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 .

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

© My CONSULTING Offer

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.

do i need a cover letter for bcg

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

Consulting cover letter

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.

Consulting cover letter example

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.

Consulting cover letter tips

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:

What consulting firms look for

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.

Interview coach and candidate conduct a video call

consultingfact_logo

BCG Cover Letter

Written by . Posted in Cover Letter

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.

You Might Also Like...

  • Bain Cover Letter
  • Bain Cover Letter Sample
  • Best Practices for a Management Consulting Cover Letter
  • Booz Cover Letter
  • Consulting Cover Letter Examples
  • Consulting Cover Letter Outline
  • Consulting Cover Letter and Resume Tips
  • Consulting Firm Profile: Boston Consulting Group
  • Consulting Resume and Cover Letter Guide
  • How to Craft a McKinsey Cover Letter
  • Mistakes to Avoid in a Management Consulting Cover Letter

Trackback from your site.

  • Knowledge Base
  • Free Resume Templates
  • Resume Builder
  • Resume Examples
  • Free Resume Review

Every year, more than 1 million candidates apply for a consulting role in McKinsey.

[ Click here to directly go to the Consulting cover letter sample ]

But only 10,000 people get the final offer. That’s a 1% success rate .

The top 3 consulting companies, McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company , are some of the most selective companies when it comes to hiring.

Most people don’t know this, but they start their selection process by screening the cover letter and consulting resumes .

More than 80% of resumes and cover letters are rejected before the first screening. Less than 15% of candidates get called for interviews in the big three consulting firms.

So, if you think, " How do I become a consultant? How to write a consulting cover letter that gets me the consulting job?” - This blog is for you.

Consulting cover letters are very different from traditional cover letters for jobs. In this guide to writing a consulting cover letter, we’ll tell you everything you need to write on the consulting cover letter to stand out from your competitors.

In this blog, we will discuss:

  • What is a consulting cover letter?
  • What are the things recruiters look for in a cover cetter?
  • How to structure a consulting cover letter?
  • How to write an effective consulting cover letter?
  • 5 tips to write a stellar consulting cover letter
  • Consulting cover letter dample

We’ll also share five consulting cover letter examples to help you get an interview.

What Is a Consulting Cover Letter?

A consulting cover letter is an adjacent document with your consulting resume that helps you introduce your skills and accomplishments to the hiring managers.

It’s an essential part of your application, especially for big three consulting firms, because it’s easy for recruiters to quickly sort bad candidates based on the quality of a cover letter, lack of attention to detail, etc.

However, if done correctly, consulting cover letters is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd and get yourself a job interview.

You don’t have enough space to elaborate on your experiences on a resume. But with a cover letter, you can expand on your experiences and explain the reasons for some potential red flags on your resume.

Why do you have a job gap? Why do you have a low GPA? You can explain the reasons for that in the cover letter.

In short, your consulting cover letter is the deciding factor for getting a job in a big consulting company.

What Recruiters Look for in a Consulting Cover Letter?

The recruiters look for a candidate who has excellent communication and leadership skills. They look into the applicant's skills and experience to understand if they have the qualities to become a successful consultant.

Recruiters look for mainly four aspects from a consultant cover letter. These are:

  • Does the candidate have the relevant skills and experience required for the job?
  • Does the candidate have a clear idea of what the company does?
  • Is the candidate interested in working with the company?
  • Does the candidate have excellent communication skills?

element-of-consulting-cover-letter

If you want to create an outstanding consulting cover letter, you need to address all four points in your letter.

How to Structure a Management Consulting Cover Letter?

A perfect management consulting cover letter must have six distinct elements.

  • Opening Paragraph
  • Closing Paragraph
  • Your Signature

Consulting Cover Letter: Header

This is a mandatory part of any professional letter. The header section must include

  • Candidate’s name
  • Phone Number
  • Your Location

Even if your resume has all this information, you need to add these to your cover letter.

Salutation is an essential part of the consulting cover letter. Never start your cover letter with “To whom it may concern.” It will not get you the job.

Instead, find out who is the recruiter or hiring manager and address the cover letter directly to them.

If you don’t identify who the hiring manager is, you can address the letter to the recruitment team. For example:

Dear members of the BCG Recruitment Team, To Bain Recruitment Team,

Consulting Cover Letter: Opening Paragraph

The first sentence of your consulting cover letter is the perfect opportunity to hook the reader’s attention. And the second sentence should state the role you are applying for and how you learned about the position. The third sentence should describe why you are interested in the company you are applying for.

Do some initial research and craft a personalized and customized opening paragraph for the Consulting cover letter. If you can do that, you will improve your chance of getting shortlisted by 1000%.

Here is an example of the Opening Paragraph of a consulting cover letter:

I am a 4+ years experienced digital marketing professional working with top SaaS brands to help them generate $100M in sales year on year. I’m highly pleased to apply for the Associate Consultant position at McKinsey. I appreciate McKinsey’s leadership and sales practices to provide an outstanding experience to clients.

Consulting Cover Letter - Body

The consulting cover letter body part should explain your key accomplishments, experience, and why you are a good fit for the firm.

Don’t write a generic consulting cover letter body. Research the consulting firm, go to their website and understand the qualities they are looking for. After that, you can start creating the body of the consulting cover letter.

Below is a consulting cover letter example of the body paragraph:

body-of-consulting-cover-letter

Consulting Cover Letter- Closing Paragraph

The closing paragraph is where you place the call to action to encourage the recruiters to take action. It must be short and to the point.

Here’s an example of the Closing Paragraph of Consulting Cover Letter:

Closing-of-consulting-cover-letter

Consulting Cover Letter - Ending Signature

This is a formality for any type of professional letter. There are different types of closing signatures. Such as:

Thanking You Thanks and Regards Best Regards Sincerely Thank You

How to Write an Effective Consulting Cover Letter - Formatting

It’s not enough to have great content for the consulting cover letter; You need to format it professionally to get the most out of it.

Here are some formatting tips to help you create the consulting cover letter:

Keep it Under 1 Page:

The consulting cover letter should not be more than one page. Recruiters don’t have much time to give to one single candidate. And in this time, if you create a 2-page cover letter, the maximum chance is that recruiters will ignore your application.

Use 1-inch Margin:

A 1-inch margin is standard for any professional cover letter. A margin of less than 1 inch makes your cover letter look cramped. A 1-inch margin ensures enough whitespace to make the letter easily readable.

Use Professional Font:

Always use a professional font in the consulting cover letter. Some professional fonts are:

  • Times New Roman

Also, ensure to keep the font size to 12 points. It makes the cover letter very easy to read.

Save the Cover Letter in PDF

Make sure to submit the cover letter in PDF format. It ensures that your cover letter format is intact, no matter who views it.

10 Tips for Writing a Consulting Cover Letter

Writing a solid consulting cover letter allows you to present your candidacy to the hiring managers. Here is a list of tips for writing a stellar consulting cover letter.

1. Research the Company Requirements

Interviewing candidates is expensive; it takes time and money to get excellent people on board.

So, the company also wants to ensure that the candidate they are interviewing is interested in the job.

Therefore, consulting firms look for signs that:

  • You’ve researched the company
  • You have a proper motivation or reason for entering into consulting
  • You have a good answer to why you’re the right fit for the company
  • You have impeccable speaking and writing skills

Use your cover letter to showcase that you have all the signs that a consulting firm looks for in a candidate. This will set you apart from the rest of the candidates.

2. Link Cover Letter To Resume

Your cover letter should complement your resume and strengthen your candidacy.

Start the cover letter with unique experiences and skills to hook the recruiter’s interests.

In resumes, there is less space to explain anything to the recruiter. You can complement it by going into detail about your achievements and skills in the cover letter.

Here are some points consulting firms look for in a consulting cover letter:

  • Big brand name: If you are from a reputed university or worked with reputed brands
  • Good Academic Performance: 3.5+ GPA
  • Leadership experience and good communication skills
  • Excellent Analytical Skills
  • The ratio of your accomplishments and career year: the more experience you have, the more accomplishments you should get

3. Don’t Use a Standard Cover Letter Template

Writing a cover letter is difficult. It takes a lot of contemplating and self-reflection to make it right. You have to edit and rewrite the cover letter multiple times to make it interesting.

Some candidates try to use standardized cover letter templates to avoid the pain of writing a cover letter.

This is a big mistake, mainly if you apply to prestigious consulting firms. The recruiters in these organizations are experienced in identifying a standard cover letter.

Don’t write a consulting cover letter for the sake of it. Write the cover letter to make each sentence count and help you get closer to your dream job.

4. Use Evidence-based Storytelling

Everyone loves a good story. And in your cover letter as well, you should tell the story of your experience, don’t list down your skills and accomplishments without any context.

Demonstrate how various experiences have given you certain skills that nobody has.

For example, instead of saying you have led marketing campaigns in your past organizations, you can say that You’ve managed a marketing budget of $50,000 and coordinated with the content team to launch two successful campaigns and generated $5mn sales.

This is evidence-based storytelling, and this gives more context to the recruiter about your experience and helps them evaluate your skills.

5. Avoid Repeating Things on Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter and resume go hand in hand — they should complement each other, but they should not be the same.

You can reference elements of your resume but focus on aspects that aren't covered very well there or put a different spin on things, so it's still interesting for them to read about it again.

6. Pick Your Best Stories And Accomplishments

A cover letter is an opportunity to tell great stories from your work experience that are relevant to the consulting firm you're applying to.

If you have accomplishments, such as helping previous employers save money or increase profits, put these front and center where hiring managers won't miss them. Don't just list your skills — explain how they helped your previous employers meet their goals.

However, make sure to include only 2-3 such stories. And keep them short and crisp. Nobody has the time to read through a 2-page cover letter.

7. Quantify Your Results and Impact

Consulting firms want to know that you have the potential to deliver results for their clients — so make sure you mention how much impact or value you've created in past jobs or internships. For example: "I helped ABC Company reduce its customer service costs by 20%." Or: "I generated $100K in annual savings for XYZ Company through process improvement initiatives."

8. Keep Your Cover Letter Crisp

Many consulting firms get hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for each job opening. It's important to keep your cover letter as brief as possible so that recruiters don't lose interest.

Keep your cover letter to a maximum of one page. The most successful cover letters have three identifiable sections: who you are, why you are applying and why the firm should hire you. This can be covered in three paragraphs or about 300 words.

9. Namedrop Employees You Have Talked to

If there is someone at the firm who referred you or whom you have spoken to about this position, mention them by name in your cover letter, preferably in the first paragraph. This will help the reader to associate your application with that particular employee. It will also help if that person has put in a good word for you!

10. Double-check You're Addressing The Cover Letter Properly

Address the right firm. Take the time to research the firm and make sure your cover letter is addressed to the right person.

Most firms will have information on their websites about who is in charge of recruiting.

The more personal you can make the cover letter, the better for you.

Failing to address your cover letter correctly may be discarded without even being read.

Here’s a Management Consulting Cover Letter Sample For Your Reference:

Frequently asked questions:, do all consulting firms require cover letter.

Most consulting firms keep cover letters as an optional document. However, you must add your cover letter with your resume to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Writing a unique cover letter can help you stand out from the crowd.

What if The Cover Letters are Optional?

Consulting firms like McKinsey and BCG have made their cover letters optional.

It certainly helps the candidates with strong resumes to get out of the hassle of creating a cover letter. However, if you have some red flags on your resume, such as a low GPA or an employment gap, you should write a cover letter to explain these potential red flags to the recruiters and increase your chances of getting hired.

Key Takeaways

Writing a consulting cover letter doesn’t have to be complicated. Just remember the following tips:

  • Write a proper cover letter header and ensure that you are not making any mistakes in your contact information
  • Always start the cover letter with a proper and professional salutation
  • The first paragraph of the consulting cover letter should hook the recruiter to read the whole cover letter
  • In the second paragraph, explain your experiences and show why you are the perfect candidate for the job
  • Always end the consulting cover letter with a call to action

If you want to create a consulting cover letter, go to the Hiration Cover Letter Builder tool and pick from 20+ consulting cover letter templates to make an excellent one for yourself.

If you have further questions, reach out to us at [email protected] , and we will be happy to help you out.

do i need a cover letter for bcg

Share this blog

Subscribe to Free Resume Writing Blog by Hiration

Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox

Stay up to date! Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox

Is Your Resume ATS Friendly To Get Shortlisted?

Upload your resume for a free expert review.

do i need a cover letter for bcg

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.

BCG - Boston Consulting Group

  • Apply to Job

BCG - Boston Consulting Group

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.

Share this job

BCG Cover Letter: 4 Templates and Email

We are extremely careful about providing our readers with the content they need. These samples of BCG cover letters will surely help you. Make sure to insert your personal details at the required places.

Letter Template: 1

Table of Contents

BCG Cover Letter

[ your name]

[ your address]

[ your contact information]

[ recipient’s name]

[ recipient’s address]

[ recipient’s contact information]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Recently, I have seen the information for the requirement for the post of [mention the position] in BCG on their website which is [mention the URL] on [mention the date].  I desire to work in this reputed company like BCG and find the requirements posted on the website is absolutely matching my educational background and experience. 

I am interested to work with the team of BCG as I have seen them taking a different approach to every problem. Instead of fixing the issue in the current framework, they would rather look in to the problem from the starting level and resolving it from start to finish. I am very much interested to delve in to deeper analysis in to the career as a [mention the position] and therefore I would like to apply for it at BCG. 

BCG as we know is highly recognized at a global level and well reputed firm and committed to serve with high quality standards. I am confident that I would be able to deliver the best with the support of my excellent educational background and quality experience. I had done my graduation in [mention the subject] from the university of [mention the university name] in the year [mention the year]. It had been [mention the time period] years of program.  

I had also done short term computer course from the well known institute of [mention the computer institute]. Over there, I got the opportunity to learn the latest software program like [mention the software program]. With the help of these software programs, I am very capable of designing projects for industrial activities. 

Regarding my professional experience, I have overall [mention the experience period] years. Initially, I had been appointed as an intern and I got the opportunity to work with excellent performers of [mention the company name]. 

I deserve to work in BCG in the post of [mention the position] and therefore I would request you to call me for the interview. I will be able to explain further in a better way about my skills and academic background and justify my employment with you. Kindly give me a call at my contact number which is [mention the contact number] for further discussion.

I would be waiting for your response.

Thanking you,

Yours Faithfully,

[Mention your name]

Download Template : ( pdf, docs, ODT, RTF, txt, HTML, Epub, Etc )

Letter Template: 2

It will be a great opportunity for career growth for me when I would be joining the BCG consulting group. I got the encouragement to apply for the post of [mention the position] as I the requirement for it on the website of [mention the website]. In fact, it is continuously posting the information of this vacant post not only on the website but also in the journal of [mention the newspaper] dated on [mention the date].

I am quite thrilled and excited to see the advertisement as I find it matches my educational background and experience in the field of [mention the field]. 

I am very much aware of the fact that BCG Consulting Group is a reputed firm and recognized all over the world due to its excellent business networks. It is one of the Big trees of the industry and it has 73 offices in 43 countries of the world.

As I know that staff members of the BCG consulting group are highly qualified and well-skilled to contribute in the industry. I would prefer to work with this team who is specialized in resolving the tasks from the grass-root level. 

With my in-depth researching ability, and excellent communication and leadership skills, I will definitely qualify for the post of [mention the position] at BCG Consulting Group. I am highly suitable for the post as I am a graduate of [mention the university name] .

I had been a topper in my college as I had scored above [mention the percentage]. After that, I did join [mention the previous company name] in the position of [mention the position]. I had worked for a period of [mention the time period] years.  Over there, I was performing the tasks of [mention the activities]. 

I do believe that with my qualification and experience as mentioned above, I do stand as a deserving candidate for the post of [mention the position]. For further details, you can get in touch with me on my contact number which is [contact number]. 

Thanking You,

Yours Sincerely,

Letter Template: 3

Currently, I am pursuing my master’s program in [mention the subject] at the University of [Mention the university] and an advertisement for the requirement of the management consultant at BCG Consulting Group has actually struck my interest.

I had seen this advertisement on the website of [mention the website] of BCG Consulting Group on [mention date] and found it quite promising for my career. I would love to grow in this industry if I get the opportunity to grow over here. 

BCG Consulting Group is known to recruit candidates who had been bright students in their academic careers and brilliantly performing in their respective fields. I find myself among the brilliant performers and excellent students. I would like to inform you as to why am I very much suitable for the post of management consultant in BCG Consultant Group. 

I would like to inform you that I have been working as an intern in [mention the previous company] for a period of [mention the time period] months. Due to excellent performance, I have been absorbed in the team of [mention the name of supervisor] as a junior management consultant. 

I was responsible for interviewing staff members of the client, assisting my supervisor in preparing the presentations, and arranging meetings with the leaders of different industries. Over there, I had been appreciated for my contribution with my effective communication and leadership skills.

I had been awarded as the best employee of the year in the company last year.  I would like to invest my efforts over here along with the team of BCG Consulting Group who are actually specialized in providing quality solutions by working from start to finish. 

I had done graduation in [mention the subject] from the University of [mention the university] and a 6 months diploma course in [mention diploma course] from the Institute of [mention the institute name]. 

I am confident that with my experience of [mention the experience period] years and academic background, I will be able to do justice to the job as a management consultant in your reputed company. 

Kindly contact me on [mention the contact number] or send me an email to [mention email id] to know further about my interest to work as a management consultant in BCG Consulting Group.

Yours faithfully

Letter Template: 4

[recipient’s contact information]

Dear Sir/Madam, 

I am writing this letter to inform you that job posting for the post of [mention the position] in BCG Consulting Group on its website and also the [mention the job portal name] has attracted me and inspired me to apply for it. I find myself perfectly eligible for this post. 

The reason for choosing BCG Consulting Group over any other company for my career growth is due to its unique way of resolving problems. The team of BCG Consulting Group is always focusing on resolving problems from the grass-root level.

The work culture has deeply impacted me and I want to grow in this professional environment with my skills. It will be an intellectual pursuit for me by working in the position of [mention the position]. 

I have taken the decision to apply at BCG Consulting Group because of its global presence in 43 countries and its commitment to providing high-quality services. 

I am very much confident that my educational qualifications and industrial experience of [mention the experience period] is perfect for the challenges faced by BCG Consulting Group in the various segments of the business. I do have the potency to tackle the issues with my analytical and reasoning skills. I am capable of collaborating with the members of the organization and also with the clients of the other industries.

I know how to handle a team of 50 people and provide them with appropriate training for increasing the productivity of the company and boosting the career growth of every employee. I have worked with sincerity, honesty, and following the quality standards of [mention the previous company name] and achieved 100% client satisfaction in the last [mention the experience period] years.

I have earned a bachelor’s degree in [mention stream] with a specialization in [mention the subject] from the University of [mention the university name]. If I am hired by BCG Consulting Group then I commit to doing best. As I am keen to apply for the post of [mention the position], kindly give me a call on [mention the contact number] or send me an email to [mention email id]. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours Faithfully

{Mention your name]

Similar Posts:

  • Travel Consultant Cover Letter: 8 Templates
  • How To Write a Cover Letter With No Experience: 82 Templates
  • It Consultant Cover Letter Example: 6 Templates
  • Management Consultant Cover Letter: 4 Templates
  • Compensation Consultant Cover Letter: 4 Templates
  • Leasing Consultant Cover Letter: 6 Templates
  • Cyber Security Cover Letter: 10 Templates
  • Training Consultant Cover Letter: 4 Templates
  • Consultant Farewell Letter: 8 Templates
  • Customer Service Consultant Cover Letter: 4 Templates

Rahul Panchal

“Business, marketing, and blogging – these three words describe me the best. I am the founder of Burban Branding and Media, and a self-taught marketer with 10 years of experience. My passion lies in helping startups enhance their business through marketing, HR, leadership, and finance. I am on a mission to assist businesses in achieving their goals.”

Symbol Matches

Symbol starts with, company matches.

  • International
  • Switzerland

thanks for visiting cnnmoney.

We're no longer maintaining this page.

For the latest business news and markets data, please visit CNN Business

How to write a killer cover letter

Five steps to ace that job interview

Anyone who's ever applied for a job knows how stressful it can be. And for some, the hardest part is the cover letter.

It should be professional, but make you stand out. It should be short, but not too short.

While a cover letter can seem like a formality, it's an important first step in the process.

"It's your personal sales brochure," said James Innes, chairman of the James Innes Group and author of several career books. No wonder it's so daunting.

Here are a few tips to help you pen the cover letter most likely to get you hired.

Read the job posting closely

"The things that come at the top of the job description are the most important," said Martin Yate, career coach and bestselling author of the Knock 'Em Dead series.

To make sure you highlight the traits your potential employer really cares about, refer to the skills listed in the job posting to inform how you talk about yourself in your letter.

Yate suggested going a step further by reviewing job listings at several companies, and seeing if any skills or traits are repeated across an industry. "I would recommend collecting half a dozen job postings," he said. "Look at what they have in common."

Quality over quantity

When you're first looking for jobs, it can be tempting to send out a generic cover letter to as many employers as possible. But that doesn't work, Innes said. Recruiters can tell, and they don't like it.

Keith Bevans, head of Bain & Company's global consultant recruiting, warned that a poor cover letter can hurt an applicant's chances of getting the job. "The cover letter becomes an important data point on how good they are at certain skills that might be relevant to the job they're applying for," he said.

Related: How to answer the salary question during a job interview

Make a good first impression by ditching "to whom it may concern." Instead, look for the name of a hiring manager and address it to them. You should also try to find out a little bit about them, and say something nice about their achievements. "If you can flatter someone in the opening line and create a connection, you've got their attention," said Yate.

Tell a good story

Once you've determined what matters to employers, figure out what type of story you want to tell about yourself -- and be succinct.

"The best cover letters tend to be short and to the point," Bevans said. You don't want to repeat what's in your résumé.

Rather than telling employers what you think you're capable of, tell them what you've already achieved. "People are hired on credentials, not potential," said Yate. "We want to leave out things like 'I think I could do a great job.'" Offer specific, relevant examples, Innes added.

Related: What top employers look for in new college grads

Bevans noted that if you're going to use buzzy terms to describe yourself, you should be able to back them up. "A lot of students write cover letters that are like treasure maps with no treasure," he said. "If you say you're a good team player" you should have a specific example to back that up, said Bevans.

Stick to clean templates

Yate recommended using one of two possible cover letter formats. The first is a simple letter, made up of a few paragraphs and lasting no longer than a single page. First get your reader's attention with a personal reference, then name the position you're applying for. In the following paragraphs, lay out your relevant skills and experiences. Conclude by outlining an actionable next step. Rather than telling the reader you look forward to hearing from them, say you'll reach out by a certain date to follow up.

Executive Briefing

The second format is called an executive briefing . You still write a paragraph at the top explaining what you're applying for, and one at the bottom with a plan of action. But instead of writing out some paragraphs in between, set up two columns: One with a list of requirements pulled form the job posting, and one with a list of your corresponding skills and achievements. This format lets recruiters see clearly why your experience makes you a good fit for the job.

Check your work

"Presentation is important," said Innes. That means not only that your cover letter should be cleanly laid out, but also that your spelling and grammar have to be perfect.

"Recruiters sit and read through a lot of résumés," Innes said. "You become very good at spotting those errors." Chances are, he said, recruiters will just trash a cover letter with spelling or grammatical errors.

Personal Finance

Lendingtree paid partner, cnnmoney sponsors, smartasset paid partner.

  • These are your 3 financial advisors near you
  • This site finds and compares 3 financial advisors in your area
  • Check this off your list before retirement: talk to an advisor
  • Answer these questions to find the right financial advisor for you
  • Find CFPs in your area in 5 minutes

NextAdvisor Paid Partner

  • An Insane Card Offering 0% Interest Until Nearly 2020
  • Transferring Your Balance to a 14-Month 0% APR is Ingenious
  • The Top 7 Balance Transfer Credit Cards On The Market Today
  • Get $300 Back With This Outrageous New Credit Card
  • Hospitality and Tourism Management
  • Operations and Information Management
  • Sport Management
  • Prospective Undergraduate Students
  • Master of Finance
  • MS Accounting/Forensics Certificate
  • MSBA/Analytics Certificate Students
  • MS Sport/MBA Dual
  • On-Campus MBAs
  • Online MBAs
  • MBA/MSBA Duals
  • MPPA/MBA Duals
  • Graduate Prospective Students
  • BIPoC Students
  • First Generation Students
  • International
  • LGBTQIA+ Students
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Cover Letters
  • Interview Prep
  • Job/Internship Search
  • Professionalism
  • Career Coaching for Undergrads
  • Executive Coaching for Grad Students
  • Career Peers for Undergrads
  • Make an Appointment
  • Featured Jobs & Internships
  • All Handshake Jobs & Internships
  • Gain Insights Into Your Career & Industry
  • Internship & Co-op Process
  • Campus Recruiting Policies
  • Employer Recruitment & Offer Acceptance
  • Undergraduate Student Organizations
  • Graduate Student Organizations
  • Student Organizations Hub

Do I Need A Cover Letter?

  • Share This: Share Do I Need A Cover Letter? on Facebook Share Do I Need A Cover Letter? on LinkedIn Share Do I Need A Cover Letter? on X

In short, yes! It’s still important to have a solid cover letter when applying for jobs. If you’re not sure where to start, take this free LinkedIn Learning course to learn more and get started writing a cover letter that showcases your skills and experiences.

' src=

IMAGES

  1. BCG Cover Letter: Your Guide to Success

    do i need a cover letter for bcg

  2. Consulting Cover Letter Sample & Writing Tips

    do i need a cover letter for bcg

  3. Senior Data Analyst Cover Letter

    do i need a cover letter for bcg

  4. Wonsulting Cover Letter Template

    do i need a cover letter for bcg

  5. What To Include In A Cover Letter (With Examples)

    do i need a cover letter for bcg

  6. 180+ Free Cover Letter Templates & Samples for 2023

    do i need a cover letter for bcg

VIDEO

  1. DO YOU HIDE?

  2. Saiyaan Cover by Gowrob

  3. I read the most disturbing book... A Controversial Haunting Adeline Book Review!

  4. How to Perfectly Shape Your Eyebrows: Beginner Tips (2024 Edition)

  5. E46: Be Balanced!

  6. How to Adjust Preferences of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

COMMENTS

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

    Write a BCG cover letter that sets your application apart from the competition! Tip: you can't just send the same letter to every consulting firm. ... 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 .

  2. BCG Cover Letter: Your Guide to Success

    BCG Cover Letter Tips. 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.

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

    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 ...

  4. Answering FAQs about Careers at BCG

    Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions About Careers at BCG | BCG. 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, protected veteran status, or any ...

  5. BCG Cover 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.

  6. index/mccoverletters

    The cover letter is part of your job search narrative (other components of your narrative include the elevator pitch, résumé, and interview). It is a written document that provides additional qualitative detail beyond the résumé. At the same time, it aims to show that you understand what consulting firms are looking for and that you have ...

  7. Your Ultimate Guide to acing the BCG Recruitment Process

    BCG emphasizes having different experiences and internships, especially at various sectors. Skills. Apart from having a good academic score, diversified experiences and extra curricular, these are ...

  8. BCG Resume: Tips, Template, & Mistakes To Avoid

    BCG Resume Template. Even the best BCG sample resumes aren't a silver bullet. But at the same time, you don't necessarily have to start from scratch. Remember, don't just swap out your name and experience and call it good. You have to do the work to make your experience action oriented and tailored to what the firm is looking for.

  9. PDF Recruiting Guide & Frequently Asked Questions

    Careers at BCG. What do you look for in candidates? ... • Submit the online application, including a resume and cover letter, by the application deadline ... Do I need previous consulting or business experience to be successful at BCG? Previous consulting experience is valued, but not required. We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and

  10. PDF BCG Advanced Degree Recruiting

    Apply online at apply.bcg.com with your CV and Cover Letter. For Germany, Austria and Switzerland, please include your transcripts. For the London office, applications which pass an initial review are sent an online numerical test to complete which is reviewed alongside each CV and Cover Letter. Please note, a high

  11. How to write a killer cover letter

    "The cover letter becomes an important data point on how good they are at certain skills that might be relevant to the job they're applying for," he said. Keith Bevans, the head of Bain & Company's global consultant recruiting, warned that a poor cover letter can hurt an applicant's chances of getting the job. "The cover letter becomes an ...

  12. Find Jobs

    Expert Associate Director - Procurement. Melbourne, Sydney. Ref #56445. Posted 03-Feb-2023. As an Expert Associate Director within BCG's Operations Practice, you will be recognised by clients as an expert in your area and be seen internally as one of the faces of your topic delivering innovative procurement solutions.

  13. Consulting Cover Letter That Lands Interviews: 2023 Guide

    Writing a solid consulting cover letter allows you to present your candidacy to the hiring managers. Here is a list of tips for writing a stellar consulting cover letter. 1. Research the Company Requirements. Interviewing candidates is expensive; it takes time and money to get excellent people on board.

  14. Interview Process

    Problem-solving Interview. If you're applying for a client-facing position, you will be assessed on your problem-solving abilities during a case study interview. This interview will test your numerical skills, business knowledge, and communication style, as well as any technical expertises and specialist skills the role requires.

  15. How to Submit a Great Internship Application

    Pursuant to Transparency in Coverage final rules (85 FR 72158) set forth in the United States by The Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services; access required Machine Readable Files, or access the Federal No Surprises Bill Act Disclosure. Elina, a BCG recruitment manager, shares recommendations for students looking to ...

  16. Is a Cover Letter Necessary? (With Other FAQs About Cover Letters)

    For most positions, a cover letter is necessary when you are applying. When the job listing asks you to submit a cover letter along with your resume or if the online application system requires one, you definitely need one. However, if the job listing doesn't say you need one, they can still be helpful and may be expected.

  17. Application and Interview Information

    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.

  18. WTH BCG, I need to submit a cover letter when applying

    Consultant 1. Submit the same as for other MBB with minor tweaks. Our MBA strategy professor displayed BCG / Bain / McKinsey value statements one after the other and asked sponsored students to comment and say why their firm is so unique vs others. What he didn't reveal is that he mixed them up (e.g. Bain one was actually BCG and so on).

  19. Full-time Application

    Consultant: $190,000 USD. 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.

  20. BCG Cover Letter: 4 Templates and Email

    BCG Cover Letter: 4 Templates and Email. May 23, 2022 by Rahul Panchal. We are extremely careful about providing our readers with the content they need. These samples of BCG cover letters will surely help you. Make sure to insert your personal details at the required places.

  21. PDF Cover Letter Writing

    aPPLiCation Letter this type of letter is the most common and is sent to an employer in response to a specific job or internship posting. Cover Letter Content Cover letters are written in a business letter format. A cover letter should not exceed one page in length and should consist of three to five paragraphs. oPening ParagraPH

  22. How to write a killer cover letter

    Yate recommended using one of two possible cover letter formats. The first is a simple letter, made up of a few paragraphs and lasting no longer than a single page. First get your reader's ...

  23. Do I Need A Cover Letter?

    Do I Need A Cover Letter? Published on March 15, 2024. In short, yes! It's still important to have a solid cover letter when applying for jobs. If you're not sure where to start, take this free LinkedIn Learning course to learn more and get started writing a cover letter that showcases your skills and experiences. Writing a Cover Letter.

  24. | Bcg

    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, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law ...