Breaking into Consulting

Today’s Journey

• 1️⃣ Consulting 101 – what consultants do & why it matters
• 2️⃣ Skills & Recruitment – what firms look for in early talent
• 3️⃣ 12‑Month Action Plan – resume, networking, interview prep
• 4️⃣ Switching Gears → GenAI Consulting
• 5️⃣ Market Trends, Skills, Career Paths in AI
• 6️⃣ Q&A / Ask Me Anything

Consulting 101

Consultants tackle high‑stakes problems and steer change. Value comes from structured problem‑solving & execution support.

Core Service Lines

• Strategy & Transformation – market entry, operating models
• Technology & Data – cloud, analytics, cybersecurity
• Operations – cost optimisation, process redesign
• People & Change – org design, upskilling

Skills Recruiters Hunt For

• 📊 Analytical Firepower – Excel, SQL, PowerBI / Tableau
• 🗣️ Storytelling – Pyramid principle, 30‑60‑90 sec elevator pitch
• 🤝 Client Gravitas – presence in workshops & C‑Suite dialogs
• 🌐 Digital Fluency – cloud basics, automation, GenAI tools

12‑Month Action Plan

• Quarter 1: Craft impact‑oriented CV, contact 10 alumni for coffee chats
• Quarter 2: Complete 25 live case interviews; join a consulting club
• Quarter 3: Secure internship / project, quantify value delivered (e.g., 12% cost‑save)
• Quarter 4: Refine personal pitch, apply to analyst programs

GenAI Consulting – Why Now?

Generative AI is forecast to add $4.4 T in global value (McKinsey 2025). Firms need advisers who can turn LLM capability into bottom‑line impact.

Service Demand YoY Growth

• 💬 Chatbots & conversational AI (+67%)
• 📄 Document automation & RAG (+55%)
• 🎨 Synthetic media & personalization (+61%)

Skills for AI Consulting

• 🧠 LLM Engineering – prompt design, RAG, evaluation (BLEU, faithfulness)
• ☁️ Cloud & MLOps – Azure ML, VertexAI, pipelines, CI/CD
• 📐 Responsible AI – fairness metrics, bias tests, model cards
• 💼 Business Case Design – TAM sizing, sensitivity analysis, change mgmt