cover letter for boston consulting group

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 Online Case
• 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.

Related articles:

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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Use This Consulting Cover Letter To Get Hired At BCG (With Free Samples)

Table of content: 

Consulting cover letters 101.

• Applying to BCG: Culture, Values, Career Graph & More

BCG Cover Letter Sample That Stands Out

Bcg cover letter samples for different situations, frequently asked questions.

Have you ever thought about the key difference between a cover letter and a resume? A cover letter is 'all about them' and a resume is ' all about you '. So, should you write a cover letter? Definitely yes! But, when applying for a big-shot company like BCG, what can you do to take it to the next level? Let’s learn how to write a perfect consulting cover letter.

The key to effective cover letter writing is storytelling. Most people write cover letters like resumes - cold, hard facts, but my friend, that is the biggest problem.

Cover letters are much more effective if they contain stories that capture candidates’ passion and burning spirits. Here is how you can add such stories seamlessly to your consulting cover letters, and land a job interview.

Cover letters are written to accompany your resumes, to provide an insight into your qualities and motivations, as well as to show your personality traits. However, in consulting cover letters, these are the 3 essential elements you must always take into consideration:

Leadership skills, where you showcase your abilities to influence the decisions of others. Your story should be backed up by impactful, specific, and verifiable evidence.

Achieving mindset, where you describe your continuous, relentless pursuit of a goal. Keep in mind to describe all the necessary details and aspects of your personality.

Analytical problem-solving, where you showcase your ability to solve problems in a structured and methodical manner.

Regarding your motivation to join a firm like BCG , your cover letter should answer these two questions:

Why Consulting?

Answer this question most straightforwardly and systematically. Let the cover letter be self-explanatory in answering how you understand the consulting world, and how it fits with your long-term professional plans. Besides this, write about something unique in the consulting track to explain your choice for the same.

Why this firm?

Your cover letter should answer this question, “Out of all the consulting firms, why BCG?”, but don’t overdo it. Tell what you find uniquely attractive about this firm to you. Last, but not least, remember to showcase yourself as an interesting personality that fits with the firm’s culture.

Applying to BCG: Culture, Values, Career Graph & More

Bcg culture.

BCG, also known as The Boston Consulting Group, has long been recognized as one of the most well-known and prestigious consulting firms in the industry. One of the key factors contributing to BCG's reputation is its exceptional company culture. BCG has cultivated a culture that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to delivering outstanding results for clients.

BCG's workplace culture is often praised for its inclusivity and diversity. The firm actively promotes a welcoming and supportive environment, where employees from different backgrounds can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives. BCG has been recognized for its efforts in creating an inclusive workplace, receiving awards such as "Best Workplace for Diversity" and "Best Workplace for LGBTQ+ Equality."

Core BCG Values

BCG is guided by a set of core values that shape the way the firm operates and interacts with clients and employees. These values include:

Integrity: BCG values honesty, transparency, and ethical behavior in all aspects of its work.

Respect for the Individual: BCG respects the individuality and diversity of its employees and clients, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.

Teamwork: Collaboration and teamwork are central to BCG's approach. The firm believes in harnessing the collective intelligence and diverse perspectives of its teams to deliver the best solutions.

Professionalism: BCG maintains the highest standards of professionalism and excellence in all client engagements.

Meritocracy: BCG believes in recognizing and rewarding individuals based on their performance and contributions, promoting a merit-based culture.

Find out more about BCG's culture and values here .

Career Path at BCG

A career at BCG offers a structured and progressive path for consultants to grow and advance. The typical career graph at BCG includes the following positions and years of experience required:

After you become a partner, you may progress to the role of a Sr. Partner - taking on the role of a thought leader in the industry. However, this progression takes time and considerable experience.

Here’s a brief look at what each role entails:

Consultant: Consultants play a crucial role in project teams, conducting research, data analysis, and contributing to client deliverables.

Project Leader: After gaining experience as a consultant, individuals have the opportunity to step into the role of a Project Leader. In this position, they are responsible for managing project teams, overseeing project execution, and ensuring client satisfaction. Project Leaders also play a key role in developing client relationships and identifying new business opportunities for BCG.

Principal: Principals are responsible for leading multiple projects simultaneously, managing client relationships at a senior level, and providing strategic guidance to clients. They also play a crucial role in mentoring and developing more junior consultants.

Partner: Partners are responsible for driving the overall growth and success of the firm. They lead client engagements, develop new business opportunities, and provide strategic direction to the firm. Partners also play a key role in recruiting and developing talent, ensuring the continued excellence of BCG's consulting services.

At each stage of the career graph, BCG provides comprehensive training and development opportunities to help consultants acquire the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. This structured career path, combined with a supportive and collaborative culture, makes BCG an attractive choice for those looking to build a successful career in management consulting.

The screener who will read your cover letter would do that for basically two reasons. First, if your resume is both interesting and impressive at the same time, he/she would want to know more about your motivations and personality. Second, if your resume is ambiguous, and your writing is a little unclear, he/she would want to clarify those points, and a cover letter helps you manage all these tiny details effortlessly.

Always remember, a story-based, attractive, and detailed cover letter will always win over a formulaic and normal cover letter. This will help your cover letter to stand out in a heap of 200 applications. 

Here is a sample of the BCG cover letter that will make you stand out from the competition:

The sample letter has been provided by Mohamed Suwaid, founder of Graduate Scope.

BCG Cover Letter if you're a fresher

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, ZIP Code] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date] [BCG Recruiting Team] [The Boston Consulting Group] [Address] [City, State, ZIP Code] Dear BCG Recruiting Team (or Hiring Manager’s details) I am writing to express my interest in the Consultant position at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). As a recent graduate from XYZ MBA college, with a major in marketing and a minor in finance, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my skills and knowledge to BCG. During my time at the XYZ consulting firm where I completed my internship, I was exposed to the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the consulting industry. This experience helped me develop a keen interest in consulting and its ability to drive impactful change for businesses. I was particularly drawn to BCG's reputation for delivering innovative solutions and its commitment to making a positive impact on organizations and society as a whole. Academically, I have consistently demonstrated my ability to excel. My strong academic performance throughout my MBA program is a testament to my dedication and determination to succeed. I believe that my analytical and problem-solving skills, combined with my solid foundation in marketing and finance, make me well-suited for the challenges that come with a consulting role at BCG. Beyond my academic achievements, I have also actively engaged in various extracurricular activities during my time in college. One notable experience was my role as the head of the committee responsible for organizing our college fest. This role allowed me to hone my leadership, communication, and organizational skills, as well as work effectively in a team. I believe that these experiences have equipped me with the necessary skills to collaborate with diverse teams and effectively manage complex projects, which are crucial in a consulting environment. Furthermore, I deeply resonate with BCG's core values of integrity, respect, and excellence. These values align with my values, and I am committed to upholding them if given a chance to work with BCG. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to BCG's success and make a positive impact. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my qualifications further and am available for an interview at your convenience. Thank you again for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name]

BCG Cover Letter is you had a career gap

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, Zip Code] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date] [Recipient's Name] [Recipient's Position] [BCG] [BCG Address] [City, State, Zip Code] Dear [Recipient's Name], I am writing to apply for the position of Senior IT Consultant at BCG, as advertised on your website. With my extensive experience in software development and project leadership, coupled with my recent educational course, I believe I am well-suited for this role and can contribute significantly to BCG's success. During my 5 years at [Previous Company], I worked as a software developer and later as a project leader. This experience has allowed me to develop a strong technical skill set, as well as a deep understanding of the IT industry. I have successfully led cross-functional teams, managed complex projects, and delivered high-quality solutions to clients. These experiences have honed my problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and client relationship management skills, all of which are essential for a Senior IT Consultant role at BCG. In addition to my work experience, I recently took a sabbatical to pursue an educational course in [Course Name]. This course provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends and technologies in the IT industry. It enhanced my knowledge in areas such as data analytics, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, which are crucial for driving digital transformation and innovation. The course also included practical projects and case studies that allowed me to apply my learnings in real-world scenarios. As a result, I have gained valuable insights and hands-on experience that will enable me to provide strategic IT consulting to BCG's clients. Furthermore, my values strongly align with those of BCG. I am committed to excellence, integrity, and teamwork, which are core values of BCG. I believe in delivering exceptional results for clients, maintaining the highest ethical standards, and collaborating effectively with colleagues. I am also passionate about continuous learning and have actively pursued professional development opportunities during my career gap. I am confident that my career gap has not hindered my ability to excel at BCG but rather has provided me with valuable experiences and knowledge that I can bring to the table. I look forward to the possibility of further discussing my experience. I am available for an interview at your convenience. Thank you again for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name]

Overall, it may be said...

Cover letters should be very professional. Your introductory paragraph should be all about explaining how you came across consulting and why are you considering BCG to engage with.

The first half of this section starts by describing the professional experiences and the activities carried out by the applicant. The second half must summarize leadership experiences in a very concise manner. 

The ending should be convincing where the applicant says these experiences have provided relevant skills suitable to add value at BCG. This next paragraph should cover the ‘Why BCG’ element of the cover letter. Mention the firm’s culture (this is fairly common but useful), indicating that you have done sufficient research. 

Mentioning the transaction center is great because it provides more of a focused approach in answering ‘Why BCG?’. Not many candidates will do this, and the ones that do tend to impress the recruiters more. This indicates further and more insightful research was conducted 

The cover letter ends with summarizing why the experience, skills, and passion make them a good fit for BCG, followed by a thank you note. 

It is highly recommended that you amplify your consulting features. Do this by making subtle references to consulting work using the terminology and concepts of the industry, in this case, BCG. It is guaranteed that most screeners, who are consultants themselves, are going to subconsciously appreciate it. As you prepare your final draft of the BCG cover letter by keeping all the tips at the back of your mind, you are all set to grab your interview and hopefully, get hired.

1. What should I include in my BCG cover letter?

In your BCG cover letter, you should include your contact information, a professional greeting, an introduction highlighting your interest in the company and the specific position, a brief overview of your relevant qualifications and experiences, and a strong closing statement. It is important to customize your cover letter for each application and demonstrate your knowledge of BCG and how you can contribute to the company's success.

2. How long should my BCG cover letter be?

Your BCG cover letter should be concise and to the point. It is recommended to keep it to one page or less. Focus on highlighting your most relevant qualifications and experiences that make you a strong fit for the position. Be sure to use clear and concise language, and avoid unnecessary details or repetition.

3. Should I address my BCG cover letter to a specific person?

Whenever possible, it is best to address your BCG cover letter to a specific person. This shows that you have taken the time to research and personalize your application. If the job posting does not provide a specific contact name, you can try to find the name of the hiring manager or recruiter through LinkedIn or the company's website. If all else fails, you can address your cover letter to the hiring team or department.

4. How can I make my BCG cover letter stand out?

To make your BCG cover letter stand out, it is important to tailor it to the company and position you are applying for. Research BCG's values, culture, and recent projects to demonstrate your genuine interest and alignment with the company. Highlight specific achievements and experiences that showcase your skills and qualifications. Use clear and concise language, and proofread your letter for any errors or typos.

5. Do I need to include references in my BCG cover letter?

You do not need to include references in your BCG cover letter. References are typically requested later in the hiring process if needed. Instead, focus on highlighting your qualifications and experience that are relevant to the position you are applying for. Use specific examples to demonstrate your skills and accomplishments, and explain how they align with the requirements of the role. This will give the hiring manager a better understanding of your capabilities and increase your chances of being considered for the position.

For more such interesting pieces, read:

• Cover letter that will surely get you hired at JP Morgan! (with a free sample)
• Congratulations! You have been selected for an MBA program! Now what’s next?
• Cover Letter For Resume: A Complete Guide With Samples
• 5 realities that first-year MBA students face head-on!

I am a storyteller by nature. At Unstop, I tell stories ripe with promise and inspiration, and in life, I voice out the stories of our four-legged furry friends. Providing a prospect of a good life filled with equal opportunities to students and our pawsome buddies helps me sleep better at night. And for those rainy evenings, I turn to my colors.

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