A Consulting Cover Letter that Lands Interviews: Our Complete Guide

  • Last Updated January, 2024

Rebecca Smith-Allen

Former McKinsey Engagement Manager

The recruiting season is approaching fast, and there’s one thing you’ll need to get your foot in the door for an interview at a top-tier consulting firm: an impressive cover letter.

What should you talk about in your consulting cover letter?

How do you distinguish yourself from the tons of other candidates applying to Bain, BCG, McKinsey, and other top consulting firms this year?

If you’re asking yourself these questions, don’t worry! 

In this complete guide to writing a consulting cover letter, we’ll tell you exactly what points you need to address in your cover letter to put your best foot forward and land that interview.

We’ll discuss:

  • What a cover letter is
  • The RIGHT way to structure one
  • The Red Flags that get candidates rejected and how to overcome them
  • 5 Tips on writing an effective consulting cover letter

We’ll  also share:

  • 2 cover letter examples that landed candidates interviews at the top firms.

Let’s get started!

Consulting Cover Letter – Why It Matters

What is a consulting cover letter.

The consulting cover letter is a separate document from your resume; it puts the work experience you outline on your resume into context to show why you’re a great candidate.

The WRONG Way to Structure Your Management Consulting Cover Letter

Most of the Internet articles on writing a cover letter talk about structuring them with the following sections:

  • Why are you interested in consulting?
  • Why are you interested in the firm you’re applying to?
  • What makes you a good fit?

This is not the best way to approach writing your consulting cover letter. My Consulting Offer has helped hundreds of clients land interviews and get offers with top management consulting firms like BCG, Bain, and McKinsey.

We’ve even helped people who faced extra hurdles because they had low GPAs, majored in subjects other than economics or business, or attended non-core schools.

Our clients received interview invitations and job offers because our cover letter process works.

The RIGHT Way to Structure Your Management Consulting Cover Letter

Want to know the best way to structure a cover letter that has statistically been shown to get more interviews?

Watch this video before proceeding.

Now that you watched the video (Watch now if you haven’t yet because the impact of the rest of the article is only 10% of what it could be if you watch it). 

As you found in the video, the best  way to structure your cover letter is to Google the characteristics the consulting firm you want to work for seeks in consulting candidates and then show you have those characteristics .

Yes, you read that right. Go to the Bain Careers page and read about what they’re looking for in candidates. You’ll find it on this page . 

Every consulting firm has values they take very seriously, and that drive the candidates they target, so you will want to know what they are for each firm you apply to. 

As an example, Bain wants consultants with:

  • Problem-solving skills
  • The ability to lead
  • Results delivered

You will use each of these to develop a paragraph or section of your consulting cover letter.

For each, choose a specific time from your professional or personal experiences that shows you possess that characteristic. 

If you have more than one experience that shows you exemplifying a characteristic, pick the strongest example.

Then, create a story that briefly explains the context around your example, describes the action(s) you took, and shows concrete results. 

Quantify the results of your actions whenever possible.

  • Results delivered – When I took over as the leader of my sorority’s annual fundraising event for a local food bank, I wanted to make it even more successful than in prior years. Each year, we threw an event and asked people to bring packaged food products or a donation. I went beyond that by asking the college’s academic departments to collect donations from faculty and staff as well. Packaged goods contributions to the food bank increased by 50%, and financial donations increased by over 300%.

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How 800+ candidates have landed consulting offers at mckinsey, bain, and bcg.

Proof the My Consulting Offer Cover Letter Structure Works

This strategy of showing how you’ve exemplified the characteristics the firm is looking for in applicants works particularly well if you are applying to management consulting firms from a non-traditional background. 

If you’re a student with a liberal arts major, in a non-MBA master’s degree or doctorate, or attending a non-core school, you should definitely use our approach. It shows the reader that you’d be an asset to their team and have what it takes to be a successful consultant at their firm. This makes them focus less on your non-traditional background.

One of our early clients was an undergraduate who’d spent his summers interning in Michelin-star restaurants in New York City because he aspired to run a Michelin-star restaurant as a career. 

He didn’t have high-level positions in these internships; he worked in the kitchens. He cut the tomatoes for the tomato soup and did similar food prep.

He wasn’t even in charge of making the tomato soup!

As graduation approached, he decided that while he knew all about the kitchen side of the restaurant business, he wanted to learn about running the front of the house. To do that, he looked into consulting jobs.

But he had no business experience.

In his cover letter, we developed stories about:

  • Managing the kitchen effectively, even on hectic Saturday nights
  • Managing chefs with many years more experience than he had himself
  • Landing jobs at top-rated restaurants by showing up at the restaurants before they opened and networking his way in with perseverance

These stories showed he had the leadership experience, people skills, and drive needed in consulting, things that wouldn’t have been clear from his resume alone.

Why My Consulting Offer’s Approach to Writing Consulting Cover Letters Is So Effective

My Consulting Offer’s approach highlights the characteristics consulting firms value in applicants to develop your cover letter.

  • You don’t need to explain “Why McKinsey/Bain/BCG?” because you’ve taken your bullet points from their firm career pages .
  • Your stories explain why you’re a good fit.
  • You can cover the question “Why consulting?” in just a sentence or 2 because you’ve demonstrated you understand what consulting firms look for in candidates through your stories. This question is especially important for applicants with non-traditional backgrounds or experienced hires. 

Just add a short opening, 1-2 sentences on “Why consulting?” and a short conclusion to these paragraphs, and your cover letter will be ready to submit. 

Mistakes People Make with Their Consulting Cover Letters that Lead to Rejection

There are red flags that can get applicants’ resumes placed in the “no” pile. These are:

  • A gap in their work history.

A low GPA  can be a problem because management consulting firms target people who can solve tough business problems. But if your GPA  is low due to extenuating circumstances, such as a problem with your own or a family member’s health, or if you needed to work many hours each week to finance your education, firms will often overlook this.

Small offices at top consulting firms often have a problem. People choose them because they think they’ll have a better shot at getting an offer from the firm. But later, these same people want to move to a different office, leaving that office understaffed. 

If you’re applying to an office because you genuinely want to live in that city, tell the recruiters why you want to live there (examples: near family, proximity to outdoor activities, etc.) They need to see that you are not planning to try to transfer to another office or they won’t want to invest in you.

If you have a gap in your work history, a consulting firm might think you were fired and had difficulty finding another job. If health or another issue was the cause of the gap in your work history, it’s important to explain that.

If you have any of these or other red flags in your consulting application, take the time to explain them in your cover letter so that they don’t derail you from getting an interview.

Writing Your Management Consulting Cover Letter – A Step-by-Step Guide

  • Opening – keep it short and sweet. Just introduce yourself and express interest in working for the firm you’re applying to, mentioning the specific position you want. Include your 1-2 sentences on “Why consulting?” here.
  • Central paragraph 1  – As explained above, find what the firm is looking for in consultants from their Careers page and dedicate one paragraph to each characteristic.
  • Central paragraph 2 – Create a story from your experience that shows you have that characteristic. You should include 3-4 stories in your cover letter.
  • Central paragraph 3 – Quantify results whenever possible.
  • Central paragraph 4 – Order these stories in the way that works to your advantage, with the strongest story first, the second-strongest last, and weaker (but still good) stories in the middle.
  • Address any red flags.
  • Express your interest again and close the letter.

That’s it! You now have an impressive cover letter.

5 Tips for Writing a Cover Letter that Lands the Interview

  • Tip #1 – Start with the characteristics valued by the consulting firm you’re most interested in. You should tailor the cover letter for each firm to the characteristics they list on their Career page. You’ll find, however, that you can re-use stories because all consulting firms value leadership, drive, teamwork, and creating impact.
  • Tips #2 – Pick the most compelling stories from your experience. You probably have multiple stories you could use for some values. Choose just one story. If in doubt, the one where you solved the biggest problem or where you had the biggest impact is probably the best. Don’t worry if you have another great story, you’ll get to talk about it in your consulting interviews.
  • Tips #3 – Quantify results wherever possible. Showing that you increased revenue/ attendance/ donations by x% quickly and effectively displays you can get things done. Same with cost reductions or reduced time/effort to get work done.
  • Tip #4 – Tighten your language to show your point as efficiently as possible. Never say more than you need to in order to make your point. Recruiters screen thousands of applications, and they appreciate communications that get right to the point. Consulting partners will also appreciate this skill once you’re on their team and drafting PowerPoint slides for client meetings. Keep your cover letter to one page. 
  • Tip #5 -Use Fiverr or another service to ensure you have no grammatical or spelling mistakes. You only get one chance to make a good impression. Don’t send out a letter with a big mistake, especially if you can prevent it with $5. 

Consulting Cover Letter Examples

The best way to get a sense of what an effective management cover letter looks like is to read one. 

We’ve got 2 examples of letters that helped My Consulting Offer clients land interviews: one from an undergraduate student’s application to McKinsey and one from an experienced-hire candidate’s application to Bain.

Undergraduate Consulting Cover Letter Example

MONTH DAY, YEAR

RECRUITER’S NAME RECRUITER’S TITLE McKinsey & Company OFFICE ADDRESS 

Dear [RECRUITER] and members of the McKinsey recruiting team,

Thank you for considering my application for Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company. I am attracted to McKinsey because of the firm’s commitment to create an unrivaled environment for exceptional people by developing one another through apprenticeship, mentoring, and sustaining a caring meritocracy.   

Given the opportunity to join McKinsey, I would bring to the firm my entrepreneurial drive, problem-solving skills, and collaborative approach.

  • Entrepreneurial drive: I was a scholarship athlete on the [UNIVERSITY] football team and was expected to arrive on campus a month before classes started. This reduced summer availability left me at a disadvantage for traditional summer internships, so I founded my own landscaping business. It was grassroots, and I conducted business relationships built on trust and relied on word of mouth. To ensure superb deliverables, I taught myself Google Sketchup to model my projects before building them. I learned about drainage and construction techniques using YouTube videos and manufacturer websites so that I could build retaining walls and outdoor structures. Using self-taught skills, I netted $30,000 in profit over the course of 3 summers which was a major source of funding for my education.
  • Problem-solving: To increase the competitiveness of our off-season testing, the [UNIVERSITY] strength staff started an event called the “Tricolour Draft.” As a captain in this draft, I was responsible for drafting a team of my peers. Rather than relying on my perception of players, I took a more empirical approach. After seeking out the previous year’s testing numbers, I entered them into Excel and added projections for players who were new to the team. I was then able to rank all my teammates based on their average performance across all the tests. I drafted my team strictly according to the unbiased rankings on this list and let the opposing teams draft based on their subjective feelings. My team ended up winning the competition and, using the exact same approach, I won the following year’s Tricolour Draft as well.
  • Collaborative: When I was 4, my parents took roles as expats and moved our family to Khartoum, Sudan. I went to an international school but lived among the locals. This resulted in a unique environment to grow up in and one where I developed some great relationships. One such relationship was with a company-employed driver, for whom I was the best man at his wedding at the age of 7! I quickly realized that everyone, from my peers to the locals, brought something to the table. I learned that people from all walks of life possessed valuable perspectives and input worth considering. This recognition of diversity and drive to collaborate has given me the skills to produce results on teams and to form meaningful relationships with people of varied backgrounds.  

I hope to bring these same attributes to McKinsey. Thank you for your consideration.

E-SIGNATURE NAME

Why Is This Undergraduate Consulting Cover Letter Sample Effective?

This consulting industry cover letter written by an undergraduate is effective because it addresses key characteristics that McKinsey looks for in their applicants, as you can see   on their careers page :

  • Personal impact
  • Entrepreneurial drive

While it only calls out 2 of the 4 characteristics McKinsey is looking for, entrepreneurial drive and problems solving, these stories also showcase the candidate’s personal impact. 

The 3rd characteristic the cover letter calls out, teamwork/ collaboration, is also highly valued by McKinsey and other consulting firms. 

The entrepreneurial drive paragraph is effective because it shows this candidate works hard and overcomes obstacles that would stand in the way of other candidates.

The problem-solving paragraph is effective because it shows the candidate’s structured approach to solving a problem. It also shows this approach worked.

The collaborative story works because it shows that this candidate was able to make strong personal connections from a very young age and that they respect people from all walks of life.

The candidate makes clear with his/her stories that they understand what McKinsey is looking for and that they’ve demonstrated those characteristics.

Experienced Hire Consulting Cover Letter Example

NAME OF RECRUITER TITLE OF RECRUITER Bain & Company FIRM OFFICE ADDRESS

Dear Ms. LAST NAME and members of the Bain recruiting team,

Thank you for considering me for the position of Associate Consultant at Bain & Company. If given the opportunity, I would bring to Bain my passion for results, drive and character, and ability to have a lasting impact, as the following outlines. 

  • Passion for Results: During a recent work-related project for COMPANY, I was placed in an innovative concept location for healthcare and lifestyle services that had previously accounted for a monthly loss of $60,000 per month. I arrived as a transitionary replacement for the managing director with little time to adjust. Knowing that I had to quickly turn around a loss-making business, I began examining the most relevant products, services, costs, and customers. After translating this analysis into a strategy, I convinced management through my presentation of recommendations to pursue a number of key steps in order to turn around the business. Three months later, we’d created a business that generated $20,000 per month. Through the use of a structured analysis, combined with consistent execution of plans, I came to understand the value of an external consultant in a challenging business situation. Indeed, this project has motivated me to continue this type of result-driven work as a consultant at Bain & Company.
  • Lasting Impact: At NAME OF UNIVERSITY, I was elected president of NAME OF ORGANIZATION, a residential community of internationally minded members with over 1000 members worldwide. Heading a board of six representatives, I developed valuable teamwork and delegation skills throughout our meetings. One day, a member of the board abruptly stopped communication. I saw it as my responsibility to ask for clarification and how I could support him. However, upon learning that his father had been diagnosed with cancer, I immediately and discreetly took steps to delegate his workflow to other board members and myself so that he could focus on his family. As I led the other board members through a process of working overtime, we still managed to deliver results on time. This experience underlines my belief to always care for all members of a team and to be a leader by enabling them to perform.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. 

E-SIGNATURE PRINTED NAME

Why Is This Experienced Hire Consulting Cover Letter Sample Effective?

  • Problem-solving skills (addressed in Passion for Results and Lasting Impact.)
  • The ability to lead (addressed in all 3 stories.)
  • Results delivered (addressed in Passion for Results with quantified impact.)
  • Passion (addressed in Drive & Character)

Each of the 3 stories in this cover letter presents the applicant as someone who has the characteristics top management consulting firms look for. 

Moreover, the 3 stories together demonstrate that he or she has “the whole package.” He or she isn’t smart but a poor team player or good at problem-solving but lacking the passion needed to get things done in a difficult, real-world environment.

The fact that the applicant could speak to all of the things Bain looks for helped them land interviews and then offers with multiple top firms.

What About Firms Like McKinsey, Which Don’t Require a Cover Letter?

Some management consulting firms, such as McKinsey & Company, have made submitting a cover letter optional. 

Should you bother to spend the time to write one if they don’t seem to care?

If your resume clearly shows you are a good fit for the consulting firm,  you don’t need to submit a cover letter. Things that would make you look like a good fit include:

  • Attendance at or a degree from a core school where the firm recruits through on-campus interviews and hires consultants every year
  • An undergraduate degree in business or economics or an MBA
  • Leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills clearly demonstrated through work and volunteer experience on your resume

If your resume doesn’t clearly communicate that you’re a good fit for the management consulting industry and their firm, in particular, your application will be strengthened by including a cover letter. 

You should also submit a cover letter if you have been previously rejected from that firm so that they know you have taken steps to improve your application since last applying.

You’ll want to think about stories to use in your behavioral interviews   anyway, so if you’re unsure whether you need a cover letter, it’s safest to write one.

To see the power of an improved cover letter, watch this video on how My Consulting Offer helped Cynthia get invited for an interview at every consulting company she applied to.

Are you ready to write your management consulting cover letter?

We bet you are since you now know:

  • What a consulting cover letter is
  • The red flags that get candidates rejected and how to overcome them
  • Our 5 Tips on writing an effective consulting cover letter
  • Plus, you’ve seen 2 Consulting cover letter examples that worked

Still have questions?

If you have more questions about writing effective consulting cover letters, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s former MBB recruiters will answer them.

Other people who were writing their cover letter found the following pages helpful:

  • Consulting Resumes
  • BCG Cover Letter
  • Consulting Networking
  • Case Interview Prep : The Ultimate Guide
  • Our List of  Top Consulting Firms and their company values
  • The Non-MBA Master’s Student’s Guide to Landing a Consulting Job

Do You Need Help Writing a Perfect Consulting Cover Letter?

Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on writing your cover letter. We’ve helped over 700 people get offers in consulting and 89.6% of My Consulting Offer clients land  interviews and offers with a consulting firm. Most land more than one. We want you to get that opportunity to interview with McKinsey, Bain, BCG and other top firms!

For example, here is how we helped Tao land interviews at Bain, BCG, and McKinsey.

How 800+ Candidates Have Landed Consulting Offers At McKinsey, Bain And BCG

2 thoughts on “everything you need to know about the consulting cover letter”.

Thank you Davis for this powerful tool you shared. Really, I havent thought of cover letters telling stories or narrating how you used the needed skills and the value you added using them in your past roles. No wonder I have been getting rejections based on my red flags – not having to work with the big 4s or having multinational experience. All these does not matter as long you can demonstrate the skill set you used to add value in your previous roles which must be inline with what the prospective role needs. I really aporeciate this exposure and I look forward to getting calls from recruiters going forward as I apply your strategy to my cover letters subsequently. Thanks a lot. Esther.

Hey, Esther, We’re so glad the tips we discussed about writing your consulting cover letter were helpful! Good luck in your job search!

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Consulting Cover Letter: What You Actually Need to Know

The key to effective cover-letters is story-telling. Most people write cover letters like resumes, with cold, hard facts, and that’s the problem.

Cover letters are much more effective if they contain stories capturing the burning spirits of candidates. In this article, I’ll tell you how to install such stories seamlessly into your consulting cover letters, and land a case interview yourself.

Consulting cover letters – The basics

What are cover letters for.

Cover letters are documents accompanying resumes, to provide further insights into the qualities and motivations of a candidate, as well as portray who he/she is as a person .

In consulting cover letters, there are three essential qualities you must always display:

  • Leadership skills:  the ability to influence people’s decisions.
  • Achieving mindset : the continuous, relentless push for the best results.
  • Analytical problem-solving:  the ability to solve problems in a structured, methodical manner.

Regarding motivations, there are two questions you need to answer:

  • “Why consulting?”:  Do you really understand the consulting world, and how it fits with your long-term plans? Is there something unique in the consulting track to explain your choice?
  • “Why this firm?”:  Out of all the consulting firms, why ours? There should be something uniquely attractive about this firm to you, isn’t there?

And last but not least, don’t forget to show that you have an interesting personality that fits with the firm’s culture.

Cover letters vs Resumes – What’s the difference?

Because so many candidates confuse between the two, then end up writing boring cover letters resembling “paragraph versions” of their resumes, I feed the need to differentiate.

There are four marked differences:

Cover letters go deep, resumes go wide

In cover letters, you should select one or a few most notable achievements, and describe them in detail to reflect your three defining aspects (values, competencies, motivations).

This stands in contrast with resumes, where you cram as many relevant achievements as possible into the space of one or two A4 pages.

Cover letters are “soft” stories, resumes are “hard” bullet lists

The content format of cover letters is much less defined, leaving room for a lot of creativity, unlike resumes which are almost always bullet lists of cold, hard facts.

Your goal as the candidate is to fully utilize that loosely-defined format and make your cover letter as attractive and memorable as possible.

Cover letters describe personality, resumes do not

A crucial role of the cover letter is to portray who you are as a person. Resumes don’t do that, they focus on your achievements.

Your personality does not only come directly through the contents, but also reflected in the style of the letter – so take time to make your cover letter more attractive, and you’ll make a better impression with the screener.

Cover letters touch on future plans, resume concerns mostly the past

In cover letters, you have to answer the motivation questions (why consulting, why this firm). In resumes, that aspect is barely mentioned.

The most credible answers to those questions connect the job with your future plans – as such, the cover letter is not confined to the past like resumes.

Understanding your audience

The vibe inside the screening room.

Busy, tiring, and boring – that’s the vibe inside the screening room.”

Picture this in your mind:

A junior consultant is in the office on a Friday night, going through hundreds of applications. He has to do this as a form of goodwill for the company, on top of his ongoing project.

Everyone’s application looks the same, following one set format; a somewhat extraordinary resume catches his attention, so he checks the cover letter to see if there’s anything interesting, only to be disappointed because the letter is an exact recital of the resume.

If you want to grab the screener’s attention and make memorable impressions, you have to break that negative vibe, using an unordinary cover letter.

Most cover letters are just listings of achievement and cliched motivation statements – they feel like unoriginal walls-of-text that offer nothing new – and that’s the exact reason why many screeners don’t like cover letters. Write an exciting story instead – the screener will love it.

Why they read your cover letter

There are two main reasons why the screener reads your consulting cover letter:

  • He wants to know more about your motivations and personality because your resume is both impressive and interesting/unordinary at the same time.
  • He wants to clarify some ambiguous points in your resume – this happens if you appear highly competent, but your writing is not clear enough.

In both cases, there’s no excuse to repeat your resume in a paragraph format and disappoint the screener. You have all the reasons in the world to present an attractive, detailed, focused narrative – tell a story and get your interview.

Both the background and the purpose of cover-letter-screening suggest that an innovative story-telling approach is much more beneficial than the common, formulaic, overly-formal cover letters.

Such an approach will definitely make your cover letter stand out from the heap of some 200 other applications. It helps you grab the screener’s attention, and impress him in a memorable way.

Additionally, it makes reading the cover letter easier and more enjoyable. The screener is already tired, so there’s no point in making his life harder.

Whatever the reason, as the cover letter is opened AFTER the resume, the implication is that you need to perfect your consulting resume first!

If you haven’t read it, here’s an A-to-Z guide to writing the perfect consulting resume , from a former McKinsey consultant and resume screener!

Consulting cover letter – Step-by-step guide

All these elements must be presented in a coherent storyline and concise language.

Keep in mind this is a consulting cover letter – as such, your story should be backed up by impactful, specific, verifiable results.

To write impressive, fact-based stories that demonstrate all three necessary aspects of the candidate, I advise you to follow these four steps:

Step 1 – Self-reflect for storylines

Search your memory for events, experiences, ideas… that can serve as a basic storyline – the backbone of your cover letter. For each storyline, consider the following six criteria :

  • Uniqueness: The base story should be something unique to you. If it’s something common or universal, you won’t have the screener’s attention.
  • Attractiveness: Your story should be attractive and entertaining – only then can you trigger the screener’s curiosity. Usually, it’s something “big” and impactful, but not controversial
  • Positiveness: The story should have a positive “vibe” to it. If it’s something sad or negative, don’t include it in your cover letter.
  • Qualities: All three consulting qualities (leadership, achieving, analytical problem-solving) should be illustrated in your story. Otherwise, consider that story irrelevant.
  • Motivations: Your story should at least help explain why you’re applying, if not providing direct answers to that question. Firms don’t like to hire candidates without clear motivations.
  • Personality: Make sure you exhibit a likable personality. On the other hand, if that story suggests negative traits (pessimism, short temper, cynicism, etc.) you have to modify it.

Let’s see if these storylines of my own could match the requirements:

“I escaped from a near-death experience during a paragliding session using my gliding skills.”

This is not something you hear every day, and near-death stories are often quite attractive, so you have those two boxes checked; and for now, there’s no sign of “bad” personality traits.

However, it’s a near-death experience, so it does have a negative vibe. Additionally, it shows neither consulting qualities nor relevant motivations.

=> This story only meets 3 out of 6 criteria. Out!

“I founded an entertainment business which attracted lots of attention, but ultimately failed.”

Not everyone is a startup entrepreneur, so this story does meet the “uniqueness” criterion. It’s relatively easy to draw attention with startup stories, and it’s easy to explain a consulting career choice from a former entrepreneur perspective, too. No negative personality trait is visible.

While being a business owner suggests some leadership and problem-solving experience, as well as an achieving mindset, a failure story like this might raise some questions on the “qualities” aspect; it also creates a negative vibe.

=> Overall, 4.5 to 5 out of 6. Not really the best storyline for a consulting cover letter, but usable with some modifications.

“I broke McKinsey’s code of conduct, convinced a client to pay their long-overdue service fees, and was celebrated for it.”

Is there anyone who doesn’t like those “breaking rules” stories? I’m quite confident this experience is quite unique and attractive. Because this is actual consulting work, it’s undoubtedly easy to point out all the important consulting qualities, as well as to provide a basis for my motivations.

However, this “breaking the rules” story may suggest rebellious tendencies, so if I’m going to use it I’ll again need some modifications.

=> This story scores 5.5 / 6. Quite good but I do need to be careful with it.

consulting cover letter

Step 2 - Add and classify details

Rack your memory and jot down everything related to your storyline; don’t worry about having too many details, you will be trimming the story later.

Pay special attention to the details best illustrating relevant qualities , motivations , and personality , because you will need to emphasize them.

Step 3 – Structure and enhance

Arrange the details of your story in a logical, intuitive structure; the most common method is:

1. Describe a notable, relevant experience using the problem-action-result structure to impress the interviewer with your qualities first.

2. Try to link it up with the present/future parts of your story (ideas, philosophies, plans) to explain your motivations.

Trim all non-essential and technical details, they do nothing but confuse the reader and bore them to death. Your story should be told in a way even your grandmother can understand.

Then, arrange and enhance the remaining details so that the story feels more dramatic, i.e the uniqueness and difficulty of the problem should be emphasized.

On a related note, consultants dislike lengthy cover letters – in fact, one A4 page is the maximum length – so there’s one more reason to start trimming.

Step 4 – Amplify consulting features

First, make all three key consulting traits stand out from your story – leadership, achieving mindset, and analytical problem-solving.

Then, make subtle references to consulting work using the industry’s terminology and concepts. Most screeners, being consultants themselves, will subconsciously appreciate this. However, avoid buzzwords and slangs found on the Internet, or you’ll appear superficial and unprofessional.

Consulting cover letter – Tips

To write the best cover letter, you must thoroughly understand the industry, its major firms, and even the very office you’re applying into.

To achieve such an understanding, there is quite a bit of research to do – and here are three tips for you to ease that process!

Tip 1: Networking

Successful networking goes a long way in the consulting recruitment process and in cover letters.

Firstly, management consulting firms are relatively publicity-shy, so having a connection within these firms allow you to gain very specific and authentic insights about the firm, the job, as well as the consulting world in general, helping you make better choices and deliver more convincing reasons.

Secondly, you may earn a referral ! The screening stage is harsh – it’s where most candidates are filtered out, both in absolute and proportional terms – and referrals help a great deal with that.

Remember to show your networking efforts by mentioning the names of consultants at the office you’re applying into, as well as their projects. The screener will know you really do care about the job, and you’ve done your homework.

Tip 2: Read consulting news

The websites of major consulting firms all have countless articles on current affairs as well as their own projects – read them frequently and regularly .

For one thing, those articles will deepen your understanding of management consultants and their work, helping you make better choices and explain them more effectively to the screener.

Additionally, reading consulting articles regularly will help you know more about the specific projects of each firm, which you can bring up in cover letters.

Tip 3: Build “cheat sheets”

A few ready-to-use “cheat sheets” containing all the important details on the consulting industry and major firms will significantly ease the writing process.

I recommend making three different groups of sheets – one for the consulting world in general, one for the firms, and the last one about the specific offices you’re applying into.

Be implicit and “smooth” when using these sheets. Make sure to sound as natural and seamless as possible when mentioning your references; avoid putting them at the focus of your sentences, but to use them as supplements to the main idea (e.g: I was awed by the network of experts supporting our project with McKinsey back in 2016).

Consulting cover letter – Visual format

Consulting cover letters are not the place for creative, colorful designs. Format your letters in a conservative, text-dense, black-and-white fashion – that’s how actual consultants do it.

One A4 page is the maximum length for consulting cover letters.

Inside the busy screening room, nobody has the time and energy to read a two-page worth of story, no matter how attractive it is.

If your cover letter exceeds that maximum length, trim away the less important details and shorten your expressions; you can also tweak your font size, spacing, and margins to squeeze the most content into one page.

Use formal, conservative fonts, such as Times New Roman, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, etc.

Keep your font size at 10-12. Larger text tends to feel somewhat “messy”, and they’re space-consuming. Smaller text, on the other hand, feels difficult and tiring to read.

Additionally, the typeface in your cover letter should match that on the resume.

Spacing, margins, and alignment

Use spacings of 1.15 between lines and 1.50-2.00 between paragraphs. Consulting cover letters are quite text-dense, so it’s important to use these white spaces to ease the visual strain.

Always align your text on the left side. Left-aligning is the standard in the United States, where most major consulting firms are based; additionally, left-aligning keeps the horizontal spacing between words even, unlike justified where that spacing varies considerably between each line.

All four margins should be equal at 1 inch. That should keep your letter neat and tidy while maximizing the amount of text on one page.

consulting cover letter

Other reminders

If you know who’s screening, address them by name. Otherwise, generic salutations are fine.

I’ve come across pages claiming it’s no longer acceptable to write generic salutations (“ To whom it may concern ”); however, in consulting firms where the screening process is assigned to junior consultants on an availability basis, you don’t always know who’s reading your letter, so such salutations are okay.

On the other hand, if you happen to be applying into a small, new office, and your networking efforts are successful, you may know your screener. In that case, refer them by name for a greater impact.

Replacement test

If you can replace the industry and the firm in your letter with something similar and it still makes sense, your tailoring is not enough.

Your motivations should be based on unique and defining descriptions – for example, McKinsey having the largest support network for consultants, or Bain being the frattiest among MBB consulting firms.

Non-unique reasons, such as “prestigious brand name” or “interesting projects” can apply to basically every major consulting firm out there, so they’re not strong bases for your choices.

Maintain formality

Use formal language throughout, and keep standard your heading and salutation.

Show your uniqueness and creativity only through the main content sections. Other “procedural” parts of the cover letter should always remain formulaic – see the sample section.

The language in the main paragraph should also remain formal, i.e no slang, no contraction, no overuse of exclamations.

Avoid short-term motivations

Don’t say you’re in for a 2-year learning experience, or your application will be heading for the bin very, very quickly.

It’s costly to turn fresh graduates into effective consultants, so firms don’t want candidates who will bail out just after they’ve become useful. They want people who will stay in the firm for as long as they can – they want future partners.

You might include long-term plans concerning other industries, but don’t give the impression that you’re bailing out in a few years. If that’s your plan, don’t even mention it.

Proofread and edit

Writing cover letters should be a long process of continuous proofreading, feedback, and editing.

It’s best to find a former/working consultant or at least someone who’s knowledgeable about the industry to help you out. Consulting cover letters differ from normal ones quite considerably, so generic guidelines won’t be of much use.

It’s also very helpful to allow intervals of at least a few days between writing and proofreading sessions; you will find it easier to spot errors if you proofread with a “fresh” mind.

Try to avoid format, spelling, and grammar mistakes at all costs. In consulting cover letters, such mistakes are much less tolerated.

Cover letter file format

Always send your cover letters in the PDF format (most screeners expect you to do so).

This file format will make sure your cover letter appears the same on every computer, and it minimizes the damage that may occur in the file transfer process (by contrast, DOC files are vulnerable to numerous errors).

Depending on the computer, PDFs may look cleaner than DOCs – one possible bonus point for appearance.

Still not sure whether your cover letter is good enough? Book a meeting with former consultants. Our coaches will show you how to make your resume stand out among thousands of candidates. 

Cover letter example

Now that you’ve learned the secrets to the best story-telling cover letter, let’s have a little exercise and help the First President write one to McKinsey, shall we?

(The content in this sample letter is largely fictional for illustration purposes)

George Washington [email protected] Mount Vernon Plantation, Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S.A July 4, 1789

To whom it may concern,

My purpose in life is to liberate the American people and lead them to prosperity. The revolution of the Thirteen Colonies was up against the largest military force in the world – the British Empire – at a four-to-one disadvantage – few if any country had come up against such odds victoriously. And that was the situation I was in, as the leader of the revolution.

Under my lead, the revolutionaries mobilized internal support from 2.4 million soon-to-be American citizens and external support from allies in France. This support allowed us to remain operational even after severe defeats, which would otherwise put an end to the revolution. After six years, the Colonies came out victorious and was recognized as the new United States of America. War is over, so my new task is to steer the newfound States towards economic prosperity – and consulting experience at McKinsey will help a great deal with that.

I happen to also run a plantation business – Mount Vernon by name – which was McKinsey’s client during our expansion project in 1785. I was extremely impressed by the highly structured and data-based approach that McKinsey consultants took to deliver their solutions, and even more impressed by the incredible network of experts that was backing our project.

Through Ms. E.M – the Engagement Manager for our project from McKinsey’s DC Office – I came to be aware of the firm’s expertise in the public sector – which was recognized as being the overall best among major consulting firms.

And for that reason, I realized a consultant position at McKinsey DC will give me invaluable exposure in the public sector, both from its projects and its vicinity to the country’s capital.

I will be looking forward to speaking with you in person, about how I can put my experience as a former head-of-state and an entrepreneur to work at McKinsey.

Sincerely yours, George Washington

Scoring in the McKinsey PSG/Digital Assessment

The scoring mechanism in the McKinsey Digital Assessment

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Consulting Resume Toolkit

Get the fundamental of crafting a "consulting-like" resume with the most powerful secret toolkit.

You can refer on guides, tips, examples & templates in this article to build a excellent resume rely on the necessary criteria of a Management Consulting Firms

In this article, we'll look into several ways to tailor a consulting resume to stand out among thousands of competitors and win your screener’s heart.

Great consulting resumes have 4 main sections: Education, Work Experience, Extracurricular Activities, & Others. All should be result-oriented and data-driven

Consulting cover letter guide (for McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)

Consulting cover letter

Today we’re going to explain everything you need to know about writing consulting cover letters.

We’ll start by reviewing an example cover letter that got interview invitations from ALL the MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG, and Bain). 

And then we’ll explain exactly how you should write your own cover letter to land consulting interviews. Here’s a full list of the topics in this guide:

  • Example cover letter

How to write your consulting cover letter

Consulting cover letter tips.

  • The skills consulting firms look for

Consulting cover letter screening process

  • Get help with your cover letter

Let’s get to it! 

Click here for a consulting letter/resume review with an ex-MBB consultant

Example cover letter (which got interviews at mckinsey, bcg, and bain).

Below is an anonymised cover letter from a candidate who got interviews at McKinsey, BCG and Bain. So you can trust that this template works.

The image here highlights the different sections of the cover letter, but we’ll dive deeper into the text later, and you can also get a downloadable copy below.

Consulting cover letter example

Free download of the consulting cover letter example, here. 

In the next section, we’ll go step-by-step through each part of the cover letter and explain how to go about writing it. But before we dive in, please note the following points about the above template:

  • A lot of people use this template. Get inspiration from it, but every sentence in your letter should be written from scratch.
  • This cover letter might sound impressive. It's one of the best ones we’ve seen. But even if you have not achieved as much as this person, you can still get an interview.

With that said, let’s dig into the cover letter writing process!

As a starting point, this video provides a nice overview of the full writing process for a consulting cover letter. 

Now let’s break things down further.

1. Introduction

Example - Introduction

Mary Taylor - [email protected]

DD / MM / YYYY

Dear Sir / Madam,

I would like to apply for an Associate position at McKinsey in London.

This section is a formality. It should simply state the following information:

  • Your name and email address. You can replace your email address with a postal address although those are not commonly used anymore.
  • The date on which you are sending your letter
  • The position, company, and office to which you are applying

Keep it short and sweet.

2. Why you? 

Example - Why you?

I started working as an Analyst at Big Finance in New York in September 2020 and was quickly promoted to Associate in a year and a half instead of the average four years. While at Big Finance, I advised a broad range of clients who constantly gave me positive feedback and regularly asked to work with me again. Before joining Big Finance, I graduated as the top student of my MEng in Chemical Engineering at Prestigious University in the UK. While studying, I received two competitive scholarships and awards. In addition, I developed my leadership skills as the President of the Prestigious University Consulting Club. High energy was essential to lead a team of 5 managing the club and growing the number of members by 20%.

This is your "GOLD MEDALS" section. It is the first section of your cover letter and therefore the most important one.

It should state the TOP 3 achievements of your life to date that are relevant to consulting. These achievements should be as unique and as memorable as possible. When your reviewer reads them they should think "Wow, that's impressive. I want to know more about this person."

To write this section you need to step back and ask yourself "What are the most impressive things I've done with my life so far?" This is not an easy question to answer. 

In our experience discussing this with a close friend can help. It's sometimes easier for them to quickly point out the impressive things you have done as they are an external observer.

In addition, notice how achievements are QUANTIFIED in the example above. Saying you have been promoted "in a year and a half instead of the average four years" is much more powerful than saying you have been promoted "quickly." You should quantify your achievements whenever possible.

This section is your chance to grab the reader's attention. If there's nothing impressive in it, they will stop reading and just scan the paragraphs. So don't miss your opportunity!

3. Why consulting?

Example - Why consulting?

There are several reasons why I want to pursue a consulting career. To start with, I know I will enjoy being a strategy consultant because I have already worked in a strategy team in the past. This was in summer 2019 when I was a Strategy Intern at Big Grocery Retailer in London. In addition, I think consulting is a unique opportunity to comprehensively learn about business management by working on a variety of company situations. Over the past two years, I have started building my business skills while advising clients on financial matters at Big Finance. I now look forward to learning more about companies’ management at McKinsey. Finally, I want to work in consulting because I truly enjoy interacting with clients. Throughout my work experiences I have built a successful track record of developing and maintaining relationships with clients including, for instance, the senior strategy team at Big Grocery Retailer.

Once you have convinced your reviewer that you have impressive achievements under your belt they'll be thinking: "Ok, this person is impressive. But do they REALLY want to be a consultant? Or are they just applying because they're not sure what to do with their career."

The third section of your letter should therefore answer the  "Why consulting?" question . But here is the thing about this question: There are some reasons to go into consulting that you should tell your reviewer about. And some reasons that you should really keep to yourself.

For instance, one of the mistakes candidates commonly make in their cover letter is to write something along the lines of "I'd like to spend 2 or 3 years in consulting to learn more about business in general and then decide what I want to do." This is a HUGE mistake. 

Consulting firms want to hire FUTURE PARTNERS. Not employees who will stay for a couple of years. You can watch the video below for more details about this.

The best approach for your "Why consulting?" section is to write about past experiences that really show you know what you are getting into. The perfect situation is if you have done an internship in consulting or in corporate strategy and have enjoyed it. If that's the case, this is the perfect section to write about it.

But even if you haven't done related internships, there are plenty of angles you can use to connect your past experiences to what you will do as a consultant. For instance:

  • You might have enjoyed working with clients when you were in M&A or in Sales
  • You might have enjoyed structuring and solving tough problems as an engineer

You should use these experiences to say that "working with clients" or "solving tough problems" is something you KNOW you enjoy doing; and you look forward to spending more time doing this as a consultant.

When they read this section, your reviewer should think: "Ok, this person is impressive AND they know what they are getting into."

4. Why McKinsey / BCG / Bain / Other?

Example - Why McKinsey?

McKinsey appeals to me for three reasons. To start with, the different people from the company I have met and worked with all told me they had truly enjoyed their time there. For the past two years, I have worked for Michael Smith, a former Engagement Manager from the London office, who now works for Big Finance. Additionally, I regularly read McKinsey’s reports on financial services and think the insights delivered by Sarah James and others in the Finance practice are truly superior to that of other consultancies. By joining McKinsey, I therefore think I would have an opportunity to work with and learn from the best consultants in the industry. Finally, the fact that McKinsey was selected by Finance Supercorp to shape its digital strategy also played an important role in my decision to apply. This was a first-of-its-kind contract in finance and it shows that while at McKinsey I could get the opportunity to work on truly unique projects.

If you have managed to convince your reviewer that you have an impressive background and that you really want to be a consultant, you have a VERY HIGH chance of getting an interview. 

The only question that's left for you to answer is: " Why McKinsey  / Why BCG? / Why Bain? "

Top consulting firms  have a lot in common. In most regions, they cover the same industries and work for similar clients. They also pay similar salaries, and the career path is more or less the same from firm to firm. So what should you write about in this section?

In our experience, the most efficient way to set yourself apart in this section is to write about three specific elements:

When you write "I've met with Michael Smith," or "I've read report X," or "I've heard about project Y," you are making an argument that's SPECIFIC enough for your reviewer to think: "Ok they've done their homework."

If you stay too GENERIC, your argument will be much less credible. For instance, writing something like "While at McKinsey, I'll be exposed to a broad range of industries which I'm excited about" is a weak argument because you could swap McKinsey for BCG or Bain in that sentence.

In fact, this is the ultimate test. If you can swap McKinsey with another name in your "Why McKinsey?" section you are not being specific enough. You need to work on your paragraph again and mention SPECIFIC people, reports, or projects that you find interesting.

5. Conclusion

Example - Conclusion

For all these reasons, I am very enthusiastic about the chance to work at McKinsey. I am available for an interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Mary Taylor

The last section of the cover letter is a formality again. It should include the following elements:

  • A sentence or two saying that you are enthusiastic and available for interviews at any time
  • Your final signature

So how do you make it easy for your reviewer to put your cover letter on the "Accept" pile? We have put together the 10 tips below to make sure you can achieve this and avoid common mistakes.

Consulting cover letter tips

Tip #1 Don't use a template letter

Writing cover letters is painful. But trust us, reading hundreds of them can be at least as painful. That's why you should make every effort to make your letter interesting and genuine. 

It's ok to get inspiration from templates such as the one we provide in this guide. But every sentence in your letter should be written from scratch.

Tip #2 Keep it to one page

One of the unwritten rules of consulting cover letters is that they should not be longer than one page. The trick to achieve this is to only select the MOST RELEVANT experiences from your  resume  and to summarise them. 

The points you decide to highlight should clearly demonstrate that you would make a great consultant.

Tip #3 Standard format and font

It's tempting to use an eye-catching font and format. But that's actually a bad idea. You only risk your interviewer thinking: "I've never seen this font, it looks really weird. Who is this person?" Your cover letter should stand out because of its content, NOT because of its format.

Tip #4 Not the time to be shy

Your cover letter is not the time to be shy. If you went to Harvard and have three Olympic medals, now is the time to say it! Most of us don't, and that's fine. But the point is that you should really push yourself to bring your most impressive accomplishments forward.

Tip #5 Network, network, network

This might sound surprising, but a big part of the cover letter is  how much networking you have done . Having networked with people from the firm you are applying for pays dividends for multiple reasons. 

First, they might recommend you to the HR team. But most importantly, these people will give you insight into what makes their firm UNIQUE. Then you can quote what you've heard in your cover letter (and name drop the person you heard it from) to show that you really understand the firm you are applying for.

Tip #6 Read, read, read

Unfortunately, networking is not always easy or possible. In these cases, your second best option is to read as much as you can on the firms you are applying for. You should read about the firm's projects, reports, and partners and find pieces of information you are really interested in. 

For instance, if you did your master thesis on electric vehicles, try to find who works in this area at the firm and what they have to say about it. And then mention what you have found in your cover letter.

Tip #7 One letter per firm

One question we often get is: "Should I write one letter per firm?" The answer is YES. But it's not as hard as it might sound. 

Every cover letter needs to answer three questions: Why you? Why consulting? And why this firm? The only paragraph you will need to change in every letter is the one about "Why this firm?" For each firm, you will have to do the networking and reading mentioned above.

Tip #8 Start writing early

Writing an outstanding cover letter is VERY HARD. Most candidates underestimate how much time it takes and start this process too late. You'll need to take a step back and reflect on everything you have done to date to highlight your most relevant experiences. 

This takes multiple iterations. Start early.

Tip #9 Get feedback

In our experience, great candidates all look for feedback and iterate on their cover letter until it's truly as good as it can get. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.

It’s best to get feedback from peers or consultants. These people will be able to point out which parts of your letter they don't get or don't find impactful enough. If you’d like to have an expert review your cover letter, check out our team of  ex-consultant coaches .

Tip #10 Proofread multiple times

Finally, you should check and double check your letter for typos and grammar mistakes - multiple times. A cover letter is (not so secretly) a writing test and you should really treat it like one.

What consulting firms look for

To get multiple interviews at  top consulting firms , it’s extremely important to understand what those firms are actually looking for. 

The good news is that most of the leading consultancies are looking for basically the same skills. 

To illustrate this point, here’s what  McKinsey  and  Bain  say that they’re looking for in candidates, along with our own translation of what they mean:

What consulting firms look for

There are also a few unofficial items that consulting firms will look for on your resume, and you can read about those in our  consulting resume guide .

Next, let’s talk about the typical cover letter screening process.

Screening process

Now let's talk about HOW your cover letter will be handled once you send it. Here's how it works.

Your application will be sent to a JUNIOR CONSULTANT who recently graduated from your University. They will score your documents based on a grid provided by the HR team. 

Consultants usually have to score 200 to 400 applications in about 2 weeks. And this is sometimes on TOP of their normal project. It's not uncommon for them to leave the job to the last minute and to have to do it on a Friday night just before the deadline.

Why is this important? The point we are trying to make is your application is part of 100 other applications. And the person who will review it will be tired by the time they get to your cover letter. If they don't understand something, they won't Google it. It's your job to make their job easy.

Why consultancies ask for a cover letter

There are two main reasons why consulting firms ask for cover letters.

First, partners bill several thousand dollars per day to their clients. The opportunity cost of interviewing you is HUGE for the firm. Put yourself in the shoes of a consultancy for a second. What are the top 3 questions you want to answer before investing money in interviewing a candidate?

  • Have they demonstrated the skills needed to be a consultant?
  • Do they know what consulting is and what they are getting into?
  • Are they genuinely interested in working for our firm?

If you don't answer these three questions in a structured and impactful way, your chances of getting past the screening process are very low. This is why every cover letter should be structured as follows:

  • Why consulting?
  • Why this firm?

The second reason consulting firms ask for a cover letter is to test your writing skills. Consultants write all the time: emails, PowerPoints, Word documents, etc. They spend about 50% of their day writing. And a lot of the time their job is to summarise very large quantities of information in a succinct way.

This is exactly what you have to do in your cover letter. You have to a) look back on all your past experiences, b) select the relevant experiences to convince the reviewer that you are the right person for the job and c) summarise all these experiences in a way that's easy to read and digest.

Cover letters are a disguised writing test. Candidates who end up getting invited for interviews recognise this early on. Making a good impression on paper is way harder than making a good impression in person.

Are many candidates ready to invest HOURS in writing the perfect cover letter? No. That's the whole point. That's how you can set yourself apart. If you spend enough time making sure that your letter is as impactful as it can be, you stand very high chances of getting invited for interviews.

Another reason that it can help to have a cover letter is to explain anything on your resume that may look unusual to a reviewer, such as a time gap or a non-traditional background for consulting. 

Whatever your unique situation is, if you’re not confident in how your cover letter looks today, then we can help you. 

Get an Ex-MBB consultant to review your cover letter

The guide above, in addition to our guide on  consulting resumes , should go a long way in helping you craft documents that will get you interviews. 

But if you still feel you need additional help, we have a team of ex-MBB recruiters and interviewers who would be happy to provide feedback on your cover letter.

You’ll get feedback on how to immediately improve your cover letter, including what experience to focus on, how to optimise your phrasing, formatting, etc.

Start by browsing profiles for available coaches.

Interview coach and candidate conduct a video call

Consulting Cover Letter: a comprehensive guide

  • Understanding Consulting Cover Letters
  • Practicalities of Writing Your Cover Letter
  • Section-by-Section Breakdown
  • Quality Control

Work with us

A stellar cover letter is going to be a basic pre-requisite if you want to land a top-tier consulting job at the likes of the MBB’s, Kearney, LEK, Deloitte etc.

More than half of consulting candidates are rejected based on their applications alone , before they ever make it to interview. This means that, for all the emphasis on case interview prep, your resume and cover letter between them are the single greatest determinant as to whether you land your dream MBB job or not .

Candidates typically have some realisation of the importance of applications, but make the mistake of devoting all their time to the resume alone as they assume it is the "important one". They assume that the accompanying cover letters are always fairly generic and/or are merely a formality that don't actually get read.

However, the idea that your cover letter is any less important than your resume is a hugely damaging misconception.

In fact, speaking to consultants currently involved with recruitment at MBB firms, we are told that cover letters have been becoming more and more important recently. This is for a couple of reasons:

  • More and more resumes are coming in basically perfect (the proliferation of material like our excellent free resume guide has a part to play here). This means that cover letters are increasingly being focussed on as a way to differentiate top candidates.
  • Cover letters are more indicative of your soft skills and personal fit with the office culture than a resume. Since firms are having particular difficulty finding candidates with the right social skills (especially post-Covid), cover letters become more and more salient in the filtering process.

To up the ante even more, add to this the fact that applications are increasingly read by AI tools as well. Whilst a human reader working in a hurry and skimming a document in a hurry might have simply missed an error, you can be sure the computer will pick up on any mistakes you make.

So, how do you get things right?

Putting together a decent consulting cover letter can be tricky and will probably take longer than you think. The demands are different and quite a bit more rigorous than for cover letters you might have written for other industries.

Luckily though, the strict demands on consulting cover letters mean that there is an equally strict set of rules to follow when writing them - as long as you follow these and put the time in to do things properly, you can reliably turn out an excellent document.

This guide will help you understand what it is recruiters want to see in a good cover letter and take you through the steps to draft your best possible offering. To make things as clear as possible, we discuss a template cover letter section-by-section.

Help is at hand!

Writing applications can be pretty daunting, especially with a dream job on the line.

Before we dive into all the complex nitty-gritty of how to turn out your cover letter, we should let you know that we have an editing service where a 5+ year experienced MBB consultant helps you draft your best possible resume and/or cover letter. You can read more here:

Explore Professional Editing

This isn't obligatory, but is a great option for those who feel overwhelmed and want some help to get things right, as well as for those who want the inside track in terms of optimising something that is already close to the mark.

This application editing can also be done as part of a broader mentoring package, where that same experienced mentor helps you through the whole consulting selection process, from networking, through to case interview prep. You can find out more here:

Learn More About Comprehensive Mentoring

1. Understanding Consulting Cover Letters

Close up of intricate cogwheel mechanism illustrating our gaining a better understanding of consulting cover letters

To write a good one we will first need to understand the demands it must meet. That is to say, we need to understand the function of the cover letter and precisely how it will be assessed.

Let's start by going through some important points:

1.1. Function of a Consulting Cover Letter

The basic function of a consulting cover letter is to tell recruiters three things:

  • Why you are worth employing
  • Why consulting is a perfect fit for you
  • Why you are interested in the target firm in particular

As we will see later, a standard management consulting cover letter is broken down into three paragraphs, addressing each of these issues more-or-less separately.

In many ways, the demands of your cover letter sit between your resume ) and your fit interview (which you will be invited to only if your resume and cover letter make the cut).

A consulting cover letter helps demonstrate the same skillset as your resume and you will effectively be selecting a few of the key points from your resume to amplify in the cover letter.

However, the objective of this document is not simply restating the facts on your resume, but rather creating a persuasive link between your personal story and the job you are applying for. In effect, the main purpose of your cover letter is to show that you are a great fit for the job you are applying for across the board. As such, you need to convey your personality and your motivation to do the job - things that are not readily assessed via your resume alone.

These are exactly the qualities that are also assessed in your fit interview. Indeed, just as with the Additional Information section of your resume, the information in your cover letter is very likely to form the basis of questions in your fit interview - where your personality and motivation are assessed again. Thus, just as with the Additional Information section of your resume, when you are drafting your cover letter you should be keeping half an eye on how you would be able to work the items you select into compelling fit interview answers.

All this means that our article on the fit interview is especially worth a read as you get started on cover letter writing!

1.2. Motivation

Consulting is a tough life and the average consulting recruit only stays in the industry for around two years - which means that many of those applicants who are lucky enough to land jobs will have left within 12 months.

Beyond this, many of those entering consulting only ever intend to stay for a couple of years before bailing out into roles in private equity or internal strategy, becoming a start-up founder, or any of the other typical roles where consulting experience will enhance their career chances.

This constant loss of talent is a big problem for consulting firms, who don't want employees to disappear as soon as they have accrued the training and experience required to be genuinely useful to the company. In effect, firms want to ensure they get a positive return on investment on training you.

As such, recruiters will be trying to identify candidates who are genuinely in it for the long haul - who want to make partner someday and who have the necessary motivation to push them through the years of long hours and tight deadlines en route.

Of course, we realise that you the reader might well be one of the candidates who only really plan to stick with consulting for two years before parachuting out into another industry. Realistically, this is a perfectly sensible career trajectory and we're certainly not going to tell you not to do so.

However , if this is the case, your application and subsequent interview are really not the time to discuss it. If you have ever had any inkling that you might consider sticking around and making a long-term career in consulting, then this is the inclination to channel during the selection process.

We return to discuss your rationale for entering consulting in our section-by-section breakdown of the letter itself.

1.3. A Test in Itself

Art installation of telephones to illustrate the different ways in which your cover letter conveys information to the recruiters of your target consulting firm

Your target firm uses your cover letter to learn more about you in a couple of ways. Obviously, they receive all the information you communicate explicitly - all the achievements and experience and positive character traits you tell them about. However, your cover letter is also used by the target firm as an implicit (but very real) test of your writing skills and other qualities. It is important to realise this dual function and keep it in mind during drafting.

At a basic level, using correct, industry standard formatting etc shows that you have the professionalism and diligence to find out and follow the rules. As we will discuss later, writing a letter specific to the firm you are applying to also demonstrates your commitment to that employer.

More directly, though, your cover letter is used by consulting firms as a test of your writing skills. Writing consulting cover letters is not an easy business - if it were, you wouldn't be reading this guide! Composing a good cover letter requires you to assemble a body of information, synthesise it and present it in a compelling form.

Importantly, this is a set of skills - summarising complex information into compelling prose and extracting key points in data - that consultants use every day. Your cover letter is one of the main ways firms check for your competence here.

Similarly, readers will be very interested in your ability to use your cover letter to market yourself. In effect, consultants must constantly sell themselves, their firm, and their recommendations to clients. Indeed, this is becoming a larger and larger part of the job as more of the analytic side of consulting work is automated. As such, the ability to communicate persuasively is a key management consulting skill.

1.4. The Reader

With any piece of writing, the first thing you need to consider is who the intended reader is. This is especially important for consulting cover letters.

During the application screen, as well as filtering by AI tools and HR staff, your cover letter will be placed with one or two hundred others and passed to a junior consultant (often a recent alum from your university) to assess. Generally, this will be piled on top of that consultant's normal workload and often they will end up with very little time to get through this mound of applications. As such, your reader will be tired, possibly slightly grumpy and in a hurry - probably only skimming what you have written.

Keep this reader in mind at all times and write in a way that makes their life easier. This means making everything as clear, easy to read and precise as possible!

2. PRACTICALITIES OF WRITING A CONSULTING COVER LETTER

Hand about to write on a blank piece of paper, illustrating you beginning to write your cover letter

So, we have a good idea of the basic job of a cover letter needs to do, what ground it needs to cover, and how it will be assessed. Now it's time to get down to business and actually get the thing written!

To this end, we'll look at a few practical points about how to meet the requirements mentioned above, before focusing one-by-one on the five main segments of a management consulting cover letter.

2.1. FORMAT - DOING THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE

Sheep standing in pens, illustrating the importance of conforming to standard formatting rules when drafting a consulting cover letter

Just as with your resume, formatting a consulting cover letter is really not the time to embrace your creative side. Failing to stick to the standard rules of formatting risks being rejected immediately, without your letter even being read.

The tired junior consultant tasked with plowing through a pile of cover letters is unlikely to be in the mood for a strange font or weird layout and will simply send your application directly to the bin.

As noted above, standard formatting shows that you are professional enough to take the application seriously and that you have bothered to find out what is expected from your cover letter. The best way to understand how you should format this document is simply to take a look at our examples below, which are formatted in a standard "safe" manner.

In particular, though, you should make sure your letter conforms to the following basic standard:

  • Standard typeface at a normal size
  • No longer than one printable page
  • Normal size margins etc - no extreme formatting to pack more words on the page!
  • Name, contact information, and date at the top, in the manner of a traditional letter - you can include a postal address if you like, but an email address is perfectly sufficient nowadays - and will save space
  • Standard structure explained below - opening, three main paragraphs, closing

2.2. Content - Being Unique!

A peacock with spread tail, illustrating the importance of your cover letter content being unique and making a strong impression on recruiters

You might have to keep the format strictly in line with everyone else, but it is absolutely crucial that the actual content of your letter is unique!

Always remember that your cover letter will be part of a stack of 1-200 deep. The content needs to really impress the reader if you are going to stand out from the pack and earn yourself an invitation to interview.

To achieve this, you are going to have to draw on your most impressive achievements and experiences and then portray them in the best possible fashion, to really make your reader pause and take note, rather than toss your letter towards the bin with the others.

Content that is unusual is also helpful in making your application memorable and might prompt interview questions where you can be well prepared to shine. During an application process with so many competitors, it pays to have something unique to you - a USP - to differentiate you from your peers.

However, this will only add value if it is relevant to management consulting!

In our discussion below on how to introduce yourself and your abilities, we'll discuss how you can emphasize your personal "spikes" - which help make your cover letter more unique.

2.3. Be Specific!

Your letter needs not only to be unique, but also highly specific .

Many candidates think that they can save a bit of time by just writing a one really "good" cover letter and using that for all their applications without any modifications. This might be true (or almost true) of a good resume. However, if you think that the cover letter you wrote for McKinsey will be able to be used without any changes to for Bain and BCG as well, we can tell you now that that letter wasn't good enough to get you a job with any of those firms!

As noted previously, a major function of your cover letter is to gauge your motivation to stick with the company if you are lucky enough to be hired. Your recruiter wants to make sure that you are genuinely keen to work for their specific firm for the foreseeable future. Any suggestion that your cover letter is just a generic chunk of text sent out to everyone in scattergun fashion obviously makes this idea pretty difficult to maintain - and will see your application heading towards that bin in short order.

To avoid this, then, take the time to write a separate letter for each firm you apply to. In these letters, you should include content that is specific to your particular target firm. What is more, this specific content should not be something generic or some kind of empty platitude.

If the best you can come up with is an obvious truth - or even worse, a common misconception - you will betray only a very shallow level of engagement, and will only succeed in vexing your reader.

Instead, you should be able to make specific remarks which show genuine insight. This will clearly demonstrate both your commitment to and knowledge of the firm.

These points will be particularly relevant to the section of the cover letter where you explain your decision to apply to your target firm, and we will pick up this discussion again later in this guide. However, there is room for material specific to your target firm in all sections of your cover letter.

3. Section-by-Section Breakdown

Disassembled smartphone, illustrating our section-by-section breakdown of the cover letter writing process

Let's go through the different sections of a standard management consulting cover letter one-by-one.

We will give examples as to how you might approach each section - however, it is imperative that you don't simply copy from specimens that we or anyone else have written. The examples here are only a guide as to how you should approach the different elements of a cover letter, not components to be lifted as-is.

Your own cover letter needs to stand out from a very strong field. Think about it - how can you possibly stand out by copying others? Beyond this, though, any hint that you are just copying from another source will see your whole application rejected immediately.

On a similar note here, we strongly advise against using an AI chatbot like ChatGPT to write your cover letter. Aside from that tool not knowing enough about your own life experiences, interests etc to say something with the correct degree of specificity, you run the risk of sending in a cover with the same writing style - or possibly even the same turns of phrase - as everyone else who did the same thing. Indeed, recruiters across many industries are already getting used to spotting AI-generated applications .

As we noted earlier, there are three main questions your cover letter must answer - why you, why consulting and why that firm in particular. The three main paragraphs of your cover letter will answer these three questions in sequence.

Provided you are careful to link everything together properly, there is actually some flexibility to vary the ordering of these paragraphs. You will always introduce yourself first, of course, but you can then state why you are interested in the specific firm before you explain what drew you to consulting, or deal with these in the reverse order.

In the interests of simplicity here, though, we will just deal with why-consulting-in-general first, followed by why-that-firm-in-particular.

The following examples are taken from an entry-level cover letter from an applicant to Bain London - and the detailed content is obviously tailored to that office.

In contrast to the relative ease with which a resume can be repurposed, you will have to significantly change the specifics of your cover letter as you apply for different offices and firms. Obviously, our candidate below can't just send this off to Bain New York without changing quite a lot of content. Similarly, this won't work as a cover letter for the London offices of McKinsey, BCG or Deloitte a wholesale rewrite.

With all this said, what is crucial is that the overall structure and format is maintained. This will be the case whether you are a recent graduate, Ph.D. or MBA. Even experienced hire cover letters will maintain the same fundamental format - though there will be (even) more expectation on the quality of the content.

3.1. OPENING YOUR CONSULTING COVER LETTER

The opening to your cover letter is very straightforward and is pretty much impossible to mess up if you follow basic rules.

First, you should record your name, email address, and the date of sending. You can include a postal address if you like, though this is no longer a strict requirement and takes up a lot of space. Your first sentence should state the specific position to which you are applying at the relevant office and firm.

The only issue that should give you any cause for concern here is to Whom the letter is addressed. Where possible, you should be addressing the letter to a named person - usually the recruiting manager of the office to which you are applying. However, where you cannot find a name to address your cover letter to, it is perfectly acceptable to begin "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir or Madam".

Jane Wu [email protected] 05/05/2019

Dear Ms Douglas,

I am writing to apply for the Associate Consultant position at Bain and Company's London office.

3.2. Introducing Yourself

After this brief opening, proceed straight to introducing yourself. Don't be shy - this is not the time for understatement or modesty! Top consulting firms are looking for exceptional individuals. Here, you need to leave the reader in no doubt that you are just such an exceptional individual!

To do this, looking at all the information you assembled for your resume, ideally, you should recount the three most impressive achievements in your life so far.

Of course, do this with an eye to achievements that are particularly relevant to consulting (your golf handicap might be good, but nobody in the workplace cares). Also, realise that the things we are most proud of personally might not actually be the ones that are most impressive to others (your golfing probably isn't great anyway). Try to look at your resume as if you are reading one from someone else. Alternatively, ask a friend what stands out to them.

It's your resume's job to paint a balanced picture of you as a well-rounded candidate with all the skills required to excel in consulting. However, in your cover letter, it can be beneficial to emphasise one or two particular strong suits, where you are exceptionally gifted. These are what consultants call "spikes". What recruiters are really looking for is well-rounded, generally capable candidates with a few "spikes" that might be especially useful.

I have recently graduated from the University of Cambridge with a first-class BA/MSci in Physics. At Cambridge, I was consistently near the top of my year academically and won a number of competitive scholarships and prizes; including the award for the best final year research project. During my third year, I was selected as the best of a very large field of applicants to take part in a prestigious summer research project at MIT. I was also elected as a Student Representative for two consecutive years.

3.3. Why Consulting is a Good Fit

Your job here is to provide a strong narrative demonstrating why consulting is a good fit for you and why it makes sense at this point in your career as a natural progression from what you have done before.

This is much the same as what is required from your answers in any subsequent fit interviews you receive. As such, our article on the fit interview , as well as our more comprehensive fit interview course and/or lessons in the MCC Academy , are highly relevant here.

Now, as we noted above, it is important to remember that there are some reasons to get into consulting that your target firm will be happy to hear about and others that will very definitely not impress.

We're not here to judge your reasons, whatever they are, for wanting a consulting job. However, there are certain reasons that you should probably not highlight if you would like to actually get that job.

Some candidates are not sure what career they actually want yet and think consulting would make a good first step, exposing them to different industries and keeping their options open for the future. The worry, from a firm's point of view, is that these individuals will not be sufficiently motivated to actually stick with consulting when they come up against the stress and high workload that come with the job.

Alternatively, some applicants are fully intent, right from the start, on bailing out into another industry after two years - when a sufficiently long stint in consulting has given them transferable skills and boosted their opportunities elsewhere.

Many candidates actually state these kinds of intentions - though they will certainly not be hired! As we noted above, firms want to retain staff and are looking for candidates who are committed to consulting for the long term.

3.3.1. Proving You Know What You are Getting Into

Given how many recruits drop out, firms want to be sure that you know exactly what you are getting into when you apply . When you explain why you have decided that consulting is a great fit for you, you obviously need it to be clear that you are doing so with a real understanding of what the job entails.

Ideally, you will have done an internship in consulting or a closely related industry. Alternatively, you might be moving sideways from a parallel sector, such as finance or tech, having worked alongside consultants in past roles and observed what they do first hand. In either such case, it is clear that you understand the demands of the job.

However, many of you will fall into neither of these camps and won't yet have any first hand experience of the consulting world. If this describes you, be aware that there is a particular onus on you to demonstrate that you know what is required of a working consultant - and that you have what it takes to meet those requirements.

Don't dismay, though, as this is definitely possible - it just requires a bit more thought from you. Really, you are limited to a strategy of identifying key consulting skills and showing that you have already had significant past experience (and ideally achievements) demonstrating that you are capable and comfortable in these areas - and, importantly, that you enjoy this kind of work!

This is similar in principle to some of what you should have already done in bullet point form in your resume. Our resume guide is useful here in listing the relevant consulting skills and giving examples that demonstrate them. However, your cover letter differs from the resume here in that the focus will be less on technical skills and more on personal character. You also can't be so schematic as in your resume, but must weave everything into a compelling narrative that leaves your reader in no doubt that you are well suited to, and prepared for, the job.

3.3.2. Finding Things to Say

Some candidates feel the need to embroider their accounts when they explain why they want to be a consultant. Maybe they genuinely think that the only reason they have chosen consulting is for the high salary and exit opportunities. Since they can't include either of these (as discussed below), they then cobble together an insincere-sounding road-to-Damascus story about how they had an epiphany that they should work at BCG or Bain.

However, introspection on the reasons that informed your own decision making can actually be a great source of material here. You might not be able to explicitly state them just now, but there are probably better reasons than you think for your choices.

Think about what exactly it was that led you to believe that you could do a consulting job and why have chosen to apply to jobs in that sector, rather than going into something else. If you want to be totally pragmatic, remember - it's a lot easier to answer interview questions on something approximating the truth than a tissue of lies!

I believe that I would be particularly well suited to the Associate Consultant position as consulting would provide real intellectual challenges, but placed within contexts allowing me to make use of my strong interpersonal skills. As a student representative, I instigated "Student Week" in the Physics department. This was a week where time was given over so that students could organise their own conferences and workshops. In order to make this initiative a success, I faced two main challenges: creating a committed team and getting the academic staff's support. I began by offering all students a stake in shaping the week and created teams in charge of all aspects of an organisation, delegating responsibilities to team leaders. Most of all, this experience taught me how to motivate people, leveraging their potential impact and the rewards to be gained from positive results. In the end, the teams were able to invite an outstanding line-up of speakers. Presenting the week as a chance to promote the school in the media enabled us to gain the final approval of academic staff. Understanding the perspectives of multiple stakeholders and identifying what they really cared about enabled me to transform an ambitious plan into reality. I loved this experience and would look forward to employing a similar skillset as an Associate Consultant.

3.4. Why that Firm?

Now finally, you need to show that you are committed to the particular firm to which you are applying . This is a crucial part of demonstrating your motivation as well as a way of showing your diligence in doing your research before applying. Needing to address why you want to work at your target firm in particular is why you fundamentally can't just re-use the same letter for all your consulting applications.

So, how should you do this?

In practice, there are three main ways to generate firm-specific content:

3.4.1. Contacts and networking

Whilst you might not have seen consultants at work first hand, there is nothing to prevent you from meeting them at career fairs, networking events, and the like.

You can also reach out to consultants in your target office via LinkedIn and potentially even schedule calls with them. You can do this from anywhere in the world. An experienced consultant can also guide you in this process within one of our mentoring programmes

The very best cover letters will grow out of substantial networking with current or former employees from your target firm - ideally from the specific office to which you are applying.

The individuals you speak to might be in a position to recommend you to recruiters. Otherwise, though, they will definitely be very well placed to tell you what is really unique about the company in general or your target office in particular. This is a surefire way for you to be able to make your cover letter specific in a way that actually rings true to those who read it.#

Also, don't be afraid to drop in the names of your contacts where they are relevant (and where this is appropriate, of course). The recruiter might know the people in question and they will lend credence to your application.

3.4.2. Reading

Of course, this kind of networking will not always be feasible, and certainly not at short notice. If you don't have access to anyone who has worked for your target firm, you should be able to get access to some of their output in the form of reports and similar material. Being able to comment on these demonstrates your enthusiasm to work at the target firm, as well as your diligence and intelligence. Indeed, mentioning report authors is a good way to shoehorn in the names of company employees whom you have not actually met in real life.

3.4.3. Observations

Of course, you would ideally be able to write about the first hand experience of working alongside consultants at a company that was a client of your target firm. Otherwise, if you have done your research, you will be able to discuss a successful project in which you have not been involved, but have taken a particular interest (possibly in an industry in which you have experience). This should convey genuine interest and, at the very least, shows you really have done your homework.

An example of how to approach this paragraph is as follows:

Bain specifically appeals to me for a few reasons. At a more personal level, all of the individuals I have spoken to who have worked at Bain have loved their jobs and seemed like people I would relish working with. Recently, I spoke to Sarah McKinney and Benedict Philips from the London office at a networking event. Both were very helpful and encouraging of my application. In particular, I was very excited to be able to talk to Sarah about Bain's recent work with capacitor technology firm NuCell. This was a project I had become aware of via my physics background and was very impressed with the sophisticated but wonderfully elegant solutions that Bain implemented. This was a significant influence in my decision to move towards consulting in general and Bain in particular.

3.5. Closing You Cover Letter

As with the opening, it is easy to get your cover letter's closing right simply by following a few standard rules.

Closing a consulting cover letter really just follows the same rules as a standard formal letter. Note that technically the form of your sign off depends on whether the letter was addressed to a named recipient or not. If you did manage to address your cover letter to a specific individual at the target firm, you should sign off your letter "Yours Sincerely". However, if you addressed the letter "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To Whom it May Concern", then you should sign off "Yours faithfully".

Not everyone will pick up on this, but some certainly will!

I very much hope that I can be considered for an interview. If you have any questions about my application or would like to know more, please do not hesitate to be in contact by email or on +44 7933023234. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely, Jane Wu

3.6. An Aside - Blurring Boundaries

Image of circuit board showing complex connections between large components. This echoes the blurring of boundaries between the discrete cover letter sections we have described in this guide

For the sake of clarity, we have given quite a schematic picture of how a cover letter is structured. In practice, the separation between the content of the three main paragraphs is often not quite as clear as has been shown so far.

This is something to bear in mind as you are writing. Certainly, it is not a problem that the content of the three main paragraphs somewhat bleed into one another. Indeed, it might well be that the optimal version of your letter gives you more bang for your buck in including points with more than one positive function.

For example, you might make mention of people or reports from your specific target firm in explaining why you chose to enter consulting in general. Simultaneously you will likely be able to include some impressive achievements, relevant to your initial description of yourself, in that same explanation as to why consulting was for you.

4. Quality Control

Mentor helping a student edit a document, illustrating the importance of receiving high quality feedback when you proof your cover letter

By now, you should have a completed document in front of you. However, this doesn't mean that you're finished!

Just as with the resume, quality control should be taken very seriously when you are writing your cover letter, and will almost certainly take longer than did writing your initial draft.

First, you should make sure you have followed all the rules we set out for formatting and structuring a consulting cover letter. This is the easy bit, after all, and you shouldn't be making mistakes here when it's something you can easily control for yourself.

The following checklist is useful to make sure that the major elements are in order. Thus, you must make sure that any management consulting cover letter:

  • Does not exceed one page
  • Is formatted sensibly
  • Contains no spelling mistakes (double check names of the company, position, HR manager and your contact information)
  • Mentions skills that are relevant to the job
  • Has relevant examples to back up those skills
  • Reinforces skills that are not adequately explained in your resume
  • Explains how your skill set relates to the job you are applying for
  • Is tailored to the target firm

Of course, to hammer the point home, it should go without saying that spelling, punctuation, and grammar should be perfect throughout - especially these days, where AIs will be reading applications thoroughly, besides harried humans skimming them.

In particular, though, you should triple-check spelling around the opening where you list your own contact information and state the name of the target firm and specific role. Imagine making the cut to for interview only to have your invitation dispatched to the wrong email address!

You wouldn't believe how many candidates we see making mistakes here - indeed, outside consulting, the former Graduate Recruitment Manager at City law firm Mayer Brown found that 20% of applicants got the firm’s name wrong. If so many high-end, detail-oriented lawyers can make that kind of mistake, so can you - check!

4.2. Feedback

As with any important piece of writing, you will want another set of eyes on your cover letter. However, a consulting cover letter is not quite the same as for a more "normal" job, and there is only so much that your classmate, your buddy or your mum is going to be able to tell you . These people might be able to help you with spelling, punctuation, and grammar, but not a great deal else.

If you have access to a careers adviser, they will certainly be more knowledgeable and be able to give you more specific feedback. That said, the very particular demands of consulting and how cover letters are assessed means there is no real replacement for someone with actual consulting experience .

As always though, real consultants are incredibly busy people and their time has a high price tag. You might be lucky enough to have access to a consultant who will help you out - perhaps a friend or relative or maybe one of your networking contacts who likes you enough to take the time to look at your application.

However, for those who aren't so lucky, there are still ways to get top quality feedback. MyConsultingCoach offers cover letter review and feedback , both alone on its own and in a package with resume review.

With this service, a deeply experienced MBB consultant mentor, with a minimum of five years at McKinsey, Bain or BCG, will provide the kind of granular, nuanced feedback you simply can't find elsewhere. You can read more here:

Explore Application Review

You can also have the same kind of 5+ year experienced MBB consultant do this kind of editing for you as part of a wider personal mentoring programme. Find out more here:

Mentoring Programmes

Of course, none of these services are strictly necessary, and this guide is here to help everyone. However, professional editing will help you close the gap with your competitors who have the advantage of pre-existing inside contacts.

4.3. Iterate

It is easy to become attached to what you have written. Especially after pouring time and energy into a document, constructive criticism can end up being taken personally and ignored. However, if you actually want to get a job in consulting, you need to swallow your pride and be prepared to make substantial changes if they are advised .

Once you have re-drafted the document, you need to cycle through the same stages of quality control again, always making sure that everything is formatted correctly with no typos and then getting decent feedback on what you have produced. To get the whole thing just right will likely take at least a couple of these iterations. Indeed, this is precisely why MyConsultingCoach's review packages all include three rounds of feedback as standard .

Finally, then, you will have completed your cover letter and be ready to submit your application. You can give yourself a pat on the back for getting everything so far done. However, you still have a lot more work ahead of you if you are serious about making it into consulting!

Man on mountain top looking across cloud covered landscape, illustrating the fact that completing one's application is only the first step in the journey to landing a consulting job

If you are interested in getting an interview at the likes of the MBBs, Kearney, LEK, Deloitte, or any high-end consulting firm, it is absolutely crucial that your cover letter is the very best that it can be .

To this end, we have given a detailed guide on how to optimise a cover letter, breaking down all the relevant sections. Examples were provided from a sample cover letter for a Bain London application, though it was explained that you should never simply copy from such example cover letters.

We encourage you to read further - starting with our resume guide - and to consider editing from one of our ex-MBB consultant coaches. However, what we have given you here is a very good starting point for you to carve out a great draft cover letter.

If you have followed this guide and ideally found someone to provide decent feedback, you should have every chance of being invited to interview. However, nobody is going to do well if they prepare for a consulting interview the way they would for a more "normal" job.

Management consulting interviews area very different beast to what you might be accustomed to elsewhere. You can read more about the characteristic consulting case interviews here here . Suffice to say, though, that a large volume of preparation is both necessary to so well and explicitly expected by the firms themselves . Putting together your consulting resume or cover letter might have seemed arduous or time-consuming, but what was just the tip of the iceberg!

In particular, you will need to learn how to solve case studies. You can start with our intro to case interviews , which links to other useful resources.

It's important to learn to tackle case studies the right way if you want to perform in the more demanding interviews at higher-end firms. The old-fashioned frameworks you will often find promoted online can be dysfunctional in more complex case studies. By contrast, we recommend the slightly more demanding, but much more capable, from-first-principles method used in real consulting work. You can find out more in the followng video:

To make your preparation as effective and time efficient as possible MyConsultingCoach has developed a comprehensive consulting interview prep course . This teaches everything you need to give your best possible showing in an interview. Included are all the mental maths, business and finance theory and logical principles needed not only to solve cases but to do so in a way that will impress the interviewer - the way a real consultant would . Also included is a set of lessons on how to address "fit" questions about your character and motivation to enter consulting.

Find out about our resume editing services

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Career in Consulting

Consulting Cover Letter

Consulting Cover Letter: a step-by-step guide (2024)

With a great CV, your consulting cover letter can open the door to scoring an interview and, ultimately, getting a job in consulting.

But it’s not that easy: less than 30% of applicants receive a call for an interview.

Thus, in this article, I’ll show how to write a persuasive and customized cover letter to move your job application to the top of the pile .

In particular, I’ll show you the exact steps you need to take to write a consulting cover letter that:

  • Set you apart from the crowd
  • Express your motivation to join the firm you are applying to

But first, let me introduce you to Paul.

Paul is a recent graduate from a business school in France.

He did two internships (one in Marketing and one in Finance).

Paul used the tips from this article to learn how to write a cover letter for a consulting job and landed job interviews in ALL the consulting firms he applied to . 

At the end of this article, you’ll see Paul’s consulting cover letters for McKinsey, the Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, and Deloitte.

Also, you’ll find a consulting cover letter template to help you craft your consulting cover letters. 

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Get the latest data about salaries in consulting, what is a cover letter.

Along with your resume, a cover letter is an important part of your consulting job application.

It is intended to provide a more in-depth introduction, enhancing the information in the resume or CV, outlining pertinent qualifications, and showcasing some of your most noteworthy achievements.

A strong cover letter convinces the employer that your skills align with their requirements and demonstrates the following:

  • Justifications for your qualifications for the job.
  • An explanation of why you want to work as a consultant.
  • Justifications for why you would be a good fit for their particular company.
  • Your capacity for producing engaging, clear, and concise writing.

A strong cover letter should ultimately focus on “why should we hire you” and “what’s in it for us.”.

And for that reason, it’s worthwhile to take the time to write a strong cover letter .

What recruiters want

The consulting recruiting process is costly for top consulting firms. 

Do the math:

Multiply the time spent by a management consultant giving interviews by their fees.

You’d get an insanely high number.

Therefore, management consulting firms want to invite only candidates with a serious chance of making it.

To do so, they use two selection criteria. 

Consulting cover letter - what recruiters want

Selection criteria 1: do you have the right consulting skills?

ALL consulting firms essentially look for these 4 skills when screening your application documents (resume and consulting cover letter):

  • Problem-solving : As a Consultant, you will be essentially a problem-solver. Thus, Consulting firms will assess the range of problems you had to solve and the impact you had.
  • Leadership abilities : As a Consultant, you must get things done while working with others. Thus, Consulting firms will assess your ability to work in teams and create a climate where people are motivated to do their best.
  • Personal impact : As a Consultant, you will need to gain the support and commitment of others. Thus, Consulting firms will assess your ability to develop relationships with people and influence someone to act upon your recommendation.
  • Drive : As a Consultant, you will work on new consulting projects every 3x months. Thus, Consulting firms will assess how comfortable you are with new situations and your ability to perform outside your comfort zone.

Consulting skills: what mckinsey is looking for

Selection criteria 2: are you a good fit?

A career in consulting is not for everyone.

It’s demanding. 

And it can sometimes be stressful.

Therefore, management consulting firms want to assess your motivation to pursue a career in consulting.

And more specifically, a career in consulting in their firm.

To do so, they’ll assess if you’ve done your homework.

For instance, do you understand what consultants do?

And do you understand what makes them different from other management consulting firms?  

Related articles :

Your answer to the question Tell me about yourself must be consistent with the information on your resume.

Check this article explaining how to craft a superior answer to the question “ Tell me about yourself .” 

Also, read this article to learn more about the recruiting process at McKinsey.

Besides, I’ve written articles about the recruiting process at Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company .

How to write a consulting cover letter: your step-by-step guide

Good consulting cover letters tend to follow a tried-and-trusted format. 

One that’s set up in a way that lets you show off your accomplishments and what are your motivations to join this consulting firm in particular .

If you’re worried about sticking to the same format as everyone else somehow stopping you from standing out, don’t.

It’s what you say (or don’t say) that counts. 

Let’s break down how your cover should look.

Consulting cover letter - the different sections of a management consulting cover letter

Step 1: Add the header (mandatory)

To begin with, start your cover letter with the following information:

  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Date of sending

In addition, you can include the company’s name and address to which you’re applying.

Paul's McKinsey cover letter: Header

Step 2: include the greetings (mandatory)

The greeting needs to display the right level of respect and professionalism.

If you have a name for the contact person, use it.

If you don’t know the contact person’s name, you can begin your cover letter with “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

Do your best to find out to whom you’re writing to.

Look at the company website or LinkedIn page to see if you can track down the hiring manager’s name. 

Or  take the initiative to call the company.

Someone on the other end of the phone might be happy to tell you who does the hiring.

Step 3: write the opening paragraph (mandatory)

If you were to meet a hiring manager in person, you wouldn’t just throw your resume in their face and walk away, would you?

I’d like you’d offer a handshake and tell them who you are first.

This paragraph  is like a good handshake.

You want your first paragraph to be strong, succinct and make a great first impression .

In your opening paragraph , start strong:  show enthusiasm and show you want to come in there and make a contribution .

Hook the reader early with a first paragraph that makes them want to read.

You can use these guiding questions to craft the first paragraph of your cover letter .

  • Which position are you applying to ? Consultant in the BCG Munich office 
  • What are your personal qualities? Results-driven and eager to learn. 
  • Who are you? What are your past and present experiences? A final-year student at HEC Paris who completed two internships in the Banking and Technology sectors
  • What is your most impressive achievement? Experience in working with C-level management teams  

Paul's McKinsey cover letter: Opening Paragraph

This is an important cover letter tip: 

Mention the position you’re applying to (Business Analyst, Senior Consultant, Associate, etc.)

Step 4: explain why you are a good candidate (mandatory)

Your management consulting cover letter must say why you’re the right person for the job. 

This is one of the most important consulting cover letter tips.

To do so,  you must  highlight the specific skills and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for consulting .

For instance, here is how Paul has highlighted his skills in his consulting cover letter.

How Paul has highlighted his skills in his consulting cover letter

Here are the four steps followed by Paul to show off his skills in his cover letter :

  • Step 4.1: List your most impressive achievements and write a great resume.
  • Step 4.2: Select three skills you want to emphasize.
  • Step 4.3: Select three achievements that best illustrate how you used those three skills.
  • Step 4.4: Highlight these three achievements in your cover letter. But don’t repeat your resume word by word; show your personality instead.

Step 4.1: List Your Most Impressive Achievements And Write A Great Resume

In the “Consulting resume: 11 steps to get interviews in 2023”   article, you have the exact steps you need to take to:

  • List your most impressive achievements
  • Summarize these achievements into compelling action statements in your resume
  • Format your resume with a ready-to-use template
  • Get inspired with (literally) hundreds of examples
  • And much more…

So, start your cover letter… by writing your consulting resume !

Step 4.2: Select The 3 Skills You Want To Emphasize In Your Consulting Cover Letter

Choose the three skills you want to emphasize in your cover letter . 

For instance :

  • Problem-solving : how you used your analytical and quantitative skills to solve a problem and had an impact
  • Leadership skills : how you got something done while working with someone or a group of people
  • Personal impact : how you influenced people to act upon your recommendations

Another cover letter tip:

Do NOT put three achievements in your cover letter that illustrate the same skills twice or thrice.  

If you do so, you will undermine your profile…

And lose an opportunity to show that you are a well-rounded professional .

Step 4.3: Select The 3 Achievements That Best Illustrate How You Used Those Skills

You now must have a great list of achievements and an outstanding resume. 

Now, it’s time to select which achievements you will highlight in your cover letter.

To do so, select which achievements best illustrate your experience in three chosen skills . 

To do so, choose three achievements you feel are your strong suits to focus on.

For instance, you can ask yourself :

  • Which achievements are you most proud of?
  • Where did you have the biggest impact?
  • Which achievements were the most challenging?

Step 4.4: Highlight These 3 Achievements In Your Cover Letter. But Do NOT Repeat Your CV Word-By-Word; Show Your Personality Instead

Finally, highlight these three achievements in your cover letter. 

However,  your cover letter shouldn’t just rehash your resume . 

In other words, do not repeat your word-by-word resume.

Because this will give a weak impression.

Instead, use  the letter to tell a brief story , such as “my toughest sale” or “my biggest technical challenge,” and show your personality . 

That’s  how you will stand out from the rest .

It will make a HUGE difference if you show your personality when highlighting your achievements in your cover letter.

The secret to showing your personality is to tell the readers WHY these achievements matter to YOU .

For instance:

  • WHY this achievement was important for you
  • WHY this achievement, in particular, was challenging
  • Why did you enjoy this achievement 
  • WHY this achievement left a positive (or negative) mark on you 

Do you see the pattern here?

To make it personal, explain WHY a particular achievement is important for YOU .

There are four  reasons why a particular achievement can be  important for you : 

  • You had to manage (or you were part of a team managing) something critical for your company. In other words, you had a huge impact.
  • The situation you had to handle was very challenging : you had to deal with a tight schedule, you had few resources to reach your objectives, you were in the middle of stakeholders who were not aligned, etc. In other words, it was tough ! Think of these long hours spent at the office 🙂
  • You had to do something for the first time : present something in front of the leadership team for the first time, face a specific problem for the first time, have to handle a crisis for the first time, have to manage a team for the first time, etc. In other words, you learned a lot. 
  • Or a combination of these 3 things : critical x challenging x first time (I can imagine how stressful it was!!)

So, to conclude, when describing your achievements in your cover letter, make sure to cover these four critical elements:

  • The problem you had to solve
  • How you solve this problem (your action)
  • The outcome (the results of your action)
  • Why was this achievement important for you

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Step 5: explain why you want to join this firm (mandatory)

A well-written cover letter highlights your credentials for a job and proves your desire to work for this company in particular. 

The golden rule of applying to a job is showing interest in the firm you apply to . 

Explaining your motivation to join a company is what is most important for recruiters, according to a recent survey of 200 recruiters.

Importance of expressing your motivation and interest in your cover letter

Why is explaining your motivations to join this specific firm so important?

Think of it from the consulting firm’s perspective: they want to hire someone who will positively impact the firm and its customers and someone who is a good fit.

The hiring process is very costly and time-consuming. 

Therefore, they don’t want to hire someone who will leave the company after 12 months .

Being specific when you express your motivations to join a consultancy is key.

It won’t impress the readers if you give general reasons that can be applied to other consultancies. 

Even worse,  it shows that you haven’t done your homework and haven’t done any research about the company .

Thus, do not write, “I want to work for McKinsey because it’s the market leader” or “I want to join the Boston Consulting Group because I’ll be able to work with smart people.” 

Note:  I’ll show you how to use these two (good) reasons yet sound specific . 

So, now let’s see  how to express your motivation to join this firm in particular . 

To begin with, let’s see what Paul wrote in his McKinsey cover letter.

Paul's McKinsey Cover Letter

Paul gave two reasons why he is interested in joining McKinsey & Company. 

Each of his reasons follows this formula :

how to answer why this firm in particular

Step 5.1: Start By Giving A Reason Why You Want To Join This Company

You want to join a top consulting firm for many good reasons .

So if you are asking yourself, “Why McKinsey?”, “Why BCG?”, “Why Bain?”, “Why Deloitte?”, Why Accenture?” or “Why any other firms,” you should consider the following reasons :

  • The company’s culture : you think you’ll be a good fit with the company’s culture. For instance, the culture of excellence at McKinsey. Or the collaborative culture at Bain & Company. Another example: the diversity of profiles promoted by the Boston Consulting Group
  • Its reputation : you want to work for a company recognized as a global market leader, such as McKinsey & Company. Or do you want to join a well-known advisor in a specific geography like Bain & Company in the Middle East?
  • The company’s specialization : you can have a special interest in a topic or an industry and join a firm with expertise in that topic or industry. For instance, Simon Kucher & Partners for pricing, or Bain & Company for Private Equity. Or maybe McKinsey is the only consulting firm working with public entities in your region 
  • Smart colleagues : you want to be inspired and work with people inside and outside the firm who will challenge your work and how you think. For instance, McKinsey is obsessed with working mainly at the CEO level
  • The company’s size : you want to join a new (or a small) office and be part of the teams that will help develop that office. Or the office can be well established, but you want to join a newly created practice and want to help develop it
  • The company’s international footprint : you want to have the opportunity to work in an international environment or to be relocated to an office abroad in a couple of years. For instance, some consulting firms have international staffing rules, whereas others offer only local staffing opportunities
  • The career progression opportunity : you want to join a company that invests a significant amount each year to train their consultants. For instance, Bain is known to put a high value on training their employees

So, think of “Why do you want to work for this company?” or “What attracts you to work for this company?” and check which reasons make sense.

However,  if your cover letter mentions some of the previous reasons without any more explanations, your answer will sound very generic  (and weak).

For instance, if you write, “I want to work for a prestigious company and be surrounded by smart colleagues,” this can be applied to most consulting firms. 

That’s  why you need to add evidence that you know what you are discussing .

In other words, you must show that you did your homework and researched the company. 

That’s step 5.2.

Step 5.2: Then, Back-Up Your Reason With A Persuasive Source Of Information

To make your answer convincing, you must back up your reason with a good source of information.

Thus, you will show the readers that you are not applying to this firm for random but thoughtful reasons. 

To do so, there are three persuasive sources of information that you should consider::

  • Consultants who work at the company you are applying to . Your interviewer wants to know if you have done your homework and have talked to anyone from the office you are applying to, or at least from the firm in general. In other words, networking is super important.
  • Reports produced by the company, such as the McKinsey Quarterly or the BCG Insight. Tell them you read and found interesting a report or an article about a topic you like.
  • Alumni with whom you have worked with . If you had the opportunity to work with alumni from the firm you are applying to, mention it. This shows that you have an idea of what working there looks like.

To conclude, back up the reasons why you want to join a company with one of these sources of information, and you’ll show the readers that you researched the company and thus demonstrate real interest .

Step 5.3: Finally, Explain Why This Reason Is Important For You

Now, it’s time to make it personal. 

As for your skills  (read again writing tip 6, “Show your personality in your cover letter” if necessary),  explain why this particular reason is important for you .

For instance, you can explain why working for a global market leader such as McKinsey is important:

You are excited by the opportunity to work on impactful projects. 

Another example:

You can explain why the focus of Bain & Company on having an impact is important for you: you need to have tangible results from your work.

Step 5.4: Repeat The Previous Steps 1 Or 2 Times

Try to give a minimum of 2 (and a maximum of 3) reasons why you want to join a particular firm.

Therefore, repeat the previous steps 1 or 2 times.

Step 6: say why you want to pursue a career in consulting (optional)

This section is optional. 

90% of the time, your management consulting cover letter should NOT include this section .

If you need to include this section, keep it short. 

My recommendation is a maximum of 3 or 4 lines.

And to do so, the process is simple.

First, select one or two reasons you want to pursue a career in consulting.

Here are some examples of reasons to pursue a career in consulting:  

consulting cover letter

Second, explain why this reason is important for you .

For instance, why is having an impact important for you?

Or why is working in an environment with a strong learning curve important for you?

Again, keep your answers concise.

Step 7: end with a call to action (mandatory)

This is your call to action.

Thank the readers for their time, and let them know you’re excited to be interviewed.

I would welcome the chance to discuss further your expectations and how my analytical, leadership, and communication skills can bring value to McKinsey.

Always be polite and respectful in your close.

Let them know how eager you are to be interviewed, but never make demands.

Paul's McKinsey Cover Letter: Signature

Step 8: add your consulting cover letter signature

Sign off your letter with a “Best” or “Best regards” (remember to include a comma), followed by your name.

You can use other phrases like “Yours sincerely,” “Kind regards,” or “Best wishes,” but “Best” or “Best regards” are the safest options.

Step 9: proofread and check typos

Now it’s time to polish your consulting cover letter to ensure it stands out.

Like your resume,  your cover letter is one of the few things in your life that needs to be perfect .

Thus, you must put the same attention to detail in your cover letter as Consultants do with their slide deck presentations.

In other words, perfection is the minimum standard your cover letter must pass to keep it out of the rejection pile.

Pay close attention to the following areas to make your cover letter bulletproof.

Imagine finding out that your application — the one you spent hours working on — was dismissed because of a few small spelling or grammar errors. 

That would be tough to take.

But it happens.

Hiring managers must review hundreds of resumes and cover letters.

And typos are one of the easiest ways to narrow applicants down . 

So, double or triple-check your cover letter.

When you’ve done that, have someone else read over it.

#2: Formatting Errors

Large blocks of text are hard work on the eyes, especially on a screen. 

Therefore, keep sentences short and limit paragraphs to three or four sentences.

Moreover, I recommend using bullet points when describing your most critical skills and achievements . 

Another thing to remember is that your cover letter and resume will be read together, so the two should be consistent in how they look. 

Thus, match the style of your cover letter to your consulting resume .

To help you, I have put a cover letter template at the end of this article.

In addition, you can find a resume template in this article .

#3: Any Trace of Copy And Paste

The  “I am writing to apply for the role of  [job]  at  [company] ”  example from a previous cover letter is classic copy-and-paste.

Anything non-specific or generic immediately has the hiring manager wondering how many other people you’ve tried to impress with your robotic writing . 

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use copy-and-paste templates.

It just means you shouldn’t make it obvious that you do.

#4: Too Many Words

According to a survey by Saddleback College, almost 70% of employers want a cover letter to be less than one page.

24% say that the shorter, the better.

Generally, your consulting cover letter should be less than 500 words and fit on a single page . 

Let me repeat because it’s important:

Your consulting cover letter must be on one page.

#5: File Name And Type

First, use the PDF format when submitting your cover letter to a consulting firm unless otherwise specified by the company or recruiter.

Besides, when assigning a file name to your cover letter, include your first and last name along with the name of the company you’re applying to in the name of the file, like “Sébastien Ritter Cover Letter McKinsey.”

Step 10: get your cover letter reviewed by an expert

To ensure your consulting cover letter is error-free, share it (with this article 😉) with your friends and ask for feedback.

But do not ask all your friends.

Instead, focus on these three people: a grammar champion, an HR person (preferably in the consulting industry, but non-consulting HR is fine, too), and a Consultant.

Step 11: complement your cover letter with a great CV

I recommend focusing your time and energy on your consulting resume before writing your cover letter. 

Because recruiters say they spend a maximum of 60 seconds deciding whether a candidate should be invited for an interview, they probably start by figuring out whether you have the skillset and education required for the job.

And that’s the purpose of the resume .

For instance, I recommend spending 80% of your time writing your CV and 20% writing your cover letter.  

Check this article that will help you craft your CV .

You’ll find a step-by-step guide, templates, and examples to help you craft a perfect consulting resume. 

My best consulting cover letter tips

In 2023, I analyzed 147 management consulting cover letters . 

As a result, here are my 7 best cover letter tips. 

And here is the best part:

You’ll also learn the most common mistakes to avoid at all costs. 

Consulting cover letter tip 1: Personalize your letter for each firm

Never send a generic cover letter.

This implies that you must create a new one for each firm.

Consulting cover letter tip 2: Simplify your letter

Clarify and condense your message.

Using complicated words and sentences would almost certainly fail to convey your intentions to the company, and the person reading the letter probably won’t bother with the rest of your application.

Consulting cover letter tip 3: Be specific when needed

Make sure to quantify your accomplishments.

For instance, elaborate on your marketing expertise in your cover letter by stating that you increased revenue to $10,000 while bringing in 200 more clients monthly.

Having specific personal information can help you stand out from other applicants.

Consulting cover letter tip 4: Omit unnecessary details

Let’s state the obvious:

You don’t need to mention your graphic design experience.

Personal information like accomplishments in leisure activities, interests, and hobbies are best left out.

Consulting cover letter tip 5: Show Your Value

When applying for consulting positions, it’s a common error for candidates to focus only on their individual accomplishments.

Cover letters with many “me memes” are frequently read by recruiters.

This means that rather than emphasizing how they can contribute to the company (and eventually become partners), many applicants concentrate on how they will personally benefit from the position in question.

In your cover letter, highlight how your skills will help the company.

Consulting cover letter tip 6: Remember that spelling counts

Grammar and spelling mistakes can indicate that you neglected to proofread your own letter.

Additionally, be consistent—do not represent a dash with “—” in one location and “–” in another.

Consulting cover letter tip 7: Give Yourself Time to Write a Quality Letter

A strong consulting cover letter takes time to write, just like consulting resumes do.

It’s important to consider your accomplishments and what sets you apart from others if you want to be successful.

Think twice before assuming you can create a quality cover letter in a single evening.

It necessitates numerous revisions, careful rereading, and prompt feedback.

Additionally, you must ensure that the cover letter complements your resume flawlessly and elaborates on your impressive abilities and experiences.

Four consulting cover letter examples

In the next 4 sections, you can find sample cover letters for McKinsey, BCG, and Bain & Company.

McKinsey cover letter (Undergraduate)

Now, you can see a first consulting cover letter sample.

That’s the McKinsey cover letter used by Paul. 

Please note that this Junior Consultant cover letter (or a cover letter for the Associate Consultant position) can also work for other positions. 

Paul's McKinsey Cover Letter

BCG cover letter (experienced hire)

Here is now a BCG cover letter from an experienced hire.  

BCG cover letter (experienced hire)

Bain cover letter (Undergraduate)

Here is now a Bain & Company cover letter from an undergraduate student.  

Bain cover letter (Undergraduate)

Bonus: McKinsey cover letter from FirmLearning

Here is another McKinsey cover letter example from the YouTube channel Firm learning:

Do you want more consulting cover letter samples?

Then sign up for our free training !

In this free training, you’ll find consulting cover letter samples and tips on acing your consulting interviews at top management consulting firms.

And you’ll improve your problem-solving skills!

Consulting cover letter templates

Do not reinvent the wheel.

Thus, you can download free consulting cover letter Word or PDF templates to fasten the writing process .

These detailed templates will help you correctly outline your management consulting cover letter.

You can use these templates to apply to any top-tier consulting firms, including the following:

  • Bain & Company
  • Oliver Wyman
  • Roland Berger
  • Deloitte Monitor
  • Strategy&
  • E&Y Parthenon
  • And many more.

If you need help writing your resume, these templates will help you.

Here is the Word template .

And here is the PDF template .

Besides, check this article to download consulting resume templates and examples.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a cover letter be.

Aim at 2–4 paragraphs within one page.

Do I need a cover letter?

I ALWAYS recommend adding a cover letter to your application .

Because a well-written cover letter will always distinguish your application.

If a resume shows your  Skills and Accomplishments, a consulting cover letter must show your Personality and Motivation.

In other words, a great cover letter is your chance to say something about yourself that you can not put in your resume.

And for securing your dream consulting job, any advantage you can gain over other candidates to land an interview is worth taking.

A good consulting cover letter is one such advantage.

This article helps showcase your personality and motivation in your consulting cover letter.

Also, here is what recruiters say will get an application rejected (source: careerbuilder.com ):

Cause Of Rejection: no cover letter

Not submitting a consulting cover letter is a risk of rejection . 

How to organize your consulting cover letter sections?

Short answer: the order of the sections does not matter much.

For instance, you can organize your management consulting cover letter like this:

  • Why consulting

Or you can organize the sections of your management cover letter differently. 

There is no one-size-fits-all management consulting cover letter winning order.

Consulting cover letter: final words

I hope you found this new guide to writing a persuasive, customized cover letter for consulting jobs helpful. 

Now I’d like to hear what you have to say:

Which tip from today’s post was the most helpful for you?

Is it how to show your personality?

Or maybe it is how to express your motivation for a particular firm.

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

P.S. Are you looking for help?

If you want a team of experts by your side throughout the entire consulting recruitment process, check if we would be a good fit by clicking here .

Besides, check our clients’ success stories .

We’ve helped hundreds of candidates get offers at top consulting firms around the globe. 

The best part?

Those candidates had various backgrounds: MBAs, Engineers, PhDs, experienced professionals, etc.

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18 thoughts on “Consulting Cover Letter: a step-by-step guide (2024)”

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consulting cover letter

The only useful and structured cover letter writing article on the whole internet!

consulting cover letter

Happy that you enjoyed the article, Anthony 🙂

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consulting cover letter

I didnt realise how much i need this article, till i read it . Truly helpful , Thanks Sebastien 🙂

Thanks! glad you found it helpful!

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consulting cover letter

Brilliant brilliant work, Sebastien! Thank you very much. The best I have come across so far.

Thank you very much Samuel!

consulting cover letter

Wow, this paragraph is pleasant, my sister is analyzing such things, so I am going to inform her.

consulting cover letter

Great article to read, all the tips are great….

Thanks! I’m glad you like it

consulting cover letter

Ththank you very much for the article which was very interesting, just like the one about the CV!

However, I was wondering if following this structure in 3 adjectives and form could not be penalizing since many people have already followed your article?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Hi Thomas. Thank you for your comment, and I’m glad you’ve liked this article! Regarding your question, besides the structure described in this article, the content (the reasons why you are interested in a firm and why these reasons are important for you) will make your CL unique. Hope this helps, Sébastien

consulting cover letter

I never write comments like this on the internet but felt compelled to express my gratitude. This, and the resume writing article, are the most thoughtful and helpful guides I have ever read on this topic. Although I am a teacher in England (not an American consultant!) I found all the advice to be completely transferrable and have done a major overhaul on my CV. Thank you for being so clear and thorough in your advice – I have shared it with my colleagues and will continue to spread the word to anyone who needs CV writing advice in any profession.

Thank you Emily for the nice comment

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Every year, more than 1 million candidates apply for a consulting role in McKinsey.

[ Click here to directly go to the Consulting cover letter sample ]

But only 10,000 people get the final offer. That’s a 1% success rate .

The top 3 consulting companies, McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company , are some of the most selective companies when it comes to hiring.

Most people don’t know this, but they start their selection process by screening the cover letter and consulting resumes .

More than 80% of resumes and cover letters are rejected before the first screening. Less than 15% of candidates get called for interviews in the big three consulting firms.

So, if you think, " How do I become a consultant? How to write a consulting cover letter that gets me the consulting job?” - This blog is for you.

Consulting cover letters are very different from traditional cover letters for jobs. In this guide to writing a consulting cover letter, we’ll tell you everything you need to write on the consulting cover letter to stand out from your competitors.

In this blog, we will discuss:

  • What is a consulting cover letter?
  • What are the things recruiters look for in a cover cetter?
  • How to structure a consulting cover letter?
  • How to write an effective consulting cover letter?
  • 5 tips to write a stellar consulting cover letter
  • Consulting cover letter dample

We’ll also share five consulting cover letter examples to help you get an interview.

What Is a Consulting Cover Letter?

A consulting cover letter is an adjacent document with your consulting resume that helps you introduce your skills and accomplishments to the hiring managers.

It’s an essential part of your application, especially for big three consulting firms, because it’s easy for recruiters to quickly sort bad candidates based on the quality of a cover letter, lack of attention to detail, etc.

However, if done correctly, consulting cover letters is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd and get yourself a job interview.

You don’t have enough space to elaborate on your experiences on a resume. But with a cover letter, you can expand on your experiences and explain the reasons for some potential red flags on your resume.

Why do you have a job gap? Why do you have a low GPA? You can explain the reasons for that in the cover letter.

In short, your consulting cover letter is the deciding factor for getting a job in a big consulting company.

What Recruiters Look for in a Consulting Cover Letter?

The recruiters look for a candidate who has excellent communication and leadership skills. They look into the applicant's skills and experience to understand if they have the qualities to become a successful consultant.

Recruiters look for mainly four aspects from a consultant cover letter. These are:

  • Does the candidate have the relevant skills and experience required for the job?
  • Does the candidate have a clear idea of what the company does?
  • Is the candidate interested in working with the company?
  • Does the candidate have excellent communication skills?

element-of-consulting-cover-letter

If you want to create an outstanding consulting cover letter, you need to address all four points in your letter.

How to Structure a Management Consulting Cover Letter?

A perfect management consulting cover letter must have six distinct elements.

  • Opening Paragraph
  • Closing Paragraph
  • Your Signature

Consulting Cover Letter: Header

This is a mandatory part of any professional letter. The header section must include

  • Candidate’s name
  • Phone Number
  • Your Location

Even if your resume has all this information, you need to add these to your cover letter.

Salutation is an essential part of the consulting cover letter. Never start your cover letter with “To whom it may concern.” It will not get you the job.

Instead, find out who is the recruiter or hiring manager and address the cover letter directly to them.

If you don’t identify who the hiring manager is, you can address the letter to the recruitment team. For example:

Dear members of the BCG Recruitment Team, To Bain Recruitment Team,

Consulting Cover Letter: Opening Paragraph

The first sentence of your consulting cover letter is the perfect opportunity to hook the reader’s attention. And the second sentence should state the role you are applying for and how you learned about the position. The third sentence should describe why you are interested in the company you are applying for.

Do some initial research and craft a personalized and customized opening paragraph for the Consulting cover letter. If you can do that, you will improve your chance of getting shortlisted by 1000%.

Here is an example of the Opening Paragraph of a consulting cover letter:

I am a 4+ years experienced digital marketing professional working with top SaaS brands to help them generate $100M in sales year on year. I’m highly pleased to apply for the Associate Consultant position at McKinsey. I appreciate McKinsey’s leadership and sales practices to provide an outstanding experience to clients.

Consulting Cover Letter - Body

The consulting cover letter body part should explain your key accomplishments, experience, and why you are a good fit for the firm.

Don’t write a generic consulting cover letter body. Research the consulting firm, go to their website and understand the qualities they are looking for. After that, you can start creating the body of the consulting cover letter.

Below is a consulting cover letter example of the body paragraph:

body-of-consulting-cover-letter

Consulting Cover Letter- Closing Paragraph

The closing paragraph is where you place the call to action to encourage the recruiters to take action. It must be short and to the point.

Here’s an example of the Closing Paragraph of Consulting Cover Letter:

Closing-of-consulting-cover-letter

Consulting Cover Letter - Ending Signature

This is a formality for any type of professional letter. There are different types of closing signatures. Such as:

Thanking You Thanks and Regards Best Regards Sincerely Thank You

How to Write an Effective Consulting Cover Letter - Formatting

It’s not enough to have great content for the consulting cover letter; You need to format it professionally to get the most out of it.

Here are some formatting tips to help you create the consulting cover letter:

Keep it Under 1 Page:

The consulting cover letter should not be more than one page. Recruiters don’t have much time to give to one single candidate. And in this time, if you create a 2-page cover letter, the maximum chance is that recruiters will ignore your application.

Use 1-inch Margin:

A 1-inch margin is standard for any professional cover letter. A margin of less than 1 inch makes your cover letter look cramped. A 1-inch margin ensures enough whitespace to make the letter easily readable.

Use Professional Font:

Always use a professional font in the consulting cover letter. Some professional fonts are:

  • Times New Roman

Also, ensure to keep the font size to 12 points. It makes the cover letter very easy to read.

Save the Cover Letter in PDF

Make sure to submit the cover letter in PDF format. It ensures that your cover letter format is intact, no matter who views it.

10 Tips for Writing a Consulting Cover Letter

Writing a solid consulting cover letter allows you to present your candidacy to the hiring managers. Here is a list of tips for writing a stellar consulting cover letter.

1. Research the Company Requirements

Interviewing candidates is expensive; it takes time and money to get excellent people on board.

So, the company also wants to ensure that the candidate they are interviewing is interested in the job.

Therefore, consulting firms look for signs that:

  • You’ve researched the company
  • You have a proper motivation or reason for entering into consulting
  • You have a good answer to why you’re the right fit for the company
  • You have impeccable speaking and writing skills

Use your cover letter to showcase that you have all the signs that a consulting firm looks for in a candidate. This will set you apart from the rest of the candidates.

2. Link Cover Letter To Resume

Your cover letter should complement your resume and strengthen your candidacy.

Start the cover letter with unique experiences and skills to hook the recruiter’s interests.

In resumes, there is less space to explain anything to the recruiter. You can complement it by going into detail about your achievements and skills in the cover letter.

Here are some points consulting firms look for in a consulting cover letter:

  • Big brand name: If you are from a reputed university or worked with reputed brands
  • Good Academic Performance: 3.5+ GPA
  • Leadership experience and good communication skills
  • Excellent Analytical Skills
  • The ratio of your accomplishments and career year: the more experience you have, the more accomplishments you should get

3. Don’t Use a Standard Cover Letter Template

Writing a cover letter is difficult. It takes a lot of contemplating and self-reflection to make it right. You have to edit and rewrite the cover letter multiple times to make it interesting.

Some candidates try to use standardized cover letter templates to avoid the pain of writing a cover letter.

This is a big mistake, mainly if you apply to prestigious consulting firms. The recruiters in these organizations are experienced in identifying a standard cover letter.

Don’t write a consulting cover letter for the sake of it. Write the cover letter to make each sentence count and help you get closer to your dream job.

4. Use Evidence-based Storytelling

Everyone loves a good story. And in your cover letter as well, you should tell the story of your experience, don’t list down your skills and accomplishments without any context.

Demonstrate how various experiences have given you certain skills that nobody has.

For example, instead of saying you have led marketing campaigns in your past organizations, you can say that You’ve managed a marketing budget of $50,000 and coordinated with the content team to launch two successful campaigns and generated $5mn sales.

This is evidence-based storytelling, and this gives more context to the recruiter about your experience and helps them evaluate your skills.

5. Avoid Repeating Things on Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter and resume go hand in hand — they should complement each other, but they should not be the same.

You can reference elements of your resume but focus on aspects that aren't covered very well there or put a different spin on things, so it's still interesting for them to read about it again.

6. Pick Your Best Stories And Accomplishments

A cover letter is an opportunity to tell great stories from your work experience that are relevant to the consulting firm you're applying to.

If you have accomplishments, such as helping previous employers save money or increase profits, put these front and center where hiring managers won't miss them. Don't just list your skills — explain how they helped your previous employers meet their goals.

However, make sure to include only 2-3 such stories. And keep them short and crisp. Nobody has the time to read through a 2-page cover letter.

7. Quantify Your Results and Impact

Consulting firms want to know that you have the potential to deliver results for their clients — so make sure you mention how much impact or value you've created in past jobs or internships. For example: "I helped ABC Company reduce its customer service costs by 20%." Or: "I generated $100K in annual savings for XYZ Company through process improvement initiatives."

8. Keep Your Cover Letter Crisp

Many consulting firms get hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for each job opening. It's important to keep your cover letter as brief as possible so that recruiters don't lose interest.

Keep your cover letter to a maximum of one page. The most successful cover letters have three identifiable sections: who you are, why you are applying and why the firm should hire you. This can be covered in three paragraphs or about 300 words.

9. Namedrop Employees You Have Talked to

If there is someone at the firm who referred you or whom you have spoken to about this position, mention them by name in your cover letter, preferably in the first paragraph. This will help the reader to associate your application with that particular employee. It will also help if that person has put in a good word for you!

10. Double-check You're Addressing The Cover Letter Properly

Address the right firm. Take the time to research the firm and make sure your cover letter is addressed to the right person.

Most firms will have information on their websites about who is in charge of recruiting.

The more personal you can make the cover letter, the better for you.

Failing to address your cover letter correctly may be discarded without even being read.

Here’s a Management Consulting Cover Letter Sample For Your Reference:

Frequently asked questions:, do all consulting firms require cover letter.

Most consulting firms keep cover letters as an optional document. However, you must add your cover letter with your resume to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Writing a unique cover letter can help you stand out from the crowd.

What if The Cover Letters are Optional?

Consulting firms like McKinsey and BCG have made their cover letters optional.

It certainly helps the candidates with strong resumes to get out of the hassle of creating a cover letter. However, if you have some red flags on your resume, such as a low GPA or an employment gap, you should write a cover letter to explain these potential red flags to the recruiters and increase your chances of getting hired.

Key Takeaways

Writing a consulting cover letter doesn’t have to be complicated. Just remember the following tips:

  • Write a proper cover letter header and ensure that you are not making any mistakes in your contact information
  • Always start the cover letter with a proper and professional salutation
  • The first paragraph of the consulting cover letter should hook the recruiter to read the whole cover letter
  • In the second paragraph, explain your experiences and show why you are the perfect candidate for the job
  • Always end the consulting cover letter with a call to action

If you want to create a consulting cover letter, go to the Hiration Cover Letter Builder tool and pick from 20+ consulting cover letter templates to make an excellent one for yourself.

If you have further questions, reach out to us at [email protected] , and we will be happy to help you out.

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How to Write the Perfect Consulting Cover Letter (McKinsey, BCG, Bain)

the image is the cover of the article on how to create a consulting cover letter

Last Updated on January 22, 2024

In the highly competitive world of consulting, crafting an exceptional cover letter can significantly elevate your application. Statistics reveal a startling reality: only about 1-3% of applicants secure an offer from top-tier consulting firms like McKinsey , BCG , and Bain . This underscores the crucial role of the cover letter and resume in surpassing the initial screening phase, which is a great hurdle where up to 75% of hopefuls are filtered out.

Your journey through the rigorous recruiting process typically begins with networking and securing a referral. However, what truly sets your application apart is a well-structured, compelling consulting cover letter. This initial impression can be a decisive factor in advancing to the next stages, including aptitude tests and interviews.

the image is a chart on the breakdown of mbb offer rates through the different stages from screening to the interviews

How can you make sure to belong to the 25% that progress to the aptitude tests and interviews?

In this guide, we delve into the intricacies of crafting a cover letter that not only captures attention but also resonates with the values and expectations of these esteemed consulting firms. We cover exactly that and answer all your questions related to:

  • Why you should not underestimate the importance of the cover letter (but also not overestimate it)
  • How you should structure your cover letter
  • What content you should include in the cover letter
  • How you should design the cover letter
  • What pitfalls and common mistakes you should avoid

The Purpose of Your Consulting Cover Letter

First things first. The cover letter is important but most sources overestimate its importance. If you were to rank it in order of importance for an interview invitation it would look like this:

  • Resume . This is your gateway to the consulting world. A well-crafted resume showcasing your experiences and skills is essential for opening doors at prestigious firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. It’s the first touchpoint that narrates your professional journey.
  • Referrals . Leveraging referrals can significantly enhance your application. A robust network , comprising varied sources and higher-ups, lends credibility and warrants a more attentive review of your application. In certain cases, strong referrals can even balance out minor gaps in your resume.
  • Cover letter. If recruiters spend 20 seconds per resume, how much time do you think they will spend on a 1-page wall of text? You guessed it…yet that is exactly the reason why you should put effort into the creation of it. You need to make sure that your story transpires within a short amount of time. Doubts from the resume can be eliminated, and stories and skills that are especially relevant can be highlighted.

While the resume is a chronological display of your experience and skills, the cover letter tells a more personal story to answer three core questions:

  • Personal Fit (Why are you a good candidate?): Highlight why you’re an ideal candidate, weaving in stories and skills that align with the consulting ethos.
  • Passion for Consulting (Why do you want to work in consulting?): Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field and articulate your understanding of its dynamics.
  • Firm-Specific Aspirations (Why do you want to work for this firm?): Detail why you’re choosing a particular firm, aligning your career goals with their values and culture.

Lastly, the cover letter is your chance to demonstrate two meta-skills. It is more than just a narrative. It’s a testament to your ability to:

  • Draft Professional Documents : Showcasing your skill in creating well-structured, formal documents.
  • Communicate Effectively : The ability to convey your thoughts concisely and compellingly, in a manner that resonates with the consulting world’s preference for clarity and brevity.

Get the help you need to transform your consulting application into a success.

the image is the cover of the strategycase.com cover letter and resume guide for mckinsey, bcg, and bain

Crafting the Ideal Structure and Content

A standout consulting cover letter is a crucial component of your application, particularly for coveted roles at MBB ). In general, a cover letter needs to consist of three parts:

Introduction: A Compelling Opening (1 short paragraph)

  • Purpose : Kickstart your cover letter with an engaging introduction that grabs the attention of recruiters or consultants.
  • Key Elements : Clearly state the consulting role you’re targeting, the preferred office location, and any crucial networking references. This opening serves as a crucial first impression, setting the tone for your application.

Body: Demonstrating Fit and Passion (3 paragraphs)

  • Your Candidacy : This is where you shine, linking your unique experiences and skills to the role’s requirements. Adopt a storytelling approach, sharing 2-4 impactful narratives that encompass both your educational and professional journeys. Focus on moments that define you as an outstanding candidate, like leading significant initiatives or unique personal achievements. This is the core of the cover letter and should link your personal experience and skills with the demands of the role. Move into storytelling mode and describe how different experiences prepared you for the role you are applying for. It is especially important in this highlight-reel to celebrate and quantify your successes. You need to make sure to incorporate stories that make you a memorable character (”Ah Sarah, she was the one biking through South America with a tent, raising money for charity.”).
  • Your Drive for Consulting : Second, discuss why consulting is the best industry for you to work in. Connect your past experiences to the core competencies of consulting. Link your experience and skills to the type of work and qualities needed in consulting. This could include leadership roles, analytical projects, or impactful community work. Emphasize how these experiences align with the demanding yet rewarding nature of consulting, including aspects like diverse project work, talented and exceptional colleagues, steep learning curves, and early-career impact.
  • Your Desire for MBB : Third, discuss why you want to work for the respective consulting firm. Tailor this section to the specific firm and highlight 2-4 aspects of the firm that resonate with you, such as their project diversity, professional development opportunities, or their esteemed reputation. Personalize this part by referencing any interactions or insights about the firm from your network or research.

Conclusion: A Strong Closure (1 short paragraph)

  • Summarization : Conclude with a concise summary of your motivation and suitability for the role. Reaffirm your enthusiasm and readiness to contribute to the firm, keeping the tone professional and earnest.

Creating the Content for Your Cover Letter

When structuring your consulting cover letter, a strategic approach is to directly align it with the specific characteristics that your target firm values in candidates.

For instance, if you’re aiming for McKinsey, visit the values and purpose statement on their website to understand precisely what they seek in prospective consultants. McKinsey, like every consulting firm, has a set of core values driving their recruitment process, such as problem-solving skills, leadership abilities, a track record of delivering innovation, and a passion for the work.

In crafting your cover letter, it’s essential to weave the key attributes sought by your target consulting firm intelligently throughout the narrative. Each paragraph should be centered around a specific characteristic that the firm values, such as leadership or problem-solving skills. Identify moments from both your professional and personal life that vividly demonstrate these attributes, selecting the most compelling instance if you have several to choose from.

For each attribute, construct a narrative that outlines the context of the experience, your specific actions, and the measurable outcomes, ensuring to quantify these achievements when possible. This strategic approach seamlessly integrates the reasons why you are an ideal candidate for firms like McKinsey, Bain, or BCG, thereby eliminating the need for an explicit statement. Your stories will implicitly convey your suitability for the role. When addressing the question of “Why consulting?”, a brief mention suffices as your examples will have already demonstrated your comprehension of the consulting industry’s requisites.

This technique is particularly advantageous for those with unique backgrounds or for experienced professionals, as it distinctly showcases how their experiences align with the firm’s values and expectations.

Example of a Consulting Cover Letter

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

I am writing to express my interest in the [specific consulting role] at McKinsey & Company in the [city] office. Having been referred by [Referral’s Name], a [Position] at your firm, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to the innovative work McKinsey is known for.

My journey in consulting began unconventionally, as a leader in a non-profit organization, where I spearheaded a project to increase educational access in underprivileged areas. This experience, combined with my MBA from [University Name], has equipped me with a unique blend of grassroots-level impact understanding and strategic business acumen. Notably, leading a team to develop a sustainable funding model, we enhanced educational outreach by 150% within two years, demonstrating my ability to drive significant results in challenging environments. In my recent role at [Your Current/Previous Company], I navigated complex stakeholder environments to deliver a pivotal market expansion strategy, leading to a 30% increase in market share. This experience honed my analytical skills and ability to deliver actionable insights under pressure, qualities I understand are paramount at McKinsey.

The dynamic nature of consulting, with its diverse project work and intellectually stimulating environment, deeply resonates with me. The prospect of working alongside and learning from some of the brightest minds is particularly appealing, as is the opportunity to have a tangible impact early in my career. My experiences have prepared me to thrive in such a setting, where every day presents a new challenge and learning opportunity.

McKinsey’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions and its unparalleled professional development programs are key factors that draw me to your firm. The firm’s global impact and leadership in tackling complex business and societal challenges align perfectly with my professional goals and values.

In conclusion, I am excited about the possibility of joining McKinsey & Company and am confident in my ability to make a meaningful contribution. My background in leading impactful initiatives and delivering results in complex environments, coupled with my passion for continuous learning and growth, make me a well-suited candidate for the [specific role]. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my experiences and skills align with McKinsey’s needs and ambitions.

[Your Name]

Formatting Your Consulting Cover Letter: A Professional Blueprint

A well-formatted cover letter not only reflects your professionalism but also your attention to detail – key traits in the consulting world. Here’s how to structure your letter to meet the industry’s standard formatting requirements:

  • Header with Personal Information : At the top, include your name and address. This can be aligned to the left, right, or centered for a balanced look.
  • Recipient’s Address : Directly below your information, list the recipient’s details on the left-hand side. This should include the name and address of the consulting firm or the specific individual you’re addressing.
  • Date : Place the date on the right-hand side of the page. Remember to spell out the month for clarity (e.g., “1 April 2024” in the UK format or “April 1, 2024” in the US format).
  • Reference Number (if applicable) : If your application has a specific reference number, include it on the left-hand side, such as “Ref: Job Application XYZ123”.
  • Salutation : Begin your letter with a proper salutation, addressing the recipient respectfully.
  • Closing : Conclude your letter with a formal sign-off like “Yours sincerely” (UK) or “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, or “Sincerely yours” (US).
  • Signature : Below the closing, leave space for your handwritten signature, followed by your typed name.
  • Enclosures : If you’re including additional documents, list them under “Enclosures:” at the bottom of the letter.
  • Typography and Margins : Use a standard font size (12) and a professional font like Times New Roman. Maintain standard margins and avoid overcrowding the page to enhance readability.

Following these formatting guidelines, your cover letter will not only look professional but also demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively in a business environment, a critical skill in consulting. The cover letter is not the time for experiments and by sticking to the generally agreed upon guidelines, you will facilitate the work of the recruiters.

Essential Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Consulting Cover Letter

Crafting an impactful cover letter for a consulting role involves not just highlighting your strengths but also avoiding common mistakes. Here’s a checklist to help you steer clear of these pitfalls:

  • Avoid Introducing Unfamiliar Information : Ensure that every degree, job, or skill mentioned in your cover letter is also present in your resume. Consistency is key.
  • Eliminate Redundant Information : Your cover letter should not merely repeat what’s in your resume. Instead, it should complement and expand upon it.
  • Adhere to the One-Page Rule : A concise, one-page cover letter is a standard in the industry. Exceeding this length can diminish the impact of your message.
  • Foster a Personal Connection : Strive to establish a personal link with the firm or the recruiter. Mention referrals or specific interactions with the firm or individuals to make your application more relatable.
  • Back Up Your Claims : Any skill or achievement you mention should be substantiated with a relevant story or example. This adds credibility to your assertions.
  • Relevance is Crucial : Focus on experiences and skills that are directly relevant to the consulting role. Irrelevant emphasis can dilute the strength of your application.
  • Incorporate Storytelling : Use storytelling to vividly bring out your experiences and skills. This makes your application memorable and engaging.
  • Customize for the Firm : Tailor your cover letter to reflect your knowledge of and alignment with the firm’s values, culture, and unique selling points (USP).
  • Be Cautious with Templates : Avoid the blunder of using incorrect company names or information, a common mistake when using a generic template for multiple applications.
  • Prioritize Proofreading : Grammar, spelling, and typographical errors can significantly undermine your professionalism. Meticulous proofreading is essential.

By diligently avoiding these common errors, you can ensure that your consulting cover letter not only showcases your qualifications but also demonstrates your attention to detail and your understanding of what makes a successful consulting application.

Crafting Your Consulting Cover Letter: A Step-by-Step Process

Creating a standout cover letter for a consulting position is a meticulous process that benefits from careful planning and thoughtful revision. Here’s a guide to crafting yours:

  • Structure Planning : Begin by organizing the high-level structure of your cover letter. Use the recommended format of introduction, body, and conclusion to ensure a coherent flow.
  • Detail Gathering : Compile all the necessary information you wish to include, such as specific names, references, dates, and pertinent anecdotes or experiences.
  • Initial Drafting with Bullet Points : Start by writing a first draft in bullet points. This helps in laying out your ideas succinctly and focusing on key points without getting bogged down by details.
  • Seek Initial Feedback : Share this bullet-point draft with a friend, mentor, or colleague. Constructive feedback at this early stage can be invaluable in shaping the direction and content of your cover letter.
  • Expand to Full Paragraphs : Transform your bullet points into well-crafted paragraphs. This is where you begin to add depth to your narrative, ensuring each section flows logically into the next.
  • Further Feedback and Refinement : Seek additional feedback on this more developed version. Use the insights gained to fine-tune your message, ensuring it aligns with the principles of effective, concise consulting communication.
  • Consistency Check with Resume : Ensure that your cover letter complements your resume. It should add to, not repeat, what is in your resume, providing a fuller picture of your qualifications and fit for the role.
  • Concise and Clear Writing : “Trim the fat” by eliminating unnecessary words or phrases. Aim for clarity and brevity in your sentences, ensuring each word adds value to your message.
  • Formatting Adjustments : Fine-tune the formatting to adhere to professional standards – one page, legible font (like Times New Roman), appropriate font size (typically 12), and correct formalities (such as your name and address).
  • Meticulous Proofreading : Use tools like MS Word for an initial grammar and spell check. Then, carefully proofread your cover letter multiple times. It’s also wise to have someone else review it, providing a fresh perspective on both content and form.

With this process, you can develop a compelling and polished consulting cover letter that effectively communicates your strengths and fit for the consulting role you are aspiring to.

Does McKinsey Require a Cover Letter?

When it comes to McKinsey & Company, the requirement for a cover letter in your application may not be as stringent as you might think. In most McKinsey offices worldwide, submitting a cover letter is an optional part of the application process. This means that including one does not significantly influence the overall assessment of your application.

However, this doesn’t imply that a cover letter is without merit. If you’ve already crafted a compelling cover letter for applications to other firms, it’s advisable to tailor it specifically for McKinsey. Adjust key details such as the referral source, the targeted office location, the role you’re applying for, and the company’s name. This personalized touch demonstrates your genuine interest in McKinsey and your attention to detail.

Additionally, it boils down to how well your resume speaks for itself. If your resume already paints a clear picture of you as a prime candidate for a firm like McKinsey, then a cover letter might not be necessary. Here are some key indicators that your resume is doing the talking for you:

  • Outstanding Academic Record : A high GPA always catches the eye.
  • Core School Credentials : Graduating from or attending a school regularly visited by the firm ( a target school ) for recruitment gives you an edge.
  • Relevant Educational Background : Degrees like an undergrad in business or economics, or an MBA, align well with what consulting firms look for.
  • Solid Evidence of Key Skills : If your resume vividly showcases your leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities through work and volunteer experiences, you’re on the right track.

However, if you feel your resume might leave some room for doubt about your suitability for the consulting world, or the firm specifically, then adding a cover letter can bolster your application. This is your chance to fill in any gaps and directly communicate why you’re a great fit for both the industry and the firm. Think of the cover letter as your personal advocate, underlining your potential and passion for the role.

It’s important to note, though, that the cover letter might not be a focal point during the interview stages. The consultants conducting your case interviews and Personal Experience Interviews (PEIs) typically do not review cover letters as part of their interview preparation. Therefore, while including a well-tailored cover letter can add a polished edge to your application, it’s unlikely to be a discussion point in your interviews.

Elevate Your Consulting Application with Our Expertise

Are you aiming for a breakthrough in your consulting career with firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain or any other consulting firm? Our specialized cover letter and resume services are here to guide you through this critical phase. With our team’s background as former consultants and application screeners at McKinsey, we bring insider knowledge to your application process. We’ve scrutinized hundreds of applications, granting us unique insights into what truly makes a candidate stand out.

Tailored Guidance for Standout Applications

  • Comprehensive Resources : Dive into our extensive guides and templates specifically designed for crafting the ideal consulting resume and cover letter. These resources are tailored to meet the expectations of the top consulting firms.
  • In-Depth Exploration : We delve deeply into every facet of crafting a winning consulting resume and cover letter. Our materials provide you with the essential stories, phrases, and keywords that capture the attention of consulting recruiters.
  • Efficiency in Preparation : Our ready-to-use samples and templates are designed not just for effectiveness but also to streamline your preparation process significantly.

Personalized Document Writing and Review

  • Hand-Crafted Excellence : In addition to our guides and templates, we offer a personalized screening service. Here, we write, review, and fine-tune your resume and cover letter, ensuring they are tailored to perfection for your dream consulting role.
  • Editing Services : Benefit from our editing services, where we refine your documents to align with the high standards of firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. We focus on enhancing your story, ensuring your skills and experiences resonate with consulting recruiters.

Let us help you create application documents that not only meet the high standards of top consulting firms but also reflect your unique strengths and aspirations.

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Florian spent 5 years with McKinsey as a senior consultant. He is an experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach, having interviewed 100s of candidates in real and mock interviews. He started StrategyCase.com to make top-tier consulting firms more accessible for top talent, using tailored and up-to-date know-how about their recruiting. He ranks as the most successful consulting case and fit interview coach, generating more than 500 offers with MBB, tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms through direct coaching of his clients over the last 3.5 years. His books “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview” and “Consulting Career Secrets” are available via Amazon.

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Consultant Cover Letter Example (w/ Templates & Tips for 2024)

Background Image

Navigating the competitive world of consulting job applications? You're not alone in feeling the weight of first impressions. 

You see, with dozens of applicants vying for the same role, it's easy to get lost in the pile. 

The trick to standing out? A powerful cover letter tailored just for consultants. 

The good news? We've got you covered. Dive into our comprehensive guide on crafting that perfect consultant cover letter for 2024. 

Here's what we're going to cover:

  • An Inspiring Cover Letter Example
  • 5 Steps to Writing a Great Consulting Cover Letter
  • 3 Essential Cover Letter Tips for Consultants

Ready to up your cover letter game and make a lasting impression? Let's dive in! 

Consulting Cover Letter Example

Consultant Cover Letter Example

5 Steps for the Perfect Consulting Cover Letter

Now that you've seen what a great cover letter looks like, you're all set to write your own . 

Ready to get started and craft that winning consulting cover letter? 

Let's do it!

#1. Put Contact Information in the Header

When crafting your consulting cover letter, begin with your contact details placed neatly in the header, just like on your resume .

Here's what to include:

  • Full Name. Always place your first and last name at the top of the page.
  • Professional Title. Ensure your professional title matches the specific consulting position you're seeking. E.g. if you’re applying for the role of “management consultant,” that should be your exact title, and not, for example, “consultant” or “business consultant.”
  • Email Address. Opt for a professional and straightforward email address, such as a combination of your first and last name. 
  • Phone Number. Include your phone number and make sure it’s typo-free.
  • Location. Typically, your city and state will suffice. In case you’re looking for a relocation, make sure to mention that.
  • Relevant Links. Optionally, you can include links to relevant websites or social media profiles. E.g. personal website, LinkedIn profile, etc.

Now, let's move on to the hiring manager's information:

  • Company Name. Clearly state the company to which you're applying.
  • Hiring Manager's Name. If possible, find the name of the hiring manager for the department you're interested in. Check the job posting, the company's website, or their LinkedIn page for this information.
  • Hiring Manager's Title. If you identify the hiring manager for the specific job posting, and they hold a departmental leadership role, use that title instead of "Hiring Manager."
  • Location. Provide the city and state or country, especially if the company operates globally. Optionally, include the exact company address for precision.

With these elements in place, your consulting cover letter will be poised for success. 

Want more examples of what an ideal cover letter looks like? Check out our article with 21+ other cover letter examples .

#2. Address the Hiring Manager

Once you've included all the relevant contact details , it's time to address your consulting cover letter to the person who will be reading it.

Avoid the generic "To Whom It May Concern" whenever possible.

The way you address your cover letter can make a positive impression on the hiring manager— if you get it right.

So, start with a bit of research. Go through the job posting, the company's website, or their LinkedIn profiles to identify the hiring manager for the consulting department you're interested in. 

Next, address them formally. Using Ms. or Mr. followed by their last name is a good practice. However, if you're unsure about their gender or marital status, using their full name works just as well. For example:

  • Dear Mr. Anderson,
  • Dear Taylor Anderson,

If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, then simply addressing them as “Dear Hiring Manager,” also works.

#3. Write an Eye-Catching Opening Statement

Hiring managers typically spend about seven seconds reviewing a candidate's application before deciding whether to continue reading.

So, making a strong first impression with your consulting cover letter is essential.

Your opening paragraph should introduce yourself and express your genuine interest in the consulting role.

Depending on your experience level, you can also begin your cover letter with a noteworthy achievement or highlight the skills that align with the role's requirements.

However, keep this paragraph concise. The goal is to spark the hiring manager's curiosity and encourage them to read the rest of your consultant cover letter.

#4. Use the Cover Letter Body for the Details

The body of your cover letter is where you really sell your application and convince the hiring manager that you’re a great fit for the job.

Avoid the temptation to simply rehash your consultant resume - the hiring manager already read through that.

Rather, use the body of your cover letter to talk about:

  • Your top achievements (in detail). Provide specific examples of significant accomplishments in your consulting career. Explain the challenges you faced, your role in resolving them, and the measurable outcomes or impact of your work.
  • Past industry experience. Discuss the industries you've worked in and the depth of your experience within those sectors. Highlight any specialized knowledge or insights you've gained that can benefit the employer.
  • Your top skills (that make you a great fit for the role). Showcase the skills that directly align with the consulting role you're applying for. Whether it's data analysis, project management, client relationship-building, or any other skill, provide concrete examples of how you've used these skills effectively to achieve results in previous consulting engagements.

#5. Wrap It Up and Sign It

After you’ve written your body section, the first thing you need to do is write a conclusion for your cover letter .

The conclusion is your opportunity to confidently reiterate why you're the perfect fit for the role. It goes something like this:

In conclusion, my extensive experience in the field of consulting, coupled with my proven track record of delivering successful projects and driving positive outcomes for clients, makes me an ideal candidate for this consulting role at MadeUpCompanyX.

Then, after your wrap-up, it's time for a call to action. Encourage the hiring manager to take that next step, whether it's discussing your application further or setting up an interview.

For example: 

I am eager to discuss in more detail how my skills and background can contribute to the success of your projects or clients at MadeUpCompanyX.

Last but not least, maintain a professional tone as you sign off. Choose an appropriate signature line, followed by your full name.

And finally, if you're looking for alternatives to the commonly used "Best regards," consider these options:

  • Kind regards,
  • Respectfully yours,
  • Thank you for your consideration.

consultant cover letter structure

10 Essential Consulting Cover Letter Tips

Finally, once you’re done with your cover letter, review our top cover letter tips to take your consulting cover letter from “good” to “great:”

  • Research the Company: Understand the firm's values, culture, and projects. This will allow you to tailor your letter specifically to the company and demonstrate your genuine interest in becoming a part of their team.
  • Start Strong: Begin with a compelling opening that grabs the reader's attention. Mention a recent company accomplishment and tie it to your excitement about the consultancy role.
  • Highlight Relevant Experience: Focus on past experiences that align with the consultancy role you're applying for. Discuss specific projects, the challenges you've faced, and the results you achieved.
  • Show Problem-Solving Abilities: Consulting is all about solving client problems. Provide examples of how you've approached complex issues in the past and the strategies you employed to resolve them.
  • Quantify Achievements: Use numbers wherever possible. Instead of saying "I helped increase sales," mention "I contributed to a 20% increase in sales over a 12-month period."
  • Demonstrate Soft Skills: While technical and analytical skills are crucial, soft skills like communication, teamwork, and adaptability are also highly valued in consulting. Use anecdotes or examples to highlight these.
  • Keep it Concise: Hiring managers often skim cover letters due to the volume they receive. Aim for a concise, one-page letter that gets straight to the point while effectively showcasing your value.
  • Customize for Each Application: Avoid using a generic cover letter for all applications. Each company and role may have unique requirements or values, so take the time to customize your letter for each position.
  • End with a Call to Action: Conclude your letter by expressing your eagerness for an interview. You might say something like, "I am excited about the opportunity to discuss how my expertise aligns with the needs of your team and would appreciate the chance to meet in person."
  • Proofread: Errors can make a poor impression and suggest a lack of attention to detail. Before sending, proofread your cover letter multiple times, or even consider having a colleague or professional review it.

consulting cover letter examples

Key Takeaways

Hopefully, this article taught you all you need to know in order to create an impressive consultant cover letter.

Before you go, here’s a quick summary of everything we’ve covered so far:

  • Always tailor your cover letter to the specific company and role, ensuring you address the hiring manager by name whenever possible.
  • The initial paragraphs should pique the reader's interest, highlighting alignment with the company's values and your enthusiasm for the role.
  • Use the cover letter's body to elaborate on unique achievements and experiences not just reiterated from your resume.
  • End your letter by confidently summarizing your suitability for the position and encouraging further discussion or an interview.
  • Proofread meticulously, maintain brevity, and customize your approach for each application to stand out in the competitive consulting industry.

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5 Consulting Cover Letter Examples Created for 2024

Stephen Greet

  • Consulting Cover Letter
  • Consulting Internship
  • Consulting Firm
  • Leasing Consulting
  • Management Consulting
  • Write Your Consulting Cover Letter

Strategic analysis is your strong suit, shining brightly as you guide businesses to enhance their operations and spending. When they turn to you, they find not just support, but a strategic ally dedicated to improving their overall performance.

Does your consulting cover letter complement your consulting resume as you pursue your next business venture? 

While you may be great at helping businesses improve their processes, the hiring process can still seem like a daunting task. You can use our consulting cover letter examples as an effective template for success.

consulting cover letter

Consulting Cover Letter Example

USE THIS TEMPLATE

Microsoft Word

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Block Format

Consulting cover letter template

Why this cover letter works

  • Perhaps you increased team productivity. Or maybe you reduced a project’s completion time.
  • These specific experiences underscore your ability to deliver significant value in a consultant role.

Level up your cover letter game

Relax! We’ll do the heavy lifiting to write your cover letter in seconds.

Consulting Internship Cover Letter Example

Consulting Internship cover letter template

  • The candidate isn’t just listing down skills and achievements but is specifically going deep into why they admire Deloitte. When you showcase your passion for the company, it helps the hiring managers sense your level of enthusiasm and commitment.

Consulting Firm Cover Letter Example

Consulting firm cover letter template

  • Right from the beginning, the candidate has displayed their sprouting interest in the marketing field. Not just this, the conclusion also delves deep into the candidate’s drive to become a part of the team. Highlighting these aspects shows the company that you’re genuinely interested in the position.

Leasing Consulting Cover Letter Example

Leasing consulting cover letter template

  • Detail instances when you successfully matched clients to their ideal property. You’ll want to emphasize your customer service skills and attention to detail here.
  • Whatever you do, make sure your cover letter is all about how much you thrive in a client-centric environment.

Management Consulting Cover Letter Example

Management consulting cover letter template

  • Be as detailed as possible and cite examples like cutting costs, driving business growth, etc. This will show hiring managers you know what you’re talking about, and can analyze complex scenarios and devise effective solutions.
  • Use measurable metrics here. Statistics are your friend and add validity to your claims.

Related cover letter examples

  • Project Manager
  • Human Resources
  • Business Analyst

Writing an Impressive Consulting Cover Letter

Salesperson pops out of computer screen to depict outselling the competition with sales cover letter

When preparing business strategies, you know it’s essential to consider their target audiences, products, and operational needs. You also need to take their needs into account when applying for the consulting position in the first place. 

Use your analytical abilities to review the job description and understand each company’s reason for seeking the help of a consultant. Then focus your cover letter on the specifics they want to achieve, like generating conversions or improving margins. 

consulting cover letter

Tips for the opening and greeting of your consulting cover letter

Just like a good opening in sales copy can help improve conversion rates, a good opener for a cover letter can help grab a hiring manager’s attention. 

You understand that addressing someone by name helps improve success rates in business correspondence. Review the job description and company website to find a specific hiring manager you can address in the greeting; otherwise, try LinkedIn. Failing that, simply leading with “Dear [name of business] hiring staff” works well too. 

Your opening paragraph should also show your connection to the company mission and why you’re the best fit for the role. For example, if the company sells vegan products, you could connect to your passion for plant-based diets and how you want to use your supply chain management skills to help consumers get the best foods for their needs. 

The example below is a good start, however, it doesn’t address a specific person or connect with the company or position enough.

Needs more detail!

Dear hiring manager,

This job caught my attention. I have a background in sales, which will help me improve your marketing processes even further.

Instead, aim for an opener that shows true enthusiasm for the position, like the one below that showcases the applicant’s desire to help residents and streamline property management processes. 

Show a connection with the job! 

Dear Mr. Bernard,

Inspired by Camden Property Trust’s mission to provide living excellence to its residents, I find myself eager to utilize my skills to foster a sense of community and streamline property management processes as your new leasing consultant. The opportunity to grow alongside residents, understanding their needs and ensuring their satisfaction, is an experience I deeply value.

consulting cover letter

Structuring the body content of your consulting cover letter

The body of your consulting cover letter is where you can let your specific credentials and past experiences shine. 

Leaning on metrics in this section and your key skills is a great way to stand out. For instance, improving ROI or reducing shipping times through production process improvement. 

Take a look at the body paragraph below, which does an excellent job of connecting to the role’s needs by citing past work achievements in reducing risk exposure and increasing shareholder value.

A solid evidence-based body paragraph

In my previous role as a management consultant at OCI Group, I led a team in developing a comprehensive risk management framework for a multinational corporation. By identifying and addressing critical risks, we helped the client reduce overall risk exposure by 23%, resulting in enhanced operational resilience and a 17% increase in shareholder value.

consulting cover letter

Ending and signing off on your consulting cover letter

When drawing up a business proposal, you understand that a strong closing can make the deal go through. Do the same with your consulting cover letter to end on a great note. 

Ideally, you want to connect with the company’s primary needs and mission. For instance, improving financial systems to help reduce costs and ensure all payments are made on time so they can continue providing great manufacturing services to their clients. 

It’s also an excellent idea to end with a call to action like “I look forward to hearing from you soon” to give off the impression you’re highly interested in the position. 

What you shouldn’t do is close out without a call to action or reference back to the consulting position, like the example below.

This won’t land you the interview! 

Thank you for considering my application for the consulting position. Have a great day.

Nick Richardson

Instead, refer back to why you want the role, such as the example below that references how the candidate is excited about the role and the opportunity to connect and help with the resident’s needs. 

A strong closer related to the job’s needs! 

I’m thrilled at the prospect of joining the Camden Property Trust family and fostering a deeper connection with residents. I appreciate your consideration and am looking forward to exploring this opportunity further. Thank you for your time.

Tomás Romero

It can be tempting to include bullet points that emphasize essential information like you would in a business presentation. However, think of your cover letter as formal business correspondence, where bullet points wouldn’t be appropriate in this instance. 

If you don’t have much consulting experience, relate to your previous achievements in your field. For instance, if you’re applying to be an IT consultant, you could explain how your IT asset management strategies helped companies reduce equipment malfunctions by 45% using streamlined maintenance schedules. 

Your cover letter shouldn’t be longer than one page, so listing all your skills isn’t the best idea. Instead, focus on the company’s primary needs for why they’re bringing on a consultant, such as improving their supply chain management strategies to get products in customers’ hands quicker after placing online orders. 

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What to Include in Your Cover Letter

  • Tips for a Successful Cover Letter

Consulting Cover Letter Samples

How to send an email cover letter.

When applying for a job as a consultant , your cover letter should include your career history and key accomplishments, as well as providing a glimpse into your personality. If you do not have previous consulting experience, highlight relevant projects completed in college or graduate school. 

By its nature, consulting positions call for flexibility. Not only do consultants frequently travel for work, visiting businesses around the world, but they need to be able to quickly understand how companies do business, identifying problems, and proposing recommended improvements. 

Before you start writing, read the job description carefully to learn which types of skills, experience, and expertise the employer wants in a job candidate. For example,  consulting jobs  often require statistical analysis, research, interview skills, public speaking and presenting, as well as job-specific software knowledge and experience. 

Take the time to match your qualifications to the job to increase your chances of landing an interview.

Research has shown that hiring managers spend seconds reviewing application materials. If you have a contact at the company, mention them right up front so that the reader can’t miss it. 

Demonstrate Your Flexibility

Make sure your cover letter demonstrates your flexibility, along with other skills that are essential for consultants, such as communication and  leadership skills .

Tell a Story

Your cover letter should go beyond the resume to tell the story of why you’re the ideal candidate for the job. Think of it as a sales pitch: you’re trying to get the hiring manager interested enough to read your resume.

Reference Your Relevant Experience and Skills

But don't just write a list of positions and responsibilities (that's what your resume is for) or make statements about your abilities and skills. Instead, tell a story—follow the classic writing advice of "show, don't tell."

Share an Example

Instead of saying, "I'm a hard worker and good with the details," provide a specific example of a time when you demonstrated grit and follow-through with a project. Employers are most impressed by measurable results. So, if you’ve made or saved a company money, or increased an important metric by a certain percent, be sure to mention it.

Tips for Writing a Successful Consulting Cover Letter

In your cover letter, as in any cover letter, you are making a case for your candidacy. Follow these strategies to make an effective case: 

Personalize the Letter You Send

While it may seem like a timesaver, avoid creating a generic form letter and sending it off with every consultant application. Your cover letter will be more persuasive if it's targeted to the specific company and job at hand. In your letter, explain why you are eager to work for this company in particular. For instance, maybe the company specializes in helping businesses based in Asia expand to the United States, and you wrote a thesis on that very topic.

If you have a connection at the company, you can mention the person's name (with permission) to strengthen your cover letter. 

Proofread Your Writing

Check and double-check your cover letter for grammar and wording. Before you hit the send button on your email or place your letter in an envelope, read through it carefully. Make sure it follows the correct cover letter format. Proofread carefully, checking for typos and grammatical errors .

Check Your Attachments

Confirm that any attachments mentioned in the email are indeed attached and that the recipient's name and the company name are spelled correctly. 

The following is an example of a cover letter for a graduate-level consulting job. Also, see below for an entry-level cover letter sample. Use these sample cover letters as a guide, but remember to adjust the details to fit your situation and the specific position you are applying for. You'll find more advice on how to craft an effective, successful consultant cover letter below the examples. 

Consultant Cover Letter Template

You can use this cover letter sample as a model. Download the template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online), or read the text version below.

Consultant Cover Letter Sample

John Applicant 123 Main Street Anytown, CA 12345 555-555-1234 john.applicant@email.com

February 22, 2021

Sean Lee Manager  ABC Consulting Group   123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321

Dear Mr. Lee,

I am a second-year Smith Business School student interested in interviewing for a full-time consultant position with The ABC Consulting Group. I believe that the ABC Consulting Group has the ideal culture in which to pursue my goal of becoming a strategic business leader and thinker.

My professional experience and Smith Business School education have prepared me to be successful at The ABC Consulting Group. Leading a high-level project to develop a China entry and growth strategy in the new media industry for Television Networks Asia gave me invaluable global strategy experience.

Furthermore, interviewing senior executives and entrepreneurs of top media and technology companies gave me the unique opportunity to engage in high-level business discussions with leaders of the industry.

While at DEF Consulting as a consultant, I managed global information security projects, which gave me experience in the consultative and client service approach. As a joint-degree student (MBA/MA International Studies), I have the flexibility in both language and culture to operate successfully in many different contexts.

Finally, as a musician and producer of my own record, I have developed the capacity to think creatively and entrepreneurially.

I firmly believe that I will be a good fit in The ABC Consulting Group's collaborative, entrepreneurial, and intellectual culture. I am excited at the prospect of working for The ABC Consulting Group upon graduation and have enclosed my resume for your review. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Signature  (hard copy letter)

John Applicant

Entry-Level Consulting Cover Letter Example

Louise Jones 123 Main Street Anytown, CA 12345 555-555-1234 louise.jones@email.com

Mr. John Doe A.T. Killen 222 West Dover Street Chicago, IL 60606

Dear Mr. Doe:

I had the opportunity to work closely with Jane Smith, an A.T. Killen consultant in the Higher Education Practice, as a member of XYZ University's Presidential Search Committee. This was my first exposure to the consulting profession, and it was a perfect match for someone with my academic record, communication and leadership skills, and drive to succeed.

I have shown initiative, creativity in problem-solving, and a commitment to building consensus and excellence throughout our college community during the last four years. As an intern in the Office of the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education, I worked with the Senior Advising team to provide accurate, effective, and concise statistical and anecdotal data to a variety of constituents in order to support legislative proposals. I combined the written and oral skills I have gained from courses in American Studies and Government with quantitative and analytical training in a high-intensity environment.

As Vice President of Academic Affairs for the Student Government Association and a student representative on several college committees (including the one which nominated the sixth President of XYZ University), I have learned:

  • to use language precisely and effectively
  • to articulate well to a range of audiences
  • the value of integrity and persistence in working toward short- and long-term personal and institutional goals

The opportunity to effect positive change for a range of institutions is the most attractive aspect of consulting for me. Employees have described A.T. Killen as "down to earth" and as having an "open culture."

I feel lucky to have been part of a college community whose openness has allowed for measured risks and the candor necessary to achieve its goals, and I hope to begin my career in a similarly rigorous and collegial environment where I can learn from industry leaders. I look forward to exploring further my opportunities at A.T. Killen and will call next week to see if it is possible to arrange an interview.

Signature  (hard copy letter)

Louise Jones

If you're sending a cover letter via email, list your name and the job title in the subject line of the email message. Include your contact information in your email signature, and don't list the employer's contact information. Start your email message with the salutation.

Subject Line Example

Consultant Position - John Doe

StandOut CV

Consulting cover letter examples

Andrew Fennell photo

Are you in need of a consulting cover letter that is going to make you stand out from the competition?

We understand that you offer your sought-after advice and expertise for living, so this time, let us be the ones to impart our advice to you.

Check out our comprehensive writing guide below, along with our consulting cover letter examples to inspire you and help you with your application.

CV templates 

Consulting cover letter example 1

Consulting cover letter 1

Consulting cover letter example 2

Consulting cover letter 2

Consulting cover letter example 3

Consulting cover letter 3

The example cover letters here should give you a good general idea on how your Consulting cover letter should be formatted and written.

The rest of this guide gives more specific guidance on how to create your own cover letter in this format, and even includes some templates you can copy and paste.

How to write a Consulting cover letter

A simple step-by-step guide to writing your very own winning cover letter.

How to write a cover letter

Write your cover letter in the body of an email/message

Type the content of your cover letter directly into the email you are sending, or if you are applying via a job board, directly into their messaging system.

The reason for doing this it to ensure that your cover letter gets seen instantly and you can start connecting with the recruiter as soon as they open your message.

If you attach your cover letter as a separate document, the recipient will have to open up the document, which will slow the process down, or make them less likely to even open your cover letter – which could mean your application gets skipped over.

Write cover letter in body of email

Start with a friendly greeting

Cover letter address

To kick your cover letter off, start with a friendly greeting to build rapport with the recruiter instantly.

Your greeting should be personable but professional. Not too casual, but not too formal either

Go with something like…

  • Hi [insert recruiter name]
  • Hi [insert department/team name]

Avoid old-fashioned greetings like “Dear sir/madam ” unless applying to very formal companies.

How to find the contact’s name?

Addressing the recruitment contact by name is an excellent way to start building a strong relationship. If it is not listed in the job advert, try these methods to find it.

  • Check out the company website and look at their  About page. If you see a hiring manager, HR person or internal recruiter, use their name. You could also try to figure out who would be your manager in the role and use their name.
  • Head to LinkedIn , search for the company and scan through the list of employees. Most professionals are on LinkedIn these days, so this is a good bet.

Identify the role you are applying for

Once you have opened the cover letter with a warm greeting, you need to explain which role you are interested in.

Sometimes a recruitment consultant could be managing over 10 vacancies, so it’s crucial to pinpoint exactly which one you are interested in.

Highlight the department/area if possible and look for any reference numbers you can quote.

These are some examples you can add..

  • I am interested in applying for the role of *Consulting position* with your company.
  • I would like to apply for the role of Sales assistant (Ref: 40f57393)
  • I would like to express my interest in the customer service vacancy within your retail department
  • I saw your advert for an IT project manager on Reed and would like to apply for the role.

See also: CV examples – how to write a CV – CV profiles

Highlight your suitability

The main purpose of your cover letter is to excite recruiters and make them eager to open your CV. And you achieve this by quickly demonstrating your suitability to the job you are applying for.

Take a look at the job adverts you are applying for, and make note of the most important skills being asked for.

Then, when you write your cover letter, make your suitability the focal point.

Explain how you meet the candidate requirements fully, and why you are so well suited to carry out the job.

This will give recruiters all the encouragement they need to open your CV and consider your application.

Cover letter tips

Keep it short and sharp

It is best to keep your cover letter brief if you want to ensure you hold the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers. A lengthy cover letter will probably not get read in full, so keep yours to around 3-6 sentences and save the real detail for your CV.

Remember the purpose of your cover letter is to quickly get recruiters to notice you and encourage them to open your CV, so it only needs to include the highlights of your experience.

Sign off professionally

To round of your cover letter, add a professional signature to the bottom, giving recruiters your vital contact information.

This not only gives various means of contacting you, it also looks really professional and shows that you know how to communicate in the workplace.

Include the following points;

  • A friendly sign off – e.g. “Warm regards”
  • Your full name
  • Phone number (one you can answer quickly)
  • Email address
  • Profession title
  • Professional social network – e.g. LinkedIn

Here is an example signature;

Warm regards,

Gerald Baker Senior Accountant 07887500404 [email protected] LinkedIn

Quick tip : To save yourself from having to write your signature every time you send a job application email, you can save it within your email drafts, or on a separate document that you could copy in.

Email signatures

What to include in your Consulting cover letter

So, what type of information should you write about in your Consulting cover letter?

The specifics will obviously depend on your profession and the jobs you are applying to, but these are the key areas you should be covering.

  • Your industry experience – Tell recruiters the types of companies you have been working for and the roles you have held in the past.
  • Your qualifications – Highlight your most important relevant qualifications to show employers you are qualified to do the roles you are applying for.
  • The impact you have made – Demonstrate the positive impact you have made for employers in previous jobs. Have you saved money? Improved processes? Made customers happy?
  • Your reasons for moving – Employers will want to know why you are leaving your current/previous role, so provide them with a brief explanation here.
  • Your availability – When will you be able to start a new job ? Check your current contract to find out your notice period if you are in a position already.

Consulting cover letter templates

Copy and paste these Consulting cover letter templates to get a head start on your own.

As a seasoned geologist with 13 years of experience working for reputable consultancy firms, ATCOM and GE, I am excited to apply for the Environmental Consultant position at GF Consulting.

Throughout my career, I have successfully managed a junior team at GE Consultants and provided comprehensive environmental solutions for various public sector and commercial clients, including the NHS, Lloyds Bank, and the Civil Service. I have coordinated EIAs for diverse projects, such as transport, energy, and flood management, ensuring compliance with UK and EU legislation. One notable achievement was my successful delivery of a £600k land management project for a Council run leisure centre, leading to subsequent contracts worth £1.5million per annum. Additionally, my research on water conservation technology resulted in an 88% reduction in water wastage for a commercial client, surpassing national targets.

I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience to further discuss my qualifications and potential contributions to GF Consulting’s vision. Thank you for considering my application.

Kind regards,

Elanor Gasson ¦ 07777777777 ¦ [email protected]

I am excited to apply for the Business Consultant position at Nexus where my diverse skill set and 8 years of experience in managing complex projects, mentoring teams, and driving strategic and operational improvements can contribute to your esteemed financial services clientele.

As a Mathematics graduate with an MBA from King’s College London, I am adept at developing data driven solutions and process improvements, delivering measurable results. At Arcadia Business Solutions, I successfully designed a risk management framework for a leading investment bank, reducing operational risk by 15% and enhancing compliance. Additionally, my strategic planning outreach initiative for a financial services firm led to the identification of new business opportunities and a 10% revenue increase over three years. Moreover, my role as a Business Analyst at Monzo provided me with valuable experience in delivering business insights through data analysis and Agile methodologies with I could bring to this role.

I am eager to discuss my potential contributions to Nexus’ continued success. I am available for an interview at your convenience. Thank you for considering my application.

Stephan Menaux ¦ 07777777777 ¦ [email protected]

I hope you’re well.

I am writing to apply for the IT Consultant position at Sideline Solutions where my extensive 22+ year career and expertise in server management make me a great fit for the role.

Throughout my tenure at Spire Consultancy, I have successfully consulted with clients in the retail and ecommerce industries, delivering timely and effective solutions. My implementation of remote assessments has reduced average downtime by 15%, garnering excellent feedback from satisfied clients. Moreover, my expertise in SQL Server queries and data processing would allow me to complete complex analysis of diverse data formats, including CSV and XML. As a Technical Consultant at Manson IT Ltd, I managed large technical accounts and resolved escalated IT issues for public and private sector clients, improving support efficiency by conducting monthly product updates seminars and effectively managing IT consumables stock.

I am eager to discuss how my technical acumen and outstanding customer service can benefit the team at Sideline Solutions. I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience.

Gabriel Obu ¦ 07777777777 ¦ [email protected]

Writing an impressive cover letter is a crucial step in landing a Consulting job, so taking the time to perfect it is well worth while.

By following the tips and examples above you will be able to create an eye-catching cover letter that will wow recruiters and ensure your CV gets read – leading to more job interviews for you.

Good luck with your job search!

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    Table of Contents You're a consultant skilled at devising innovative solutions and guiding businesses to success. You've got the skills. Your teamwork, creativity, and message are Deloitte-worthy. But the hiring manager won't know that unless she interviews you. So let's show her!

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    Learn how to structure your cover letter to show why you're a great candidate for top consulting firms like Bain, BCG, and McKinsey. Follow the best way to structure your cover letter based on the characteristics the firm values in applicants and use stories to prove your skills and experience. See examples of cover letters that got interviews at the top firms.

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    Learn how to write a cover letter for consulting that captures the screener's attention and impresses them with your story-telling skills. Follow four steps to install stories into your cover letter, and land a case interview. Find out the key differences between cover letters and resumes, and how to answer the motivation questions.

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    Learn how to write a consulting cover letter that will get you interviews at McKinsey, BCG, Bain and other top firms. See an example cover letter that got interviews from all the MBBs and get tips on skills, achievements, and screening process. Download a free template and get help with your cover letter.

  6. Consulting Cover Letter Example (+Skills List)

    January 1, 2024 Build My Cover Letter Now 4.7 AVERAGE RATING 33 people've already rated it View Text Format Download Want a fresh design for your cover letter? Download a new cover letter template from our collection. Samples Similar to a Consulting Cover Letter View All Cover Letter Samples View Example Consulting Resume View Example

  7. Consulting Cover Letter: Expert Guide, Examples & Template

    Learn how to write a cover letter for consulting jobs with tips, examples and a template. Find out how to highlight your skills, experience and achievements for different levels of experience and industries. Download a free cover letter template in 15 minutes.

  8. How to Write a Consulting Cover Letter (With Tips and Example)

    Your cover letter for a consulting position should demonstrate that you have strong communication and leadership skills, as well as flexibility. It should also provide specific examples of times you have demonstrated the skills and experiences that a consulting job requires. Related: Cover Letter Samples and Templates

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    Learn how to write a cover letter for a consultant job with this example and template. Find out what to include, tips and skills to highlight, and how to impress the hiring manager. Download a free cover letter template and see related jobs on Indeed.

  10. Consulting Cover Letter Guide

    1. Understanding Consulting Cover Letters To write a good one we will first need to understand the demands it must meet. That is to say, we need to understand the function of the cover letter and precisely how it will be assessed. Let's start by going through some important points: 1.1. Function of a Consulting Cover Letter

  11. Consulting Cover Letter Examples & Expert Tips · Resume.io

    Examples Consulting Written by Paul Drury Consulting Cover Letter Example Use this Consulting cover letter example to finish your application and get hired fast - no frustration, no guesswork. This cover letter example is specifically designed for Consulting positions in 2024.

  12. Consulting Cover Letter: a step-by-step guide (2024)

    With a great CV, your consulting cover letter can open the door to scoring an interview and, ultimately, getting a job in consulting. But it's not that easy: less than 30% of applicants receive a call for an interview.

  13. Consulting Cover Letter That Lands Interviews: 2023 Guide

    Writing a solid consulting cover letter allows you to present your candidacy to the hiring managers. Here is a list of tips for writing a stellar consulting cover letter. 1. Research the Company Requirements. Interviewing candidates is expensive; it takes time and money to get excellent people on board.

  14. How to Write the Perfect Consulting Cover Letter ...

    This should include the name and address of the consulting firm or the specific individual you're addressing. Date: Place the date on the right-hand side of the page. Remember to spell out the month for clarity (e.g., "1 April 2024" in the UK format or "April 1, 2024" in the US format).

  15. Consultant Cover Letter Example (w/ Templates & Tips for 2024)

    Top ↑ Consulting Cover Letter Example 5 Steps for the Perfect Consulting Cover Letter #1. Put Contact Information in the Header #2. Address the Hiring Manager #3. Write an Eye-Catching Opening Statement #4. Use the Cover Letter Body for the Details #5. Wrap It Up and Sign It 10 Essential Consulting Cover Letter Tips Key Takeaways Share this article

  16. 5 Consulting Cover Letter Examples Created for 2024

    This consulting firm cover letter is the perfect example of personalizing your introduction to the fullest! Right from the beginning, the candidate has displayed their sprouting interest in the marketing field. Not just this, the conclusion also delves deep into the candidate's drive to become a part of the team. Highlighting these aspects ...

  17. Consulting Cover Letter Samples and Writing Tips

    Updated on 02/22/21 When applying for a job as a consultant, your cover letter should include your career history and key accomplishments, as well as providing a glimpse into your personality. If you do not have previous consulting experience, highlight relevant projects completed in college or graduate school.

  18. Management Consulting Cover Letter: Examples & Guide

    Article Rating: Our customers have been hired by: Table of Contents Show Management consulting is the triple Michelin star restaurant equivalent in the world of business jobs. And you're about to serve the recruiting team the best course of their life: Your management consulting cover letter.

  19. McKinsey Cover Letter Sample & Guide (10+ Examples)

    McKinsey Cover Letter Sample. Ting Huang. 403 Argonne Street. Newark, DE 19711. 302-309-5387. [email protected]. 10/03/2019. William Akers. Three World Trade Center.

  20. Consulting Cover Letter Tips (and Template)

    Consulting Cover Letter Tips (and Template) | Caseinterview This is a guide for writing a consulting cover letter. Learn how to craft a cover letter from practical tips and a free consulting cover letter template.

  21. How To Write a Consultant Cover Letter (With Examples)

    1. Research the company Before you write the first word of your cover letter, do as much research into the company you're applying to as possible. A good consultant cover letter is tailored to the job opening and company in question. Researching them allows you to do this, and demonstrate your diligence and seriousness. 2.

  22. 3 Consulting cover letter examples [Get noticed]

    Consulting cover letter example 1 Consulting cover letter example 2 Consulting cover letter example 3 CV templates The example cover letters here should give you a good general idea on how your Consulting cover letter should be formatted and written.

  23. Consulting Cover Letter Bain

    Follow a Structure. Now isn't the time for a creative approach. Your cover letter should be four to five paragraphs long and include: an introduction, your first "hero story", your second "hero story", and a conclusion. Consulting firms are expecting these sections. If you decide to break the box, you will likely just hurt your chances.

  24. Cover Letter Samples and Templates

    When you're applying for a job, a cover letter lets you show a personal side and demonstrate why hiring you is a smart decision. Cover letters should be around three paragraphs long and include specific examples from your past experience that make you qualified for the position. A cover letter should include the following parts: Header ...