LEK Consulting careers can offer a unique blend of deep industry expertise and broad capabilities, all within a global network that still feels like a close-knit community. If you’re looking for a balance of professional growth and a supportive environment, LEK Consulting could be the place for you.
With over 2,200 professionals across 21 global locations, it could be a good firm to add to your recruiting list.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What you can expect from LEK Consulting careers
- LEK culture & values
- What employees say about their LEK careers
- Potential exit opportunities to pursue after LEK careers
- 5 tips on landing a job at LEK Consulting
Let’s get started!
What Is LEK Consulting All About
Founded in 1983 by 3 partners from Bain & Company, LEK is relatively young compared to MBB firms (McKinsey, Bain, and BCG). Based in Boston, LEK operates across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
LEK Consulting collaborates closely with global businesses and organizations, addressing strategic challenges and delivering value through deep industry expertise, rigorous analyses, and strategic recommendations.
LEK excels at crafting growth strategies to guide clients through complex business challenges. It also offers expertise in mergers and acquisitions, marketing and sales optimization, digital integration, and sustainability.
What sets LEK apart is its specialized expertise across 14 industry practices. While the firm serves various sectors, ranging from consumer products and industrials to financial services, media, and entertainment consulting, it is particularly known for its work in healthcare and life sciences. This makes LEK Consulting careers especially appealing for students with science backgrounds, such as medicine, biology, or related fields.
Let’s look at examples of projects you could work on at LEK:
Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals:
- Craft a turnaround plan for a biotech company facing cash reserve issues by identifying the most promising products in the pipeline, reallocating funds, and optimizing operational costs
- Develop a Go-To-Market strategy for an innovative oncology precision medicine system by defining the product and its market positioning
For a deeper dive into this specialized area of consulting, check out Life Sciences Consulting.
Industrials:
- Create a turnaround strategy for an automotive aftermarket service retailer to boost stagnant sales by developing core growth initiatives
- Design a global commercialization strategy for a biotech company’s genetic modification technology in crop science, helping the company achieve profitability
LEK Culture & Values
Despite its global presence and a workforce of over 2,200 employees, LEK Consulting prides itself on offering a “small firm” feel.
LEK Consulting careers are defined by high-impact work, early responsibility for entry-level consultants, and a culture that values collaboration, camaraderie, and ambition. Typically, cases have limited travel, which allows consultants to maintain a home base and build valuable relationships with their local team. Regular social events further strengthen these connections. However, LEK careers are demanding, similar to other consulting roles, and often require long hours.
LEK’s culture focuses on “better,” whether it is client experiences or the professional growth of LEK consultants. The firm’s values are:
- Adaptability and rigor
- Creativity and integrity
- Empowerment and inclusivity
- Happiness and high performance
LEK Consulting careers are also rewarding for those driven to create social impact. The firm is deeply committed to social responsibility and engages in pro-bono consulting projects for non-profit and charitable organizations to improve operations and develop growth strategies that amplify their societal impact. Additionally, LEK is a leader in environmental sustainability, having achieved carbon-neutral status in 2008 and powering all offices globally with 100% renewable electricity since 2022. This commitment underscores the firm’s commitment to social and environmental impact.
LEK Consulting also strongly emphasizes diversity and inclusion. Various affinity groups reflect this commitment, including Pride@LEK, Mosaic@LEK, and Women@LEK, among others. These groups focus on acknowledging and valuing the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of all employees, fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace environment.
The LEK Consulting Career Path & Training
What makes LEK careers attractive are their fast-paced case cycles, early-stage responsibility, and promotion timelines, which offer rapid career progression. The usual LEK career path is:
- Associate (~1 to 2 year tenure): Usually recent undergraduate hires, dedicated to one project at a time. Associates perform day-to-day research, data analysis, and engage in research interviews with industry experts.
- Associate Consultant (~2 year tenure): Recent Master’s graduates (non-MBA) and/or undergraduates with a few years of work experience, dedicated to one project at a time. Associate Consultants are responsible for conducting interviews, doing data analysis, synthesizing findings, creating slides, and driving thought leadership.
- Life Sciences Specialist (~2 year tenure): Entry level for recent Ph.D. graduates, analogous to Associate Consultant. Focused on the Life Sciences practice and dedicated to one project at a time; responsible for conducting interviews, doing data analysis, synthesizing findings, creating slides, and driving thought leadership.
- Consultant (~2 year tenure): Entry-level position for recent MBA graduates. Consultants lead teams of Life Sciences Specialists, Associate Consultants, and Associates, providing project management, planning, and maintaining client relationships.
- Manager/Senior Manager (~3 to 5 year tenure): Managerial position responsible for providing overall direction for ~2 projects simultaneously. They own the client relationship and the projects success. Key activities include managing case workflow, making presentations, and building strong personal relationships at the client organization.
- Principal (~3 to 5 year tenure): Senior management position responsible for mentoring staff across all levels in the firm and providing leadership in the local office. They are actively involved in business development activities.
- Partner: Senior management position responsible for high-level project direction and thought leadership, securing new projects, and managing client relationships. They are recognized experts and trusted partners to clients.
LEK consultants are supported through continuous mentorship and coaching. Upon joining the firm, the Career Development Coach Program pairs consultants with a mentor, offering support and guidance throughout the consultant’s journey at LEK. Formal professional development programs, such as global training sessions, make LEK careers stand out and demonstrate the firm’s commitment to “better” experiences.
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What Consultants Say About LEK
LEK consultants highlight the firm’s focus on pure strategy projects, creating an environment for continuous on-the-job learning and development. Rapid exposure to different industries, facilitated through short project cycles, allows consultants to develop their knowledge and skills across a broad base. LEK gives entry-level consultants significant responsibilities in every engagement, providing hands-on experience that can create a strong foundation for future career growth.
The firm’s commitment to professional development through mentorship and coaching, particularly for entry-level consultants, is another aspect highlighted by employees. The emphasis on rapid career progression, with clearly defined promotion timelines and a focus on fast-tracked career development, is also viewed positively by employees.
Employees appreciate the people, teamwork, and collaboration aspects of the culture at LEK. With limited travel projects, consultants can work from home and form valuable relationships with colleagues in their home office. Additionally, LEK hosts frequent social events to unwind and promotes diversity and inclusivity through various affinity groups, fostering a sense of community among employees.
Despite these positives, employees also recognize the demanding nature of the work. Long hours and high expectations are common in consulting, and LEK is no exception. Check out our article on the Pros and Cons of Consulting to learn more about what it’s like.
Exit Opportunities: Where Next After LEK?
LEK Consulting careers serve as a launchpad for various opportunities across different sectors, with alums in manufacturing, medicine, finance, arts, the public sector, and private equity. At the same time, other alumns have landed positions at other prestigious consulting firms. LEK’s emphasis on analysis and strategic problem-solving makes former LEK consultants an attractive choice for leading strategic initiatives.
The diverse skill set developed at LEK enables its alums to transition and adapt to roles that require critical thinking and analytical capabilities. Whether transitioning to leadership positions within established corporations or venturing into entrepreneurial endeavors, LEK alums bring valuable expertise to their new roles.
Additionally, the extensive network of LEK alums provides access to a broad range of professional connections and opportunities.
Some examples of LEK Consulting alums and their roles after LEK:
- Kevin Mayer, Former Chairman (Direct-to-Consumer and International) and Chief Strategy Officer at The Walt Disney Company
- Li Chen, Vice President of Portfolio and Decision Analysis at Pfizer
- Andrew Rees, Chief Executive Officer at Crocs Inc.,
- Peter Beermann, Executive Vice President at SIXT
- Carolyn Prowse, Chief Commercial, Strategy and Network Officer at Vueling Airlines
- Ania Smith, Chief Executive Officer at TaskRabbit; former Director (Global Stores) at Walmart e-Commerce
5 Tips on Landing a Job at LEK
1. Hone Analytical Skills
LEK Consulting careers demand rigorous analysis, so a strong command of math fundamentals is essential. Demonstrating analytical prowess throughout the interview helps prove your skills and exude confidence, which is crucial to cracking any interview.
2. Demonstrate Structured Problem Solving
LEK case interviews assess your approach to arriving at an answer, rather than the correct answer itself. Structure your thoughts meaningfully and tackle the problem step-by-step to show a strong grip on the case.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice
Regular case and fit interview practice with peers is crucial. Find other students recruiting for consulting or peers a year ahead who have gone through the process. Attend campus events, workshops, and group problem-solving sessions to sharpen your case interview skills and build confidence.
4. Be Yourself
LEK values individuality and team contribution. Show your personality and potential contributions while demonstrating your knowledge. Maintain a humble demeanor and display an eagerness to learn from others.
5. Leverage Networking: Find Your People
Connect with current or former LEK consultants to gain insights into LEK Consulting careers and interview expectations. Networking can provide valuable tips and a deeper understanding of the firm’s culture, which can be weaved into your answers to give interviewers confidence that you understand and can resonate with the firm’s values.
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In this article, we’ve covered:
- An overview of LEK Consulting, the type of work, culture, and values
- What does a LEK Consulting career path look like?
- What do current consultants think of LEK, and what are former consultants up to?
- 5 tips for landing a job at LEK Consulting
Still have questions?
If you have more questions about the LEK consulting careers, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s recruiters will answer them.
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