Whether it's the money, the intellectual rigor, the glamour, or the work that attracts job seekers, their not alone: Consulting firms are among the most popular employers of MBAs and undergraduates. In this book, readers will explore profiles of 40 firms; the latest trends; a typical week in the life of a consultant; typical career paths; and the dreaded case interview.

In The World's Newest Profession Christopher McKenna offers a history of management consulting in the twentieth century. Although management consulting may not yet be a recognized profession, the leading consulting firms have been advising and reshaping the largest organizations in the world since the 1920s. This groundbreaking study details how the elite consulting firms, including McKinsey & Company and Booz Allen & Hamilton, expanded after US regulatory changes during the 1930s, how they changed giant corporations, nonprofits, and the state during the 1950s, and why consultants became so influential in the global economy after 1960. As they grew in number, consultants would introduce organizations to 'corporate culture' and 'decentralization' but they faced vilification for their role in the Enron crisis and for legitimating corporate blunders. Through detailed case studies based on unprecedented access to internal files and personal interviews, The World's Newest Profession explores how management consultants came to be so influential within our culture and explains exactly what consultants really do in the global economy.

The 2002 edition of The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in Management Consulting provides invaluable job-search advice for the prospective management consultant. Harvard Business School graduates, students, and faculty reveal firsthand insights into the industry, describe what a consultant's work is really like, outline current industry trends, and offer guidelines for approaching the case-study interview. Also included are profiles of well-known consulting firms, a mailing list of recruiting contacts, and a selective bibliography of relevant books and directories compiled by the Harvard Business School Career Resources librarian.

Designed as the go-to reference for managing a consulting business, The Business of Consulting is candid, practical, and eminently useful. Fine-tuned to address the changes in today’s business environment, this vital resource outlines the basics for managing a consulting practice and shows how to: Develop a business plan Market your business Charge for your services Build a client relationship Grow the business Ensure your continued professional growth Make money in the profession