Deloitte Resume

First impressions: We’ve all heard how we may never get another chance to make one. This is particularly true when submitting your Deloitte resume. And yet, did you know that just a single typo or a lack of quantifiable results cited on your resume can result in it being discarded? Even a simple formatting error can quickly put you out of contention for that coveted job. It’s not hyperbole: Sixty percent of consulting applicants fail to make it past the initial screening phase. That Deloitte recruiter will know within five-to-ten seconds if they’re going to file your resume under “Y” for “Yes” or “T” for “Toss.” Ouch!

The Consulting Resume: How Is It Different?

Not all resumes are created equal, because not all industries are alike. Obviously, a job as a set designer on a film, or a supervisor on a construction site is quite different from a management consulting job. That means you have to understand your industry well enough to craft your Deloitte consulting resume accordingly. How do your skills and experience fit into what Deloitte is looking for? Just as important, how will what you bring to the table make them, and each of their clients, look like a superstar? There are four top qualities a Deloitte recruiter will want to know that you have. So before writing that resume, ask yourself:

Are you …

• An analytical problem solver – A logical, “always ask why” thinker who finds quantitative solutions to complex problems? (AKA you thrive in Excel)
• A deliverer of results – A “take action” person who’s able to execute ideas with positive results?
• An entrepreneurial type – You show initiative, are willing to take risks and have a strong personal drive?
• Leader – Someone who doesn’t just “play well with others” but is committed to the entire success of the team?

If you know you’re most, or all, of these things, then don’t hide it—flaunt it—giving “quick-read” quantifiable results as to how you applied those skills in a professional, leadership, or academic setting. This is an essential component of a Deloitte consulting resume.

What Should A Deloitte Resume Include?

1. Academics

“You can always tell a Harvard man, but you can’t tell him much.” Humor aside, if you went to a respected college, then highlight that on your Deloitte resume and include your GPA. If your GPA was well, not much to brag about, then don’t include it. (Deloitte requires a GPA minimum of 3.2.) The higher the GPA the better, of course. The better your academic pedigree, the less risk the firm feels it is taking on by passing you on to the interview round. It’s always easier to “sell” a prospective consultant to a hiring committee with an introductory line like, “Stewart just obtained an MBA from MIT. He also speaks six languages, including Mandarin Chinese.”

Still, Deloitte is better than most firms in giving candidates with diverse academic backgrounds a chance to succeed. However, a degree in a “quant” (quantitative) subject, such as Mathematics, Economics, Finance or Statistics, will give you a leg up in the process.

2. Quantifiable Achievements

When you were a kid, your mom just wanted to know if you picked up your toys and made your bed. It gets a little more complex as an adult. In that first five-to-ten seconds, your Deloitte recruiter will want to see three things on your resume. They’ll ask themselves: What did you do, how did you do it, and what were the results? Whenever you can, add numbers, percentages, statistics and specific time frames. A Deloitte resume sample of this might be along these lines:

• • Earned highest performance rating out of 12 Directors for 5 years by exceeding profitability goals
  • Exceeded sales goals by 30% YoY via instituting high-touch sales policy focused on top 10% of existing clients
  • Conducted scenario analysis in Excel to create and implement cost-cutting initiative; successfully pitched to C-suite, resulting in overall company savings of 25%
  • Mobilized a team of 10 for a period of 4 months to oversee 3 distinct workshops for 750 new hires (trained 5x/week)
  • Awarded the Robert John Battig Graduate Prize for excellence and promise in mathematics at Cornell (1 of 400 applicants to receive; $10K prize)

3. Big Brand Names

So, you’re the second cousin of Tom Cruise, twice removed, but you never tell anyone about it, because, well … you’re not a name dropper. Fortunately, your Deloitte resume is one place where you can drop names and feel good about it. So if you worked for JP Morgan, Apple, Chevron or Google, then “name it and claim it.” It could just land you that coveted interview.

4. Interesting Extracurriculars

Your extracurricular activities could be more relevant to the job you’re applying for than you might think. Did your prized pooch happen to win Best of Show at the Westminster Dog Show? Other than being an intriguing fact and a great icebreaker, it could actually “showcase” some important qualities. It would show a competitive spirit (you like to win) plus a drive and determination (you’re a go-getter). It could also reveal the ability to navigate an “industry” fraught with politics and drama (communication skills)! On a subliminal level, it shows you’re an animal lover. That’s a “warm and fuzzy” extracurricular pursuit that could give you that all-important emotional connection.

There are other examples of “hobbies” that could reveal positive things about you. Operating a side business shows initiative and entrepreneurship; writing a blog shows creativity and managing a college sports team shows you’re a team player. These are all desired traits that recruiters want to see on your Deloitte consulting resume (just make sure you put them in your “Personal” section!)

Deloitte Consulting Resume Tips

1. Main Sections

Obviously, you know to section your resume. But how many sections? Rule of thumb is no more than five. A Deloitte resume format should have four basic sections:

• • Education

Only put this first if you’ve had less than one year of work experience; otherwise, lead with your work experience. Deloitte is keen on high standardized test scores – so include that GMAT or SAT score if it was 75th percentile or above. The firm also wants to see challenging courses of study (quant-focused, multiple majors, etc.). Include relevant academic awards and scholarships, as well as the details of how competitive they were and if they had monetary value.

• • Professional Experience

This section on your Deloitte resume should include the previous work positions you have held as well as your main achievements in these roles. Top tips:

1. 1. 1. Use action verbs that match the most desirable skills that Deloitte is looking for.
      2. Balance those skills (example, leadership with problem solving).
      3. List accomplishments—with quantifiable results!

Deloitte always looks for brand-name companies. If they see a position you held with a brand company where you took initiative and demonstrated impact then that’s pure gold!

• • Personal

You speak four languages, some … well, passable. Indicate those languages and your skill level in each. This is also the place to list all those IT skills the Deloitte recruiter would like to see. Make sure you emphasize Excel and PowerPoint! Finally, end with one line of your specific interests. What do you like to do outside of work and school? Be specific! Don’t tell Deloitte you like to travel. Instead, mention how many countries you’ve been to and which one was your favorite to visit.

Optional Section

• • Leadership Experience

Did you lead an on-campus organization or an extracurricular initiative at work? Do you sit on the board of a nonprofit? This is your section to highlight your ability to lead people and projects when you weren’t paid or graded to do so. Buzzwords such as “led” “guided” “managed” “supervised” “motivated,” work well here. Here’s an example for your Deloitte resume: Led a team of 20 to launch a city-wide chapter of Boys and Girls Club of America; spearheaded marketing initiative to increase membership 40% in 6 months.

2. Presentation – Emphases, Formatting and Staying Relevant

• • Formatting

You always want to break up your resume as much as possible. Remember the five-to-ten second rule? Again, the recruiter is going to scan, not read your resume. Bolding, italics, bullet points all help to make it easy for the Deloitte recruiter to do this. Just remember to stick to three to five bullet points per section—less than three will make you look, well, “scant.” Just in general, consistent margins, normal font sizes, formatting consistency, correct spelling and grammar are key! Good organization, adequate context and overall flow and clarity—and length—are also critical. If your Deloitte resume is more than one page, is carelessly written and/or a little too “creative,” say “bye-bye” to bagging a Deloitte consulting career. Remember, first impressions are lasting ones! That’s why using the correct Deloitte resume format is critical.

• • Emphasize What’s Emphasizable; Make Irrelevant The Irrelevancy

    • Emphasis: If you don’t have a boatload of experience but you’re a Rhodes scholar, then guess which section you should list at the top? Yep, it’s your Education. Be sure to stress any leadership role you had in college, making sure you give the proper context to create a vivid picture. And by all means, list any rewards you received!
    • Irrelevant: in general, a long list of certifications on your Deloitte consulting resume won’t get you far. Entrepreneurial experience can be interesting, but if you didn’t sell the company or obtain Series-A funding, it’s a leadership experience, not a professional one. Finally, anything you did before high school is always irrelevant!

For more information on crafting that perfect Deloitte consulting resume check out: Consulting Resume: Complete Guide.

“Oops, did I do that?” – Deloitte Resume Mistakes to Avoid

1. Show, Don’t Tell

It’s true for scriptwriting and it’s true for resume writing as well. No recruiter wants to read a dry litany of all your skills and credentials. They’re only interested in the relevant ones—particularly the ones that paint a vivid picture of who you are and how you would be an asset to them.

2. A Lack Of Action

Passive language is a killer. That’s why it’s vital that you start your bullet points with action verbs. That way the Deloitte recruiter can readily identify your skills just by reading the first word in every bullet point! Deloitte resume samples of this could be: started a project; lead a team, managed a project; mentored junior consultant, etc.

3. Too Tied To Templates

Templates are helpful, but don’t rely solely on these. Here’s why: (1) your Deloitte recruiter has a trained eye for templates; ergo, you’ll appear to be a “cookie cutter” applicant, (2) many templates are substandard and (3) you will boost your chances of appearing “original” by writing your own sales copy. No one can sell you better than you! You’re better off being inspired by other publicly posted consulting resumes (including templates), then adapt what they’ve written to reflect your own personality. Just select which components you like and put them on paper using your own words. Better yet, get the help of a professional who specializes in helping consultants like you land jobs!

4. Two’s Not A Company

Stick to one page but be sure to fill up that page. Don’t make it look scant—as though you had to “stretch” to come up with info on why you’re worth hiring.

5. If It Doesn’t Fit—Acquit!

If you can’t fit it all into one page, then don’t fudge with it by making the font size too small. A Deloitte recruiter shouldn’t need a magnifying glass to read your resume.

6. Checking It Thrice

Check, double check and triple check for typos and poor grammar. If you’re not a grammarian, then find a friend who is. Or get professional help (recommended). Even professional writers need another pair of eyes on their copy!

7. God Is In The Details

And so should you be. If your resume is generic and uninspiring—without the needed details—count on it being filed under “T” for Toss!

8. Don’t Be A Defiant Self-Reliant

Self reliance is a desirable quality—until it isn’t. When it comes to submitting a Deloitte resume that will land you an interview, don’t take any chances! Here’s a good adage for yourself: “Before you hit Send, hit up a friend!” The more eyes the better to ensure that you haven’t missed anything—before you make an irrecoverable goof.

9. So You Went To High School

“And in other news …” Here’s the thing. Watching High School Musical is fun; including your high school on your resume is “so not done” when applying for a professional position.

10. No Gaps

Do you have—gasp!—noticeable gaps in your education and work timeline? Sure, it was personally fulfilling that you went hiking in the Himalayas for six months, or studied to be a pastry chef in Paris for a year. If this is you, work with us on an edit so we can help you put your best foot forward.

11. Pants On Fire

Don’t lie like a rug … or a politician. Liars are charming when they’re a film character like Jim Carey in Liar, Liar, but they’re the eventual death knell on a consulting career. Sooner or later, those fibs will be found out. For more “Do’s and Don’ts” see Consulting Resume: Complete Guide)

Wrap Up

Remember. You only have about five-to-ten seconds to make an impression that could just affect the rest of your life. That’s how long the average resume reviewer will take to scan (not read) your Deloitte resume. So it stands to reason that you should put a great deal of consideration and time into crafting that perfect, standout Deloitte consulting resume—one that will get you noticed … for the right reasons!

Additional Reading:

• Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
• Resume Keywords: Consulting Action Words
• Deloitte Locations: Offices From A-Z
• Deloitte Consultant Salary