Advice on recruiting for econ consulting
Hello everyone! I am new to reddit so I apologize if this type of post isn't appropriate for the subreddit. I'm currently a college junior, and recently started exploring full-time economic consulting opportunities for a 2027 start date (firms like cornerstone, brattle, cra, etc.). I have a solid understanding of the field, but before I begin seriously recruiting, I wanted some advice about the competitiveness of my profile and how I can improve (largely so I can set expectations as someone new to the field).
About me:
- Junior at T20 college, econ + math major, 3.9 GPA
- 2 internships in tech industry (growth at startup + corporate strategy at F50), neither involved extensive data analysis
- Upcoming internship at healthcare consulting boutique firm (more management consulting than econ consulting) where I’ll be doing some SQL/data cleaning work
- Teaching assistant for upper-level econometrics class (use Stata, R, etc.)
- Coursework includes game theory, research in industry analysis, industrial economics, and linear/modern algebra
- No formal research experience outside of 2 research-based class projects
The last bit about formal research is what I am concerned about. I did some searching on linkedin about the backgrounds of people at these firms, and almost everyone had some sort of undergrad research experience with an established professor. Research opportunities at my school are pretty accessible, but I would start in August which is when I apply.
How important of a factor is formal research experience for getting an interview? Also looking at my profile, is there anything you would recommend I emphasize/improve on my application materials that would help? I appreciate any advice, thank you!