Exploring the consulting career post ISB in 2024? There are many options to choose from when one is considering a consulting career. It is important to explore the specific industry requirements and the fit when you do that.
What are the ISB placements in consulting like?
Analysing Consulting Industry Placements at ISB from 2017 to 2023 we find
that in the year 2017 the average 80% CTC was 31.56 Lacs, in 2018 it was INR 23.26 lacs, in 2019 it was 26.49 lacs, in 2020 it was INR 26.78 lacs, in 2021 it was INR 28.98 lacs, in 2022 it was INR 33.29 lacs and in 2023 it was INR 35.58 lacs.
The Indian School of Business (ISB) has consistently proven to be a launchpad for rewarding careers in consulting. Data reveals not only the sector's prominence in ISB placements but also the remarkable compensation packages it offers.
Key Insights from Placement Data
Consistently High Demand: Consulting consistently ranks among the top industries for ISB graduates, reflecting the sustained demand for ISB talent in the consulting world.
Attractive Compensation: ISB graduates in consulting command impressive salaries. The most recent data shows a mid-80% average CTC of ₹35.57 lakhs, with a range extending up to ₹45 lakhs. This upward trend in compensation is evident over the past few years.
Steady Growth: Analyzing the data from 2017 to 2023 reveals a clear and consistent growth trajectory in both average and median salaries for consulting roles. This demonstrates the increasing value placed on ISB-trained consultants.
ISB Advantage in Consulting
ISB's unique advantages contribute to the success of its graduates in consulting:
Rigorous Academic Program: ISB's curriculum equips students with the analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills essential for consulting success.
Strong Alumni Network: A vast and influential alumni network working in top consulting firms worldwide provides invaluable mentorship and career opportunities.
Industry Partnerships: ISB's collaborations with leading consulting firms ensure students gain exposure to real-world projects and build relationships with potential employers.
Beyond Compensation: A Fulfilling Career Path
Beyond the financial rewards, consulting offers:
Intellectual Stimulation: Consultants tackle diverse and complex business challenges, keeping them intellectually engaged.
Impactful Work: Consultants contribute directly to strategic decisions and transformations within organizations, making a tangible impact.
Global Exposure: Many consulting roles involve international travel and collaboration with diverse teams, broadening horizons.
Explore post ISB Consulting Career options:
MBB
General Management and Strategy consulting
Accounting, Finance & Technology category - Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG, EY, PwC
Operations and turnaround consultants
HR consulting
Private equity consulting
Non-profit consulting category
Impact Consulting
Consulting firms focused on particular industries (i.e., healthcare, energy, financial services)
The consulting industry is constantly evolving, and new career options are emerging as technology advances and companies become more data-driven. As businesses navigate the changing market, there is a growing demand for consultants who specialize in more advanced areas such as data science, cyber security, digital transformation, cloud computing, AI, and blockchain.
An emerging career option is that of a data consultant. With the rise of big data and analytics, organizations are looking for professionals who can help them make sense of the vast amounts of data they collect. Data consultants work with organizations to identify areas where data can be used to drive business decisions, and then help implement data-driven solutions. They possess strong analytical skills and are able to use data visualization tools to present data in a clear and understandable format.
Another new career option is that of a sustainability consultant. As organizations strive to become more environmentally and socially responsible, sustainability consultants help them identify areas where they can reduce their impact on the environment and improve their social and ethical practices. These professionals possess a deep understanding of sustainability issues and are able to help organizations develop and implement sustainable practices.
Another new career option is that of a business model consultant. These professionals help organizations identify new revenue streams and business models that can help them stay competitive in a rapidly changing market. They possess a deep understanding of business and market trends and are able to help organizations identify new opportunities and develop strategies to capitalize on them.
In addition, a career option in the field of Agile consultant has emerged. Agile methodologies are becoming increasingly popular in organizations, as they allow them to be more responsive to changes in the market and customer needs. Agile consultants help organizations implement agile practices and provide guidance on how to best use agile methodologies to drive business growth.
Data scientists are in high demand as companies look to leverage data to make better decisions. Data scientists use data analysis techniques to identify patterns and insights from large datasets. They develop and apply advanced algorithms, statistical models, and machine learning techniques to uncover trends and answer complex questions.
Companies hiring:
Cyber security consultants help protect companies from cyber threats by developing and implementing security policies, procedures, and systems. They also provide guidance on cyber security best practices and provide training on how to identify and respond to security threats.
Companies hiring: HSBC, EY
As companies look to become more digital, they are turning to digital transformation consultants to help them develop and implement strategies to transition to digital business models. Digital transformation consultants advise companies on how to use technology to streamline processes, improve customer service, and optimize operations.
Cloud consultants help companies migrate their data, applications, and operations to the cloud. They also advise companies on cloud solutions that are best suited for their business needs.
AI consultants help businesses leverage artificial intelligence to improve customer experience and automate tasks. They develop and implement AI strategies, create algorithms and datasets, and integrate AI tools into existing systems.
Companies hiring: Deloitte Asia Pacific, Accenture Blockchain consultants help companies develop and implement blockchain solutions to streamline processes, improve security, and increase efficiency. They advise companies on how to use blockchain technology to create secure and reliable systems.Companies hiring for Blockchain Consultant: Infosys, Expand my Business As a Business Transformation Consultant in the field of Supply Chain Management and Procurement Services, the candidate is expected to have the necessary experience and knowledge in areas such as supply and demand management, SCM transformation, SCM digital transformation, supply chain planning and execution, Sales & Operations Planning, procurement transformation, and operating model design. Companies hiring: IBM Operations Transformation Consultant develops a dynamic and inventive business model for clients, built on a solid operational foundation. The goal is to create a flexible approach that can adapt to the changing needs of the client while ensuring a strong and robust foundation for the operations. Companies hiring: Deloitte USI Consultant-Revenue Cycle Transformation creates solutions that are meant to aid clients in advancing their product and service innovation, enhance financial performance, speed up their time to market, and allow them to continuously innovate their platforms. Companies hiring: Deloitte USI These are just a few of the new career options in the consulting industry. As technology evolves, so too do the opportunities available in the consulting industry. Whether you’re looking to specialize in one of these advanced areas or you’re just starting out in consulting, there are plenty of new opportunities available. These new opportunities offer diverse responsibilities and skill sets, and provide a chance for professionals to specialize in areas that align with their interests and expertise. As the consulting industry continues to evolve, it's important for professionals to stay informed about new career options and to continuously develop their skills to stay competitive in the job market.
If you aspire to a high-impact consulting career, ISB could be your ideal platform. Contact GOALisB today to explore how we can empower your journey to ISB and beyond.
What are some more Consulting Career Options Post ISB MBA Program?
Management Consulting
Strategy Consulting
Operations Consulting
Decision Analytics Consulting
Human Capital Consulting
What are the essential subject knowledge areas requisite for pursuing a career in consulting?
Marketing
Finance
Strategy
Operations Research
Decision Sciences
Leadership
HR Lifecycle
Essential Skills for being successful as a consultant post an ISB MBA program?
Project management skills, process improvements / re-engineering, LEAN, Six Sigma, Agile methodologies
Coaching and mentoring skills
Relationship building skills
Problem solving skills
Advanced modelling techniques and tools such as R, SAS, Tableau, or VBA
HR trends
Visual presentation skills
Client management skills
Project Delivery skills
SAAS, Java, Hive, Pig, Python, SQL skills
What are the qualification requirements for a consulting career?
Depending on the hierarchy for the lateral positions for MBA graduates the qualification requirements are an MBA like the ISB MBA program with the above skills and relevant industry work experience between 2-6 or 4-7 years of work experience.
How to build a resume for a consulting career post ISB MBA program?
Get a resume that works for you!
A resume is a gateway to a successful job interview. No wonder it is one of the pivotal documents that can carve your career. Management consulting resumes can be game-changers during the initial screening or filtering of the candidates. According to the experts, as high as 60% of the applicants would not make it past this phase. Studies say that employers spend a maximum of 60 seconds scanning through the resume looking for keywords that indicate a candidate's skills and talents.
The criterion for the successful skimming of the resume by the recruiters include:
1. Fit
2. Fit
3. Fit
Can you deliver the results expected? A quick scrutiny of all these aspects helps recruiters decide whether or not to shortlist the candidate for the interview.
Here are 7 effective tips for drafting a Consulting resume that creates stamping impression on recruiters for gaining entry into top-notch companies like Mc Kinsey, Deloitte, BCG, and Bain.
1. Keep resume summary and objective crisp
Frame a crisp yet dynamic career summary. Ensure that your career objective aligns with both your professional goals and organisational goals. ISB MBA duration is too short for you to commit mistakes and restart. You have to be on the mark the first time.
2. Impress with details and skills
Recruiters scan through the candidate’s key skills and talents to appraise the candidate’s profile and the relevant professional experience. Thus, you must impress the recruiter with your skills, previous roles, and professional accomplishments through impressive vocabulary.
Use some power words such as “facilitated", "launched", “accrued”, “established”, etc. as and where appropriate. They spontaneously create a positive impression of your professional stamina and show the impact that you created.
3. Highlight your grades and GMAT scores
Big firms like Deloitte and Mc Kinsey do not read candidate's profiles in depth. They have designated committees that scrutinise resumes. The critical criterion that these committees use to filter suitable candidates is their academic grades.
Most companies often consider candidates with a minimum GPA score of 3.5. The school and the university from which the candidate completed the education have their importance too. So, focus on highlighting these as positively as you can.
4. Present your resume professionally
A resume is a chance to present yourself virtually before a recruiter. Thus, the presentation of the resume should be of superior quality in terms of wording, font style, size, and punctuation. Experts advise in limiting the resume to 2 pages. Divide the resume into sections. The header must consist of - name, address, email address, phone number. Other sections such as work experience, education, and interests can be categorised into three separate sections. Limit the number of sections to 3 or 4 to the maximum. Divide the work and education section and follow a reverse chronological sequence.
5. Showcase your accomplishments
Accomplishments such as awards, certifications, and promotions help in forming a unique impression on recruiters and give you an edge over other candidates. So, remember to showcase your achievements. For instance, you could include leadership demonstrated in a project or boost of sales that you achieved for your previous employer.
6. Prove your key transferable skills
Your ability to land a job turns pronounced from the skills that you displayed in the past. Companies expect consulting professionals to have proficient communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, the ability to take on challenges, and result-oriented potential. Justify such skills by citing proven results. With the short spanned ISB MBA duration it is a challenge to build new skills and demonstrate them, so start early.
7. Extra academics and projects add weight
Extra academic accomplishments such as globally recognised English test scores, memberships in reputed organisations, and knowledge of foreign language add points to your resume. Also, a Ph.D. or Post-Doctoral qualification gives immense strength to your persona. Make sure to showcase these if you have any.
We recommend - Customise your resume!
Custom build your resume to focus on the position that you are applying for. This means that map your key skills to focus on the transferable skills for the role and the industry you are applying for. This comes up last in our list as once you have the basic resume in place you are now ready to fine tune your resume.
Focus and show what you got for the specific role so that you assist the recruiters in establishing your fit.
More steps to ensure you have a stellar resume by the end of your ISB MBA:
Stay updated and keep documentary track of your career progression.
You are the best critic for your resume. You know where there's a weakness, plan to overcome it.
Use the MBA curriculum focus tracks i.e. the electives offered at ISB to cover the gaps within the ISB MBA duration. ISB will communicate the specific electives for relevant career tracks well in time for you to plan ahead.
Demonstrate mastery over the skills that you have acquired through the electives with the ISB ELP - experiential learning program and the inter college competitions.
Evidence your people skills by leading teams on campus to make the most of your ISB MBA duration.
Getting it right
Most companies keep track of the rejected candidates in the last 3-6 months. In case you are re-applying to such companies, make sure to update your resume and give it a whole new fresh look. If you want to graduate with a high ISB MBA average package, plan your career moves well in advance and do your research.
Understand the power of the resume to create that first solid impression on the recruiter and draft it accordingly. Do not underrate yourself while framing your resume. Mention every achievement you have had. It is your hard-earned document! Get in touch with an ISB admission consultant to evaluate your profile for ISB admission.
Best Global MBA Programs For A Consulting Career
Consulting career is one of those careers which bridges the gap between professional and personal. While the field offers many opportunities, it is also highly competitive. You need to ensure that you are keeping up with the latest trends and current skill sets to keep your job secure.
In this article, we share a few thoughts on what consulting career means, what it is like, how you can make sure you are making the most out of it, and some of the best MBA programs to consider if you want to pursue this career path in future.
A consulting career is a profession where one helps clients solve problems by utilizing knowledge in business management or other fields. It involves developing solutions for people from different companies and helping them gain control over their problems.
Which MBA Program is the Best for Your Consulting Career?
You want to be a professional consultant. You may have a degree in business, but that doesn't mean you're guaranteed a job in consulting. However, some programs help students get into consulting faster. If you're interested in consulting, it is crucial to consider the best MBA program for your career path.
You need to do your research and find out what type of consulting work you would like to do or if you would like to work inside or outside of consulting companies, and what kind of company provides the best opportunities for your career path.
Why Should You Consider a Global MBA program?
Many companies are seeking consultants to help them with their business decisions now more than ever before. This is because these companies have realised that consultants have the skills and knowledge necessary to make critical business decisions and provide a wealth of expertise in different industries, which makes them valuable resources for their company.
An ISB MBA is a global business degree that provides students with an opportunity to learn from experts in the field, develop international networks and become future leaders in their industry. With this degree, students can build connections and leadership skills while studying. Top business schools offer an opportunity to learn and grow your career by getting the best out of it. So, consider the right fit schools for whatever step you want to take in the consulting industry. It can be a lucrative career that offers the possibility of working with various industries and companies.
Connect with our MBA admission consultant at GOALisB and share your profile with us to check for the right fit.
ISB Resource Guide
Core ISB Application Resources
A guide to crafting essays that showcase your goals and strengths effectively.
Understanding the ISB Admission Process
Everything you need to know about the steps involved in the ISB admissions journey.
Navigating the ISB Application Process
Detailed advice on how to approach and complete your ISB application.
Answers to common questions about gaining admission to ISB.
ISB MBA Eligibility Requirements
Check if your profile aligns with ISB’s eligibility criteria.
Program Overviews at ISB
Discover what makes the ISB Hyderabad MBA program stand out.
Executive MBA Options at ISB Hyderabad
Learn how ISB’s Executive MBA program supports career advancement.
Applying to ISB’s PGP YL Program
Insights into the ISB Young Leaders Program for early-career professionals.
Details on the PGPpro, an MBA designed for working professionals.
Information on how to log in and access ISB PGPpro resources.
ISB MFAB for Family Businesses
A look at ISB’s MFAB, a program designed for family business professionals.
Tailored ISB Application Strategies
Oil and Gas Professionals Applying to ISB
Specific guidance for applicants in the oil and gas industry.
ISB Application Tips for Infrastructure Professionals
Learn how to leverage your infrastructure experience in your application.
ISB Admissions for Entrepreneurs
Strategies for entrepreneurs applying to ISB.
Healthcare Professionals: ISB Application Strategies
Tips for healthcare professionals building an ISB application.
ISB for E-commerce and Retail Professionals
Insights on how e-commerce professionals can strengthen their ISB applications.
Financial Support and ROI Considerations
Scholarship Opportunities at ISB
Learn about scholarships and financial support available to ISB students.
An analysis of the return on investment of an ISB MBA.
Breakdown of tuition and fees for the ISB MBA program.
ISB Interview and Profile-Building Tips
Key insights into the ISB interview process.
Interview Preparation Guide for ISB
Comprehensive advice on preparing for the ISB interview.
Tips on developing a profile that aligns with ISB’s admissions criteria.
ISB Hyderabad Admission Tips from Mohini
Alumni tips for a successful ISB Hyderabad application.
ISB Career Paths and Opportunities after ISB
Product Management Careers after ISB MBA
How ISB prepares graduates for product management roles.
Consulting Careers Post-ISB MBA
How to pursue consulting after ISB.
Career paths and experiences of ISB alumni.
Discover the unique advantages of the ISB MBA program.
ISB Comparison Guides
A comparison of ISB and Wharton’s MBA programs.
ISB vs. IIM: Which is Right for You?
Weighing the pros and cons of ISB versus IIM.
Key points to consider between ISB and INSEAD.
An in-depth look at ISB vs. NUS for MBA applicants.
ISB vs. IIMA: Which is Better?
A closer look at ISB versus IIMA.
Comparing ISB PGPpro vs. IIMB PGPEM
Differences between ISB’s PGPpro and IIMB’s PGPEM.
A comparison of ISB’s PGPpro and PGPMAX programs.
Additional ISB Resources
Evolution of the ISB Essay Topics
A look at how ISB’s essay prompts have changed over time.
Key dates and requirements for the ISB 2025 admissions cycle.
An overview of what ISB looks for in applicants.
Tips for reapplicants looking to strengthen their ISB application.
Guidance on GMAT scores for ISB applicants.
Tips for engineers aiming to transition into ISB’s MBA.
Career advice for banking professionals moving to IIMA or ISB.
Life at ISB and Beyond
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What’s Unique about ISB Hyderabad
Highlights of the ISB Hyderabad campus experience.
ISB’s Position in Global Rankings
Learn about ISB’s national and global rankings.
ISB Placements and Career Opportunities
Explore placement statistics and career support at ISB.
Professional Support and Consulting
ISB Admission Consulting Services
Discover how professional consulting can support your ISB journey.
A detailed look at ISB’s MBA program and structure.
Learn about ISB’s Executive MBA programs and their unique benefits.
Step-by-step guidance on applying to the ISB PGPpro program.
All about ISB’s PGPMAX, ideal for senior professionals.