1.Why did you decide to recruit at Tufts?Danielle: This was our first year partnering with Tufts. We had wanted to expand our undergraduate recruiting program. Jason [Majane E08] is one of our consultants, and he came from Tufts and is familiar with the program and we have always held it in high regard.
Jason: I have been at OC&C for two and a half years. I graduated in 2008. We have historically recruited from a few other schools in the Boston area. It’s easier to focus on a couple of places, and there are a lot of really smart people in this area. Now that the office is at an even greater size, we thought it was time to break in more. Consulting is not as well known a career at Tufts yet. We thought it was a good idea to break in and be a first mover in the Tufts consultant movement.
2. Would you briefly describe your experience working with and recruiting at Tufts?
Danielle: I found it to be a really great and successful year. It was wonderful working with the staff at Tufts Career Services, all of who were very welcoming and accommodating. We were able to get early exposure to students through the Tufts Career Fair and the Careers in Consulting event. The Careers in Consulting event was an especially great experience for me because it was a more concentrated program. I met with some really strong students really early on, and I was able to closely work with them throughout the introductory practice phases. I interviewed and met with a large number of talented students, which translated into some hires for us.
3. What advice can you give undergraduates?
Danielle: I advise them to be conscientious and targeted in the companies they talk to. At the Career Fair, I met with a few students who I had met with earlier on. Throughout the entire progress, we had a chance to see students continuously show up to events. For us as an employer, this shows a level of dedication and interest on the student’s behalf.
Additionally, I found the students we met with at the consulting night to be much more targeted in their search. They typically had very targeted questions and knew we did strategy work, so they already had the flavor of OC&C. This allowed for more meaningful dialogue, rather than a 30 second elevator pitch.
Jason: As a student, I always went to the Career Fair. It was great to have such a large number of employers there. I also enjoyed the Consulting Networking night, mainly because it’s a little more informal than other networking events. Students came and asked really good questions, and I liked the setup of it. There was a group of students asking someone questions, as opposed to students waiting in line and talking one-by-one. The event stimulated group discussion, which allowed people to hear each other’s questions and see what other students were looking for.
5. What are some strengths you see in Tufts students?
Danielle: Tufts students were incredibly engaging and quite a good fit for us personality-wise. We have a very open, collaborative, sort of young culture here, and I feel that a lot of Tufts students definitely had the right energy level and will really thrive in our environment. When I spoke with them, I could easily see them working here tomorrow. There is obviously a strong emphasis on being able to do the work and having the right analytical background. Once we have that, we really do care about fit. Tufts is a great match in that regard.
Jason: In general, students at Tufts are very good at having an open dialogue. I think this is in large part because discussion in the classroom is a very important part of the curriculum. I think this translates well into people being naturally curious and open with their questions.
6. How important are information sessions to your hiring process?
Danielle: As an employer, I feel that information sessions really help students become more prepared and targeted in their search. They help them figure out exactly what they’re looking for upon graduation, which I think goes a long way. It is absolutely okay to be looking at different industries, but it is also important to be targeted and know about the firm you’re talking to.
7. What about the case interview?
Danielle: [The case interview] is the crux of the interview at a consulting firm, and I think it would benefit students to have more preparation there. We offer students the opportunity to come into the office and practice, regardless of whether they have interviewed with us.
8. What is your recruiting schedule for next year?
Danielle: In terms of undergraduate programs, we recruit at Tufts, Williams, Harvard, MIT, and Dartmouth College. We certainly have students from other programs and do hire out of these schools, but this is where we focus our interests. Next year, we plan to continue this same trend. We plan to have the same hiring timeline and recruit from these same schools. It’s been very successful for us. We had a very successful campaign at Tufts and we are looking forward to partnering with Tufts again next year.
