does bcg require cover letter

BCG Cover Letter: Our Step-by-Step Guide + Examples

• Last Updated March, 2024

Former McKinsey and Bain recruiter

The most common question I was asked as a recruiter, and now as a recruiting coach, is “Do I need to write cover letters for my consulting applications?” This is usually followed up with “And do I need to tailor my cover letter for every firm?”

I think most people hope I’ll say no to both questions, as writing a cover letter can be pretty daunting, and tailoring it for every firm seems way too time-consuming to be worth the effort.

At My Consulting Offer, we’ve helped over 600 clients land offers with consulting firms. Our approach to how to write a great consulting cover letter has, for many, been a deciding factor in them landing interviews.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• What makes a great consulting cover letter.
• How to tailor your consulting cover letter to what BCG is looking for – a step-by-step guide.
• How BCG and other consulting firms review your cover letter.
• A sample BCG cover letter that successfully landed an interview.
• 5 tips for writing a BCG cover letter.

Let’s get started!

What Makes a Great Consulting Cover Letter

The consulting cover letter works alongside your resume to show the firms you’re applying to that you have the potential to be a great consultant.

Think of it as a flashy introductory accessory to your resume that highlights your most impressive and unique qualities, and grabs the reader’s attention so they’ll be excited to read your resume.

However, it’s important to get it right. 

A Strong Consulting Cover Letter: The Basics

As a recruiter, I saw way too many examples of applicants who had clearly not put any effort into their cover letter. Getting the basics right, such as ensuring the company name is correct, is essential (but not everyone gets that right). 

On the flip side, I received cover letters from applicants who were perhaps a little too eager to stand out. Poetry and “love letters” were not uncommon but a little ill-judged. The urge to be distinctive should not outweigh your consideration of the audience. Professionalism and appropriateness are key.

The consulting cover letter not only needs to have the impact required to engage the reader, it also needs to show them that you’ve done your research and thought about how you’re a great fit for consulting, and for their particular firm. It must also show how you’ll bring value to the role through your experiences and appetite to learn relevant skills.

You definitely can’t send the same cover letter to every consulting firm you’re applying to and assume that you’ll be successful. You’ve got to show each and every firm that you’re worth an interview.

That’s a lot to think about, right? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.

A Strong Consulting Cover Letter: Stand Out from the Crowd

After you’ve got the basics right, you need to identify what the consulting firm you’re applying to is looking for. Consulting firms typically seek candidates with great problem-solving, analytical, creative thinking, communication, team working, and leadership skills. 

So how can you include these in your cover letter while also tailoring it to an individual firm?

We recommend you focus on the firms’ values. These are how consulting firms distinguish themselves from other consulting firms.

You can easily find out what a firm’s values are by either typing “[firm name] values” into your search engine or by visiting the firm’s career page where they typically list these and provide detail on what they mean.

Now think about your own professional and personal experiences. Focus on experiences that you are proud of, received great feedback on, or demonstrate how you overcame a particularly tough challenge. Give some context of the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome that was reached, quantifying the results where possible. Try to ensure they include at least one of the consulting skills mentioned above.

Once you’ve outlined a few stories, you can then see how they might fit with the values of the firms you’re applying to. You may need to tweak some slightly, but you’ll probably find it pretty easy to link your stories to each firm’s values. 

And you don’t necessarily need to address all of the values, particularly if a firm has more than four, as you don’t want your cover letter to be more than a page.

The additional benefit of approaching your cover letter in the way we recommend is that you don’t need to explain your “why” for each firm. It will be clear by how your experiences resonate with their specific values. This shows how you’re a great fit. 

You can find out more about writing consulting cover letters by reading A Consulting Cover Letter that Lands Interviews: Our Complete Guide . For this article, we’re going to break it down by focusing on just one firm – BCG.

Tailor Your BCG Cover Letter to What BCG is Looking for

Step 1: Find out who to address your cover letter to at BCG.

It may differ between offices, depending on size, but you can usually find the key recruiting contact on the career page or by searching on LinkedIn. It may be a recruiter who handles recruiting for your university across regional offices for instance, or perhaps a recruiter who manages experienced professional recruiting for the office you’re applying to. 

Addressing your cover letter to someone specific and relevant helps to show that you’ve done your research and that you care about the impression you’re making. Firms often display their key recruiting contacts on the careers pages of their websites. Alternatively, you could search LinkedIn for roles such as Talent Acquisition Manager, Recruiting Manager, or Senior Recruiter and then locate the relevant person who looks after either the stream you’re applying through (for instance, experienced professional, undergraduate) or the office they recruit for, which is usually detailed in their profile.

Step 2: Create your opening paragraph.

Keep it concise, ideally no more than four or five lines. Introduce yourself and express your interest in applying to BCG and the specific role you’re applying for, which will typically be Associate or Consultant but may be a more specialist role, for instance, within BCG Gamma. You may also want to write a short sentence on “ why consulting ” here. Talk about how your experiences resonate with their values and state specifically which ones.

You can find BCG’s values by Googling “BCG values” or by visiting their “ our people and culture ” page directly. This content gives you a really good feel for how having the right people and developing a unique culture is so important to BCG. 

Scroll down to where they talk about the values driving their culture. There’s a great mini slideshow of their values and what they mean. Here’s a snapshot:

• Integrity – as an expression of courage and accountability
• Diversity – of thought, expertise, experience, and background
• Respect for the individual – as their capacity for desire and personal growth
• Clients come first – we measure our success by our clients’ success
• The strategic perspective – enabling clients to deliver superior results in a sustainable manner
• Value delivered – in the form of tangible, positive, and lasting change
• Partnerships – a long-term view guides BCG’s relationships both internally and with clients
• Expanding the art of the possible – because the goal is not simply to apply best practice but to invent it
• Social impact – make the world a better place

These values are created to be meaningful and inspiring, representing what BCG stands for, and making you want to be a part of BCG’s unique culture.

BCG has more stated values than most other firms, but this can actually make it easier as you can select the ones that resonate most with your own values and the stories you’ve written. I’d recommend choosing three or four, depending on the length of your stories.

Step 3: Organize your stories for the greatest impact.

Once you’ve chosen your stories to meet the values you’ve selected, list your strongest first and the weakest in the middle (although it should still be strong). List your stories in bullet point format and use the value as a heading.

Step 4: End your cover letter by reiterating your interest in BCG and how you appreciate their consideration. And don’t forget to sign off. Electronic signatures are the norm these days, just don’t use a script font here as this can look too artificial.

In addition to this publicly available information about what BCG looks for in its candidates, my colleague Valentin has written an article with the insider perspective on what’s important to BCG . This includes drive, a tailored approach, and the BCG attitude. Check it out to make your BCG cover letter to be extra special.

How BCG & Other Consulting Firms Review Your Cover Letter

As a recruiter for seven years with McKinsey and then a recruiting manager for nearly five years with Bain, both in London, I’ve read tens of thousands of resumes and accompanying cover letters. London is one of the most coveted offices, so applications came in thick and fast during recruiting season and continued throughout the whole year. 

I received cover letters from undergraduate students, postgraduate students, MBA students, and experienced professionals throughout my recruiting career, all eager to impress, but not always getting it right. 

I had letters consisting of just a few lines that didn’t tell me anything about the person, and others that provided their life story across multiple pages. Some were addressed to another company, others had lots of spelling mistakes or poor grammar. I’ve read very entertaining letters (although perhaps not always appropriate) as well as letters that were lacking in any engaging content at all.

The ones that grabbed my attention in a good way, were those that were concise, clearly laid out, showed me that the applicant had done their research on the company I worked for, demonstrated their unique qualities, and told me how they would be a great fit for us.

To make it easier for recruiters who read hundreds of cover letters every year, follow these basic principles. 

And to ensure your cover letter then stands out from the competition, I recommend you use My Consulting Offer’s approach. The more experienced a recruiter is, the easier it is for them to skim through cover letters, so you need to be able to impress them really quickly.

Successful BCG Cover Letter Samples

5 tips for writing a bcg cover letter that stands out.

• Find out who at BCG will be reviewing your application and address your letter to them (and their team).
• Research BCG’s values and select the 3 or 4 that resonate with you and your experiences.
• Create or adapt your stories to fit the values you’ve chosen, focusing on specifics and structuring them so that they include the context, challenge, actions you took, and the results you reached.
• Ensure you’re also demonstrating relevant skills in your stories such as problem-solving, leadership, and communication.
• Get the basics right. Ensure you’re referring to BCG in your letter throughout, keep it to one page, use bullet points for ease of reading, and check for spelling and grammar errors.

In this article, we’ve covered:

• What a consulting cover letter looks like
• A step-by-step guide to how to tailor your cover letter to BCG
• How recruiters at consulting firms review cover letters
• A sample cover letters that landed our client an interview with BCG
• Our top 5 tips for writing a successful BCG cover letter

Still have questions?

If you have more questions about the Boston Consulting Group cover letter, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s recruiters will answer them.

Other people looking for advice on BCG cover letters found the following pages helpful:

• Consulting Cover Letters
• Consulting Resumes
• Consulting Networking
• BCG Recruiting
• BCG Case Interview

Help With Your Consulting Application

Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on case study interview prep. My Consulting Offer has helped 89.6% of the people we’ve worked with get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Afrah Arif was able to get her offer at Deloitte .

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3 Things Consulting Firms Actually Look for in Your Application

We are sharing our powerful strategies to get your foot in the door, even if you have a low GPA, have little to no business experience, or study a non-business-related major.

No thanks, I don't want free strategies to get into consulting.

We are excited to invite you to the online event., where should we send you the calendar invite and login information.

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

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.

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.

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:

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.

BCG Cover Letter

Written by . Posted in Cover Letter

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has been recognized as one of the most prominent consulting firms in the world. Its prestige places it, along with McKinsey and Bain, in what’s known as the “Big Three” of the industry. Currently it has approximately 78 offices located in 43 countries across the world.

The firm recruits exceptional graduates and working professionals to join their team. They visit colleges and universities to find passionate individuals who are capable of developing recommendations after thoroughly analyzing a business case. Recruiters employ various tools for screening applicants, but the first document they check is your BCG cover letter .

If you’re in the process of crafting an impressive cover letter, here are some pointers to follow:

Research and Network

In order to write a letter that creates value to BCG, research the firm and network with people who are or were connected with the firm. The information you learn from the firm’s website, books, magazines, and employees will guide you in finalizing the content of your letter. A letter will only pique the interest of the recruiter if it’s customized to the company’s direction, goals. and needs.

Think of a Structure

Before you turn on your computer and start typing, think about how you will structure your BCG cover letter. To simplify things, follow this outline:

A cover letter must only contain relevant information. Remember, BCG receives numerous applications each year. Recruiters only have a short time to review your document so it must expertly convey your qualifications.

Mentioning the name of a key person in the management consulting firm or industry can make your cover letter unique. However, when you do this, explain how your encounter with the consultant has convinced you to pursue a career at BCG. Were you motivated by his or her description of the company’s culture and goals? Are you interested in the challenging working environment? Recruiters are interested in this type of information.

Explain Issues

If your work history listed on your resume has noticeable gaps, or if you are shifting careers, you should explain these issues in your BCG cover letter. Recruiters might question why you stopped working for a couple of years or why you decided to leave sales and pursue a career in management consulting. Your explanation will help recruiters understand where you came from and how you can contribute to their goals. Everything must be clear from the beginning; otherwise, you could be instantly rejected for the opening.

Proofread Your Letter

Review your cover letter a few times before you send it to BCG. Make sure the content is relevant, interesting, and substantial. Furthermore, it must be free from spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors. Mistakes give recruiters the impression that you are not meticulous with details and/or you have poor communication skills. If you want objective feedback about your BCG cover letter, ask a friend for help or contact an expert.

You’ll need a well-crafted job application whether you’re seeking for a position as a teacher, engineer, or receptionist. The cover letter is a very useful document for this. You’ll have a far better chance of finding your dream job if you include a professional cover letter with your CV.

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At BCG, we have one simple statement that encapsulates our broader purpose as a global business consulting firm: unlocking the potential of those who advance the world . We try to live our purpose through our work every day by focusing on five purpose principles:

• We bring insight to light by challenging traditional thinking and ways of operating and bringing new perspectives to the toughest problems.
• We drive inspired impact by looking beyond the next deadline to the next decade and by collaborating closely with our clients to enable and energize their organizations.
• We conquer complexity by discovering unique sources of competitive advantage and hidden truths in dynamic, complex systems.
• We lead with integrity by confronting the hard issues, staying true to our values, and stating our views candidly and directly.
• We grow by growing others , enabling our clients, colleagues, and the broader community to build success and achieve their full potential.

Our values are the building blocks of our culture, embedded in everything we do and central to what allows us to be a global consulting firm that leads with integrity.

• Respect for the Individual
• Clients Come First
• The Strategic Perspective
• Value Delivered
• Partnership
• Expanding the Art of the Possible
• Social Impact

Learn more about our people and culture

Our Expertise

Our experts bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

• Aerospace and Defense +
• Automotive Industry +
• Consumer Products Industry +
• Education +
• Financial Institutions +
• Health Care Industry +
• Industrial Goods +
• Insurance Industry +
• Principal Investors and Private Equity +
• Public Sector +
• Retail Industry +
• Technology, Media, and Telecommunications +
• Transportation and Logistics +
• Travel and Tourism +

Capabilities

• Artificial Intelligence +
• Business and Organizational Purpose +
• Business Resilience +
• Business Transformation +
• Climate Change and Sustainability +
• Corporate Finance and Strategy +
• Cost Management +
• Customer Insights +
• Digital, Technology, and Data +
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion +
• Innovation Strategy and Delivery +
• International Business +
• M&A, Transactions, and PMI +
• Manufacturing +
• Marketing and Sales +
• Operations +
• Organization Strategy +
• People Strategy +
• Pricing and Revenue Management +
• Risk Management and Compliance +

Specialty Teams

BCG’s specialty teams combine unique expertise and leading capabilities to better serve clients’ evolving needs—from procurement to purpose and tech to transformation. Explore below.

BCG X (Tech Build & Design) BCG Platinion (Steer and Secure Large-Scale System Deployments) BCG Brighthouse (Purpose Excavation & Activation) BCG Henderson Institute (Ideas Shaping the Future of Business & Society)

BCG U (Executive, Organizational, and Social Impact Upskilling) Expand (Financial Decision Support) Inverto (Procurement & Supply Chain Management) Centre for Public Impact (Not-for-Profit Organization Supporting Positive Impact in Government) Quantis (Sustainable Transformation)

Our Partners

Partnership is one of BCG’s core values. We collaborate across a diverse ecosystem of partner organizations to drive shared value and innovation.

Rationale Behind Consulting Cover Letters

What is bcg looking for, how to write a bcg cover letter, bcg cover letter tips, bcg cover letter example, bcg cover letter: your guide to success.

Whether you're a student or an established professional, the path to joining the ranks of top consulting firms like Boston Consulting Group will include a compelling cover letter. Candidates should aim to provide a concise, customized cover letter for each major consulting firm application, and it should be tailored to your experience to showcase your unique story.

Let’s start with some of the basics.

First, does BCG require a cover letter?

Yes, BCG does require a cover letter. Cover letters are essential for filtering applications and gauging an applicant's interest and ability for the position. Some geographies will indicate that the cover letter is optional, so you might ask us, “Should I still write a cover letter if it appears optional?” Our emphatic answer is – yes! Cover letters are a great way to stand out in this highly competitive field.

Second, understand who will be reading your resume.

At a firm like BCG, the cover letter will be most important to recruiters and to hiring managers, and, to a lesser degree, the consultants that interview you. BCG, and most other management consulting firms, are not using AI readers for cover letters that come through campus recruiting, so write your cover letter planning for a human to read it.

Lastly, recognize that your cover letter is largely a filter.

This is because the cover letter and resume are both used to screen candidates, but once you are into the interview stage, case interviews and behavioral interviews govern most of your outcome. With that said, put your best foot forward to get in the door.

BCG wants creative candidates who demonstrate an understanding of industries combined with a skill set that includes problem-solving, analytical thinking, leadership acumen, and effective communication.

With regards to stories, BCG wants to see your specific contributions and impact on projects. Recruiters are more interested in your individual ability to drive revenue than in the total project size that you participated in. Both metrics are valuable, but the first displays your impact in a personal manner.

Writing a BCG cover letter involves five key steps.

Know your story

Recruiters are trying to understand what type of a consultant you might be, so you want to address who you are in simple and direct terms, crafting a memorable and consistent narrative of yourself.

Identify specific situations of unique success from your story

Highlight episodes that reflect your problem-solving abilities, leadership roles, or communication skills. The cover letter allows you to go deep where the resume was broad, so pick two to three specific “hero stories” and describe them in detail.

Follow a structure to make your story easier to read

The format of your cover letter is not the time to be creative. You generally want four main paragraphs: an introduction, first hero story, the second hero story, and a conclusion, in addition to salutations.

Be quantitative in your stories and result

Provide specifics on the results you've delivered. Whether it's a 20% increase in sales or reducing project delivery time by three weeks, numbers speak louder than words to consultants, and numbers will give the recruiters confidence that you can think like a consultant.

Address potential red flags in your story

Think about spinning. If you have a gap in your resume, now is your chance to explain the gap and potentially make it a compelling part of your story. In one example, a recent new hire at BCG took a gap year to train and claim K-2, often called the hardest mountain climb in the world. Addressing this in his cover letter was a great way to communicate the reason for this gap and spin it to a positive story of commitment and endurance.

The above items should be achievable, regardless of your circumstance. In addition to these, also try to add reference to people that have referred you within the BCG. This is a detail to add to your concluding paragraph. You can also add any BCG events that you have joined or note BCG projects that you are aware of that uniquely resonate with you.

BCG Cover Letter Format

Now let’s talk about some tactical details.

• Length: Always keep it to one page. Recruiters start to fall asleep after one page.
• Font: use 10–12-point professional, readable fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri (font should match your resume).
• Spacing, Margins, and Alignment: Stick to 1-inch margins, 1-1.5 line spacing, and ensure your content is neatly aligned.

The above format is the industry standard. There is almost no reason to veer from this, unless you are a seasoned executive coming into consulting at the partner level, in which case you will include an extra page and discussion of your vision for the role, in addition to a lot of other requirements.

• 2 Rounds of Edits each on 1 Resume and 1 Cover Letter
• Digital pass: 24 templates, 5 e-books

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Now that you are equipped with a guide on how to successfully craft your BCG cover letter, let's talk about common mistakes to avoid for your cover letter draft.

Writing more than one page for a cover letter.

This is the biggest mistake that most people make when they draft their cover letter. The simple reality is that most people will stop reading after one page, and some recruiters will dock points against you for this simple mistake. Keep it to four paragraphs on one page.

Failing to quantify your results

Consultants like numbers. They want numbers in your interview answers, on your resume, and on your cover letter. Each “Hero Story” needs metrics. Sales metrics, team members led, even the number of PowerPoint pages that you built are encouraged on a cover letter.

Not ending with a compelling call to action

You want to strive to end your cover letter politely, but also with a clear next step. Some of our favorites are “Thank you for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you soon,” and “Thank you in advance for the time; I look forward to discussing my application further.”

• Salutation Do’s and Don’ts:

Address the hiring manager if you know the hiring manager that will review your resume, otherwise, use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “To whom it may concern." Do not use “Mr.”, “Ms.", and not “Mrs.” in the salutation.

• Tailor for each firm:

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it. Customize your cover letter for BCG specifically, using the name “BCG” and calling out specific BCGers that you’ve met.

• Stay concise:

Stick to relevant details and avoid the fluff. Anything before university is likely irrelevant.

Reiterate your interest and clearly indicate a goal for further discussion.

• Think long-term motivations:

Show how your long-term goals align with BCG's vision, or how your passions align with BCG’s mission.

• Proofreading:

A simple typo can cost you dearly. Double-check, triple-check, and have a friend re-read it before sending if you are prone to typos.

• File Format:

Typically, a PDF format is preferable as it retains the original formatting.

Depending on your experience, your specific achievements will vary. Consider the following examples.

Focus on your leadership in university over academic achievements. Stories about leading a club or another student organization are more interesting than getting an A in a hard class. Call out your extracurriculars for the same reasons, focusing on your leadership and your impact. Be sure to call out any relevant internships, specifically any direct impact that you contributed.

MBA / Advanced Degree:

If you’ve worked full-time, one of your two “hero stories” must be from your most significant professional role. If your work experience is research focused, try to communicate the impact of your research experience in layman terms.

Experienced Hire:

Emphasize relevant job roles, especially anything with analytics or problem-solving. The big question with experienced hires is usually, “can you think like a consultant?” Leadership positions and key accomplishments are also valuable, as they show you can bring these skills into BCG. For Cover Letter examples and template, check out our thorough guide on writing cover letters.

Crafting the perfect BCG cover letter is a blend of putting your best foot forward, understanding BCG, and communicating your story. Remember that this is a screening exercise, so details matter and formatting can cost you. For those seeking personalized guidance, work with our team of MBB resume and cover letter editors on a custom cover letter edit. Learn more .

Additional Resources:

• Bain Firm Profile
• Bain Internship: Types, Salary, Summer Internship, & Application Info
• Bain Full Case Interview Example
• Bain Consultant Salary
• Consulting Resume: Complete Guide

BCG - Boston Consulting Group

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Consulting - Full-time

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

What You'll Do

As a member of our consulting team, you’ll work alongside some of the world’s top minds on cases that reshape business, government, and society. You’ll collaborate on challenging projects with team members from many backgrounds and disciplines, increasing your understanding of complex business problems from diverse perspectives and developing new skills and experience to help you at every stage of your career—at BCG and beyond.

Consulting work is varied and rigorous, much of it performed at our client sites. Projects can vary in length, size, and location, depending on the client’s challenge. Because our clients operate all over the world, you may travel internationally. 

If you are joining us directly from school or with a few years of experience, expect to spend time working across a wide range of clients and projects from helping to devise the integration strategy for a pharmaceutical merger to developing sustainable farming practices in emerging countries.  

For more experienced professionals, or as your career advances, you’ll begin to specialize in one or more practice areas, perhaps as part of our expert consulting track for those with deep knowledge and skills in a particular discipline or industry.  Every step of the way you will be guided by BCG mentors and world-class learning programs designed to meet your individual needs.

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: Boston Consulting Group (“BCG”) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

BCG offers a comprehensive benefits program, including medical, dental and vision coverage, telemedicine services, life, accident and disability insurance, parental leave and family planning benefits, caregiving resources, mental health offerings, a generous retirement program, financial guidance, paid time off, and more.

Boston Consulting Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under national, provincial, or local law, where applicable, and those with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with applicable state and local laws. BCG is an E-Verify Employer. Click here for more information on E-Verify.

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Tips for Advanced Professional Degree Candidates

Application and interview information, more than half our consultants have a doctorate, law, medical, or non-business master’s degree..

Working toward your advanced degree means you already have many of the skills and strengths you need to succeed here.

If you like the idea of a stimulating and challenging career alternative and an opportunity to work with highly motivated colleagues in a team-based environment, we encourage you to apply.

Application tips

The following general recommendations give a sense of how we assess candidates with Advanced Professional Degrees and provides suggestions for highlighting your accomplishments.

We review every application completely, so we encourage you to provide accurate and thorough information. There are no knockout factors, and you need not be distinctive on every dimension. You will be better served by providing all the information we ask for than by leaving out elements you feel are weak.

Your application (i.e., cover letter, CV/resume) is our first and primary evidence of your written communication skills, so present it in a thoughtful and compelling manner. Make it easy to identify distinctive elements.

Preparing your CV or resume

Preparing for the online application, preparing for interviews.

Sample cover letter for Internship position at BCG

I am a first year student studying towards a Bsc in Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science writing to apply for the BCG Insight Programme. Researching BCG, I was impressed by the culture at the firm and the way in which it approaches problems. Rather than try to fit problems into existing frameworks, teams at BCG have a tendency to look at each problem from a fresh and build a solution from the ground up. I am keen to gain a deeper insight into a career as a management consultant due to its intellectual rigor and have decided to apply to BCG because of its global presence, reputation for excellence and its commitment to thought leadership.

I believe that both my educational and professional backgrounds have well prepared me for the analytical challenges that are faced in this industry .Last summer, I gained a three week internship at Credit Suisse working within Fixed Income Strategy. While enrolled on the internship programme, I developed a deeper understanding of fixed income financial instruments by carrying out detailed analysis on the fundamental drivers of their prices using Microsoft Excel. Furthermore, I worked within a team to create and then give a presentation to senior managers developing interpersonal and teamwork skills which are of the utmost importance to BCG as all work is carried out it teams.

A career in management consultancy is characterised by the tackling of a wide variety of business problems using analytical and reasoning skills to provide solutions for clients. One of the things which attracted me to this profession is the variety enjoyed by working across numerous industries with numerous clients and the opportunity to make a real impact in shaping these industries.

Finally, I have enjoyed looking over the numerous practice cases found on the BCG website specifically the logical approach taken when addressing the numerous frameworks. I would welcome the opportunity to learn more about management consulting and the opportunities that BCG could afford me in the future. Thank you for your time and consideration.