1 of 3 · The problem

Entry-level consulting hiring has slowed. Here’s what to do instead

For years, consulting was one of the most popular career paths for ambitious college graduates. Get good grades, practice case interviews, apply to McKinsey, Bain, BCG or the Big Four, and hope you make it through.

That path still exists. But entry-level hiring has slowed, and getting into consulting through the traditional route has become harder.

According to Revelio Labs, entry-level consultant hiring at leading consulting firms is now about 10% below 2020 levels. Senior consultant hiring, meanwhile, is up 55%.

Consulting firms are still hiring. They are just hiring differently.

Why entry-level hiring has slowed

Part of this is a correction from the pandemic years. Consulting firms hired aggressively when client demand was high. As demand cooled, many firms found themselves with more people than they needed.

AI is adding another layer.

Junior consultants have traditionally spent a lot of time doing research, analyzing data, summarizing information and building presentations. AI can now speed up a meaningful portion of that work.

It does not mean junior consultants are disappearing. But a team that can get more done with fewer people may not need to hire the same number of analysts and associates.

At the same time, firms are placing more value on people with experience in areas like AI, data, cybersecurity, healthcare and implementation.

For someone trying to break into consulting, that means fewer traditional entry-level seats and more competition for the ones that remain.

Most candidates are still searching in the same places

The usual job search has not changed much.

Open LinkedIn. Search for “Analyst” or “Consultant.” Apply to the firms you recognize. Repeat.

The problem is that everyone else can see those jobs too.

A role at McKinsey, Deloitte or another well-known firm can attract a huge amount of attention as soon as it goes live. There is nothing wrong with applying, but relying only on highly visible job postings means entering the process at the same time as everyone else.

There is another way to look at the market.

Who is already hiring quietly, or who might need to hire next?

Look for the companies other candidates miss

Imagine a 10-person healthcare consultancy.

One firm already needs an analyst. The role is listed on its own careers page, but it has not been promoted widely or posted across the major job boards.

That company is hiring. It is just easy to miss.

Now imagine another 10-person healthcare consultancy. It has no analyst opening yet, but it recently won a large hospital client, hired a senior consultant and started expanding into a new service area.

They may need junior help soon.

The first is a quietly hiring opportunity.

The second is an early opportunity.

Both can be more interesting than waiting for another high-profile role to appear on LinkedIn.

What should you look for?

You cannot know for certain when a company is about to hire. But you can look for signs that the business is changing.

• new client wins or contracts
• senior hires
• growing headcount
• new offices
• new practice areas
• recent funding
• roles listed only on the company’s own careers page

One signal alone may not mean much. Several appearing together can be a good reason to take a closer look.

If a small consulting firm is winning work, adding senior people and expanding into new areas, it may eventually need junior people to support that growth.

That is when reaching out early can make sense.

McKinsey is not the whole consulting market

The most recognizable firms get most of the attention, but they are only a small part of the market.

There are thousands of smaller consulting and advisory firms working across healthcare, technology, operations, financial services, government and other industries.

Some are already hiring without much visibility. Others may be growing toward their next hire.

When entry-level hiring gets tighter, finding those companies becomes more valuable.

You can keep applying to the obvious jobs. Just do not make them your entire search.