So you think HR consulting might be the job for you? Find out how to break into this field, with expert advice from actual consultants themselves!
At the end of the day, consulting is about problem-solving, so you could be an engineering student and get into HR consulting as well!
I studied Computer Mathematics and Engineering in university, fields unrelated to HR. Upon graduation and job hunting in my home country, I encountered HR-related roles. They appealed to me because I have a natural affinity for connecting with people. So I started researching into HR!
Conversations with seasoned professionals told me that HR had a lot of basic operational tasks like Payroll (e.g. making sure employees get paid the right amount each month), Absence Management, and Attendance Management.
Recognizing the untapped strategic dimension within HR, I decided to embark on a career in HR consulting. This was the best decision I made.
Additionally, HR is very people-centric, and people are always evolving – especially in this digital era, so we are constantly evolving in HR as well. This keeps things interesting and there is always more to learn and new ways to discover.
– HR consultant, formerly @ PwC & EY
That said, certain degrees do have a bigger presence in HR consulting. These include HR-related degrees and education.
When I worked on Human Capital consulting projects, I met people who had degrees in Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Human Resources, Human Capital Management (HCM), Industrial & Labor Relations, and Education. There were also some former educators, including some who'd worked in early childhood education.
– Former junior consultant @ Deloitte
To learn more about how consulting firms think about degree requirements, check out The degrees that'll land you a Big 4 consulting internship.
There are two types of firms that offer HR consulting services. We'll list the big ones below, but you can also find lots of smaller, boutique firms in your area.
Here are my best tips for making a lasting impression on consulting firms:
- Conduct research online on the consulting firms. This will help you start conversations and ask thoughtful questions when you approach the firm at a career fair. Big consulting firms have a huge online presence and usually share articles, publications, etc. of their notable achievements, successes, innovations or even lessons learned. This will demonstrate your genuine interest in working for the consulting industry. If you're particularly interested in HR consulting, pay attention to what they've shared about their HR consulting projects!
- Prepare a very clean 1-2 page resume “Harvard Style” reflecting studies, any volunteer work etc. Practice a day ahead on how to do your elevator pitch to introduce yourself, emphasizing your skills, experiences, what consulting role you are seeking and why.
- Sounding confident and natural with a polished appearance goes without saying 😊.
For more career fair tips, check out A student's guide to a great career fair.
Specifically when hiring for an HR Consultant – besides looking for a diverse skill set (which includes things like strategic thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving, etc.), I would particularly look for the ability to deal effectively with people.
This is because HR Consultants will be constantly engaged with individuals at various levels within an organization regardless of the nature of the project they are assigned to. People will always be at the heart of it.
So, I would look for their ability to deal with people and navigate complex situations. People skills are paramount for an HR Consultant role as it will enable them to build relationships, understand employee concerns, and foster positive working environments.
Additionally, in complex situations, such as conflict resolution or organizational change (I mentioned previously how popular these projects are in HR Consulting), the consultant's ability to navigate sensitive matters with empathy and discretion becomes crucial.
Moreover, the HR Consultant should excel in communication and being able to articulate clearly to clients. This combination of people-centric skills, adaptability, and emotional intelligence equips the HR Consultant to effectively operate in their job internally and externally.
Check out How to break into Big 4 consulting as a student for more details on what consulting firms look for.
In this time and era, technology skills are crucial for HR Consultants. The HR landscape continues to evolve in tandem with advancements in digital tools and systems, so an HR Consultant is expected to be tech-savvy. The HR Consultant will be exposed to HR tools, systems, AIs and will also be expected to analyze and interpret data into HR metrics.
Sample interview questions I would ask a student would be:
- Technology is constantly evolving. How do you stay updated on the latest industry trends and advancements?
- Can you share an example of a time when you had to quickly learn to use a new technology tool, platform etc.? How easy was it for you to adapt to it?
- Can you provide an example of a challenging technical project you have worked on academically?
- Can you share an example of a project where you had to think creatively to find a solution to it and your solution was technology-based?
To learn more about what happens Behind the scenes of Big 4 recruiting: From career fair to internship and beyond
Below is an example of a case study provided by an HR consultant. She'll walk you through and show you how to go about solving it.
Remember: There's no right or wrong answer, but there is a "correct" way to approach the following case. Focus on how you would approach it from a critical thinking and problem-solving perspective.
Case Type: Organizational restructuring
Consulting Firm: Big 4
Industry: Government
Case Interview Question: Should the firm proceed to hire new employees?Your client, a leading governmental entity, has been undergoing some organizational changes in terms of leadership over the past few years. Most of the employee’s performance has been declining over the past two years to be exact, and this is affecting operations and entity growth. The client is frustrated and would like to hire new employees and has the budget for that. The client has asked your consulting firm to help it think through this problem. How would you approach this problem?
Here's what a good thought process would look like.
Remember, asking the right questions will help you reach the best solution. There are some key points in the problem statement that the consultant should have noticed:
- Undergoing some organizational changes in terms of leadership over the past few years.
- Most of the employee’s performance has been declining over the past two years.
- The client is frustrated.
Questions you could ask before proceeding to solve the case study would be:
- Over the past 2 years, what leadership roles were changed and why?
- Which departments were directly affected by this? And are most of the employees with declined performance a part of these departments?
- You mentioned that the client was frustrated… Have they tried anything to tackle this? If yes, what did they try?
- How was performance measured for employees? Is it KPI based? Do you have a solid performance management system in place?
After getting the answers to these questions, you should be able to structure an approach for tackling the problem – or at least where to start!
For example:
- If the answer to Question 2 above is a “Yes,” then the employee’s decline in performance is clearly linked to the change in leadership that took place. This will tell you to dig into this change by, for instance, requesting any documentation related to this change, followed by conducting one-on-one sessions or interviews with the Department Heads that were directly affected.
- If the answer to Question 2 is a "No," you can move onto Question 4 and focus on how the company measures success. Based on the answer to Question 4, you might decide that the company needs to rehaul its Performance Management System.
As for the answer to Question 3 – just because a client has tried a certain method to fixing its problem and didn't get the results they wanted, doesn't mean the method itself is wrong. You might want to question how they carried out the method and suggest ways to improve that – as long as you are able to explain your rationale clearly.
For more tips on landing an internship in consulting, check out How to break into Big 4 consulting as a student!
If you're still shopping for opportunities, check out all our consulting internships!