Joining a consultancy straight after a Bachelor’s degree - summary of the episode

Joining a consultancy right after completing a Bachelor’s degree: for some students, a Master’s program is not necessarily an immediate option, but they would still like to get a foot in the door in the consulting industry.

Mona and Maximilian, both Analysts at zeb, tell us about how they started their careers. zeb’s Analyst Program offers graduates from Bachelor programs the opportunity to join the company directly after their first degree and to gain job experience before continuing with their studies. They work full time for approximately one year. Then they can take time off to pursue a Master’s degree full time. During their studies, they continue to receive monthly financial support and also have the opportunity to work at zeb during term breaks. Upon completion of the Master’s degree, direct employment as a Consultant at zeb with a permanent contract is guaranteed.

Mona and Maximilian joined zeb in different ways. Mona originally did an internship at zeb, but then, having greatly enjoyed her time as an intern, the Analyst Program caught her attention. Maximilian completed an integrated work-study program at a savings bank. Thus he had already gained three years of professional experience. He knew for sure that he wished to go on to complete a Master’s degree full time, but at the same time he was keen to get to know the environment of a consultancy. 

Due to Corona, the application process was entirely digital. Despite the online format, Mona and Maximilian both felt that there was a friendly atmosphere right from the start. Their interviews mainly focused on finding out whether they would fit into the team, but there were also some technical questions and a case study. 

Although the onboarding process equally took place online to a large extent, their initial concerns that this would prevent them from getting to know their colleagues properly turned out to be unfounded. Mona explains that joint events have helped her to establish contacts very quickly. Maximilian also had the opportunity to participate in events and get to know his team before he started on the job. In addition, the Career Development Counselor (CDC) helps you when you start your job by answering any questions you may have – and later on, the CDC provides support and assists you in your personal development.