Week 87: Lessons from recent grads in consulting

Week 87: February 7, 2026

Lessons from recent grads in consulting

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This week, we'll begin a series on some lessons that recent graduates have learned as they are now in full-time roles in their respective industries. Consulting is something that can encompass a variety of industries, so we wanted to highlight some of the learning opportunities available now.

Looking for specific suggestions based on the time you have? Your 5, 30, and 60 minute to-dos for this week are below!

The 100 Week Sprint team

To-do's this week

Got 5 minutes? Identify your area of expertise. If you find that you're unable to focus on one area in particular, see below!

Got 30 minutes? Are you currently taking any classes that build your own functional expertise, expose you to different business functions, or provide leadership experience? If not, go to your course catalog and see if you can take one of those courses during your last semester.

Got an hour? Define (or refine) your current area of expertise. Are you interested in consulting for healthcare, defense, etc.? Use your resume to identify past and present experiences to see if they fit with your consulting goals.

Focus on building expertise

A core piece of advice that one alumni offered was to focus on building expertise now. Targeting a specific industry of interest now will provide the chance to differentiate yourself and your skill set. Take the time now to figure out which specific industry you want to target before locking into a full-time role.

Learn about other business functions

By taking classes in marketing, supply chain management, etc., you'll gain insight of the different functions within a company, which will come in handy when you're faced with a cases which require a knowledge of other business functions to reach a fitting strategy.

Take leadership classes

Leadership classes provide hands-on opportunities to work with team dynamics and engage with seasoned professors. Take advantage of the opportunities to engage with professors, who will know which questions to ask and help you clarify your ideas (as you practice defending your answers). In the setting of leadership classes, role play is something that you can do day-to-day. This may be particularly helpful if you're transitioning into consulting and haven't had previous experience.

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