Types of Firms
Consulting firms can be categorized into these categories:
- Elite management consulting firms: The top strategy consulting firms. Each specializes in particular industries or functions with projects in a wide range of industries. Representing firms include: Bain, Booz & Co, McKinsey & Co., Accenture, etc.
- Big affiliated consulting firms: The big firms offering strategic business and operations advice but also offer specialized consulting services such as regulatory requirements. Representing firms include: Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
- Boutique strategy firms: Small firms that do the same thing as the big firms do but with more focus in a particular industry, process, or types of consulting. Representative firms: Gartner, PRTM Management Consultants, Putnam Associates, etc.
Practice Areas
Consulting firms specialize in many practice areas. Some common ones are:
- Financial strategy consulting: Firms providing financial models to enhance strategies and performance of financial companies. Representative firms: Deloitte Consulting LLP, IBM Global Services, Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, etc.
- Human resources consulting: Firms specializing in providing human resources consulting, from designing an employee evaluation to conducting training in an organization. Representative firms include: Accenture, Mercer, Deloitte Consulting, etc.
- Marketing consulting: Firms specializing in providing strategies that solve marketing problems. Representative firms: Monitor Group, Copernicus Marketing Consulting, etc.
- Operations consulting: Firms specializing in examining client’s internal workings such as business processes and recommend strategies to streamlining the processes. Representing firms: Accenture, PRTM, A.T. Kearney, etc.
- Strategy consulting: Firms specializing in helping company executives to face macro-level challenges in their businesses and provide new strategic directions. Representative firms: Bain & Company, McKinsey & Company, Booz Allen Hamilton, etc.
- Technology and systems consulting: Firms specializing in designing computer systems and applications. Representative firms: Accenture, IBM Global Services, Oracle, SAP, HP Services, etc.
- Other in-demand consultancy: Taxation, health care, and social media consulting.
Career Overview
To learn more about different career options in this sector, visit the following web sites:
- Consulting Career (First Hand)
Overview and job outlook of the career in consulting. - Consulting Career Guide (TalentEgg)
Information on average starting salaries, hottest jobs in consulting and more.
Articles of Interest
- Who to follow on Twitter: Consulting (TalentEgg)
- An introduction to management consulting for students and new grads (TalentEgg)
- The student's guide to consulting at Deloitte: How to land your dream job (Deloitte)
Career Books
Recommended books (available at CaPS):
- First Hand - Online guides on consulting jobs, top consulting firms, case interviews
(Registration with your McGill email is highly recommended) - The consulting interview bible
- WetFeet insider guide: Careers in management consulting
- College2consulting: The complete insider's guide to the consulting recruitment process
- Case interview secrets: A former McKinsey interviewer reveals how to get multiple job offers in consulting
- Case in point: Graph analysis for consulting and case interviews
Job Search Websites
The following links provide a list of job boards, internships and volunteering opportunities.
Note: To find internships, you can also use keywords like "internship" in some of the job boards to find opportunities.
Associations & Groups
Canada
- McGill Not-For-Profit Consulting (MNFPC) Facebook
- Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC)
- Association of Independent Consultants (AIC)
- Canadian Association of Management (CMC-Canada)
- Graduate Management Consulting Association (GMCA)
USA
- American Management Association (AMA)
- Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA)
- Institute of Financial Consultants (ifc)
- Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)
International
Find an Organization
Management & IT Consulting - Montreal
- Consulting Firms in Montreal (Consulting Case 101)
- Consulting Firms in Montreal (HUB)
Management & IT Consulting - Canada & USA
- MC Consulting Firm Directory
- Top Management & IT Consulting Firms in North America (Consulting Case 101)
Select a location to see a list of firms. - First Hand Top Consulting Firms
Downloadable online books: Top consulting firms in Asia Pacific, Top technology consulting firms, etc. - HUB - Consulting Firms in Canada (HUB)
Links to a list of consulting companies in: Business development, finance, human resource, marketing, project management, quality assurance, environment, etc. - TC - Consulting Firms in Canada (The Career Coach Company)
A list of consulting firms in Canada: Strategy, professional services, financial services, real estate, branding & marketing, business intelligence, IT, HR, engineering, environment, and economy. - Yellow Pages
Enter keywords such as "consulting company" and specify a location to see a list of companies.
Engineering & Environmental Consulting - Canada & USA
- Canadian Consulting Engineer Directory
- Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Directory
- Alberta - Consulting Engineers of Alberta Directory
- Ontario - Consulting Engineers of Ontario Directory
Financial Services & Investment
- Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association - Directory
Searchable by location and industry. - Investment Industry Association of Canada - Directory
130+ firms across Canada varying in size from small regional dealers to large national firms. - Financial Services Canada (VPN is required)
List of companies in the financial services industry sector. Searchable by location and category.
Networking & Groups
The following sites gives a list of consultants and the companies they work for.
Please note that CaPS and McGill do not endorse any particular websites/services; the listing is for your information only.