Roland Berger: full presentation

Roland Berger is the first strategy consulting firm of European origin and one of the largest in the world. In France, Roland Berger has around 300 consultants and operates in all sectors of the economy, including the public sector. We have prepared a detailed presentation of the firm for you, with a greater emphasis on the Paris office because we know it well. Indeed, it is one of the offices where StratMachina placed the most alumni in 2022! Keep reading this article if you want to prepare for your next Roland Berger application.

What is the career path at Roland Berger?
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Career development at Roland Berger is as follows:

At the general consultant stage (business analysts, junior consultants, consultants, senior consultants):

• You will be required to work on all the subjects on which the firm is committed. At these grades, the firm's objective is to develop your skills (hard-skills to increase productivity, learning the firm's tools and methods, problem-solving, business sense, etc.) and, therefore, your maximum “employability”.
• Each consultant is followed by both a mentor (often a Principal) and by HR so that your career path is as diverse as possible

At the project manager stage (4 to 6 years of experience) :

• Depending on your affinities, you integrate a Core Team, that is to say a center of expertise. It can be functional or sectoral. Most of Core Teams by Roland Berger are sectoral (public services, health, aeronautics & defense, financial services, pharmaceuticals and health, Media & Telco, Industrial Products & Services, etc.).
• Some core teams (Private Equity & Investor Support, Digital, Data, etc.) allow you to develop your expertise on functional topics while working in different sectors.

Find the complete list of RB Core Teams by clicking hither then on Expertise.

What types of missions does Roland Berger have?
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As a strategy consulting firm, Roland Berger works in support of general management on a very varied number of issues. They can be grouped into 3 main professions:

1) Strategy missions : missions where we will rethink the strategy of a private company or a public policy. This strategy must often make it possible to introduce more performance (financial, HR) or to support change in an effective and balanced way (new product, new service, new geography, competitive response, acquisition or sale, etc.). Examples:

• Redo the pricing model for housing and social reintegration centers in France.
• Propose a new strategy for the business unit Gas, Renewables & Power from TotalEnergies in the UK

2) Performance missions : Here, the idea is to maximize the value delivered by customer organizations, according to their market, and/or the expectations of their shareholders. The perimeter (scope) of these missions is more operational. Example:

• Zero-based budgeting of a given division of a Chinese telecom operator. Consult This article by Roland Berger if you want to know more about their Zero-based budgeting approach

3) The missions of Private Equity & Investor Support : the famous Due Diligences, sales side (Vendor Due Diligence) or purchase. There are generally 3 types of due diligence around the sale and acquisition of businesses or divisions

• Legal: around regulatory and contractual issues in all the markets concerned
• Banking: around the valuation of assets and the fixing of the price of the acquisition or sale transaction
• Future value : these are the ones where strategy consultants provide the most value. Depending on the operation, the idea is to challenge the future prospects of the target (buying side) or to document and refine management hypotheses (sales side). Example:

• Vendor Due Diligence (6 weeks) in support of the top management of a company specialized in the industrial production of natural gas
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How do I join Roland Berger?
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You can become a strategy consultant at Roland Berger on an internship or on a permanent contract:
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On internship

• you have the option of completing your entire gap year within the firm as part of Gap Year Program. This program will allow you to be a general consultant (4 months), to work within a startup in the firm's ecosystem (4 months) and to go abroad in one of the firm's international offices (4 months).
  Click hither to find out more about the Gap Year Program by Roland Berger.
• You can also join the firm as part of your second gap year or your end-of-studies internship.

On CDI

• Of course, you can join the firm on a permanent contract, as a graduate or after one or more professional experiences.

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What is the recruitment process at Roland Berger?
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The recruitment process will differ depending on the seniority to which you are applying:

Gap Year Program :

1. Telephone interview with HR or consultants to validate your motivations
2. 2 classic individual interviews (15' FIT + 30' case study, 5-10' Q&A)

Second part of the gap year:

1. Round 1 : Classic individual interview
2. Round 2 : Two classic individual interviews

End of studies internship (pre-employment):

1. Round 1 : Online digital test
2. Round 2 : Two classic individual interviews
3. Round 3 : Two classic individual interviews

CDI:

1. Round 1 : Online digital test
2. Round 2 : Two classic individual interviews
3. Round 3 : Two classic individual interviews
4. Round 4: Individual interview with a Partner (free discussion)

The hiring process will also vary depending on the office you are applying to. The process described is that of the Paris office. The numerical test is used by the vast majority of firm offices.

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When should I apply to Roland Berger?
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Roland Berger hires consultants throughout the year, except in July and August.

We recommend that you apply 4 unto 6 months prior to your desired entry date. On average, 30 to 40 interns are recruited by the Paris office every year and more than 80% of them receive permanent contracts.
The number of permanent hires, on the other hand, will vary according to growth and Turnover from each office.

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What are the qualities and skills Roland Berger is looking for?
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The recruitment teams will check if you have the qualities appreciated by the firm, whether in terms of

• skills Soft (rigor, structure, synthesis), collaboration within project teams, Problem solving) and Hard (data analysis).
• differentiating experiences, for example in M&A, Private Equity or within any selective and reputable company/organization.
• motivation. A good way to demonstrate this is to be able to build an application file that highlights specific reasons behind your desire to join the firm.

In a very concrete way, your CV and cover letter should not exceed one page and highlight your relevant experiences and skills very precisely. Check out our e-Learning video on the subject. We detail the techniques and tips to increase your chances of passing the Screening by Roland Berger. You can also use networking to improve your chances of passing the Screening. We recommend that you participate in as many recruitment events organized by the firm as possible. For example, organized recruitment forums and case study resolutions on campuses or at Roland Berger premises. You can also contact the firm's consultants via your alumni networks or LinkedIn. We tell you in detail The posture to adopt and 14 questions to ask while networking in this video course.

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Why Roland Berger over other firms?

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3 specific reasons in our opinion:

• Public sector experience : it is a very differentiating point. The firm is recognized on these subjects, especially in France.
• Ecological commitment : the firm places a very strong emphasis on ecological and decarbonization issues. The firm's leadership, especially in the Paris office, has been able to instill a dynamic allowing this environmental component to be almost systematically integrated into their support. If you are interested in these topics, Roland Berger may be a good choice.
• Strong entrepreneurial dimension : Roland Berger has created a working environment where everyone's opinion is important, respected and sought after. Everyone is welcome to participate in case resolution. This allows new ideas to emerge more easily and be tested quickly.
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What international mobility?
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Roland Berger's international presence is a key argument that attracts hundreds of consultants every year. As a consultant within the firm, you will be able to benefit from a facilitated mobility in the offices you are interested in.

Here is the breakdown of the firm's more than 50 offices in 34 countries:

• in Europe (15 countries) : Austria, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, France, Hungary, Spain, France, Hungary, Italy, Italy, Italy, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Portugal, United Kingdom, Romania, Russia, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
• in Africa and the Middle East (6 countries) : Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar
• in Asia (12 countries): China, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan, Japan, Japan, Japan, Japan, Japan, Japan, Malaysia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam‍
• in America (3 countries) : Brazil, Canada, United States
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Conclusion:
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Roland Berger is an excellent choice if you want to join a European champion in strategy consulting, recognized for its expertise in the public sector and with a strong focus on environmental issues.

You want to apply in internship or permanent contract at Roland Berger ? Book a 1-hour coaching with an MBB consultant or accelerate your results by subscribing to one of our training packs.