Recruiting Strategy
Should I apply before a consulting deadline if I am not quite interview-ready?
The consulting application deadlines are getting close and I haven't decided which round to target. I keep hearing that applying earlier is better, but I'm not confident I'll be ready for the interview. Should I try this round anyway, wait, or split my applications between rounds?
Ian’s Answer
It depends on if you can be ready in time.
If you won't be ready in time, what's the point? It doesn't matter how much easier it is in the 1st round if you don't perform well.. If you have referrals, have your resume at 10/10, and are at about 75%/80% case ready, then apply!
If you're not, learn from this and make sure you're ready in time for the next round :)
If you really want to strive for this round, hire a coach. They are a time lever and can get you over the line in much less time than going this alone.
Finally, you can consider diversifying. Apply to a few now and a few later…hedge your bets.