UofT Events

What is Consulting? Event Series

The Graduate Management Consulting Association (GMCA) is proudly hosting a Two-DayWhat Is Consulting? Event to give you an opportunity to learn about a rewarding career in management consulting and why graduate students are highly sought after by firms in this field.

The Event is intended for all PhD, Postdoctoral, MD, JD, and Masters students. Please note that students interested in the Two-Day Event are required to register for each session separately below. Seating is limited so be sure to register early.

Day 1: What Is Consulting? Introduction with BCG
Date/Time: Thursday, October 13^th / 6-8pm
Location: Blue Room Auditorium (SF1105), Sandford Fleming Building (10 King’s College Road)
This first session, led by BCG consultants, is designed to introduce you to the world of management consulting, what consultants actually do, and the impact they create in the field. For more detailed information about this particular session, please see the BCG attachment.
Day 1 Registration: Please visit the BCG Events Page to register for this session.

Day 2: What Is Consulting? Panel Discussion with Consultants from Top Firms
Date/Time: Thursday, October 20^th / 6-8pm
Location: Blue Room Auditorium (SF1105), Sandford Fleming Building (10 King’s College Road)
This panel discussion session will be led by management consultants with graduate training backgrounds, who will share their experiences as they transitioned from academia to the business world. A Question & Answer segment will also be included to provide an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the various consulting firms our guest consultants represent.
Day 2 Registration: Please fill out the Panel Discussion Registration Form to register for this session.

Once again, please note that students interested in attending both sessions of the Two-Day Event are required to register for each session separately. For inquiries, please email us at info@gmcacanada.com

We look forward to meeting you!

Sincerely,

Graduate Management Consulting Association (GMCA)
University of Toronto

Dear PhD, Postdoctoral, MD, JD and Masters students,

I hope your year is starting off well! As a graduate student, I had never been entirely certain what life after the PhD might look like. About halfway through my studies, a colleague recommended The Boston Consulting Group as a great place to work. I had never heard of management consulting, but after discovering what it was all about, I launched myself into the recruiting process and never looked back.
 
My name is Cory Kaplin and I am a McGill graduate (PhD – Materials Engineering, 2014) and a Consultant with BCG. Since I recently made the transition from academia to consulting, I’d like to share my experience and answer some common questions that advanced degree candidates (PhDs, MDs, or JDs) have about consulting and BCG in particular.

What is management consulting?
We specialize in helping companies overcome their biggest challenges, like reacting to disruptive technologies or entering new businesses. An external perspective allows us to come up with creative and impactful solutions. I think of this as similar to my experience researching aerospace alloys, where I found it helpful to “talk it out” with bright, intelligent people (frequently other graduate students).
 
What do consultants actually do?
I’m responsible for owning a piece of our client’s problem.  As an example, I recently helped a major European consumer services firm craft their strategy for entering Canada. My role was to develop all the consumer-facing aspects of the strategy, from managing consumer surveys and interviews to planning marketing and sales.
 
Over the course of that project, I would regularly spend time in Toronto meeting with the head of international projects. She and I worked side-by-side on the marketing plan and operating model we would recommend to the VP of business development.
 
As hosts, we also took the client to several of Toronto’s most renowned restaurants, and even a couple of hockey games!
 
Can a consultant really have an impact?
Yes!  On each of my cases I have felt like BCG delivered incredible client impact and that I contributed to that impact in a significant way. For the market entry, we developed the plan for a major international expansion of our client, which they are currently executing.
 
What does BCG look for?
Strong candidates are smart, capable, and possess strong leaderships skills. We derive your “smarts” through your academic achievements (grades and test scores) as well as your ability to communicate the impact of your research to a broader audience.  We want to hear about the capabilities you have developed from your experience both inside and outside the classroom or laboratory. What difficult things have you accomplished in the past?
 
 
If you are interested in learning more about the work we do at BCG and who we are, please join us Thursday, October 13^th.
 
Please note we also welcome masters students to this session.
 
U of T WHAT IS CONSULTING? EVENT SERIES
Thursday, October 13^th 2016
6:00 pm
Location:
University of Toronto
Blue Room Auditorium (SF1105) at the Sandford Fleming Building
10 King’s College Road, Toronto, ON
Please register to attend using the link below:
https://talent.bcg.com/Events?folderId=10012902&source=Event
Kind regards,
Canada Recruiting
 The Boston Consulting Group

2016 GMCA Professional Networking Night

We are excited to announce our annual Professional Networking Night on Friday, August 19, 7-9pm. The event allows students and applicants to learn more about management consulting and make valuable industry connections. On the flip side, it allows industry leaders to connect with attendees and scout bright students interested in breaking into the consulting world.

In order to maintain a high consultant to student/applicant ratio, interested individuals are required to submit an application by Sunday, August 7, 11:59pm with the following content:

1. One-page resume (PDF only)

2. Answer to the following: “What do you hope to gain from attending the GMCA professional networking event?” (100 words max)

3. Expected year of graduation

4. List of GMCA events attended (if any)

Please visit the application page to complete your application.

Space is limited and selection is based on your application package. Selected applicants will be invited to a mandatory practice networking night on Thursday, August 11, 2016 and will be contacted with registration and location details by Sunday, August 14, 2016. Ticket prices are $40 payable online prior to the event.

To ensure that you make the most out of this opportunity, we have prepared Networking Tips that you can read prior to the event.

Do not miss this opportunity to network with consultants from top firms such as McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, ZS Associates, KPMG and others. We hope to see you there!