Let's understand candidate hierarchy! Not all business students are treated equally - recruiters at consulting firms, investment banks, and corporations have a clear priority system.
Your path into their recruiting pipeline determines your chances of getting noticed, interviewed, and ultimately hired.
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Think of a business role you applied for—what factor do you believe influenced whether you heard back?
Referrals sit at the top of every business recruiter's priority list. When a current analyst or associate recommends someone, that candidate immediately jumps ahead of everyone else.
Consulting firms and investment banks know referrals convert to hires 5x more often than other sources.
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Why do you think employee referrals have such high success rates?
After referrals come direct applications - students who apply directly through the firm's career page or reach out to analysts and associates personally.
These candidates show genuine interest in that specific firm, not just any finance or consulting opportunity.
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How would you demonstrate genuine firm interest in a direct application?
Next are campus recruiter submissions. These candidates didn't seek out the firm specifically, but a campus recruiter matched them to the role during career fairs or info sessions.
While recruiter-submitted candidates are pre-screened, they're often exploring multiple firms simultaneously, which reduces commitment perception.
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What's one downside of being presented by a campus recruiter?
At the bottom are cold applications - students who blast their resume to hundreds of consulting and finance postings without research or customization.
These get the least attention because they show no specific interest in the firm or practice area.
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