Management Consulting

✨WHY CHOOSE MELANIE? Known as the "Case Assassin" at Columbia Business School, I successfully traded in a career as a Fashionista to McKinsey consultant, securing the MBA Summer Internship and Full-time Offer. Not only have I achieved MBB offers myself, but I also am a Professional ICF Certified Coach with proven experience coaching applicants to offers; and have deep interview and public speaking experience as a TEDx speaker on Executive Presence. ✨WHO I WORK WITH: • Traditional and Non-Traditional Candidates • Diverse Applicants including POC, Veterans, and LGBTQIA+ • Candidates with High and Low Test Scores • Masters, Undergraduate, and Experienced Hire Candidates ✨SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION: Contact Melanie Espeland for your free consultation today.

As an Associate at Bain & Company, I know firsthand what top consulting firms are looking for in candidates at every stage of the recruiting process. I successfully navigated recruiting as someone from a non-traditional background. I received offers from multiple firms, including MBB and non-MBB, and understand the unique challenges that candidates from non-target schools or unconventional paths face. Whether you're breaking into consulting for the first time, trying to crack the case interview, or refining your resume and cover letter to stand out in a competitive pool, I can help you build a strategy tailored to your background and target firms. You don't need to go to a target school to land your dream offer, and I'm here to help you prove that.

I earned my own MBA sponsorship at Deloitte and have since coached many others to do the same. I’ve seen that getting sponsored isn’t just about performance, but how you position your experience and make a clear case for investment. I help professionals do exactly that across case interviews, consulting recruiting, and internal sponsorship processes. I specialize in Deloitte and similar firms, helping candidates build strong business cases, navigate internal dynamics, and stand out for sponsorship and promotion. I believe access to these opportunities should not depend on informal visibility or unwritten rules, but on knowing how to advocate for your work and potential.

As a Consultant at EY-Parthenon, I’ve built my career at the firm straight out of undergrad, driving high-impact corporate strategy engagements. Having pivoted into management consulting after working in finance at a global tech company like Uber, I bring a sharp, dual perspective on what it takes to thrive in both fast-paced tech environments and top consulting firms. Breaking into elite consulting from a non-target school background forced me to engineer a meticulous, battle-tested blueprint for case prep, networking, and behavioral storytelling that leaves zero room for chance. As an openly LGBTQ+ professional succeeding in top-tier management consulting, I’m deeply passionate about helping non-traditional candidates navigate this high-stakes industry with absolute confidence. Whether you’re pivoting industries or cracking complex cases, I offer the personalized playbook and insider insight you need to land your dream offer.

As a qualified career coach specializing in consulting and strategy roles, my expertise comes from extensive industry experience and a passion for empowering students. With a background in top-tier consulting firms and tech, I've interviewed hundreds of candidates, giving me invaluable insights into what companies seek. I offer personalized coaching and interview preparation to help candidates stand out and excel in their career pursuits. Let's work together to achieve your goals and secure that dream role in consulting or strategy.

Hi! I’m David – a Harvard Business School graduate and former Bain & Company Consultant, Case Team Leader, and Manager ranked in the top 5% of my class as someone who “Frequently Exceeds Expectations.” I know what it takes to break into – and succeed at – the world’s top consulting firms. With over a decade of experience as a case interviewer since my first day at Bain and 400+ case interviews under my belt, I've coached and even directly hired candidates to land their dream jobs in consulting. My clients have successfully landed offers at McKinsey, Bain, BCG, and other top-tier firms, and I’m confident I can help you do the same. I know what firms are really looking for and I know how overwhelming recruiting can be – conflicting advice, unclear expectations, and high pressure to perform. I've been through it all myself, and whether you’re just starting or preparing for final rounds, I’ll meet you where you are and get you where you want to be. I offer everything from ad-hoc, targeted support to a comprehensive system built from years of experience and customized for each client based on where you need the most support: 1) Consulting job overview & case-interview structure 2) "Real feel" mock case simulations (including fit/PEI prep, as desired) 3) Recruiting strategy, resume & application support Delivered through structured, high-impact sessions, my coaching will help you learn HOW to think like a consultant (not just "what" to think), structure your answers under pressure, and crack cases with clarity and confidence using a system grounded in real Bain methodology. It's an end-to-end coaching program: you'll get a personalized action plan, daily practice routines, and proprietary materials designed to turn you into a confident, interview-ready case-cracker. And you’ll get real-time, actionable feedback every step of the way. Whether you're aiming for MBB or other top-tier firms, I'll give you the skills, confidence and clarity you need for a successful outcome: a job offer. Reach out with any questions or to book a free intro call - I'd love to help you crush this process.

I broke into management consulting without an MBA or a target-school pipeline, through old-fashioned strategic networking. I started at Deloitte, where I was promoted to Consultant, then joined Kearney, where I was promoted to the equivalent of a post-MBA Associate and recognized for top-quartile client impact. Along the way, I helped a Fortune 50 company cut attrition 20%, boosted productivity ~30% at a $10B military agency, and identified $66M+ in workforce savings for healthcare and industrial clients. My clients have landed offers at McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and EY. Many successful candidates come through on-campus recruiting, which is a huge advantage. But if you don’t have that access (and I didn’t), you need a different approach. That’s why I put heavy emphasis on the networking that gets you in the door. From there, I prepare you to perform through 1:1 coaching and the resources I found most helpful in my own process, covering case framework structuring, market sizing, case math, chart and data analysis, and of course, behavioral interviews.

Experienced BCG consultant and interviewer with more than 10 candidates coached through the MBB process.

Entry: Prior to working at BCG, I got my MBA at Darden and recruited for consulting roles in both my first and second year. I can speak to both what contributed to my successful and unsuccessful applications and look forward to helping you navigate the application process. Success: I'm a former BCG Principal with 6+ years of experience in management consulting across numerous industries. I was promoted early to Principal and worked across multiple industries and multiple functions. I can speak to navigating feedback, staffing, and promotion.

I interned and worked at Bridgespan after completing my MBA. I would love to support your journey to working in Social Impact consulting.