“Being the President of Consulting Club played a major role in getting my job,” says Vineet Harsh, Full-Time MBA Class of 2017-18 and former President of the Business School Consulting Club.
“The Consulting club provided me with the opportunity to network and connect with people working in consulting. It was helpful to know about their projects, company culture and career progression. Working for the club also gave me the chance to meet students interested in consulting. Consulting is all about solving problems, and it was a pleasure to meet students wanting to create an impact by advising companies on their issues and suggest strategies.”
This year the Business School has 14 student-led Career Clubs, of which the Consulting Club is one. The clubs bring together MBA and MSc students with shared aspirations and are divided into major industries or geographic locations. They are always keen to work with employers and alumni in their related sector or region.
Great career opportunities for students
All of our clubs are led by students and organise or signpost events throughout the year which give opportunities which include:
- Meeting other Business School students with similar interests
- Learning from and network with alumni and other professionals
- Building links with relevant employers in the sector
- Learning more about roles available and the skills needed in the industry
President of the Finance Careers Club, Aidan Sloan, Full-Time MBA 2018-19 and Vice President Presiyana Karastoyanova, MSc Finance 2018-19, explain the main benefit of joining their club:
"This is a chance to meet with and learn first-hand from the city financiers all year round. Last year, for example, the club organised a Finance Trek, where they visited Blackstone, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley in a super day"
Student members can gain invaluable insight from employers to aid their professional development, whilst employers can use Career Club events to supplement their recruitment activity by raising brand awareness, showcasing company culture, providing thought leadership or direction on industry hot topics.
For example, Vineet says, “Our best event was the Women in Consulting panel. We invited female consultants from top-tier firms. They spoke about their projects, work experience, company culture and work-life balance. They also gave helpful tips on breaking into consulting. Increasingly many women are interested in careers in consulting but are hesitant for various reasons. Our panellists provided useful tips to survive and thrive. We received a very positive feedback from the audience and they suggested to organize more events like this.”
What’s in it for employers?
Our clubs can also provide a route into the Business School for companies that are not always able to come on to campus. For example, a number of luxury brands or boutique consultancies with which Careers now work very closely had their first interactions on campus as small-scale events with Career Clubs.
"Career Clubs provide an avenue for employers to connect directly with students, raising their brand awareness and talent-spotting in the process. It’s a win-win for the employer and the students"
they suggested to organize more events like this.”
What’s in it for employers?
Our clubs can also provide a route into the Business School for companies that are not always able to come on to campus. For example, a number of luxury brands or boutique consultancies with which Careers now work very closely had their first interactions on campus as small-scale events with Career Clubs.
Sarah Ranchev Hale, Assistant Director of Careers, Employer Relations, says:
Career Clubs provide an avenue for employers to connect directly with students, raising their brand awareness and talent-spotting in the process. It’s a win-win for the employer and the students.
The Career Clubs
The Career Clubs are the student-led extension of Imperial College Business School Careers – they are:
- Africa Business Club
- Asia Business Club
- Consulting Careers Club
- Energy & Sustainability Careers Club
- FMCG, Luxury Goods and Retail Careers Club
- Finance Careers Club (includes Fintech and PE/VC)
- Healthcare Careers Club (includes Pharma)
- India Business Club
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship Club (includes Family Business)
- Latin America Business Club
- LGBTQ+ Business Club
- North America Business Club
- Social Impact & Responsible Business Club
- Technology, Media and Telecoms Careers Club (includes Digital Marketing)
The most recent club to be created was the LGBTQ+ Business Club and you can read all about how it started.
If you are an employer or alumnus and you are interested in partnering with a club or speaking at an event, please contact ibemployers@imperial.ac.uk
Throughout the year, our world-class Imperial College Business School Careers service are on hand to help students land their dream job – from CV reviews to job applications, mock interviews and connecting them to employers through Career Club events, fairs and more.
