Application Process
The application process for HCCG consists of a short online application and two rounds of interviews to evaluate your interest and fit for the club. There is no “typical ideal candidate” and we take a holistic approach when considering applicants, focusing on each individuals’s unique strengths and insights. Please read below for more details.
Note on 2024 Spring Semester
The Spring 2024 interview process will take place virtually on Zoom. Applications will open January 13th at 9:00am ET and are due on January 27th at 11:59pm ET. No applications will be accepted after this hard deadline. Please email info@harvardconsulting.org if you have further questions.
Written Application
The process begins with a written portion. Here, we aim to get a sense of your motivations for applying, skills and strengths, as well as past experiences. We just want to get to know who you are and the qualities you possess that might make you an effective analyst. Please take this seriously, but we don’t expect it to take more than half an hour to complete.
First Round Interview
In this 15-minute interview, you will chat with one board member and be asked a few background questions. To prepare, reflect on your strengths and past experiences that highlight your personal strengths; creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills; and what you might bring to the table in a team setting. These fit questions might begin with “Tell me about a time when...”, assess how you would approach researching a problem, and ask you to teach us something. One piece of advice would be to treat it as a conversation — our biggest piece of advice here is to be honest and be yourself.
Second Round Interview
This 20-minute interview will be with two board members. You will be asked to research a mock business problem released beforehand and during the interview, give a 5-minute presentation and respond to some follow-up questions about it. Here, we look for strong research and analytical skills, as they are foundational to almost all of the work you would be doing as an analyst in HCCG.
SAMPLE SECOND ROUND PROMPT
To provide a better sense of what the second round prompt might entail, here is a sample business challenge that we have presented applicants with in a previous application cycle:
Your client is YouTube, a video-sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube is the second-most popular website in the world, featuring a variety of user-generated and corporate content that is largely free to watch with advertisements. Recently, competitors like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and even Apple have all made major investments in producing original content that is available for streaming by paying subscribers. YouTube has made some past attempts to do this through YouTube Originals, that are currently accessible to paying customers subscribing to YouTube Premium (formerly known as YouTube Red). However, this original content has not captured significant market share.
Based on best practices from competitors and understanding YouTube’s unique positioning, recommend how YouTube should change their business strategy for original content to drive long-term profitability.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATION
We also want to stress that we welcome all applicants! As an organization, we highly value diversity and representation. For more information on Early Insights, our interactive consulting events for URM and FGLI students, visit this page, and for more information about diversity in HCCG, please attend our diversity reception — sign up here.
Our analyst classes each semester consist of students from a wide range of backgrounds, and most people come into HCCG with no clue of what consulting even is, much less having actual prior experience in it. No matter your background, we would love to have you apply.
Upon joining HCCG, you’re in for an incredible time! Check out the Analyst Experience.
If you have any questions, visit the FAQ page, or feel free to contact us at info@harvardconsulting.org.