Management Consulting Coaches, Events, and Resources

Welcome to my profile! With a robust background as an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, I bring extensive experience in delivering digitally-enabled, consumer-centric transformations across industries. During my tenure at McKinsey, I was rapidly promoted to Associate Partner and led the LGBTQ affinity network for McKinsey Canada, showcasing my leadership and commitment to diversity. My expertise lies in strategic initiatives, business strategy, and go-to-market strategies, which I have honed through various executive roles, including Chief Growth Officer and President, Canadian Retail. I am passionate about helping aspiring consultants master the case interview process and develop comprehensive application strategies. Let's connect so I can help you prep and be ready to pursue your aspirations in Management Consulting!

Note: Due to high demand, I do not offer free intro calls. Thank you for understanding. After spending a few years at McKinsey, I entered the leadership development and coaching space. I help leaders with everything from leadership habits to interview prep. I have a Master's degree in Education from Harvard, which allows me to 'teach' people how to think about PEI and cases, rather than just doing the standard role plays with often topical feedback. I truly enjoy the process and have several clients who have gone on to thrive at MBB.

Voted a Top 10 coach on Leland, I’ve helped candidates land offers at McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. During my time as a consultant at BCG, I was deeply involved in recruiting, including leading undergraduate recruiting for my office and spearheading recruiting efforts for my alma mater, Dartmouth. I also interviewed with both McKinsey and Bain. Now, I work with candidates to strengthen cover letters and resumes and to excel in both case and behavioral interviews for consulting roles. I specialize in a fundamentals-based case method style, teaching students how to approach cases in a logical and repeatable way.

Hi — I’m Cristian I spent ~5 years at McKinsey and was promoted twice, working across a wide range of industries and project types. A core part of my time at the firm was coaching and developing others, including leading the McKinsey new joiner training on several occasions. Over the last 4 years I’ve coached ~400 candidates across 1,400 sessions. My outcomes are tracked and published in an annual, name-sanitised report: 88% received ≥1 offer (and 63% for MBB-only targets). In my approach, I do 3 things differently: 1. I coach first principles thinking. Because consulting interviewers want to see how you think, not hear memorised frameworks. 2. I overemphasise personal fit prep. Because most candidates ignore it and that gives my candidates an edge. 3. I identify and train for spikes. Because top consulting firms don’t want you to be ok at everything, but great at something. After every session, I provide a granular 1-page scorecard quantifying your probability of passing the interview, along with clear feedback and drills to improve. Schedule an intro call (optional) if you're unsure whether you need one session or a package. If you have interview dates, book a session directly.

✨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.

Throughout my time at Accenture, I have been able to acquire an understanding of not only the work consulting firms do but also the ins and outs of workplace culture, especially when it comes to entry-level employee expectations and desired strengths. I have consistently been praised on my ability to rapidly acclimate to new projects and work within new teams to deliver quality results for my clients. I primarily specialize within the Talent & Organization space to emphasize the importance of the employees in organizations to ensure efficiency, productivity, and competitive output for my clients. Additionally, I seek out opportunities to leverage technology throughout these endeavors to bypass existing boundaries. I would be happy to share my insights from working at one of the largest consulting firms in the world as it pertains to the type of work I've done and my personal development on the job.

I successfully recruited at Bain and McKinsey (as well as other non-MBB firms), and spent several years in consulting in Bain's New York office. There, I reviewed resumes as part of Bain's Associate Consultant recruiting process and have six years of experience coaching candidates (through the initial preparation, resume review, case interview, and decision-making processes). I've run hundreds of mock case interviews, and I pride myself on providing detailed, actionable feedback.

As a former Senior Associate Consultant at Bain & Company, I bring extensive experience in management consulting, having led key projects and managed junior members across various industries. I have helped conduct first-round interviews for Bain's AC and ACI program, co-led recruitment programming, and helped dozens of candidates land roles at Bain and other MBB / Top 5 firms. Regardless of where you are in your career journey, I'm here to support you every step of the way!

I’ve helped many of my friends successfully land roles at MBB and other top consulting firms, with my primary support focused on CV screening. I am a CV detail freak—every pixel, every word, and every formatting choice gets a meticulous review. I love refining CVs, ensuring they not only look clean and professional but also effectively communicate your value to recruiters. My approach is structured and strategic: 1. Format – Clean, standard, and visually appealing to make a strong first impression 2. Wording – Clear, concise, and easy to understand, ensuring your impact is immediately visible 3. Content – Highlighting your best experiences and making them industry-relevant 4. Strategy – Positioning your CV to stand out in a competitive consulting job market I help applicants craft winning CVs that maximize their chances of landing interviews.

I bring a real-world, no-nonsense approach to management consulting built on years of experience working across military, government, private, public, and nonprofit organizations throughout the country. I have helped organizations navigate complex transitions, improve operations, and make better strategic decisions in environments where the stakes are high and mistakes are expensive. My work has directly contributed to companies saving millions of dollars, eliminating inefficiencies, and getting leadership teams aligned when things were not working. I understand how organizations actually function under pressure, not just how they look on paper. My background reflects that depth. I hold a doctorate in coaching and a second doctorate in organizational change and leadership, along with an MBA and a master’s in project management. I am also the author of Who’s Got Your Six?, which focuses on accountability, trust, and making better decisions when it matters most. But more importantly, I know how to apply all of that in the real world. I am not here to overwhelm you with theory or corporate jargon. I am here to help you see clearly, challenge what is not working, and build practical strategies your organization can actually execute.