to explain why you are passionate about this job at McKinsey and why you think it is a great opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Mistakes People Make with Their Consulting Cover Letter that Lead to Rejection.

Submitting a sloppy, unfocused cover letter with typos and poor grammar are all mistakes people make that lead to rejection. Avoid using flowery language or overly technical jargon; keep your writing concise and easy to understand. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from others before you submit your McKinsey consulting cover letter.

Sample Achievements for McKinsey Cover Letter.

When crafting a cover letter for McKinsey, it is important to include specific examples of your achievements that will showcase your skills and abilities. Here are some sample achievements you could include in your cover letter:

•Lead an interdisciplinary team of 8 experts to develop innovative solutions for a global retail chain

• Generated 20% increase in revenue for a healthcare technology company through the development and implementation of new marketing strategies

• Spearheaded an AI-driven customer experience improvement project that resulted in an 80% satisfaction rate

• Reduced operational costs by 25% through streamlining existing processes at a financial services organization.

McKinsey Cover Letter FAQs

Does mckinsey require cover letter.

Yes, McKinsey requires a cover letter to be submitted along with your resume and any other documents you are asked to provide. Your cover letter should introduce you, demonstrate why you are interested in the role, and emphasize why you think you’re the ideal candidate.

What format should I use for my McKinsey cover letter?

Your McKinsey cover letter should be formatted in an easy to read font such as Arial or Times New Roman, with a size of 11-12 points. Make sure you include plenty of white space and don’t use too many colors or graphics.

What mistakes should I avoid when writing my McKinsey cover letter?

When writing your McKinsey cover letter, make sure to avoid common mistakes such as including irrelevant information or typos. Don’t copy and paste from a generic cover letter template; tailor the content to the specific role you are applying for. Make sure all the information included in your letter is relevant and avoid using overly flowery language or jargon.

What do I write in a cover letter for McKinsey?

When writing a cover letter for McKinsey, you should include an introduction, overview of your qualifications, and explanation of why you are interested in the job. You can then discuss specific achievements that demonstrate your skills and abilities relevant to the role. Finally, make sure to provide contact information so they can reach out to you if needed.

What is an example of a good consulting cover letter?

A good consulting cover letter example would begin with an introduction that provides a short overview of your qualifications and experience. You can then discuss why you are interested in the role and excited to work at McKinsey. End your cover letter by discussing specific achievements that demonstrate your skills and abilities, as well as provide contact information for them to reach out if needed.

What GPA do you need for McKinsey?

McKinsey does not specify a minimum GPA requirement for applicants. That said, most successful candidates usually have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

What should I wear to my McKinsey interview invitations?

When attending an in-person interview at McKinsey, you should dress professionally; this means wearing a suit, tie, and dress shoes. Avoid wearing too much jewelry and make sure your outfit is clean and wrinkle-free. Additionally, it’s important to make sure you look put together and presentable.

What are some tips for writing a successful McKinsey cover letter?

When crafting a successful McKinsey cover letter, it is important to showcase your qualifications and experience in a concise and clear manner. Make sure your cover letter includes relevant achievements and focus on the skills that make you stand out from other applicants. Additionally, it is important to demonstrate your genuine enthusiasm for the role and explain why you are interested in joining McKinsey. Finally, make sure to proofread your cover letter carefully before submitting.

McKinsey Cover Letter Example

Dear McKinsey Team,

I am writing to express my interest in the Consulting Analyst role at your firm. With a combination of relevant experience and a passion for problem solving, I believe I could be an asset to the team.

As a recent graduate from Stanford University, I have already developed strong analytical skills through coursework and practical application. My coursework focused on data analysis, business strategy, economics and accounting which gave me a strong foundation in consulting principles. Additionally, my internship at ABC Corporation exposed me to real-world problems which allowed me to further develop my analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The work I did there included developing client presentations that resulted in an 80% satisfaction rate as well as reducing operational costs by 15%.

I am inspired by the work McKinsey does, and I believe my skills can make a positive impact to your team. I am confident that I could provide valuable insights in the consulting projects you take on. In addition to my analytical capabilities, I have strong communication, project management, and problem-solving skills which have proven successful in previous roles.

Thank you for your time and consideration; please do not hesitate to contact me should you need any further information or be interested in discussing my qualifications further.

Make Your McKinsey Cover Letter More Personalized With AI

Outpace your rivals and build a memorable McKinsey application with YourCoverLetter’s AI Cover Letter Builder ! This state-of-the-art tool enables you to craft an attention grabbing cover letter tailored to the job in just one move – simply input your skillset and company data, and presto! You have yourself a stunning McKinsey cover letter. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by – start using YourCoverLetter now for guaranteed results!

Table of Contents

McKinsey Cover Letter Sample

Written by . Posted in Cover Letter

If you are applying for a position at McKinsey, you will be competing with a large number of graduates and working professionals who are also interested in breaking into the firm. Therefore, you must be able to convince recruiters to invite you to an interview. This includes submitting a McKinsey cover letter that tells the story that you are a highly motivated and ambitious applicant with a great potential.

Remember, a resume only summarizes your skills and experience, but a cover letter tells the story about you: your career plans and the fit of consulting in these plans, your personality and your key accomplishments. You need to devote ample time to crafting your letter as it can help you stand out from the pool of highly qualified candidates.

Before Writing Your McKinsey Cover Letter

Before writing your McKinsey cover letter, you need to make a list of your qualifications and accomplishments that match the skills McKinsey seek in candidates. This will help you determine which information to include in the document. Use the table below for ideas and suggestions:

McKinsey Cover Letter Structure

The cover letter should contain three to five paragraphs and the information you present should be comprehensively written. If this document exceeds one page, recruiters will doubt your written communication skills, something all management consultants should possess.

Contact Information and Salutation

There’s only one thing you need to remember in this section: accuracy. Double check your contact information as the recruiters will use it to notify you about tests and interviews. Also, don’t forget to address the letter to the correct person and his or her position at the firm. Applicants often overlook these basic facts when writing cover letters. Committing these types of mistakes will hurt your application; recruiters will be disappointed that you omitted critical details.

Introduction

This section should be interesting enough to encourage the recruiters to read the rest of your McKinsey cover letter. It should contain your objectives, the specific job title you are interested in, and how you came across the opening. In order to convey your own voice, try the following strategies:

Here’s is an example of this section:

Here’s is another example:

Middle Paragraphs

Based on your list of qualifications, choose and highlight two or three skills or accomplishments that will push your application to the top of the pile. Select the ones that are most relevant to the position. If you are an experienced professional, focus on your quantitative achievements at your previous job. If you are a recent graduate, you can talk about your coursework, extracurricular activities, and internship program. The important thing is to establish a connection between the job and your competencies.

Here is an example of this section for experienced professionals:

My three-year experience as a director at an online marketing agency has prepared me for this client-oriented role. I have developed various digital marketing campaigns using a range of techniques such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC), social media advertisements, and paid searches. I also served as a marketing partner of Bangles, a startup company that sells women’s clothing and apparel online. Two months after implementing our marketing proposal, their monthly revenue increased by 25%.

Apart from my experience, my marketing degree from the University of Colorado has also prepared me for advanced business writing, conducting market research, and analyzing consumer behavior. I believe that my technical know-how, coupled with my substantial experience, will be my key to generating marketing strategies based on the industry’s best practices and customer experience. I am confident McKinsey & Company will find my contribution to the organization’s growth valuable.

Here is an example of this section for recent graduates:

During my three-month internship at Fast Investment Bank, I helped my team in providing financial services to companies and organizations. I analyzed an investment opportunity for a private equity fund within the wind turbine sector, leading to a critical investment decision. I also developed an Excel model for the valuation using both multiple and discounted cash flow methods. This model was used by the entire team.

In addition to my internship experience, I am a Finance major from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado. My college curriculum has readied me for any challenges in business analysis, quantitative methods, and organizational behavior. Despite my responsibilities as a soccer club vice-president, I graduated with a 3.9 GPA. As evidenced by my excellent educational performance, I believe I will be able to adapt to the challenging demands of your organization.

In this section, you can also talk about your motivation for applying with the firm and personal interests. Make sure to present them in a manner that’s relevant to the desired position.

Closing Paragraph

The closing paragraph revolves around you as a person. Write about what you can contribute to the organization, your passion, personal values and skills. Finally, add one more sentence that indicates your high value. Avoid writing “If you have any questions about my application, please do not hesitate to contact me” as this creates no value. If recruiters find you suitable for the job, they will find a way to contact you.

Here’s an example of the closing paragraph:

I take pride in my innate leadership potential. When I was still in university, I was an officer of the consulting club for two consecutive years.  Furthermore, my former colleagues can attest to how I motivate other people to do their tasks, and involve everyone in working towards the common goal.

Looking forward to discuss the opportunities with you.

It’s essential to close your McKinsey cover letter in a professional manner. You may use the following closing examples:

• Best regards
• Respectfully
• Yours truly
• Most sincerely

Also, don’t forget to attach your signature in order to add sincerity to your McKinsey cover letter. If you’re uploading your letter on the Internet, consider creating a digital signature. Just sign a piece of clean, white paper, scan it, and crop the image down to the ideal size of your signature. This will help you stand out as a professional and technically-competent applicant.

Review Your Cover Letter

Before sending out your McKinsey cover letter, review its content and structure. If you know someone who is qualified and willing to check it for you, ask for his or her objective feedback. After reviewing the document, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the content relevant and interesting enough to pique the interest of the recruiter?
• Does it convey the value I can contribute to the firm?
• Are my ideas or qualifications presented in a smooth and comprehensible manner?
• Does it look reader-friendly?
• Is it free from spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors?

If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, you can submit your McKinsey cover letter with your resume and other required documents.

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• Bain Cover Letter Sample
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Career in Consulting

Consulting Cover Letter: a step-by-step guide (2024)

With a great CV, your consulting cover letter can open the door to scoring an interview and, ultimately, getting a job in consulting.

But it’s not that easy: less than 30% of applicants receive a call for an interview.

Thus, in this article, I’ll show how to write a persuasive and customized cover letter to move your job application to the top of the pile .

In particular, I’ll show you the exact steps you need to take to write a consulting cover letter that:

• Set you apart from the crowd
• Express your motivation to join the firm you are applying to

But first, let me introduce you to Paul.

Paul is a recent graduate from a business school in France.

He did two internships (one in Marketing and one in Finance).

Paul used the tips from this article to learn how to write a cover letter for a consulting job and landed job interviews in ALL the consulting firms he applied to . 

At the end of this article, you’ll see Paul’s consulting cover letters for McKinsey, the Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, and Deloitte.

Also, you’ll find a consulting cover letter template to help you craft your consulting cover letters. 

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Get the latest data about salaries in consulting, what is a cover letter.

Along with your resume, a cover letter is an important part of your consulting job application.

It is intended to provide a more in-depth introduction, enhancing the information in the resume or CV, outlining pertinent qualifications, and showcasing some of your most noteworthy achievements.

A strong cover letter convinces the employer that your skills align with their requirements and demonstrates the following:

• Justifications for your qualifications for the job.
• An explanation of why you want to work as a consultant.
• Justifications for why you would be a good fit for their particular company.
• Your capacity for producing engaging, clear, and concise writing.

A strong cover letter should ultimately focus on “why should we hire you” and “what’s in it for us.”.

And for that reason, it’s worthwhile to take the time to write a strong cover letter .

What recruiters want

The consulting recruiting process is costly for top consulting firms. 

Do the math:

Multiply the time spent by a management consultant giving interviews by their fees.

You’d get an insanely high number.

Therefore, management consulting firms want to invite only candidates with a serious chance of making it.

To do so, they use two selection criteria. 

Selection criteria 1: do you have the right consulting skills?

ALL consulting firms essentially look for these 4 skills when screening your application documents (resume and consulting cover letter):

• Problem-solving : As a Consultant, you will be essentially a problem-solver. Thus, Consulting firms will assess the range of problems you had to solve and the impact you had.
• Leadership abilities : As a Consultant, you must get things done while working with others. Thus, Consulting firms will assess your ability to work in teams and create a climate where people are motivated to do their best.
• Personal impact : As a Consultant, you will need to gain the support and commitment of others. Thus, Consulting firms will assess your ability to develop relationships with people and influence someone to act upon your recommendation.
• Drive : As a Consultant, you will work on new consulting projects every 3x months. Thus, Consulting firms will assess how comfortable you are with new situations and your ability to perform outside your comfort zone.

Selection criteria 2: are you a good fit?

A career in consulting is not for everyone.

It’s demanding. 

And it can sometimes be stressful.

Therefore, management consulting firms want to assess your motivation to pursue a career in consulting.

And more specifically, a career in consulting in their firm.

To do so, they’ll assess if you’ve done your homework.

For instance, do you understand what consultants do?

And do you understand what makes them different from other management consulting firms?  

Related articles :

Your answer to the question Tell me about yourself must be consistent with the information on your resume.

Check this article explaining how to craft a superior answer to the question “ Tell me about yourself .” 

Also, read this article to learn more about the recruiting process at McKinsey.

Besides, I’ve written articles about the recruiting process at Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company .

How to write a consulting cover letter: your step-by-step guide

Good consulting cover letters tend to follow a tried-and-trusted format. 

One that’s set up in a way that lets you show off your accomplishments and what are your motivations to join this consulting firm in particular .

If you’re worried about sticking to the same format as everyone else somehow stopping you from standing out, don’t.

It’s what you say (or don’t say) that counts. 

Let’s break down how your cover should look.

Step 1: Add the header (mandatory)

To begin with, start your cover letter with the following information:

• Phone number
• Email address
• Date of sending

In addition, you can include the company’s name and address to which you’re applying.

Step 2: include the greetings (mandatory)

The greeting needs to display the right level of respect and professionalism.

If you have a name for the contact person, use it.

If you don’t know the contact person’s name, you can begin your cover letter with “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

Do your best to find out to whom you’re writing to.

Look at the company website or LinkedIn page to see if you can track down the hiring manager’s name. 

Or  take the initiative to call the company.

Someone on the other end of the phone might be happy to tell you who does the hiring.

Step 3: write the opening paragraph (mandatory)

If you were to meet a hiring manager in person, you wouldn’t just throw your resume in their face and walk away, would you?

I’d like you’d offer a handshake and tell them who you are first.

This paragraph  is like a good handshake.

You want your first paragraph to be strong, succinct and make a great first impression .

In your opening paragraph , start strong:  show enthusiasm and show you want to come in there and make a contribution .

Hook the reader early with a first paragraph that makes them want to read.

You can use these guiding questions to craft the first paragraph of your cover letter .

• Which position are you applying to ? Consultant in the BCG Munich office 
• What are your personal qualities? Results-driven and eager to learn. 
• Who are you? What are your past and present experiences? A final-year student at HEC Paris who completed two internships in the Banking and Technology sectors
• What is your most impressive achievement? Experience in working with C-level management teams  

This is an important cover letter tip: 

Mention the position you’re applying to (Business Analyst, Senior Consultant, Associate, etc.)

Step 4: explain why you are a good candidate (mandatory)

Your management consulting cover letter must say why you’re the right person for the job. 

This is one of the most important consulting cover letter tips.

To do so,  you must  highlight the specific skills and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for consulting .

For instance, here is how Paul has highlighted his skills in his consulting cover letter.

Here are the four steps followed by Paul to show off his skills in his cover letter :

• Step 4.1: List your most impressive achievements and write a great resume.
• Step 4.2: Select three skills you want to emphasize.
• Step 4.3: Select three achievements that best illustrate how you used those three skills.
• Step 4.4: Highlight these three achievements in your cover letter. But don’t repeat your resume word by word; show your personality instead.

Step 4.1: List Your Most Impressive Achievements And Write A Great Resume

In the “Consulting resume: 11 steps to get interviews in 2023”   article, you have the exact steps you need to take to:

• List your most impressive achievements
• Summarize these achievements into compelling action statements in your resume
• Format your resume with a ready-to-use template
• Get inspired with (literally) hundreds of examples
• And much more…

So, start your cover letter… by writing your consulting resume !

Step 4.2: Select The 3 Skills You Want To Emphasize In Your Consulting Cover Letter

Choose the three skills you want to emphasize in your cover letter . 

For instance :

• Problem-solving : how you used your analytical and quantitative skills to solve a problem and had an impact
• Leadership skills : how you got something done while working with someone or a group of people
• Personal impact : how you influenced people to act upon your recommendations

Another cover letter tip:

Do NOT put three achievements in your cover letter that illustrate the same skills twice or thrice.  

If you do so, you will undermine your profile…

And lose an opportunity to show that you are a well-rounded professional .

Step 4.3: Select The 3 Achievements That Best Illustrate How You Used Those Skills

You now must have a great list of achievements and an outstanding resume. 

Now, it’s time to select which achievements you will highlight in your cover letter.

To do so, select which achievements best illustrate your experience in three chosen skills . 

To do so, choose three achievements you feel are your strong suits to focus on.

For instance, you can ask yourself :

• Which achievements are you most proud of?
• Where did you have the biggest impact?
• Which achievements were the most challenging?

Step 4.4: Highlight These 3 Achievements In Your Cover Letter. But Do NOT Repeat Your CV Word-By-Word; Show Your Personality Instead

Finally, highlight these three achievements in your cover letter. 

However,  your cover letter shouldn’t just rehash your resume . 

In other words, do not repeat your word-by-word resume.

Because this will give a weak impression.

Instead, use  the letter to tell a brief story , such as “my toughest sale” or “my biggest technical challenge,” and show your personality . 

That’s  how you will stand out from the rest .

It will make a HUGE difference if you show your personality when highlighting your achievements in your cover letter.

The secret to showing your personality is to tell the readers WHY these achievements matter to YOU .

For instance:

• WHY this achievement was important for you
• WHY this achievement, in particular, was challenging
• Why did you enjoy this achievement 
• WHY this achievement left a positive (or negative) mark on you 

Do you see the pattern here?

To make it personal, explain WHY a particular achievement is important for YOU .

There are four  reasons why a particular achievement can be  important for you : 

• You had to manage (or you were part of a team managing) something critical for your company. In other words, you had a huge impact.
• The situation you had to handle was very challenging : you had to deal with a tight schedule, you had few resources to reach your objectives, you were in the middle of stakeholders who were not aligned, etc. In other words, it was tough ! Think of these long hours spent at the office 🙂
• You had to do something for the first time : present something in front of the leadership team for the first time, face a specific problem for the first time, have to handle a crisis for the first time, have to manage a team for the first time, etc. In other words, you learned a lot. 
• Or a combination of these 3 things : critical x challenging x first time (I can imagine how stressful it was!!)

So, to conclude, when describing your achievements in your cover letter, make sure to cover these four critical elements:

• The problem you had to solve
• How you solve this problem (your action)
• The outcome (the results of your action)
• Why was this achievement important for you

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Step 5: explain why you want to join this firm (mandatory)

A well-written cover letter highlights your credentials for a job and proves your desire to work for this company in particular. 

The golden rule of applying to a job is showing interest in the firm you apply to . 

Explaining your motivation to join a company is what is most important for recruiters, according to a recent survey of 200 recruiters.

Why is explaining your motivations to join this specific firm so important?

Think of it from the consulting firm’s perspective: they want to hire someone who will positively impact the firm and its customers and someone who is a good fit.

The hiring process is very costly and time-consuming. 

Therefore, they don’t want to hire someone who will leave the company after 12 months .

Being specific when you express your motivations to join a consultancy is key.

It won’t impress the readers if you give general reasons that can be applied to other consultancies. 

Even worse,  it shows that you haven’t done your homework and haven’t done any research about the company .

Thus, do not write, “I want to work for McKinsey because it’s the market leader” or “I want to join the Boston Consulting Group because I’ll be able to work with smart people.” 

Note:  I’ll show you how to use these two (good) reasons yet sound specific . 

So, now let’s see  how to express your motivation to join this firm in particular . 

To begin with, let’s see what Paul wrote in his McKinsey cover letter.

Paul gave two reasons why he is interested in joining McKinsey & Company. 

Each of his reasons follows this formula :

Step 5.1: Start By Giving A Reason Why You Want To Join This Company

You want to join a top consulting firm for many good reasons .

So if you are asking yourself, “Why McKinsey?”, “Why BCG?”, “Why Bain?”, “Why Deloitte?”, Why Accenture?” or “Why any other firms,” you should consider the following reasons :

• The company’s culture : you think you’ll be a good fit with the company’s culture. For instance, the culture of excellence at McKinsey. Or the collaborative culture at Bain & Company. Another example: the diversity of profiles promoted by the Boston Consulting Group
• Its reputation : you want to work for a company recognized as a global market leader, such as McKinsey & Company. Or do you want to join a well-known advisor in a specific geography like Bain & Company in the Middle East?
• The company’s specialization : you can have a special interest in a topic or an industry and join a firm with expertise in that topic or industry. For instance, Simon Kucher & Partners for pricing, or Bain & Company for Private Equity. Or maybe McKinsey is the only consulting firm working with public entities in your region 
• Smart colleagues : you want to be inspired and work with people inside and outside the firm who will challenge your work and how you think. For instance, McKinsey is obsessed with working mainly at the CEO level
• The company’s size : you want to join a new (or a small) office and be part of the teams that will help develop that office. Or the office can be well established, but you want to join a newly created practice and want to help develop it
• The company’s international footprint : you want to have the opportunity to work in an international environment or to be relocated to an office abroad in a couple of years. For instance, some consulting firms have international staffing rules, whereas others offer only local staffing opportunities
• The career progression opportunity : you want to join a company that invests a significant amount each year to train their consultants. For instance, Bain is known to put a high value on training their employees

So, think of “Why do you want to work for this company?” or “What attracts you to work for this company?” and check which reasons make sense.

However,  if your cover letter mentions some of the previous reasons without any more explanations, your answer will sound very generic  (and weak).

For instance, if you write, “I want to work for a prestigious company and be surrounded by smart colleagues,” this can be applied to most consulting firms. 

That’s  why you need to add evidence that you know what you are discussing .

In other words, you must show that you did your homework and researched the company. 

That’s step 5.2.

Step 5.2: Then, Back-Up Your Reason With A Persuasive Source Of Information

To make your answer convincing, you must back up your reason with a good source of information.

Thus, you will show the readers that you are not applying to this firm for random but thoughtful reasons. 

To do so, there are three persuasive sources of information that you should consider::

• Consultants who work at the company you are applying to . Your interviewer wants to know if you have done your homework and have talked to anyone from the office you are applying to, or at least from the firm in general. In other words, networking is super important.
• Reports produced by the company, such as the McKinsey Quarterly or the BCG Insight. Tell them you read and found interesting a report or an article about a topic you like.
• Alumni with whom you have worked with . If you had the opportunity to work with alumni from the firm you are applying to, mention it. This shows that you have an idea of what working there looks like.

To conclude, back up the reasons why you want to join a company with one of these sources of information, and you’ll show the readers that you researched the company and thus demonstrate real interest .

Step 5.3: Finally, Explain Why This Reason Is Important For You

Now, it’s time to make it personal. 

As for your skills  (read again writing tip 6, “Show your personality in your cover letter” if necessary),  explain why this particular reason is important for you .

For instance, you can explain why working for a global market leader such as McKinsey is important:

You are excited by the opportunity to work on impactful projects. 

Another example:

You can explain why the focus of Bain & Company on having an impact is important for you: you need to have tangible results from your work.

Step 5.4: Repeat The Previous Steps 1 Or 2 Times

Try to give a minimum of 2 (and a maximum of 3) reasons why you want to join a particular firm.

Therefore, repeat the previous steps 1 or 2 times.

Step 6: say why you want to pursue a career in consulting (optional)

This section is optional. 

90% of the time, your management consulting cover letter should NOT include this section .

If you need to include this section, keep it short. 

My recommendation is a maximum of 3 or 4 lines.

And to do so, the process is simple.

First, select one or two reasons you want to pursue a career in consulting.

Here are some examples of reasons to pursue a career in consulting:  

Second, explain why this reason is important for you .

For instance, why is having an impact important for you?

Or why is working in an environment with a strong learning curve important for you?

Again, keep your answers concise.

Step 7: end with a call to action (mandatory)

This is your call to action.

Thank the readers for their time, and let them know you’re excited to be interviewed.

I would welcome the chance to discuss further your expectations and how my analytical, leadership, and communication skills can bring value to McKinsey.

Always be polite and respectful in your close.

Let them know how eager you are to be interviewed, but never make demands.

Step 8: add your consulting cover letter signature

Sign off your letter with a “Best” or “Best regards” (remember to include a comma), followed by your name.

You can use other phrases like “Yours sincerely,” “Kind regards,” or “Best wishes,” but “Best” or “Best regards” are the safest options.

Step 9: proofread and check typos

Now it’s time to polish your consulting cover letter to ensure it stands out.

Like your resume,  your cover letter is one of the few things in your life that needs to be perfect .

Thus, you must put the same attention to detail in your cover letter as Consultants do with their slide deck presentations.

In other words, perfection is the minimum standard your cover letter must pass to keep it out of the rejection pile.

Pay close attention to the following areas to make your cover letter bulletproof.

Imagine finding out that your application — the one you spent hours working on — was dismissed because of a few small spelling or grammar errors. 

That would be tough to take.

But it happens.

Hiring managers must review hundreds of resumes and cover letters.

And typos are one of the easiest ways to narrow applicants down . 

So, double or triple-check your cover letter.

When you’ve done that, have someone else read over it.

#2: Formatting Errors

Large blocks of text are hard work on the eyes, especially on a screen. 

Therefore, keep sentences short and limit paragraphs to three or four sentences.

Moreover, I recommend using bullet points when describing your most critical skills and achievements . 

Another thing to remember is that your cover letter and resume will be read together, so the two should be consistent in how they look. 

Thus, match the style of your cover letter to your consulting resume .

To help you, I have put a cover letter template at the end of this article.

In addition, you can find a resume template in this article .

#3: Any Trace of Copy And Paste

The  “I am writing to apply for the role of  [job]  at  [company] ”  example from a previous cover letter is classic copy-and-paste.

Anything non-specific or generic immediately has the hiring manager wondering how many other people you’ve tried to impress with your robotic writing . 

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use copy-and-paste templates.

It just means you shouldn’t make it obvious that you do.

#4: Too Many Words

According to a survey by Saddleback College, almost 70% of employers want a cover letter to be less than one page.

24% say that the shorter, the better.

Generally, your consulting cover letter should be less than 500 words and fit on a single page . 

Let me repeat because it’s important:

Your consulting cover letter must be on one page.

#5: File Name And Type

First, use the PDF format when submitting your cover letter to a consulting firm unless otherwise specified by the company or recruiter.

Besides, when assigning a file name to your cover letter, include your first and last name along with the name of the company you’re applying to in the name of the file, like “Sébastien Ritter Cover Letter McKinsey.”

Step 10: get your cover letter reviewed by an expert

To ensure your consulting cover letter is error-free, share it (with this article 😉) with your friends and ask for feedback.

But do not ask all your friends.

Instead, focus on these three people: a grammar champion, an HR person (preferably in the consulting industry, but non-consulting HR is fine, too), and a Consultant.

Step 11: complement your cover letter with a great CV

I recommend focusing your time and energy on your consulting resume before writing your cover letter. 

Because recruiters say they spend a maximum of 60 seconds deciding whether a candidate should be invited for an interview, they probably start by figuring out whether you have the skillset and education required for the job.

And that’s the purpose of the resume .

For instance, I recommend spending 80% of your time writing your CV and 20% writing your cover letter.  

Check this article that will help you craft your CV .

You’ll find a step-by-step guide, templates, and examples to help you craft a perfect consulting resume. 

My best consulting cover letter tips

In 2023, I analyzed 147 management consulting cover letters . 

As a result, here are my 7 best cover letter tips. 

And here is the best part:

You’ll also learn the most common mistakes to avoid at all costs. 

Consulting cover letter tip 1: Personalize your letter for each firm

Never send a generic cover letter.

This implies that you must create a new one for each firm.

Consulting cover letter tip 2: Simplify your letter

Clarify and condense your message.

Using complicated words and sentences would almost certainly fail to convey your intentions to the company, and the person reading the letter probably won’t bother with the rest of your application.

Consulting cover letter tip 3: Be specific when needed

Make sure to quantify your accomplishments.

For instance, elaborate on your marketing expertise in your cover letter by stating that you increased revenue to $10,000 while bringing in 200 more clients monthly.

Having specific personal information can help you stand out from other applicants.

Consulting cover letter tip 4: Omit unnecessary details

Let’s state the obvious:

You don’t need to mention your graphic design experience.

Personal information like accomplishments in leisure activities, interests, and hobbies are best left out.

Consulting cover letter tip 5: Show Your Value

When applying for consulting positions, it’s a common error for candidates to focus only on their individual accomplishments.

Cover letters with many “me memes” are frequently read by recruiters.

This means that rather than emphasizing how they can contribute to the company (and eventually become partners), many applicants concentrate on how they will personally benefit from the position in question.

In your cover letter, highlight how your skills will help the company.

Consulting cover letter tip 6: Remember that spelling counts

Grammar and spelling mistakes can indicate that you neglected to proofread your own letter.

Additionally, be consistent—do not represent a dash with “—” in one location and “–” in another.

Consulting cover letter tip 7: Give Yourself Time to Write a Quality Letter

A strong consulting cover letter takes time to write, just like consulting resumes do.

It’s important to consider your accomplishments and what sets you apart from others if you want to be successful.

Think twice before assuming you can create a quality cover letter in a single evening.

It necessitates numerous revisions, careful rereading, and prompt feedback.

Additionally, you must ensure that the cover letter complements your resume flawlessly and elaborates on your impressive abilities and experiences.

Four consulting cover letter examples

In the next 4 sections, you can find sample cover letters for McKinsey, BCG, and Bain & Company.

McKinsey cover letter (Undergraduate)

Now, you can see a first consulting cover letter sample.

That’s the McKinsey cover letter used by Paul. 

Please note that this Junior Consultant cover letter (or a cover letter for the Associate Consultant position) can also work for other positions. 

BCG cover letter (experienced hire)

Here is now a BCG cover letter from an experienced hire.  

Bain cover letter (Undergraduate)

Here is now a Bain & Company cover letter from an undergraduate student.  

Bonus: McKinsey cover letter from FirmLearning

Here is another McKinsey cover letter example from the YouTube channel Firm learning:

Do you want more consulting cover letter samples?

Then sign up for our free training !

In this free training, you’ll find consulting cover letter samples and tips on acing your consulting interviews at top management consulting firms.

And you’ll improve your problem-solving skills!

Consulting cover letter templates

Do not reinvent the wheel.

Thus, you can download free consulting cover letter Word or PDF templates to fasten the writing process .

These detailed templates will help you correctly outline your management consulting cover letter.

You can use these templates to apply to any top-tier consulting firms, including the following:

• Bain & Company
• Oliver Wyman
• Roland Berger
• Deloitte Monitor
• Strategy&
• E&Y Parthenon
• And many more.

If you need help writing your resume, these templates will help you.

Here is the Word template .

And here is the PDF template .

Besides, check this article to download consulting resume templates and examples.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a cover letter be.

Aim at 2–4 paragraphs within one page.

Do I need a cover letter?

I ALWAYS recommend adding a cover letter to your application .

Because a well-written cover letter will always distinguish your application.

If a resume shows your  Skills and Accomplishments, a consulting cover letter must show your Personality and Motivation.

In other words, a great cover letter is your chance to say something about yourself that you can not put in your resume.

And for securing your dream consulting job, any advantage you can gain over other candidates to land an interview is worth taking.

A good consulting cover letter is one such advantage.

This article helps showcase your personality and motivation in your consulting cover letter.

Also, here is what recruiters say will get an application rejected (source: careerbuilder.com ):

Not submitting a consulting cover letter is a risk of rejection . 

How to organize your consulting cover letter sections?

Short answer: the order of the sections does not matter much.

For instance, you can organize your management consulting cover letter like this:

• Why consulting

Or you can organize the sections of your management cover letter differently. 

There is no one-size-fits-all management consulting cover letter winning order.

Consulting cover letter: final words

I hope you found this new guide to writing a persuasive, customized cover letter for consulting jobs helpful. 

Now I’d like to hear what you have to say:

Which tip from today’s post was the most helpful for you?

Is it how to show your personality?

Or maybe it is how to express your motivation for a particular firm.

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

P.S. Are you looking for help?

If you want a team of experts by your side throughout the entire consulting recruitment process, check if we would be a good fit by clicking here .

Besides, check our clients’ success stories .

We’ve helped hundreds of candidates get offers at top consulting firms around the globe. 

The best part?

Those candidates had various backgrounds: MBAs, Engineers, PhDs, experienced professionals, etc.

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18 thoughts on “Consulting Cover Letter: a step-by-step guide (2024)”

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The only useful and structured cover letter writing article on the whole internet!

Happy that you enjoyed the article, Anthony 🙂

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I didnt realise how much i need this article, till i read it . Truly helpful , Thanks Sebastien 🙂

Thanks! glad you found it helpful!

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Brilliant brilliant work, Sebastien! Thank you very much. The best I have come across so far.

Thank you very much Samuel!

Wow, this paragraph is pleasant, my sister is analyzing such things, so I am going to inform her.

Great article to read, all the tips are great….

Thanks! I’m glad you like it

Ththank you very much for the article which was very interesting, just like the one about the CV!

However, I was wondering if following this structure in 3 adjectives and form could not be penalizing since many people have already followed your article?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Hi Thomas. Thank you for your comment, and I’m glad you’ve liked this article! Regarding your question, besides the structure described in this article, the content (the reasons why you are interested in a firm and why these reasons are important for you) will make your CL unique. Hope this helps, Sébastien

I never write comments like this on the internet but felt compelled to express my gratitude. This, and the resume writing article, are the most thoughtful and helpful guides I have ever read on this topic. Although I am a teacher in England (not an American consultant!) I found all the advice to be completely transferrable and have done a major overhaul on my CV. Thank you for being so clear and thorough in your advice – I have shared it with my colleagues and will continue to spread the word to anyone who needs CV writing advice in any profession.

Thank you Emily for the nice comment

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How To Write A Consulting Cover Letter That Gets You An Interview

Table of contents.

As the recruiting season comes thick and fast, applicants worry about the ideal way to structure their resume and cover letter.

And for good reason. Employers look for personalized and thoughtfully written cover letters as one of the ways of screening applicants for positions that they are hiring for.

A bad cover letter can be a deal breaker, so it is one of the most essential things recruiters from top-tier consulting firms consider.

In this article, we will cover how to write the perfect cover letter for you to secure a role at a management consulting firm – from the Big 4 to MBB.

What is a consulting cover letter?

A consulting cover letter accompanies your resume and documents your personal motivation for applying for the role, why you’d be a good consultant, and your desire for joining the firm you’re applying to.

When is a consulting cover letter required?

A consulting cover letter is required by most consulting firms, including McKinsey, BCG, Bain, the Big 4, and boutiques. It is generally required for both full-time and intern positions.

The best way to confirm whether a cover letter is required is to speak to the recruiter or check the firm’s website. In most cases, the firm will require you to submit both a resume and a cover letter.

Why do firms ask for a consulting cover letter?

There are a number of reasons that firms require applicants to submit a cover letter, including:

• It gives an insight into the unique attributes of the applicant. Since a cover letter is a personalized essay of sorts, it gives firms a richer understanding of the candidate, compared to just the resume.
• Allows the applicants to describe their motivation to join the firm. The cover letter offers the candidate some free-form space to share their story and motivations.
• Separating the extraordinary from the rest. A resume constrains what a candidate can talk about. The cover letter, on the other hand, allows the candidate to focus on the parts of their experience and motivations that make them unique.
• It’s a sneak peek into your communication skills. As a consultant, you will need to convince and persuade your clients. Firms are looking to see whether you can use your cover letter to convince them to give you an interview.

How to structure a consulting cover letter

Paragraph 1. a simple opening.

The opening to your letter is the most basic and straightforward paragraph. Simply introduce yourself and state the role that you are applying for. Keep it short, sweet, and simple.

Paragraph 2. Why you are a promising candidate

This is where you get the chance to open up and show why you are the ideal fit. Don’t be shy, this is no time for understatement or modesty.

Start by researching the firm that you’re applying to, and the skills and attributes that they are looking for. For example, the McKinsey website talks about how they value leadership abilities.

Next, think about the most compelling personal or professional demonstration of that attribute. In the case of McKinsey, you want to find an example where you demonstrated strong leadership.

The most important thing about your examples is that they show outcomes and results. It’s not enough to show that you are a leader; you need to show that your leadership achieved something amazing.

If possible, you want to demonstrate 2-3 skills and attributes that you firm is looking for. Given that there is limited space on a one-page cover letter, it’s fine to show multiple attributes in one example.

Paragraph 3. Why you want to be a consultant

Now is your chance to demonstrate why you chose consulting as your career path.

All the top consulting firms want to recruit candidates who show a desire to work in high-stakes world of consulting. You need to show that you know what you are getting into, that you are ready for the challenge, and most importantly, that you are excited to work in consulting .

Although firms understand that most consultants exit to industry after a few years, don’t mention that in your cover letter.

Paragraph 4. Why the position and firm is for you

Now that you have covered why consulting is a good fit for you, it’s time to narrow down on the specific role and position that you are applying for.

Research the firm thoroughly and identify a few exciting projects, people, or reports that caught your attention. Talk about why those things impressed or interested you, and led you to want to work at the firm.

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Common mistakes while writing a cover letter

There are a number of common mistakes to avoid when writing a cover letter:

• Not being specific enough.  Firms can sniff a generic cover letter a mile away. Ensure that your cover letter is tailored to the firm you’re applying to.
• Not demonstrating the right skills. Although firms can be similar, there are small differences in the type of candidates they are looking for. Make sure that you demonstrate the right skills and abilities for the specific firm you’re applying to.
• Attention to detail . Ensure that your cover letter is clear and there are no spelling or grammatical mistakes. That would be a good demonstration of what they are not looking for!

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Every year, more than 1 million candidates apply for a consulting role in McKinsey.

[ Click here to directly go to the Consulting cover letter sample ]

But only 10,000 people get the final offer. That’s a 1% success rate .

The top 3 consulting companies, McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company , are some of the most selective companies when it comes to hiring.

Most people don’t know this, but they start their selection process by screening the cover letter and consulting resumes .

More than 80% of resumes and cover letters are rejected before the first screening. Less than 15% of candidates get called for interviews in the big three consulting firms.

So, if you think, " How do I become a consultant? How to write a consulting cover letter that gets me the consulting job?” - This blog is for you.

Consulting cover letters are very different from traditional cover letters for jobs. In this guide to writing a consulting cover letter, we’ll tell you everything you need to write on the consulting cover letter to stand out from your competitors.

In this blog, we will discuss:

• What is a consulting cover letter?
• What are the things recruiters look for in a cover cetter?
• How to structure a consulting cover letter?
• How to write an effective consulting cover letter?
• 5 tips to write a stellar consulting cover letter
• Consulting cover letter dample

We’ll also share five consulting cover letter examples to help you get an interview.

What Is a Consulting Cover Letter?

A consulting cover letter is an adjacent document with your consulting resume that helps you introduce your skills and accomplishments to the hiring managers.

It’s an essential part of your application, especially for big three consulting firms, because it’s easy for recruiters to quickly sort bad candidates based on the quality of a cover letter, lack of attention to detail, etc.

However, if done correctly, consulting cover letters is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd and get yourself a job interview.

You don’t have enough space to elaborate on your experiences on a resume. But with a cover letter, you can expand on your experiences and explain the reasons for some potential red flags on your resume.

Why do you have a job gap? Why do you have a low GPA? You can explain the reasons for that in the cover letter.

In short, your consulting cover letter is the deciding factor for getting a job in a big consulting company.

What Recruiters Look for in a Consulting Cover Letter?

The recruiters look for a candidate who has excellent communication and leadership skills. They look into the applicant's skills and experience to understand if they have the qualities to become a successful consultant.

Recruiters look for mainly four aspects from a consultant cover letter. These are:

• Does the candidate have the relevant skills and experience required for the job?
• Does the candidate have a clear idea of what the company does?
• Is the candidate interested in working with the company?
• Does the candidate have excellent communication skills?

If you want to create an outstanding consulting cover letter, you need to address all four points in your letter.

How to Structure a Management Consulting Cover Letter?

A perfect management consulting cover letter must have six distinct elements.

• Opening Paragraph
• Closing Paragraph
• Your Signature

Consulting Cover Letter: Header

This is a mandatory part of any professional letter. The header section must include

• Candidate’s name
• Phone Number
• Your Location

Even if your resume has all this information, you need to add these to your cover letter.

Salutation is an essential part of the consulting cover letter. Never start your cover letter with “To whom it may concern.” It will not get you the job.

Instead, find out who is the recruiter or hiring manager and address the cover letter directly to them.

If you don’t identify who the hiring manager is, you can address the letter to the recruitment team. For example:

Dear members of the BCG Recruitment Team, To Bain Recruitment Team,

Consulting Cover Letter: Opening Paragraph

The first sentence of your consulting cover letter is the perfect opportunity to hook the reader’s attention. And the second sentence should state the role you are applying for and how you learned about the position. The third sentence should describe why you are interested in the company you are applying for.

Do some initial research and craft a personalized and customized opening paragraph for the Consulting cover letter. If you can do that, you will improve your chance of getting shortlisted by 1000%.

Here is an example of the Opening Paragraph of a consulting cover letter:

I am a 4+ years experienced digital marketing professional working with top SaaS brands to help them generate $100M in sales year on year. I’m highly pleased to apply for the Associate Consultant position at McKinsey. I appreciate McKinsey’s leadership and sales practices to provide an outstanding experience to clients.

Consulting Cover Letter - Body

The consulting cover letter body part should explain your key accomplishments, experience, and why you are a good fit for the firm.

Don’t write a generic consulting cover letter body. Research the consulting firm, go to their website and understand the qualities they are looking for. After that, you can start creating the body of the consulting cover letter.

Below is a consulting cover letter example of the body paragraph:

Consulting Cover Letter- Closing Paragraph

The closing paragraph is where you place the call to action to encourage the recruiters to take action. It must be short and to the point.

Here’s an example of the Closing Paragraph of Consulting Cover Letter:

Consulting Cover Letter - Ending Signature

This is a formality for any type of professional letter. There are different types of closing signatures. Such as:

Thanking You Thanks and Regards Best Regards Sincerely Thank You

How to Write an Effective Consulting Cover Letter - Formatting

It’s not enough to have great content for the consulting cover letter; You need to format it professionally to get the most out of it.

Here are some formatting tips to help you create the consulting cover letter:

Keep it Under 1 Page:

The consulting cover letter should not be more than one page. Recruiters don’t have much time to give to one single candidate. And in this time, if you create a 2-page cover letter, the maximum chance is that recruiters will ignore your application.

Use 1-inch Margin:

A 1-inch margin is standard for any professional cover letter. A margin of less than 1 inch makes your cover letter look cramped. A 1-inch margin ensures enough whitespace to make the letter easily readable.

Use Professional Font:

Always use a professional font in the consulting cover letter. Some professional fonts are:

• Times New Roman

Also, ensure to keep the font size to 12 points. It makes the cover letter very easy to read.

Save the Cover Letter in PDF

Make sure to submit the cover letter in PDF format. It ensures that your cover letter format is intact, no matter who views it.

10 Tips for Writing a Consulting Cover Letter

Writing a solid consulting cover letter allows you to present your candidacy to the hiring managers. Here is a list of tips for writing a stellar consulting cover letter.

1. Research the Company Requirements

Interviewing candidates is expensive; it takes time and money to get excellent people on board.

So, the company also wants to ensure that the candidate they are interviewing is interested in the job.

Therefore, consulting firms look for signs that:

• You’ve researched the company
• You have a proper motivation or reason for entering into consulting
• You have a good answer to why you’re the right fit for the company
• You have impeccable speaking and writing skills

Use your cover letter to showcase that you have all the signs that a consulting firm looks for in a candidate. This will set you apart from the rest of the candidates.

2. Link Cover Letter To Resume

Your cover letter should complement your resume and strengthen your candidacy.

Start the cover letter with unique experiences and skills to hook the recruiter’s interests.

In resumes, there is less space to explain anything to the recruiter. You can complement it by going into detail about your achievements and skills in the cover letter.

Here are some points consulting firms look for in a consulting cover letter:

• Big brand name: If you are from a reputed university or worked with reputed brands
• Good Academic Performance: 3.5+ GPA
• Leadership experience and good communication skills
• Excellent Analytical Skills
• The ratio of your accomplishments and career year: the more experience you have, the more accomplishments you should get

3. Don’t Use a Standard Cover Letter Template

Writing a cover letter is difficult. It takes a lot of contemplating and self-reflection to make it right. You have to edit and rewrite the cover letter multiple times to make it interesting.

Some candidates try to use standardized cover letter templates to avoid the pain of writing a cover letter.

This is a big mistake, mainly if you apply to prestigious consulting firms. The recruiters in these organizations are experienced in identifying a standard cover letter.

Don’t write a consulting cover letter for the sake of it. Write the cover letter to make each sentence count and help you get closer to your dream job.

4. Use Evidence-based Storytelling

Everyone loves a good story. And in your cover letter as well, you should tell the story of your experience, don’t list down your skills and accomplishments without any context.

Demonstrate how various experiences have given you certain skills that nobody has.

For example, instead of saying you have led marketing campaigns in your past organizations, you can say that You’ve managed a marketing budget of $50,000 and coordinated with the content team to launch two successful campaigns and generated $5mn sales.

This is evidence-based storytelling, and this gives more context to the recruiter about your experience and helps them evaluate your skills.

5. Avoid Repeating Things on Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter and resume go hand in hand — they should complement each other, but they should not be the same.

You can reference elements of your resume but focus on aspects that aren't covered very well there or put a different spin on things, so it's still interesting for them to read about it again.

6. Pick Your Best Stories And Accomplishments

A cover letter is an opportunity to tell great stories from your work experience that are relevant to the consulting firm you're applying to.

If you have accomplishments, such as helping previous employers save money or increase profits, put these front and center where hiring managers won't miss them. Don't just list your skills — explain how they helped your previous employers meet their goals.

However, make sure to include only 2-3 such stories. And keep them short and crisp. Nobody has the time to read through a 2-page cover letter.

7. Quantify Your Results and Impact

Consulting firms want to know that you have the potential to deliver results for their clients — so make sure you mention how much impact or value you've created in past jobs or internships. For example: "I helped ABC Company reduce its customer service costs by 20%." Or: "I generated $100K in annual savings for XYZ Company through process improvement initiatives."

8. Keep Your Cover Letter Crisp

Many consulting firms get hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for each job opening. It's important to keep your cover letter as brief as possible so that recruiters don't lose interest.

Keep your cover letter to a maximum of one page. The most successful cover letters have three identifiable sections: who you are, why you are applying and why the firm should hire you. This can be covered in three paragraphs or about 300 words.

9. Namedrop Employees You Have Talked to

If there is someone at the firm who referred you or whom you have spoken to about this position, mention them by name in your cover letter, preferably in the first paragraph. This will help the reader to associate your application with that particular employee. It will also help if that person has put in a good word for you!

10. Double-check You're Addressing The Cover Letter Properly

Address the right firm. Take the time to research the firm and make sure your cover letter is addressed to the right person.

Most firms will have information on their websites about who is in charge of recruiting.

The more personal you can make the cover letter, the better for you.

Failing to address your cover letter correctly may be discarded without even being read.

Here’s a Management Consulting Cover Letter Sample For Your Reference:

Frequently asked questions:, do all consulting firms require cover letter.

Most consulting firms keep cover letters as an optional document. However, you must add your cover letter with your resume to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Writing a unique cover letter can help you stand out from the crowd.

What if The Cover Letters are Optional?

Consulting firms like McKinsey and BCG have made their cover letters optional.

It certainly helps the candidates with strong resumes to get out of the hassle of creating a cover letter. However, if you have some red flags on your resume, such as a low GPA or an employment gap, you should write a cover letter to explain these potential red flags to the recruiters and increase your chances of getting hired.

Key Takeaways

Writing a consulting cover letter doesn’t have to be complicated. Just remember the following tips:

• Write a proper cover letter header and ensure that you are not making any mistakes in your contact information
• Always start the cover letter with a proper and professional salutation
• The first paragraph of the consulting cover letter should hook the recruiter to read the whole cover letter
• In the second paragraph, explain your experiences and show why you are the perfect candidate for the job
• Always end the consulting cover letter with a call to action

If you want to create a consulting cover letter, go to the Hiration Cover Letter Builder tool and pick from 20+ consulting cover letter templates to make an excellent one for yourself.

If you have further questions, reach out to us at [email protected] , and we will be happy to help you out.

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Consulting Cover Letter: a comprehensive guide

• Understanding Consulting Cover Letters
• Practicalities of Writing Your Cover Letter
• Section-by-Section Breakdown
• Quality Control

A stellar cover letter is going to be a basic pre-requisite if you want to land a top-tier consulting job at the likes of the MBB’s, Kearney, LEK, Deloitte etc.

More than half of consulting candidates are rejected based on their applications alone , before they ever make it to interview. This means that, for all the emphasis on case interview prep, your resume and cover letter between them are the single greatest determinant as to whether you land your dream MBB job or not .

Candidates typically have some realisation of the importance of applications, but make the mistake of devoting all their time to the resume alone as they assume it is the "important one". They assume that the accompanying cover letters are always fairly generic and/or are merely a formality that don't actually get read.

However, the idea that your cover letter is any less important than your resume is a hugely damaging misconception.

In fact, speaking to consultants currently involved with recruitment at MBB firms, we are told that cover letters have been becoming more and more important recently. This is for a couple of reasons:

• More and more resumes are coming in basically perfect (the proliferation of material like our excellent free resume guide has a part to play here). This means that cover letters are increasingly being focussed on as a way to differentiate top candidates.
• Cover letters are more indicative of your soft skills and personal fit with the office culture than a resume. Since firms are having particular difficulty finding candidates with the right social skills (especially post-Covid), cover letters become more and more salient in the filtering process.

To up the ante even more, add to this the fact that applications are increasingly read by AI tools as well. Whilst a human reader working in a hurry and skimming a document in a hurry might have simply missed an error, you can be sure the computer will pick up on any mistakes you make.

So, how do you get things right?

Putting together a decent consulting cover letter can be tricky and will probably take longer than you think. The demands are different and quite a bit more rigorous than for cover letters you might have written for other industries.

Luckily though, the strict demands on consulting cover letters mean that there is an equally strict set of rules to follow when writing them - as long as you follow these and put the time in to do things properly, you can reliably turn out an excellent document.

This guide will help you understand what it is recruiters want to see in a good cover letter and take you through the steps to draft your best possible offering. To make things as clear as possible, we discuss a template cover letter section-by-section.

Help is at hand!

Writing applications can be pretty daunting, especially with a dream job on the line.

Before we dive into all the complex nitty-gritty of how to turn out your cover letter, we should let you know that we have an editing service where a 5+ year experienced MBB consultant helps you draft your best possible resume and/or cover letter. You can read more here:

Explore Professional Editing

This isn't obligatory, but is a great option for those who feel overwhelmed and want some help to get things right, as well as for those who want the inside track in terms of optimising something that is already close to the mark.

This application editing can also be done as part of a broader mentoring package, where that same experienced mentor helps you through the whole consulting selection process, from networking, through to case interview prep. You can find out more here:

Learn More About Comprehensive Mentoring

1. Understanding Consulting Cover Letters

To write a good one we will first need to understand the demands it must meet. That is to say, we need to understand the function of the cover letter and precisely how it will be assessed.

Let's start by going through some important points:

1.1. Function of a Consulting Cover Letter

The basic function of a consulting cover letter is to tell recruiters three things:

• Why you are worth employing
• Why consulting is a perfect fit for you
• Why you are interested in the target firm in particular

As we will see later, a standard management consulting cover letter is broken down into three paragraphs, addressing each of these issues more-or-less separately.

In many ways, the demands of your cover letter sit between your resume ) and your fit interview (which you will be invited to only if your resume and cover letter make the cut).

A consulting cover letter helps demonstrate the same skillset as your resume and you will effectively be selecting a few of the key points from your resume to amplify in the cover letter.

However, the objective of this document is not simply restating the facts on your resume, but rather creating a persuasive link between your personal story and the job you are applying for. In effect, the main purpose of your cover letter is to show that you are a great fit for the job you are applying for across the board. As such, you need to convey your personality and your motivation to do the job - things that are not readily assessed via your resume alone.

These are exactly the qualities that are also assessed in your fit interview. Indeed, just as with the Additional Information section of your resume, the information in your cover letter is very likely to form the basis of questions in your fit interview - where your personality and motivation are assessed again. Thus, just as with the Additional Information section of your resume, when you are drafting your cover letter you should be keeping half an eye on how you would be able to work the items you select into compelling fit interview answers.

All this means that our article on the fit interview is especially worth a read as you get started on cover letter writing!

1.2. Motivation

Consulting is a tough life and the average consulting recruit only stays in the industry for around two years - which means that many of those applicants who are lucky enough to land jobs will have left within 12 months.

Beyond this, many of those entering consulting only ever intend to stay for a couple of years before bailing out into roles in private equity or internal strategy, becoming a start-up founder, or any of the other typical roles where consulting experience will enhance their career chances.

This constant loss of talent is a big problem for consulting firms, who don't want employees to disappear as soon as they have accrued the training and experience required to be genuinely useful to the company. In effect, firms want to ensure they get a positive return on investment on training you.

As such, recruiters will be trying to identify candidates who are genuinely in it for the long haul - who want to make partner someday and who have the necessary motivation to push them through the years of long hours and tight deadlines en route.

Of course, we realise that you the reader might well be one of the candidates who only really plan to stick with consulting for two years before parachuting out into another industry. Realistically, this is a perfectly sensible career trajectory and we're certainly not going to tell you not to do so.

However , if this is the case, your application and subsequent interview are really not the time to discuss it. If you have ever had any inkling that you might consider sticking around and making a long-term career in consulting, then this is the inclination to channel during the selection process.

We return to discuss your rationale for entering consulting in our section-by-section breakdown of the letter itself.

1.3. A Test in Itself

Your target firm uses your cover letter to learn more about you in a couple of ways. Obviously, they receive all the information you communicate explicitly - all the achievements and experience and positive character traits you tell them about. However, your cover letter is also used by the target firm as an implicit (but very real) test of your writing skills and other qualities. It is important to realise this dual function and keep it in mind during drafting.

At a basic level, using correct, industry standard formatting etc shows that you have the professionalism and diligence to find out and follow the rules. As we will discuss later, writing a letter specific to the firm you are applying to also demonstrates your commitment to that employer.

More directly, though, your cover letter is used by consulting firms as a test of your writing skills. Writing consulting cover letters is not an easy business - if it were, you wouldn't be reading this guide! Composing a good cover letter requires you to assemble a body of information, synthesise it and present it in a compelling form.

Importantly, this is a set of skills - summarising complex information into compelling prose and extracting key points in data - that consultants use every day. Your cover letter is one of the main ways firms check for your competence here.

Similarly, readers will be very interested in your ability to use your cover letter to market yourself. In effect, consultants must constantly sell themselves, their firm, and their recommendations to clients. Indeed, this is becoming a larger and larger part of the job as more of the analytic side of consulting work is automated. As such, the ability to communicate persuasively is a key management consulting skill.

1.4. The Reader

With any piece of writing, the first thing you need to consider is who the intended reader is. This is especially important for consulting cover letters.

During the application screen, as well as filtering by AI tools and HR staff, your cover letter will be placed with one or two hundred others and passed to a junior consultant (often a recent alum from your university) to assess. Generally, this will be piled on top of that consultant's normal workload and often they will end up with very little time to get through this mound of applications. As such, your reader will be tired, possibly slightly grumpy and in a hurry - probably only skimming what you have written.

Keep this reader in mind at all times and write in a way that makes their life easier. This means making everything as clear, easy to read and precise as possible!

2. PRACTICALITIES OF WRITING A CONSULTING COVER LETTER

So, we have a good idea of the basic job of a cover letter needs to do, what ground it needs to cover, and how it will be assessed. Now it's time to get down to business and actually get the thing written!

To this end, we'll look at a few practical points about how to meet the requirements mentioned above, before focusing one-by-one on the five main segments of a management consulting cover letter.

2.1. FORMAT - DOING THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE

Just as with your resume, formatting a consulting cover letter is really not the time to embrace your creative side. Failing to stick to the standard rules of formatting risks being rejected immediately, without your letter even being read.

The tired junior consultant tasked with plowing through a pile of cover letters is unlikely to be in the mood for a strange font or weird layout and will simply send your application directly to the bin.

As noted above, standard formatting shows that you are professional enough to take the application seriously and that you have bothered to find out what is expected from your cover letter. The best way to understand how you should format this document is simply to take a look at our examples below, which are formatted in a standard "safe" manner.

In particular, though, you should make sure your letter conforms to the following basic standard:

• Standard typeface at a normal size
• No longer than one printable page
• Normal size margins etc - no extreme formatting to pack more words on the page!
• Name, contact information, and date at the top, in the manner of a traditional letter - you can include a postal address if you like, but an email address is perfectly sufficient nowadays - and will save space
• Standard structure explained below - opening, three main paragraphs, closing

2.2. Content - Being Unique!

You might have to keep the format strictly in line with everyone else, but it is absolutely crucial that the actual content of your letter is unique!

Always remember that your cover letter will be part of a stack of 1-200 deep. The content needs to really impress the reader if you are going to stand out from the pack and earn yourself an invitation to interview.

To achieve this, you are going to have to draw on your most impressive achievements and experiences and then portray them in the best possible fashion, to really make your reader pause and take note, rather than toss your letter towards the bin with the others.

Content that is unusual is also helpful in making your application memorable and might prompt interview questions where you can be well prepared to shine. During an application process with so many competitors, it pays to have something unique to you - a USP - to differentiate you from your peers.

However, this will only add value if it is relevant to management consulting!

In our discussion below on how to introduce yourself and your abilities, we'll discuss how you can emphasize your personal "spikes" - which help make your cover letter more unique.

2.3. Be Specific!

Your letter needs not only to be unique, but also highly specific .

Many candidates think that they can save a bit of time by just writing a one really "good" cover letter and using that for all their applications without any modifications. This might be true (or almost true) of a good resume. However, if you think that the cover letter you wrote for McKinsey will be able to be used without any changes to for Bain and BCG as well, we can tell you now that that letter wasn't good enough to get you a job with any of those firms!

As noted previously, a major function of your cover letter is to gauge your motivation to stick with the company if you are lucky enough to be hired. Your recruiter wants to make sure that you are genuinely keen to work for their specific firm for the foreseeable future. Any suggestion that your cover letter is just a generic chunk of text sent out to everyone in scattergun fashion obviously makes this idea pretty difficult to maintain - and will see your application heading towards that bin in short order.

To avoid this, then, take the time to write a separate letter for each firm you apply to. In these letters, you should include content that is specific to your particular target firm. What is more, this specific content should not be something generic or some kind of empty platitude.

If the best you can come up with is an obvious truth - or even worse, a common misconception - you will betray only a very shallow level of engagement, and will only succeed in vexing your reader.

Instead, you should be able to make specific remarks which show genuine insight. This will clearly demonstrate both your commitment to and knowledge of the firm.

These points will be particularly relevant to the section of the cover letter where you explain your decision to apply to your target firm, and we will pick up this discussion again later in this guide. However, there is room for material specific to your target firm in all sections of your cover letter.

3. Section-by-Section Breakdown

Let's go through the different sections of a standard management consulting cover letter one-by-one.

We will give examples as to how you might approach each section - however, it is imperative that you don't simply copy from specimens that we or anyone else have written. The examples here are only a guide as to how you should approach the different elements of a cover letter, not components to be lifted as-is.

Your own cover letter needs to stand out from a very strong field. Think about it - how can you possibly stand out by copying others? Beyond this, though, any hint that you are just copying from another source will see your whole application rejected immediately.

On a similar note here, we strongly advise against using an AI chatbot like ChatGPT to write your cover letter. Aside from that tool not knowing enough about your own life experiences, interests etc to say something with the correct degree of specificity, you run the risk of sending in a cover with the same writing style - or possibly even the same turns of phrase - as everyone else who did the same thing. Indeed, recruiters across many industries are already getting used to spotting AI-generated applications .

As we noted earlier, there are three main questions your cover letter must answer - why you, why consulting and why that firm in particular. The three main paragraphs of your cover letter will answer these three questions in sequence.

Provided you are careful to link everything together properly, there is actually some flexibility to vary the ordering of these paragraphs. You will always introduce yourself first, of course, but you can then state why you are interested in the specific firm before you explain what drew you to consulting, or deal with these in the reverse order.

In the interests of simplicity here, though, we will just deal with why-consulting-in-general first, followed by why-that-firm-in-particular.

The following examples are taken from an entry-level cover letter from an applicant to Bain London - and the detailed content is obviously tailored to that office.

In contrast to the relative ease with which a resume can be repurposed, you will have to significantly change the specifics of your cover letter as you apply for different offices and firms. Obviously, our candidate below can't just send this off to Bain New York without changing quite a lot of content. Similarly, this won't work as a cover letter for the London offices of McKinsey, BCG or Deloitte a wholesale rewrite.

With all this said, what is crucial is that the overall structure and format is maintained. This will be the case whether you are a recent graduate, Ph.D. or MBA. Even experienced hire cover letters will maintain the same fundamental format - though there will be (even) more expectation on the quality of the content.

3.1. OPENING YOUR CONSULTING COVER LETTER

The opening to your cover letter is very straightforward and is pretty much impossible to mess up if you follow basic rules.

First, you should record your name, email address, and the date of sending. You can include a postal address if you like, though this is no longer a strict requirement and takes up a lot of space. Your first sentence should state the specific position to which you are applying at the relevant office and firm.

The only issue that should give you any cause for concern here is to Whom the letter is addressed. Where possible, you should be addressing the letter to a named person - usually the recruiting manager of the office to which you are applying. However, where you cannot find a name to address your cover letter to, it is perfectly acceptable to begin "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir or Madam".

Jane Wu [email protected] 05/05/2019

Dear Ms Douglas,

I am writing to apply for the Associate Consultant position at Bain and Company's London office.

3.2. Introducing Yourself

After this brief opening, proceed straight to introducing yourself. Don't be shy - this is not the time for understatement or modesty! Top consulting firms are looking for exceptional individuals. Here, you need to leave the reader in no doubt that you are just such an exceptional individual!

To do this, looking at all the information you assembled for your resume, ideally, you should recount the three most impressive achievements in your life so far.

Of course, do this with an eye to achievements that are particularly relevant to consulting (your golf handicap might be good, but nobody in the workplace cares). Also, realise that the things we are most proud of personally might not actually be the ones that are most impressive to others (your golfing probably isn't great anyway). Try to look at your resume as if you are reading one from someone else. Alternatively, ask a friend what stands out to them.

It's your resume's job to paint a balanced picture of you as a well-rounded candidate with all the skills required to excel in consulting. However, in your cover letter, it can be beneficial to emphasise one or two particular strong suits, where you are exceptionally gifted. These are what consultants call "spikes". What recruiters are really looking for is well-rounded, generally capable candidates with a few "spikes" that might be especially useful.

I have recently graduated from the University of Cambridge with a first-class BA/MSci in Physics. At Cambridge, I was consistently near the top of my year academically and won a number of competitive scholarships and prizes; including the award for the best final year research project. During my third year, I was selected as the best of a very large field of applicants to take part in a prestigious summer research project at MIT. I was also elected as a Student Representative for two consecutive years.

3.3. Why Consulting is a Good Fit

Your job here is to provide a strong narrative demonstrating why consulting is a good fit for you and why it makes sense at this point in your career as a natural progression from what you have done before.

This is much the same as what is required from your answers in any subsequent fit interviews you receive. As such, our article on the fit interview , as well as our more comprehensive fit interview course and/or lessons in the MCC Academy , are highly relevant here.

Now, as we noted above, it is important to remember that there are some reasons to get into consulting that your target firm will be happy to hear about and others that will very definitely not impress.

We're not here to judge your reasons, whatever they are, for wanting a consulting job. However, there are certain reasons that you should probably not highlight if you would like to actually get that job.

Some candidates are not sure what career they actually want yet and think consulting would make a good first step, exposing them to different industries and keeping their options open for the future. The worry, from a firm's point of view, is that these individuals will not be sufficiently motivated to actually stick with consulting when they come up against the stress and high workload that come with the job.

Alternatively, some applicants are fully intent, right from the start, on bailing out into another industry after two years - when a sufficiently long stint in consulting has given them transferable skills and boosted their opportunities elsewhere.

Many candidates actually state these kinds of intentions - though they will certainly not be hired! As we noted above, firms want to retain staff and are looking for candidates who are committed to consulting for the long term.

3.3.1. Proving You Know What You are Getting Into

Given how many recruits drop out, firms want to be sure that you know exactly what you are getting into when you apply . When you explain why you have decided that consulting is a great fit for you, you obviously need it to be clear that you are doing so with a real understanding of what the job entails.

Ideally, you will have done an internship in consulting or a closely related industry. Alternatively, you might be moving sideways from a parallel sector, such as finance or tech, having worked alongside consultants in past roles and observed what they do first hand. In either such case, it is clear that you understand the demands of the job.

However, many of you will fall into neither of these camps and won't yet have any first hand experience of the consulting world. If this describes you, be aware that there is a particular onus on you to demonstrate that you know what is required of a working consultant - and that you have what it takes to meet those requirements.

Don't dismay, though, as this is definitely possible - it just requires a bit more thought from you. Really, you are limited to a strategy of identifying key consulting skills and showing that you have already had significant past experience (and ideally achievements) demonstrating that you are capable and comfortable in these areas - and, importantly, that you enjoy this kind of work!

This is similar in principle to some of what you should have already done in bullet point form in your resume. Our resume guide is useful here in listing the relevant consulting skills and giving examples that demonstrate them. However, your cover letter differs from the resume here in that the focus will be less on technical skills and more on personal character. You also can't be so schematic as in your resume, but must weave everything into a compelling narrative that leaves your reader in no doubt that you are well suited to, and prepared for, the job.

3.3.2. Finding Things to Say

Some candidates feel the need to embroider their accounts when they explain why they want to be a consultant. Maybe they genuinely think that the only reason they have chosen consulting is for the high salary and exit opportunities. Since they can't include either of these (as discussed below), they then cobble together an insincere-sounding road-to-Damascus story about how they had an epiphany that they should work at BCG or Bain.

However, introspection on the reasons that informed your own decision making can actually be a great source of material here. You might not be able to explicitly state them just now, but there are probably better reasons than you think for your choices.

Think about what exactly it was that led you to believe that you could do a consulting job and why have chosen to apply to jobs in that sector, rather than going into something else. If you want to be totally pragmatic, remember - it's a lot easier to answer interview questions on something approximating the truth than a tissue of lies!

I believe that I would be particularly well suited to the Associate Consultant position as consulting would provide real intellectual challenges, but placed within contexts allowing me to make use of my strong interpersonal skills. As a student representative, I instigated "Student Week" in the Physics department. This was a week where time was given over so that students could organise their own conferences and workshops. In order to make this initiative a success, I faced two main challenges: creating a committed team and getting the academic staff's support. I began by offering all students a stake in shaping the week and created teams in charge of all aspects of an organisation, delegating responsibilities to team leaders. Most of all, this experience taught me how to motivate people, leveraging their potential impact and the rewards to be gained from positive results. In the end, the teams were able to invite an outstanding line-up of speakers. Presenting the week as a chance to promote the school in the media enabled us to gain the final approval of academic staff. Understanding the perspectives of multiple stakeholders and identifying what they really cared about enabled me to transform an ambitious plan into reality. I loved this experience and would look forward to employing a similar skillset as an Associate Consultant.

3.4. Why that Firm?

Now finally, you need to show that you are committed to the particular firm to which you are applying . This is a crucial part of demonstrating your motivation as well as a way of showing your diligence in doing your research before applying. Needing to address why you want to work at your target firm in particular is why you fundamentally can't just re-use the same letter for all your consulting applications.

So, how should you do this?

In practice, there are three main ways to generate firm-specific content:

3.4.1. Contacts and networking

Whilst you might not have seen consultants at work first hand, there is nothing to prevent you from meeting them at career fairs, networking events, and the like.

You can also reach out to consultants in your target office via LinkedIn and potentially even schedule calls with them. You can do this from anywhere in the world. An experienced consultant can also guide you in this process within one of our mentoring programmes

The very best cover letters will grow out of substantial networking with current or former employees from your target firm - ideally from the specific office to which you are applying.

The individuals you speak to might be in a position to recommend you to recruiters. Otherwise, though, they will definitely be very well placed to tell you what is really unique about the company in general or your target office in particular. This is a surefire way for you to be able to make your cover letter specific in a way that actually rings true to those who read it.#

Also, don't be afraid to drop in the names of your contacts where they are relevant (and where this is appropriate, of course). The recruiter might know the people in question and they will lend credence to your application.

3.4.2. Reading

Of course, this kind of networking will not always be feasible, and certainly not at short notice. If you don't have access to anyone who has worked for your target firm, you should be able to get access to some of their output in the form of reports and similar material. Being able to comment on these demonstrates your enthusiasm to work at the target firm, as well as your diligence and intelligence. Indeed, mentioning report authors is a good way to shoehorn in the names of company employees whom you have not actually met in real life.

3.4.3. Observations

Of course, you would ideally be able to write about the first hand experience of working alongside consultants at a company that was a client of your target firm. Otherwise, if you have done your research, you will be able to discuss a successful project in which you have not been involved, but have taken a particular interest (possibly in an industry in which you have experience). This should convey genuine interest and, at the very least, shows you really have done your homework.

An example of how to approach this paragraph is as follows:

Bain specifically appeals to me for a few reasons. At a more personal level, all of the individuals I have spoken to who have worked at Bain have loved their jobs and seemed like people I would relish working with. Recently, I spoke to Sarah McKinney and Benedict Philips from the London office at a networking event. Both were very helpful and encouraging of my application. In particular, I was very excited to be able to talk to Sarah about Bain's recent work with capacitor technology firm NuCell. This was a project I had become aware of via my physics background and was very impressed with the sophisticated but wonderfully elegant solutions that Bain implemented. This was a significant influence in my decision to move towards consulting in general and Bain in particular.

3.5. Closing You Cover Letter

As with the opening, it is easy to get your cover letter's closing right simply by following a few standard rules.

Closing a consulting cover letter really just follows the same rules as a standard formal letter. Note that technically the form of your sign off depends on whether the letter was addressed to a named recipient or not. If you did manage to address your cover letter to a specific individual at the target firm, you should sign off your letter "Yours Sincerely". However, if you addressed the letter "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To Whom it May Concern", then you should sign off "Yours faithfully".

Not everyone will pick up on this, but some certainly will!

I very much hope that I can be considered for an interview. If you have any questions about my application or would like to know more, please do not hesitate to be in contact by email or on +44 7933023234. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely, Jane Wu

3.6. An Aside - Blurring Boundaries

For the sake of clarity, we have given quite a schematic picture of how a cover letter is structured. In practice, the separation between the content of the three main paragraphs is often not quite as clear as has been shown so far.

This is something to bear in mind as you are writing. Certainly, it is not a problem that the content of the three main paragraphs somewhat bleed into one another. Indeed, it might well be that the optimal version of your letter gives you more bang for your buck in including points with more than one positive function.

For example, you might make mention of people or reports from your specific target firm in explaining why you chose to enter consulting in general. Simultaneously you will likely be able to include some impressive achievements, relevant to your initial description of yourself, in that same explanation as to why consulting was for you.

4. Quality Control

By now, you should have a completed document in front of you. However, this doesn't mean that you're finished!

Just as with the resume, quality control should be taken very seriously when you are writing your cover letter, and will almost certainly take longer than did writing your initial draft.

First, you should make sure you have followed all the rules we set out for formatting and structuring a consulting cover letter. This is the easy bit, after all, and you shouldn't be making mistakes here when it's something you can easily control for yourself.

The following checklist is useful to make sure that the major elements are in order. Thus, you must make sure that any management consulting cover letter:

• Does not exceed one page
• Is formatted sensibly
• Contains no spelling mistakes (double check names of the company, position, HR manager and your contact information)
• Mentions skills that are relevant to the job
• Has relevant examples to back up those skills
• Reinforces skills that are not adequately explained in your resume
• Explains how your skill set relates to the job you are applying for
• Is tailored to the target firm

Of course, to hammer the point home, it should go without saying that spelling, punctuation, and grammar should be perfect throughout - especially these days, where AIs will be reading applications thoroughly, besides harried humans skimming them.

In particular, though, you should triple-check spelling around the opening where you list your own contact information and state the name of the target firm and specific role. Imagine making the cut to for interview only to have your invitation dispatched to the wrong email address!

You wouldn't believe how many candidates we see making mistakes here - indeed, outside consulting, the former Graduate Recruitment Manager at City law firm Mayer Brown found that 20% of applicants got the firm’s name wrong. If so many high-end, detail-oriented lawyers can make that kind of mistake, so can you - check!

4.2. Feedback

As with any important piece of writing, you will want another set of eyes on your cover letter. However, a consulting cover letter is not quite the same as for a more "normal" job, and there is only so much that your classmate, your buddy or your mum is going to be able to tell you . These people might be able to help you with spelling, punctuation, and grammar, but not a great deal else.

If you have access to a careers adviser, they will certainly be more knowledgeable and be able to give you more specific feedback. That said, the very particular demands of consulting and how cover letters are assessed means there is no real replacement for someone with actual consulting experience .

As always though, real consultants are incredibly busy people and their time has a high price tag. You might be lucky enough to have access to a consultant who will help you out - perhaps a friend or relative or maybe one of your networking contacts who likes you enough to take the time to look at your application.

However, for those who aren't so lucky, there are still ways to get top quality feedback. MyConsultingCoach offers cover letter review and feedback , both alone on its own and in a package with resume review.

With this service, a deeply experienced MBB consultant mentor, with a minimum of five years at McKinsey, Bain or BCG, will provide the kind of granular, nuanced feedback you simply can't find elsewhere. You can read more here:

Explore Application Review

You can also have the same kind of 5+ year experienced MBB consultant do this kind of editing for you as part of a wider personal mentoring programme. Find out more here:

Mentoring Programmes

Of course, none of these services are strictly necessary, and this guide is here to help everyone. However, professional editing will help you close the gap with your competitors who have the advantage of pre-existing inside contacts.

4.3. Iterate

It is easy to become attached to what you have written. Especially after pouring time and energy into a document, constructive criticism can end up being taken personally and ignored. However, if you actually want to get a job in consulting, you need to swallow your pride and be prepared to make substantial changes if they are advised .

Once you have re-drafted the document, you need to cycle through the same stages of quality control again, always making sure that everything is formatted correctly with no typos and then getting decent feedback on what you have produced. To get the whole thing just right will likely take at least a couple of these iterations. Indeed, this is precisely why MyConsultingCoach's review packages all include three rounds of feedback as standard .

Finally, then, you will have completed your cover letter and be ready to submit your application. You can give yourself a pat on the back for getting everything so far done. However, you still have a lot more work ahead of you if you are serious about making it into consulting!

If you are interested in getting an interview at the likes of the MBBs, Kearney, LEK, Deloitte, or any high-end consulting firm, it is absolutely crucial that your cover letter is the very best that it can be .

To this end, we have given a detailed guide on how to optimise a cover letter, breaking down all the relevant sections. Examples were provided from a sample cover letter for a Bain London application, though it was explained that you should never simply copy from such example cover letters.

We encourage you to read further - starting with our resume guide - and to consider editing from one of our ex-MBB consultant coaches. However, what we have given you here is a very good starting point for you to carve out a great draft cover letter.

If you have followed this guide and ideally found someone to provide decent feedback, you should have every chance of being invited to interview. However, nobody is going to do well if they prepare for a consulting interview the way they would for a more "normal" job.

Management consulting interviews area very different beast to what you might be accustomed to elsewhere. You can read more about the characteristic consulting case interviews here here . Suffice to say, though, that a large volume of preparation is both necessary to so well and explicitly expected by the firms themselves . Putting together your consulting resume or cover letter might have seemed arduous or time-consuming, but what was just the tip of the iceberg!

In particular, you will need to learn how to solve case studies. You can start with our intro to case interviews , which links to other useful resources.

It's important to learn to tackle case studies the right way if you want to perform in the more demanding interviews at higher-end firms. The old-fashioned frameworks you will often find promoted online can be dysfunctional in more complex case studies. By contrast, we recommend the slightly more demanding, but much more capable, from-first-principles method used in real consulting work. You can find out more in the followng video:

To make your preparation as effective and time efficient as possible MyConsultingCoach has developed a comprehensive consulting interview prep course . This teaches everything you need to give your best possible showing in an interview. Included are all the mental maths, business and finance theory and logical principles needed not only to solve cases but to do so in a way that will impress the interviewer - the way a real consultant would . Also included is a set of lessons on how to address "fit" questions about your character and motivation to enter consulting.

Find out about our resume editing services

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Consulting Cover Letter: What You Actually Need to Know

The key to effective cover-letters is story-telling. Most people write cover letters like resumes, with cold, hard facts, and that’s the problem.

Cover letters are much more effective if they contain stories capturing the burning spirits of candidates. In this article, I’ll tell you how to install such stories seamlessly into your consulting cover letters, and land a case interview yourself.

Consulting cover letters – The basics

What are cover letters for.

Cover letters are documents accompanying resumes, to provide further insights into the qualities and motivations of a candidate, as well as portray who he/she is as a person .

In consulting cover letters, there are three essential qualities you must always display:

• Leadership skills:  the ability to influence people’s decisions.
• Achieving mindset : the continuous, relentless push for the best results.
• Analytical problem-solving:  the ability to solve problems in a structured, methodical manner.

Regarding motivations, there are two questions you need to answer:

• “Why consulting?”:  Do you really understand the consulting world, and how it fits with your long-term plans? Is there something unique in the consulting track to explain your choice?
• “Why this firm?”:  Out of all the consulting firms, why ours? There should be something uniquely attractive about this firm to you, isn’t there?

And last but not least, don’t forget to show that you have an interesting personality that fits with the firm’s culture.

Cover letters vs Resumes – What’s the difference?

Because so many candidates confuse between the two, then end up writing boring cover letters resembling “paragraph versions” of their resumes, I feed the need to differentiate.

There are four marked differences:

Cover letters go deep, resumes go wide

In cover letters, you should select one or a few most notable achievements, and describe them in detail to reflect your three defining aspects (values, competencies, motivations).

This stands in contrast with resumes, where you cram as many relevant achievements as possible into the space of one or two A4 pages.

Cover letters are “soft” stories, resumes are “hard” bullet lists

The content format of cover letters is much less defined, leaving room for a lot of creativity, unlike resumes which are almost always bullet lists of cold, hard facts.

Your goal as the candidate is to fully utilize that loosely-defined format and make your cover letter as attractive and memorable as possible.

Cover letters describe personality, resumes do not

A crucial role of the cover letter is to portray who you are as a person. Resumes don’t do that, they focus on your achievements.

Your personality does not only come directly through the contents, but also reflected in the style of the letter – so take time to make your cover letter more attractive, and you’ll make a better impression with the screener.

Cover letters touch on future plans, resume concerns mostly the past

In cover letters, you have to answer the motivation questions (why consulting, why this firm). In resumes, that aspect is barely mentioned.

The most credible answers to those questions connect the job with your future plans – as such, the cover letter is not confined to the past like resumes.

Understanding your audience

The vibe inside the screening room.

Busy, tiring, and boring – that’s the vibe inside the screening room.”

Picture this in your mind:

A junior consultant is in the office on a Friday night, going through hundreds of applications. He has to do this as a form of goodwill for the company, on top of his ongoing project.

Everyone’s application looks the same, following one set format; a somewhat extraordinary resume catches his attention, so he checks the cover letter to see if there’s anything interesting, only to be disappointed because the letter is an exact recital of the resume.

If you want to grab the screener’s attention and make memorable impressions, you have to break that negative vibe, using an unordinary cover letter.

Most cover letters are just listings of achievement and cliched motivation statements – they feel like unoriginal walls-of-text that offer nothing new – and that’s the exact reason why many screeners don’t like cover letters. Write an exciting story instead – the screener will love it.

Why they read your cover letter

There are two main reasons why the screener reads your consulting cover letter:

• He wants to know more about your motivations and personality because your resume is both impressive and interesting/unordinary at the same time.
• He wants to clarify some ambiguous points in your resume – this happens if you appear highly competent, but your writing is not clear enough.

In both cases, there’s no excuse to repeat your resume in a paragraph format and disappoint the screener. You have all the reasons in the world to present an attractive, detailed, focused narrative – tell a story and get your interview.

Both the background and the purpose of cover-letter-screening suggest that an innovative story-telling approach is much more beneficial than the common, formulaic, overly-formal cover letters.

Such an approach will definitely make your cover letter stand out from the heap of some 200 other applications. It helps you grab the screener’s attention, and impress him in a memorable way.

Additionally, it makes reading the cover letter easier and more enjoyable. The screener is already tired, so there’s no point in making his life harder.

Whatever the reason, as the cover letter is opened AFTER the resume, the implication is that you need to perfect your consulting resume first!

If you haven’t read it, here’s an A-to-Z guide to writing the perfect consulting resume , from a former McKinsey consultant and resume screener!

Consulting cover letter – Step-by-step guide

All these elements must be presented in a coherent storyline and concise language.

Keep in mind this is a consulting cover letter – as such, your story should be backed up by impactful, specific, verifiable results.

To write impressive, fact-based stories that demonstrate all three necessary aspects of the candidate, I advise you to follow these four steps:

Step 1 – Self-reflect for storylines

Search your memory for events, experiences, ideas… that can serve as a basic storyline – the backbone of your cover letter. For each storyline, consider the following six criteria :

• Uniqueness: The base story should be something unique to you. If it’s something common or universal, you won’t have the screener’s attention.
• Attractiveness: Your story should be attractive and entertaining – only then can you trigger the screener’s curiosity. Usually, it’s something “big” and impactful, but not controversial
• Positiveness: The story should have a positive “vibe” to it. If it’s something sad or negative, don’t include it in your cover letter.
• Qualities: All three consulting qualities (leadership, achieving, analytical problem-solving) should be illustrated in your story. Otherwise, consider that story irrelevant.
• Motivations: Your story should at least help explain why you’re applying, if not providing direct answers to that question. Firms don’t like to hire candidates without clear motivations.
• Personality: Make sure you exhibit a likable personality. On the other hand, if that story suggests negative traits (pessimism, short temper, cynicism, etc.) you have to modify it.

Let’s see if these storylines of my own could match the requirements:

“I escaped from a near-death experience during a paragliding session using my gliding skills.”

This is not something you hear every day, and near-death stories are often quite attractive, so you have those two boxes checked; and for now, there’s no sign of “bad” personality traits.

However, it’s a near-death experience, so it does have a negative vibe. Additionally, it shows neither consulting qualities nor relevant motivations.

=> This story only meets 3 out of 6 criteria. Out!

“I founded an entertainment business which attracted lots of attention, but ultimately failed.”

Not everyone is a startup entrepreneur, so this story does meet the “uniqueness” criterion. It’s relatively easy to draw attention with startup stories, and it’s easy to explain a consulting career choice from a former entrepreneur perspective, too. No negative personality trait is visible.

While being a business owner suggests some leadership and problem-solving experience, as well as an achieving mindset, a failure story like this might raise some questions on the “qualities” aspect; it also creates a negative vibe.

=> Overall, 4.5 to 5 out of 6. Not really the best storyline for a consulting cover letter, but usable with some modifications.

“I broke McKinsey’s code of conduct, convinced a client to pay their long-overdue service fees, and was celebrated for it.”

Is there anyone who doesn’t like those “breaking rules” stories? I’m quite confident this experience is quite unique and attractive. Because this is actual consulting work, it’s undoubtedly easy to point out all the important consulting qualities, as well as to provide a basis for my motivations.

However, this “breaking the rules” story may suggest rebellious tendencies, so if I’m going to use it I’ll again need some modifications.

=> This story scores 5.5 / 6. Quite good but I do need to be careful with it.

Step 2 - Add and classify details

Rack your memory and jot down everything related to your storyline; don’t worry about having too many details, you will be trimming the story later.

Pay special attention to the details best illustrating relevant qualities , motivations , and personality , because you will need to emphasize them.

Step 3 – Structure and enhance

Arrange the details of your story in a logical, intuitive structure; the most common method is:

1. Describe a notable, relevant experience using the problem-action-result structure to impress the interviewer with your qualities first.

2. Try to link it up with the present/future parts of your story (ideas, philosophies, plans) to explain your motivations.

Trim all non-essential and technical details, they do nothing but confuse the reader and bore them to death. Your story should be told in a way even your grandmother can understand.

Then, arrange and enhance the remaining details so that the story feels more dramatic, i.e the uniqueness and difficulty of the problem should be emphasized.

On a related note, consultants dislike lengthy cover letters – in fact, one A4 page is the maximum length – so there’s one more reason to start trimming.

Step 4 – Amplify consulting features

First, make all three key consulting traits stand out from your story – leadership, achieving mindset, and analytical problem-solving.

Then, make subtle references to consulting work using the industry’s terminology and concepts. Most screeners, being consultants themselves, will subconsciously appreciate this. However, avoid buzzwords and slangs found on the Internet, or you’ll appear superficial and unprofessional.

Consulting cover letter – Tips

To write the best cover letter, you must thoroughly understand the industry, its major firms, and even the very office you’re applying into.

To achieve such an understanding, there is quite a bit of research to do – and here are three tips for you to ease that process!

Tip 1: Networking

Successful networking goes a long way in the consulting recruitment process and in cover letters.

Firstly, management consulting firms are relatively publicity-shy, so having a connection within these firms allow you to gain very specific and authentic insights about the firm, the job, as well as the consulting world in general, helping you make better choices and deliver more convincing reasons.

Secondly, you may earn a referral ! The screening stage is harsh – it’s where most candidates are filtered out, both in absolute and proportional terms – and referrals help a great deal with that.

Remember to show your networking efforts by mentioning the names of consultants at the office you’re applying into, as well as their projects. The screener will know you really do care about the job, and you’ve done your homework.

Tip 2: Read consulting news

The websites of major consulting firms all have countless articles on current affairs as well as their own projects – read them frequently and regularly .

For one thing, those articles will deepen your understanding of management consultants and their work, helping you make better choices and explain them more effectively to the screener.

Additionally, reading consulting articles regularly will help you know more about the specific projects of each firm, which you can bring up in cover letters.

Tip 3: Build “cheat sheets”

A few ready-to-use “cheat sheets” containing all the important details on the consulting industry and major firms will significantly ease the writing process.

I recommend making three different groups of sheets – one for the consulting world in general, one for the firms, and the last one about the specific offices you’re applying into.

Be implicit and “smooth” when using these sheets. Make sure to sound as natural and seamless as possible when mentioning your references; avoid putting them at the focus of your sentences, but to use them as supplements to the main idea (e.g: I was awed by the network of experts supporting our project with McKinsey back in 2016).

Consulting cover letter – Visual format

Consulting cover letters are not the place for creative, colorful designs. Format your letters in a conservative, text-dense, black-and-white fashion – that’s how actual consultants do it.

One A4 page is the maximum length for consulting cover letters.

Inside the busy screening room, nobody has the time and energy to read a two-page worth of story, no matter how attractive it is.

If your cover letter exceeds that maximum length, trim away the less important details and shorten your expressions; you can also tweak your font size, spacing, and margins to squeeze the most content into one page.

Use formal, conservative fonts, such as Times New Roman, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, etc.

Keep your font size at 10-12. Larger text tends to feel somewhat “messy”, and they’re space-consuming. Smaller text, on the other hand, feels difficult and tiring to read.

Additionally, the typeface in your cover letter should match that on the resume.

Spacing, margins, and alignment

Use spacings of 1.15 between lines and 1.50-2.00 between paragraphs. Consulting cover letters are quite text-dense, so it’s important to use these white spaces to ease the visual strain.

Always align your text on the left side. Left-aligning is the standard in the United States, where most major consulting firms are based; additionally, left-aligning keeps the horizontal spacing between words even, unlike justified where that spacing varies considerably between each line.

All four margins should be equal at 1 inch. That should keep your letter neat and tidy while maximizing the amount of text on one page.

Other reminders

If you know who’s screening, address them by name. Otherwise, generic salutations are fine.

I’ve come across pages claiming it’s no longer acceptable to write generic salutations (“ To whom it may concern ”); however, in consulting firms where the screening process is assigned to junior consultants on an availability basis, you don’t always know who’s reading your letter, so such salutations are okay.

On the other hand, if you happen to be applying into a small, new office, and your networking efforts are successful, you may know your screener. In that case, refer them by name for a greater impact.

Replacement test

If you can replace the industry and the firm in your letter with something similar and it still makes sense, your tailoring is not enough.

Your motivations should be based on unique and defining descriptions – for example, McKinsey having the largest support network for consultants, or Bain being the frattiest among MBB consulting firms.

Non-unique reasons, such as “prestigious brand name” or “interesting projects” can apply to basically every major consulting firm out there, so they’re not strong bases for your choices.

Maintain formality

Use formal language throughout, and keep standard your heading and salutation.

Show your uniqueness and creativity only through the main content sections. Other “procedural” parts of the cover letter should always remain formulaic – see the sample section.

The language in the main paragraph should also remain formal, i.e no slang, no contraction, no overuse of exclamations.

Avoid short-term motivations

Don’t say you’re in for a 2-year learning experience, or your application will be heading for the bin very, very quickly.

It’s costly to turn fresh graduates into effective consultants, so firms don’t want candidates who will bail out just after they’ve become useful. They want people who will stay in the firm for as long as they can – they want future partners.

You might include long-term plans concerning other industries, but don’t give the impression that you’re bailing out in a few years. If that’s your plan, don’t even mention it.

Proofread and edit

Writing cover letters should be a long process of continuous proofreading, feedback, and editing.

It’s best to find a former/working consultant or at least someone who’s knowledgeable about the industry to help you out. Consulting cover letters differ from normal ones quite considerably, so generic guidelines won’t be of much use.

It’s also very helpful to allow intervals of at least a few days between writing and proofreading sessions; you will find it easier to spot errors if you proofread with a “fresh” mind.

Try to avoid format, spelling, and grammar mistakes at all costs. In consulting cover letters, such mistakes are much less tolerated.

Cover letter file format

Always send your cover letters in the PDF format (most screeners expect you to do so).

This file format will make sure your cover letter appears the same on every computer, and it minimizes the damage that may occur in the file transfer process (by contrast, DOC files are vulnerable to numerous errors).

Depending on the computer, PDFs may look cleaner than DOCs – one possible bonus point for appearance.

Still not sure whether your cover letter is good enough? Book a meeting with former consultants. Our coaches will show you how to make your resume stand out among thousands of candidates. 

Cover letter example

Now that you’ve learned the secrets to the best story-telling cover letter, let’s have a little exercise and help the First President write one to McKinsey, shall we?

(The content in this sample letter is largely fictional for illustration purposes)

George Washington [email protected] Mount Vernon Plantation, Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S.A July 4, 1789

To whom it may concern,

My purpose in life is to liberate the American people and lead them to prosperity. The revolution of the Thirteen Colonies was up against the largest military force in the world – the British Empire – at a four-to-one disadvantage – few if any country had come up against such odds victoriously. And that was the situation I was in, as the leader of the revolution.

Under my lead, the revolutionaries mobilized internal support from 2.4 million soon-to-be American citizens and external support from allies in France. This support allowed us to remain operational even after severe defeats, which would otherwise put an end to the revolution. After six years, the Colonies came out victorious and was recognized as the new United States of America. War is over, so my new task is to steer the newfound States towards economic prosperity – and consulting experience at McKinsey will help a great deal with that.

I happen to also run a plantation business – Mount Vernon by name – which was McKinsey’s client during our expansion project in 1785. I was extremely impressed by the highly structured and data-based approach that McKinsey consultants took to deliver their solutions, and even more impressed by the incredible network of experts that was backing our project.

Through Ms. E.M – the Engagement Manager for our project from McKinsey’s DC Office – I came to be aware of the firm’s expertise in the public sector – which was recognized as being the overall best among major consulting firms.

And for that reason, I realized a consultant position at McKinsey DC will give me invaluable exposure in the public sector, both from its projects and its vicinity to the country’s capital.

I will be looking forward to speaking with you in person, about how I can put my experience as a former head-of-state and an entrepreneur to work at McKinsey.

Sincerely yours, George Washington

Scoring in the McKinsey PSG/Digital Assessment

The scoring mechanism in the McKinsey Digital Assessment

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Great consulting resumes have 4 main sections: Education, Work Experience, Extracurricular Activities, & Others. All should be result-oriented and data-driven

McKinsey Resume: Our Comprehensive Guide with Examples

• Last Updated July, 2023

Former UK-based McKinsey and Bain recruiter

The first step to landing a consulting job at McKinsey is crafting a compelling resume to set you apart from other candidates.

A McKinsey resume helps you tell your story and highlight your transferable skills and the impact of your achievements.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• What makes a McKinsey resume different
• How to write a McKinsey resume
• An example of a successful McKinsey resume
• 4 common mistakes to avoid in a McKinsey resume

Let’s get started!

What Makes a McKinsey Resume Different

How to write a mckinsey resume, example of a successful mckinsey resume, 4 common mistakes to avoid in a mckinsey resume.

As one of the top consulting firms in the world, competition for a job at McKinsey is fierce, so your resume needs to stand out to secure an interview.

Understanding and prioritizing what’s important to McKinsey in the people they hire is the first step to landing your dream job.

Spend some time on their website, particularly in the careers section, where you’ll find lots of information about what they look for, skills consultants use daily, stories from current consultants, and how they review applications.

You need to demonstrate your fit with the firm, the role, and the value you will bring to enhance the projects you will be working on, showing that you’re worth one of those coveted interview spots.

Relevant Skills

A McKinsey resume should focus specifically on the skills relevant to consulting and the impact you’ve had during your education and work experiences. 

McKinsey wants to see that you are driven, have an entrepreneurial spirit, and have excellent communication skills. They also look for candidates with strong problem-solving, teamwork, analytical, and leadership skills.

Track Record of Success

A good McKinsey resume demonstrates a track record of these qualities. Telling McKinsey you have leadership skills isn’t enough. You have to show that you have the skills and how you’ve used them to bring value to your teams, projects, roles, or employers. 

Avoid listing your previous titles, tasks, and responsibilities, as this doesn’t help you stand out in a competitive applicant pool. Try to be very specific with quantifiable evidence. 

Example : Increased scholarship money raised by 30% by holding a parent-student relay race on Parent’s Weekend.

McKinsey also values a strong academic record. Although they don’t select applicants with specific degrees over others, some degrees may indicate that you have more relevant skills. So you’ll need to consider what skills are missing from your degree. 

For example, suppose you have a degree in a humanities subject. In that case, you may need to show where you’ve developed business problem-solving and analytical skills within other areas of your life. Our article on the best majors for consulting helps you understand more about how degree subjects are viewed by consulting firms and what you need to consider as you develop all sections of your resume.

Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.

Presenting your experiences clearly and concisely is key to ensuring that recruiters don’t dismiss your consulting resume without reading a word. If the recruiter sees a complicated layout or illegible font, your resume will likely head straight to the “no pile.” It indicates that you don’t have a good grasp of the industry norms and didn’t put in effort for the application.

Break up your resume into sections such as education, professional experience, and additional information. Including a leadership section in your McKinsey resume is also good, as they value this skill.

Present your resume in reverse chronological order with your current activities, whether education or work experience, followed by your previous experiences. This helps the recruiter see how your skills and experiences have developed.

Use formatting that makes your resume effortless for the recruiter to read:

• Make the headings for each section stand out using a bold font or capitalization
• Avoid using color
• Select professional and easy-to-read fonts (such as Times Roman or Courier)
• Use bullet points to list your achievements 

And finally, get your resume proofread before you submit your application, as you don’t want a spelling error to be the reason you don’t get an interview. McKinsey is searching for the best to invite to interview, so attention to detail is vital, just as it will be when you’re a consultant working with a client.

Don’t be tempted to include everything you’ve ever done – this isn’t an autobiography. Prioritize your strongest achievements, the things you’ve done that set you apart from others with similar backgrounds. 

You need to ensure everything is tailored toward the McKinsey consulting role. Make a list of skills the firm looks for and check to ensure they’re all represented. If you’re worried about insufficient content, don’t be tempted to include irrelevant skills or information. Use every line in your resume wisely.

Focus on 3 to 5 bullet points that best represent your impact and the value you’ve brought to your team, project, role, or employer. Writing this way can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but this is not the time to be modest!

Use numbers to drive home your achievements in each bullet point. Not only does this clearly show the impact you’ve made, but it also demonstrates to the recruiter that you understand the nature of working in consulting and how evidence-based it is. 

In the education section, talk about clubs, societies, or teams you were involved in at school and university, particularly if you held leadership positions. McKinsey appreciates that you will likely have developed transferable skills from different parts of your life. This gives them a fuller picture of how you have done this, especially if you don’t have many years of work experience. Include any awards or recognitions you received while you were studying too. There’s no such thing as an overachiever at McKinsey!

Your professional experience section can include part-time and full-time roles, depending on where you are in your career. It’s great if you have some big brand names in your career history, as this makes it easier for the recruiter to understand more about your background quickly. If you haven’t, don’t worry! It’s more about what you did within your roles and not who you did it for. Sometimes it is easier to make an impact when you’re not just a tiny cog in a very large wheel.

You should include a leadership section, but it’s not always easy to create, particularly if you don’t have much work experience. Don’t just use this section for experiences you’re struggling to fit elsewhere.

You can also include volunteering roles and military service on your McKinsey resume. These can also help you demonstrate transferable skills, but make sure you apply the same principles as you have with your education and professional experiences, focusing on your achievements and impact.

Within the additional information section, it’s good to include some personal information, such as interesting hobbies, as it humanizes you and can provide a great conversation starter if you have something in common with an interviewer. Remember that interviewers want to see if you can pass the airport test, which is a way to gauge whether you are a likable, professional candidate and easy to talk to. Listing languages you’re proficient in and technical skills you possess to a competent level is also helpful to include in this section.

Your resume is your sales pitch, so it’s important to get it right to convince McKinsey that interviewing and hiring you is the right decision.

Let’s look at an example of a resume that landed a McKinsey interview and offer. As you read through, take note of the best practices.

Don’t have that much experience to put in your resume?

Don’t worry!

Not everyone does, expecially if you’re an undergrad. See our  Consulting Resumes article for more consulting resume examples.

1. Listing Your Experiences Without Quantifiable Impact

Avoid writing a list of your tasks and responsibilities. Focus on your impact, action, and achievements. You need to show why you are a better option to invite to interview than another candidate.

Good example : Achieved cost savings of $20K in recurring transportation costs by analyzing export schedule and consolidating over 100 orders.

Avoid this : Achieved cost savings by consolidating multiple orders.

As a student, knowing how to quantify your impact can be hard if you haven’t had much work experience. There are ways you can do this, even with your school and university experiences using measures like volume and frequency. Here are some examples to help you reflect on your impact:

• If you held a leadership role in a school club, how many events did you organize, and how many students attended the event? What was the budget you were managing?
• If you were on the school website team, how many articles did you review, or what was the impact of your writing?

2. Not Tailoring to McKinsey Skills

Ensure you are tailoring your resume to meet the role of a McKinsey consultant. If you don’t include relevant skills, they won’t be able to see that you can perform in the role.

Good example for leadership and analysis : Improved university enrollments by 7% by leading a team of 6 to analyze feedback and questions from previous events and running workshops specifically targeted to address them.

Avoid this : Improved university enrollments by running workshops for prospective students.

3. Leaving Out Extra-Curricular Activities

McKinsey loves to see what applicants have achieved outside of work and school. Do you coach kids in soccer? Do you volunteer at your local non-profit? Share what you like to do and what soft skills you’ve learned.

Example : Volunteered as a mentor at a local youth center and led workshops for underprivileged teenagers on financial literacy and leadership skills.

4. Poor Formatting

Attention to detail is important! Make sure you proofread your resume for formatting, spelling, and grammar mistakes before you submit your application.

Common formatting mistakes to watch out for include inconsistent bolding, misaligned text, and improper spacing.

– – – – – – –

In this article, we’ve covered:

• What is different about a McKinsey resume
• A guide on how to write a McKinsey resume
• A real example of a McKinsey resume from a successful application
• Top 5 common mistakes to avoid when writing a McKinsey resume

Still have questions?

If you have more questions about the McKinsey resume, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s recruiters will answer them.

Other people prepping for how to write a McKinsey Resume found the following pages helpful:

• Consulting Cover Letters
• The Consulting Interview Process
• Consulting vs. Investment Banking
• McKinsey PEI Questions
• McKinsey Case Interview

Help with Your Consulting Application

Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on cover letter and resume writing. My Consulting Offer has helped 89.6% of the people we’ve worked with to get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Cynthia was able to get her offer from McKinsey.

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3 Things Consulting Firms Actually Look for in Your Application

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No thanks, I don't want free strategies to get into consulting.

We are excited to invite you to the online event., where should we send you the calendar invite and login information.

Is a cover letter really necessary for McKinsey?

McKinsey appears to discourage writing one on their application website by saying "not needed", and "only to explain special circumstances or clarify issues or gaps in the CV". Yet here on prepLounge it is being recommended. Does it just depend on each individual McKinsey office that one applies for? Or is it something that's seen as not necessary but generally still helpful? Thanks!

Overview of answers

• Date ascending
• Date descending

No, McKinsey does not really read the cover letteres. Sometimes they may refer to your cover letter if you are really one of those "borderline cases", but as far as I know that rarely happens.

That being said, if you really have the time or if you already have a high-quality cover letter written for a different consulting firm, it does not hurt to create one for McKinsey.

Hope this helps.

Cover letters are not mandatory to apply to McKinsey but definitely they can help you to stand out among hundreds or other applicants. 

Hi there, as the others have mentioned in my experience it is not necessary. However, sometimes they might ask for it later. Having said that, there is no reason to prepare it initially.

Hi Anonymous,

when I applied to McKinsey it was not compulsory to attach one; however the consultant who referred me said that if I had one ready I could send it as well to strengthen the application. Thus if you have a good one ready (which you probably have since other companies require it) and just have to customize it for McKinsey it could help to include it as well.

Even if the particular office says ''not necessary'', personally I always include one. It can't hurt, the worst thing that can happen is that they don't read it at all ;)

generally no, I would rather go through referral!

The recruiting team does not read cover letters. If you have something ready, no harm in including it. But I would not spend time preparing a cover letter. That time would be better used in interview preparation.

For most applications, a CL is not needed. However, you might need it to clarify certain aspects. E.g. if you're applying to a country where you have not lived previously (not in your CV), you might need to clarify why you're applying to that office.

Usually no, only if you apply online.

I would recommend you add it only if you're for 100% sure that's good CL.

Do you need any further help?

All the best,

I would use the CL:

• If you are applying yourself via the website it's part of the application
• If you apply via referral - it's not required at first but once you are invited to the interviews, they'll ask you to submit one anyway

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Are you a final-year student, fresh graduate, or early working professional looking for a management consulting career in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam?

Join us for McKinsey’s Consulting Fellowship Program (CFP) and you will participate in a capability-building workshop, network with like-minded individuals from the region, and receive coaching from McKinsey consultants.

May 17 – Join us for the regional virtual info session to learn more about the program. https://jobs.mckinsey.com/events/Rsvp/?folderId=87038

June 2 – Deadline for CFP 2024 Application Apply here: https://jobs.mckinsey.com/events/EventDetails?folderId=86415

Shortlisted CFP participants will be invited* to join our Consulting Analyst recruitment process *Timeline to be confirmed by each office separately after CFP weekend

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