- About L.E.K. Consulting
- What distinguishes L.E.K. Consulting?
- Why work at L.E.K. Consulting?
- Benefits
- Career Growth
- Compensation
- Employees Experience
- Events & Activities at L.E.K. Consulting
- Awards
- Notable Alumni
- Other Resources
- What is L.E.K. Consulting looking for?
- Getting Hired at L.E.K. Consulting
- Interview Questions
- Reviews
- Conclusion
About L.E.K. Consulting
L.E.K. Consulting is a global strategy consulting firm that helps business leaders achieve practical results with real effect by combining deep industry expertise with rigorous analysis. The firm is unwavering in its commitment to assisting clients in making better decisions, improving business performance, and increasing shareholder returns.
The firm consults and supports worldwide leaders in their fields, including the world’s largest corporate and public sector organizations, private equity firms, and start-up businesses. L.E.K. was founded in 1983 and now employs over 2800+ people in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
History
James Lawrence, Iain Evans and Richard Koch – L.E.K. Consulting Firm Founders
Image source: L.E.K. website, Crunchbase and Entreprenuer.com
L.E.K. was founded in 1983 by three ex-Bain partners from London: James Lawrence, Iain Evans, and Richard Koch. In 1993, L.E.K. merged with Alcar Consulting Group. Alcar was founded in 1979 and pioneered value-based management (VBM) principles that maximized client impact.
Major project milestones include providing strategic and commercial advice to the UK government on the privatization of passenger train operating companies in the mid-1990s, assisting with the launch of one of the first pure direct internet banks in 1996, serving as the sole strategic adviser on the world’s largest airline merger in 2007, and transforming a global pharmaceutical company into an industry leader in 2009.
L.E.K. received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2007 for international trade and export. L.E.K. became the first global major management consulting firm to achieve carbon neutral status in 2008. Firsthand ranked the firm ninth in the “Vault Consulting 50” in 2022. L.E.K. employs a local staffing model, which means that consultants travel less than at other firms.
| Website | https://www.lek.com/ |
| Founder’s Name | Richard Koch, Iain Evans, James Lawrence |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Strategy consulting |
| Locations | Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe |
| Key People | Iain Evans (Chairman) Stuart Jackson (Global Managing Director) |
| Number of Employees | 2800+ (as of 2021) |
| Revenue | $600 million (as of 2019) |
| Consulting Services |
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| Industries |
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| Social Media |
The foundation of the firm’s approach is built on:
- Deep expertise with the technologies, business models and ecosystems of every client’s market
- A hands-on, collaborative approach to developing solutions for long-term success
- A philosophy of evidence, not opinion, that gets to the heart of the problem via rigorous analysis, in-depth research and an understanding of the market dynamics
- The know-how to turn insights into action by addressing the capabilities, resourcing, coordination, and cultural and accountability barriers that often prevent a good strategy from fulfilling its potential
Being L.E.K. entails embracing values that improve the lives and accomplishments of all of its stakeholders. L.E.K.’s core values are:
- Adaptability and rigor
- Creativity and integrity
- Empowerment and inclusivity
- Happiness and high performance
Diversity and inclusion excellence is an essential component of its core values — and its business. To that end, the firm seeks to attract, retain, and promote people who reflect the global marketplace and communities in which it operates. L.E.K. is committed to providing and promoting a diverse and inclusive environment for all employees, so that everyone can succeed professionally, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
The firm actively engages in diversity recruitment through partnerships with organizations and events such as Reaching out MBA (ROMBA), the Forte Foundation, and Management Leaders for Tomorrow. On campus, the firm also works with a number of women-in-business, diversity, and affinity clubs and organizations, both undergraduate and graduate.
Several affinity groups exist at L.E.K. to support and enrich its employees, preparing them to be future leaders at L.E.K. and beyond. They provide members with networking and mentorship opportunities, as well as the opportunity to share and discuss best practices for managing their work/life balance, achieving their career goals, and furthering their personal development.
Mosaic@L.E.K. is an affinity group for people who identify as racial and ethnic minorities in the L.E.K. community. It aims to foster a welcoming and supportive community across its offices through formal and informal activities designed to raise awareness, support career development, and encourage community engagement. It also invites participation from L.E.K.’s larger network of allies and alumni to promote discussions about diversity and inclusion.
Women@L.E.K. is the most recent iteration of L.E.K.’s women-focused initiative, which was created by combining its local women’s networks from around the world. It helps to fund global programming, which includes an annual Women’s Summit as well as a variety of other ongoing activities. To help achieve the goal of having 20% of U.S. partners be women by 2025, the group ensures that female Consultants and Managers have internal sponsors who are actively invested in their career development, in addition to the mentors that all employees have access to.
The Parents’ Network supports L.E.K.’s extensive family-friendly policies, which are committed to providing a supportive environment for working parents and have won numerous awards for being a good place to work for mothers and fathers. This affinity group provides resources for employees who have children or are planning to have children to help them balance their goals as professionals and parents — everything from providing information about internal policies like flexible work options and leaves of absence to connecting them with external resources through the firm’s healthcare provider.
L.E.K. has a growing affinity group called Vets with Impact. Veterans’ rigorous training and dedication to teamwork are perfectly aligned with the skills and values required to be successful in this group. Members of this group are always willing to talk to other veterans about a career in consulting and can help guide them through the transition from the military to a business environment.
Pride@L.E.K. provides a welcoming, safe, and empowering environment for the firm’s LGBTQ+ employees, from consultants to partners, and fosters a sense of community. The group also serves as a resource for current and prospective employees who have LGBTQ+ family members. And, in order to promote discussion and awareness of LGBTQ+ issues among the larger L.E.K. community, Pride@L.E.K. welcomes and encourages participation from the firm’s broader network of allies.
Charitable Giving
L.E.K. offices and staff around the world donate their time and talents to charitable organizations where they can have the greatest impact—at the local level.
Source: L.E.K. Official website
America
Every year, L.E.K. Chicago raises funds for Cara Collective, a local non-profit focused on job training and placement for the homeless and low-income people, through a variety of fundraising and community events. L.E.K. New York participates in New York Cares‘ annual coat drive by donating new or gently worn coats, which are then distributed to those in need throughout the city. L.E.K. San Francisco takes part in an annual indoor cycling event hosted by Equinox Gym to raise funds for rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, while L.E.K. Boston fields a team of cyclists for the Pan-Mass Challenge, which raises funds for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Europe
Grow Movement, which pairs UK-based business professionals with East African entrepreneurs in Uganda, Rwanda, and Malawi to mentor them on growth strategies, is advised by L.E.K. London staff. The London office has also assisted in raising funds for Riding for the Disabled Association, which organizes horse-riding, assisted carriage-riding, and other equestrian activities to provide therapy, achievement, and enjoyment to people of all ages and disabilities, and Mind, which provides advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
The community service team at L.E.K. Paris collaborates with Les Restos du Coeur, which distributes food packages and hot meals to those in need, to raise funds through projects such as a Christmas gift-wrapping operation and pro bono work.
Source: L.E.K. Official website
Asia-Pacific
L.E.K. Sydney collaborates with Hope Street, a community center that helps people in need, many of whom are experiencing homelessness, addiction, mental health, or legal challenges, with fundraising, workplace giving, and hands-on volunteering. The Sydney office of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) sponsored a collaborative strategy workshop for the New South Wales chapter, which included real data analysis, research, and strategic analytical skills training. Through workplace giving, regular donations of items, and the development of fundraising projects, L.E.K. Melbourne supports St. Mary’s House of Welcome, which provides accommodation and support services.
Source: L.E.K. Official website
L.E.K. China volunteers and raises funds for CereCare Wellness Center, a non-profit education and therapy center for children with cerebral palsy in Shanghai.
Pro Bono Work
The greatest asset of L.E.K. is its people, and the unrivaled skills and experience that each of them brings to their work. The company believes that by sharing its skills and experience with organizations that have made helping others their primary mission, it can help make a difference.
KTF
KTF (formerly the Kokoda Track Foundation), which works with people and communities to improve the lives, livelihoods, and futures of Papua New Guineans, was assisted by L.E.K. Sydney’s community engagement committee in reviewing its past performance and existing governance and developing a five-year strategy with a supporting implementation plan. And the L.E.K. Sydney team continues to assist KTF, for example, by assisting it in analyzing survey data related to a new teaching campus in the rural Balimo region in order to develop a thorough understanding of existing teaching resources, abilities, needs, and demographics. L.E.K. also created a future demand model for the Balimo campus to help inform campus development and programming.
Zen Caregiving Project
The Zen Caregiving Project, based in San Francisco, is a pioneer in “contemplative care,” which takes a meditative and mindful approach to end-of-life care, providing patients with high-touch, compassionate, and judgment-free care. L.E.K. assisted the non-profit, then known as the Zen Hospice Project, in evaluating strategic options for long-term and impactful growth, ensuring that the organization was well-positioned to achieve increased revenue and scale, as well as to broaden its reach and mission. L.E.K. received Consulting magazine’s first-ever Excellence in Social & Community Investment award for the project.
Michael J. Fox Foundation
L.E.K. assisted the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), whose mission is to eliminate Parkinson’s disease in our lifetime, with defining key use cases for wearables/mobile technologies, primarily in clinical development, and putting together an indicative landscape of such technologies across that use case. For MJFF, the L.E.K. team created a framework to define the important qualities and tradeoffs involved in a technology investment choice, as well as a questionnaire for the company to use in its technology review. The work won the 2017 Excellence in Social & Community Investment award from Consulting magazine.
Bay Area Global Health Alliance
L.E.K. assisted the Bay Area Global Health Alliance, a life sciences/healthcare non-profit, in developing a strategic roadmap for its first year of operations, which included how to structure the organization and identify issues that would elicit the most interest. L.E.K. created a tactical roadmap detailing the benefits of 501(c)(3) status, a list of potential groups with whom the organization could collaborate as it scaled, and a financial forecast outlining the financing needed to thrive in the long run. In addition, L.E.K. conducted benchmarking with other global health alliances, examining their funding, membership, and activities. L.E.K. was not only given “Founding Member” status by the alliance, but it was also asked to continue advising on strategic direction in an advisory capacity in the future.
WIRES
WIRES, which has assisted with the rescue and rehabilitation of native fauna in New South Wales for more than 35 years, commissioned L.E.K. Sydney to develop a 5-year growth strategy laying out how the non-profit could leverage its strengths to deliver greater impact and more beneficial outcomes following the bushfires that ravaged 5.3 million hectares of the state during the summer season of 2019-20. WIRES’ future operating and governance model was also developed by the L.EK. office in Sydney, allowing it to function more successfully. WIRES has completed or is in the process of implementing several of the main suggestions after significant workshopping with the organization’s board and executive team.
Saving Mothers
Based in New York City, Saving Mothers, which provides supplies, training, and direct medical care to reduce maternal deaths during childbirth in Guatemala, Kenya, the Dominican Republic, and the United States, wanted to launch a line of commercial products to help fund the non-profit. L.E.K. conducted a consumer survey and spoke with hospital purchasers and potential customers to better understand the market’s need and opportunity. It also mapped out the potential for price points, revenue, and partnership opportunities to help the organization focus its efforts.
Life Science Cares
Life Science Cares (LSC), an organization comprised of life science companies and industry leaders that collaborates with local organizations working to alleviate poverty in Boston, Philadelphia, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area, asked L.E.K. to assist in the development of a 5-year strategic plan to ensure the organization’s long-term viability and growth. Determining the optimal business model to increase donations and drive sustainability, define metrics to improve LSC management, identify organizational scale-up goals and requirements, and better understand the optimal model for cultivating and filling ongoing volunteer opportunities were among the factors considered.
New Story Charity
Located in San Francisco L.E.K. was asked by New Story to assist it in locating a city in Mexico where it could eradicate homelessness. L.E.K. presented the non-profit with a list of 3-5 cities, complete with supporting regional information, as well as a list of potential partners and relevant case studies, after identifying the main drivers of homelessness in the country and the key capabilities required for an organization looking to become a central project owner there. Using this data, L.E.K. and New Story convened a workshop to discuss city needs, the organization’s capabilities, and the various ways it could have the greatest impact.
Rare
L.E.K. assisted Rare in developing corporate and community toolkits to support its Make It Personal campaign in the United States, which targets seven sustainable behaviors ranging from adopting a plant-based diet to becoming politically engaged. Following interviews and surveys of corporate decision makers and consumers, L.E.K. presented the Arlington, VA-based non-profit with a slew of findings that it could use to encourage behavior change along those dimensions through a corporate “green benefits package” as well as grassroots community efforts with municipality partners.
Rainwater Charitable Foundation
Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF), a private family foundation based in Fort Worth, Texas, was expanding its focus to include treatment development for tauopathies, a class of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Alzheimer’s. RCF established the Tau Consortium to support this new focus, for which L.E.K. assessed analogue foundation approaches and developed strategic recommendations for its translational research strategy, including near-term approaches that could be achieved with the organization’s then-current budget as well as recommendations for longer-term options that required expanded capacity and resources.
BOCH Center
L.E.K. assisted the Boston-based performing arts non-profit BOCH Center in better understanding the Millennial generation in order to aid in fundraising. L.E.K. conducted this cohort-specific primary and secondary research, including an interview campaign, a survey, peer programme benchmarking, and general secondary research. It made three key recommendations to BOCH in order to increase Millennial engagement, membership, and ticket sales.
Ongoing Pro Bono Work
Inspire
All L.E.K. offices in the United States support Inspire, a national, volunteer-run charitable organization that provides consulting services to non-profits in ten cities across the country. Inspire, which was founded in 1999 by four former management consultants, uses the strategic thinking and results-oriented analysis of its volunteers to assist non-profits in developing new programs, performing financial modeling, developing growth and expansion strategies, designing marketing and publicity campaigns, increasing organizational effectiveness, and identifying new ways to fundraise.
Advance Pro Bono
Advance Pro Bono, founded and independently run by L.E.K. Associates and Consultants in London, provides consulting services to non-profits, primarily by assisting them in developing commercial strategies and applying big data analysis solutions to assist them in solving their most complex problems. It has over 70 volunteers, the majority of whom have up to four years of consulting experience, and works with a wide range of nonprofits, from small-scale local organizations to non-profit leaders with an international presence.
What distinguishes L.E.K. Consulting?
01International opportunities
There are numerous characteristics that contribute to L.E.K.’s uniqueness. One example is L.E.K.’s international opportunities; more than one-third of all L.E.K. projects are global or have international components. The opportunity to collaborate with teams from all over the world is exciting, and the exposure to different people and cultures is invaluable. Many people in this area choose to relocate internationally, either temporarily or permanently.
02Born to lead
Perfect. L.E.K. is defined by it. Most first-year associates are fast to take on considerable duties while working under the supervision of experienced team members. Associates in their second and third years are expected to take an active role in project management and coaching junior team members. And what about consultants? They frequently supervise associates from the start. That means you’ll get to see and do more than your peers at other firms, and you’ll gain a broader, more diverse experience. Simply said, you’ll learn more and faster.
03Lifestyle
Then there’s the matter of lifestyle. While an international or travel component may be appropriate for some, living out of a suitcase is not how things are done here. At L.E.K., you’ll spend the majority of your time working close to home. That also means more opportunities to network with your coworkers and participate in office social activities and community service programmes.
Why work at L.E.K. Consulting?
Being global
At L.E.K. Consulting, you’ll be a part of a worldwide team of great peers whose work has a transformative impact on the lives of millions of people all over the world. You’ll take on roles with increasing levels of challenge, responsibility, and exposure, allowing you to advance your career in a world-class way.
Talented people
At L.E.K., you’ll meet some of the most talented and accomplished people you’ll ever meet. You have the ability to have an immediate impression. During your career, you will obtain unrivaled experience and responsibility. You’ll lay the groundwork for business, analytics, and people management abilities that will help you advance both within and outside of our firm.
Close-knit team
When you join L.E.K., you’ll have all the benefits of a major, worldwide company, plus the benefits of being part of a small, close-knit team that works in a welcoming, collaborative, and supportive atmosphere. Every day, you’ll be surrounded by highly driven, high-achieving individuals who aim to make a positive difference.
Gain skills and expertise
L.E.K. consultants quickly gain skills and expertise by working on a diverse range of projects and business difficulties. People who work for the firm are exposed to a wide range of industries. The firm constantly challenges its employees with jobs that push them beyond their comfort zones, and it promotes people based on merit as rapidly as they progress.
Flexible work options
The firm strives to find personalized solutions that allow you to reach your full potential in your career and in your personal life. For example, the company provides reduced work schedules, flexible hours, and telecommuting opportunities.
Training and professional development
Joining L.E.K. is the first step toward advancing your career as a business leader. The firm invests heavily in the professional development of each consulting professional, with the goal of assisting you in developing into a well-rounded, analytically-minded business professional capable of solving the most difficult business problems. Whatever your goals are, the firm’s training and professional development program will help you get there.
In the classroom
L.E.K’s world-class formal professional development program prepares you for success at L.E.K. and beyond. Training begins on the first day of your employment, continues with your cohort on a regular basis throughout the year, and is available not only to all staff but also to L.E.K. Partners. Ongoing training that is tailored to the needs of your position supplements on-the-job experience.
In addition to annual regional and global events, you attend regular in-office sessions and have access to a library of over 500 learning experiences online. Training covers many of the topics covered in a top MBA program for L.E.K. Associate-level employees.
L.E.K. Learning is truly collaborative, encouraging best practices and experience sharing. Senior leaders from all over the world facilitate training sessions and create training materials. Presentations, exercises, role plays, and small-group discussions are all examples of dynamic and diverse learning approaches.
On the job
The most important training you will receive will be on the job. L.E.K.’s casework places you in a unique position for accelerated professional development. L.E.K. consultants are exposed to a diverse range of industries, new business issues, and new teams, so you will be constantly challenged and learn faster than your peers.
L.E.K. cases entail formulating and delivering advice on its clients’ most difficult and valuable issues. You’ll learn about the big picture, as well as senior executive challenges and how to overcome them. The firm’s priority is to solve difficult problems rather than to implement processes. There is no better or faster way to hone your strategy consulting and business leadership abilities.
Note: Watch this video to find out why L.E.K. Consulting might be a good fit for you. Click here to hear from recent graduates about L.E.K.
Reading platform
L.E.K. is a reading hub for understanding the core business strategies and opportunities in the business world.
Edge Strategy: A New Mindset for Profitable Growth
Alan Lewis and Dan McKone of L.E.K. Consulting articulate a mindset that helps leaders recognize and capitalize on significant opportunities for growth that are often hidden in plain sight, at the edge of the core business, in this insightful yet practical book. Lewis and McKone coach readers on how to identify and assess each of the different “edges,” and then provide concrete insights and advice on applying Edge Strategy® and the tactics used in specific business contexts, using engaging examples from a variety of industries.
Where Value Hides: A New Way to Uncover Profitable Growth For Your Business
Forget everything you’ve ever learned about traditional market segmentation, especially the part where it says that having a larger market share equals higher profitability. Stuart Jackson of L.E.K. Consulting argues in his book Where Value Hides: A New Way to Uncover Profitable Growth for Your Business that bigger isn’t always better. He contends that in many cases, it can actually be worse. According to Jackson, market share, as most companies use it, can be a deceptive and dangerous metric. The trick, he writes, is to be able to identify the right market segments on which to focus efforts and improve one’s Strategic Market Position, or SMP.
Expectations Investing: Reading Stock Prices for Better Returns
Expectations deviate sharply from standard practice. Investing is a valuation process that employs the market’s pricing model, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), but with a significant twist: Expectations investing, as opposed to forecasting cash flows, begins by interpreting the expectations implied by a company’s stock price. Alfred Rappaport and Michael Mauboussin, authors, align investing strategy with corporate strategy and share valuation tools used by successful shareholder value-oriented companies over the years. They show how the market truly values stocks, how expectations revisions affect stock price, and how investors use this analysis to forecast changes in a company’s competitive dynamics.
Flexible Schedules
L.E.K. strives to find individual solutions that allow employees to realize their full potential in their careers as well as in their personal lives outside of work. For example, the company provides reduced work schedules, flexible hours, and telecommuting opportunities.
Additional Time Off
Team members who have worked exceptionally long hours on a case are rewarded with additional time off – or “comp time” – as a token of appreciation for their extra effort.
Sabbaticals
L.E.K. understands that life is hectic. This program allows employees to take unpaid leave from work for an extended period of time. The employees may take this unpaid leave for any reason while continuing to work full-time for L.E.K.
Family Leave Time
The demands of an exciting and rewarding career can be difficult to balance with the demands of your family. As a result, L.E.K. makes it a priority to assist working parents in succeeding.
Secondments
L.E.K. offers staff the opportunity to take a break from casework and work as a secondment within a client’s organization. L.E.K. employees integrate into their clients’ businesses, collaborating closely with their teams to complete specific projects.
Insurance, Health & Wellness
Health Insurance
- Good medical as it’s Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA/li>
- Global health and travel insurance for staff
- Extremely affordable and you pay little to nothing out of pocket. There is no deductible and a very low premium.
Family & Parenting
Maternity & Paternity Leave
- Generous paid and unpaid parental leave options. Also, great support for parents returning to work.
- 2 weeks paid paternity leave, regardless of time at company.
Note: The benefits listed above vary by location and country due to the rules and regulations of each location.
| Roles at L.E.K. | Role Description |
| Summer Associate | Ideal role for undergraduates to experience management consulting |
| Summer Consultant | Ideal role for MBA students to experience management consulting |
| Associate | Gain valuable insights into management consulting. Associates work with senior team members and peers to solve clients’ needs. |
| Associate Consultant | Responsible for their own work stream and will develop the hypothesis, structure the approach and lead junior team members. |
| Sr. Associate Consultant | Work to elevate one’s thought leadership and team management skills |
| Consultant | Leading case teams day-to-day, have immediate management responsibility. |
| Manager | Lead multiple case teams, maintain deep, long-term relationships with multiple clients, and develop expertise in particular industries or sectors. |
| Sr. Manager | Tackle more complex cases and develop broader leadership skills beyond their case teams. |
| Principal | A mentor to staff at all levels of the firm and a leader in their office. |
| Partner | Responsible for the growth of its business and the culture of the firm. |
Compensation per Position/Role
| Position | Location (Average Salary/Per Year) | ||
| New York (in $) | London (in £) | Mumbai (in ₹) | |
| Associate | $88,672 | £49,000 | ₹27,32,371 |
| Associate Consultant | $103,169 | £68,507 | ₹35L – ₹38L |
| Consultant | $175,000 | £89,046 | ₹45,00,000 |
| Sr. Consultant | $178,966 | £94,160 | – |
| Manager | $217,973 | £118,151 | ₹66L – ₹73L |
| Principal | $400,000 – $500,000 | £100,000 – £200,000 | – |
Source: Glassdoor
Note: (-) indicates data not available
Undergraduate/Master’s Level Salary at L.E.K.
The below-mentioned salaries are typical for undergraduate/master’s graduates joining at Associate/Associate Consultant level
| Location | Base Salary | Bonus | Signing Bonus | Relocation Package |
| Global | $90,000 | up to $3,000 | $10,000 | Up to $2,500 |
| UK | £47,500 | – | £5,000 | – |
| Munich | €36,000 | – | – | – |
Source: ManagementConsulted 2022 Report
Note:(-) indicates data not available
MBA/PhD level Salary at L.E.K.
The below-mentioned salaries are typical for MBA/PhD graduates joining L.E.K.
| Location | Base Salary | Bonus | Signing Bonus |
| Global | $175,000 | up to $25,000 | $25,000 |
| PhD Global | $132,000 | up to $18,000 | $15,000 |
Note: (-) indicates data not available
| Experience L.E.K. Consulting (videos) |
Chicago, IL (US) – Hispanic Heritage Month Food Tasting Event
Black History Month Office Activities
London, England (UK) – L.E.K. Alumni Dinner
United States – L.E.K. Chicago Event
Los Angeles, CA (US) – L.E.K. End of Summer Yacht Party
Los Angeles, CA (US) – L.E.K. End of Summer Yacht Party
Boston, MA (US) – L.E.K. Volunteering at Pine Street Inn
L.E.K. Employees Volunteering
L.E.K. Event
L.E.K. Event
L.E.K. Formal Event
L.E.K. is named in the top 100 best companies by Working Mother
Women at L.E.K. Event
L.E.K. Australia Event
L.E.K. Tokyo, Japan Event
L.E.K. Bangkok, Thailand Event
- L.E.K. Consulting Top Ranked Consulting Firm, 2022
- SERAMOUNT – L.E.K. Consulting 100 Best Company 2021
- SERAMOUNT – L.E.K. Consulting Best Company For Dads 2021
- L.E.K. Consulting Best Firms to work for 2018
- L.E.K. Consulting Named Strategic Consultants of the Year at 2019 HealthInvestor Awards
- L.E.K. Consulting has received Consulting Magazine’s inaugural Achievement Award for Excellence in Social & Community Investment for its pro bono work with San Francisco-based Zen Hospice Project (ZHP), a Buddhist-centered home for contemplative end-of-life care.
- L.E.K. Consulting Becomes First Strategic Management Consultancy to Win the Queen’s Award for Enterprise
L.E.K. alumni work in every sector of the economy, from manufacturing to medicine, high finance to the arts, and in both the public and private sectors. The firm is honored to have played a role in the professional lives of so many accomplished individuals. And the firm wants you to know that, regardless of how long you were with L.E.K., the firm welcomes your membership in the L.E.K. Network.
- Andrew Rees – CEO, Crocs
- Ania Smith – CEO, TaskRabbit (IKEA)
- Carolyn Prowse – Chief Commercial Officer, Vueling (IAG)
- Catherine El Arouni – Secretary general, WWF France
- Li Chen – VP Portfolio & Decision Analysis, Pfizer
- Mark Dal Pra – CFO, Jetstar Airways (Qantas)
- Peter Beermann – Executive VP, SIXTs
- Selorm Adadevoh – CEO, MTN Ghana
Teamwork, communication, flexibility, and creative thinking are valued in the firm’s dynamic, fast-paced work environment. The company does not follow a strict checklist. It seeks a set of characteristics that will provide a solid foundation for a successful consulting career at L.E.K.
Outstanding academic achievement: Do you enjoy tackling new learning curves, solving complex problems, and seeking new perspectives?
Analytical ability: Do you have the ability to quickly identify the root cause of a problem, gain insight from rigorous analysis, and use data to support unexpected solutions to difficult problems?
Demonstrated leadership: Do you have the ability to motivate and inspire others? Leadership can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including school, work, extracurricular activities, and other interests.
Collaborative approach: Do you effectively share facts and insights and interact with people from different backgrounds and cultures? The ability to collaborate effectively as part of a team is critical to your success at L.E.K.
Intellectual curiosity: Do you have a strong desire to learn? Every day at L.E.K., people are learning.
Getting hired at L.E.K. Consulting
The process
Many people come to L.E.K. Consulting directly from college, university, or business school. Others join after careers in various fields, and some after multiple careers. Regardless of where you are today, you could be at L.E.K. tomorrow. If you have the energy, enthusiasm, and motivation to consistently exceed the expectations of your colleagues and clients, L.E.K. wants to hear from you.
Every application is reviewed by the firm. Selected candidates are invited to several rounds of interviews, which include case studies as well as questions about your professional background. The firm’s goals are to:
- Get to know you
- Learn how you think about and respond to business issues relevant to L.E.K.’s work.
- Recognize your strengths and the skills you can bring to L.E.K.
- Learn about your motivation and interest in management consulting in general, and a career with L.E.K. in particular.
- Give you the opportunity to learn more about L.E.K.
The interview process varies slightly by region and is determined by the level for which you are applying. In general, there will be several rounds of interviews that will include a mix of experiential and case-based questions (both quantitative and strategic cases are possible).
Interview preparation
An interview is your chance to show L.E.K. how you think. Case-based interviews are used by the firm to see how you approach specific business problems, marshaling data and your own experiences to reach and defend a conclusion.
Advanced case interview preparation
Here are a few pointers to help you prepare for the case questions:
- Attend case interview preparation workshops on campus.
- Read major business publications or daily newspapers on a regular basis.
- Practice with people who currently work in strategy consulting; understand the type of work L.E.K. does, as this will help you anticipate the types of questions you may be asked.
- Examine the case studies and other content on the L.E.K. website.
During the case interview
Here are some pointers on how to give your best performance during a case interview:
- Please take your time: Listen carefully to the question and repeat or paraphrase it if necessary to ensure that you understand it. Make a list of your assumptions and then restate the facts.
- Assemble your thoughts: Preliminary thoughts should be written down, intelligent questions should be asked, and a clear strategy should be devised.
- Maintain your strategy: Outline your thoughts and proceed to address each issue in a methodical, point-by-point manner.
- Pose inquiries: Clarify the issues and extent of the project; request any extra information you require.
- Construct hypotheses: As new information becomes available, share your thought process.
- Come up with a response: Commit to a plan of action, but be flexible and open to rethinking in the face of fresh information.
- Keep it real!
Note: To prepare for L.E.K.’s Case Study Interviews, watch this video.
Some of the interview questions that were posed to candidates recently are as follows:
For the Associate position
- Revenue changes for an alcohol brand going direct to consumer
- Where would you invest in new consulting services?
- Should an IVF clinic expand into egg freezing?
- Growth strategies for a boat-lending player located in the US
- Growth strategies for an ophthalmologist player in France + market size
- Market-entry about a company that manufactures stents – looking to enter the U.S. market and tasked to size the U.S. market
- Calculate the market size ($) of a diffuser company that sells its product to movie theaters
For the Associate Consultant position
- Why does working at L.E.K. seem like the right fit for you?
- Strategy case: second-hand book company, based in the US, considering entering the UK market
- Why consulting?
- Walk me through your resume.
- Estimate the market size of the HPV vaccine.
- How many bottles of water are sold in the US annually?
- How would you size the market for lift kits for pickup trucks?
- How would you advise a major company looking to make a tablet for children?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Why L.E.K.?
For the Consultant position
- What was the most difficult project that you’ve done?
- If a marathon happened to be on a very rainy day, how many people would finish it still?
- How many petrol stations are there in the UK?
- You are driving past O’Hare Airport in Chicago and notice a number of empty parking garages near the airport. You think these garages could be used for long-term parking for people using the airport. You are trying to determine whether or not to purchase the garages. How would you go about making this decision?
- What is the revenue (market size) of train season tickets in the UK yearly?
Work-Life Balance
- A fantastic place to grow and develop strategy development and due diligence skills. Fast-paced, challenging, intellectually demanding — you’ll work hard and learn more than you expect.
- Great place to build core skills for consulting. Enjoy the work-life balance and the capability of management to ensure proper development goals are being met by L.E.K. team
- The work/life balance leaves something to be desired, and is the single biggest reason why people leave L.E.K.
Pay and Benefits
- Very bright people. Tough culture. Projects can be extremely demanding in terms of hours needed to complete. Benefits are market standard. High turnover as in all consulting.
- Good benefits and co-workers were very friendly. Partners were all very nice. One can advance with this job. However, this job may have a bit of traveling (Boston, San Francisco, Chicago) maybe even international.
Job Security and Advancement
- While L.E.K. will push your limits on the number of hours worked (60 hours / week on average), you will learn so much every day. In addition, your consultants and managers will be there every step of the way to ensure that you are learning and growing.
Management
- Good training and learning opportunities, but a tough place to work – Management are trying to improve the working experience, but natural limitations due to the due diligence focus.
- Steep learning curve supported by a system of mentorship. People are mostly really friendly and approachable. L.E.K. Consulting really believes in working hard and playing hard.
Culture
- L.E.K. is a fast paced, growing company. Over the course of a year, I was able to wear many hats, including collaboration with marketing, recruiting, IT, personal development and interaction helping upper management.
- Non-hierarchical firm – everyone from a partner to an associate is easily approachable.
- Working with people from different parts of the world can become a double-edged sword – it becomes challenging to work with different time zones at times.
- Fantastic work culture. Supportive leadership. The HR, IT and Finance team are extremely understanding and cooperative. Fabulous colleagues. Focus on mental health and overall well-being.
Conclusion
Working for L.E.K. Consulting is one of the greatest consulting firms in the world. The Boston-based firm is in the top ten of Vault’s 2017 list of Best Consulting Firms to Work For. In addition, Consulting Magazine named the business one of the Best Firms to Work For in 2016.
What sets L.E.K. apart from competitors like McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company is the level of responsibility granted to consultants early in their careers. Getting management responsibilities from day one is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It also provides a better work-life balance for its consultants due to minimal travel. Candidates can make an informed judgment based on the many distinguishers listed in this profile.