How to hire a graduate consultant

How to hire a graduate consultant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step graduate consultant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a graduate consultant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new graduate consultant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The graduate consultant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A graduate consultant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, graduate consultants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents graduate consultant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Graduate Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Graduate Consultant	Management analysts, often called management consultants, propose ways to improve the efficiency of an organization. They advise managers on how to make organizations more profitable through reduced costs and increased revenues.	$27-40
   Analyst	Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes... Show more	$25-47
   Business Analyst-Consultant	A business analyst-consultant is responsible for overseeing the project management and ensuring that the operations meet the agreed-upon project deliverables. Business analyst-consultants closely coordinate with the clients for their specifications and requirements, monitoring the resources and processes for the project completion, and aligning those to the clients' budget goals... Show more	$31-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • R
   • Financial Models
   • Market Research
   • Data Analysis
   • Data Collection
   • Statistical Analysis
   • Business Plan
   • SPSS
   • PowerPoint
   • Strategic Plan
   • Quantitative Data
   • Primary Research
   • Stata
   • Swot Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Attain and practice medical insurance information rapidly and correctly; including main carriers and Medicaid.
   • Identify ROI & SROI values and metrics to monitor both for future valuation and grant development.
   • Collaborate with a team of four MBA candidates to evaluate the social media platforms and ROI of spend.
   • Define and document a new application architecture which load client databases with properly format data using in-house develop Java ETL applications.
   • Lead consulting projects focus on optimizing specific business KPIs through strategy and product recommendations.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your graduate consultant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A graduate consultant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, graduate consultants' average salary in florida is 42% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level graduate consultants earn 31% less than senior-level graduate consultants.
   • Certifications. A graduate consultant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a graduate consultant's salary.

   Average graduate consultant salary

   $70,036yearly

   $33.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level graduate consultant salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

4. Writing a graduate consultant job description

   A job description for a graduate consultant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a graduate consultant job description:

   Graduate consultant job description example

   Americas Region
   
   
   
   SAN0000R4Requisition #
   
   **Join us to Shape a better world! **
   
   ** **
   
   Dedicated to sustainable development, Arup is a collective of designers, advisors and experts working globally. Founded to be humane and excellent, we collaborate with our clients and partners using imagination, technology, and rigor to shape a better world.
   
   We often find that there is overlap across the range of advisory services that we provide and our team members have the opportunity to work across a broad range of activities as well as being able to focus on particular areas of interest.
   
   **Responsibilities of this specific role therefore will include, but not be limited to, the following: **
   
   **Due Diligence Reviews and Technical Advisory for Major Infrastructure Projects: **
   
   + Assist in technical and commercial due diligence reviews across different sectors:
   
   + transportation, energy, telecom, water, etc.
   
   + Analyze risks including cost, schedule, design, contracts, permitting and environmental and social impact
   
   + Request and manage relevant project information:
   
   + market studies, financial and economic plans, and legal framework and contextual issues
   
   + Interact with other consultants, internally and externally, for business planning, financial advisory, and due diligence assignments.
   
   + Prepare analyses, draw conclusions, make recommendations, and coordinate/manage relevant project inputs from other consultants
   
   **Financial and Procurement Advisory: **
   
   + Conduct business planning, economic, contractual, and/or financial analysis as required
   
   + Coordinate work products and deliverables with senior financial, commercial and technical specialists
   
   + Review and/or develop financial models, economic cost-benefit analyses and feasibility analyses
   
   + Support the team providing financial and procurement advice to public agencies and bidding groups on P3 projects and project financing.
   
   **Cost Consulting: **
   
   + Prepare and maintain project design and construction schedules using a variety of scheduling software e.g. Primavera, MS Project plus interfaces with associated software e.g. @Risk, HCSS.
   
   + Work with a team of professional estimators to extract cost, labor, material and other resources to create resource-loaded schedules.
   
   + Understand the estimates that form the basis of the work being scheduled.
   
   + Present simplified, easy to visualize schedule roll ups for high level management reporting.
   
   + Perform quantity take-offs.
   
   + Develop high-level and detailed construction cost estimates.
   
   **Operations and Management Consulting: **
   
   + Assist in transforming business change in the built environment such as organizational development, training, organizational design, operating models, and behavior change.
   
   + Develop operational concepts and models
   
   + Use behavioral science for work including human integration, work environment assessments
   
   + Contribute to business process re-engineering and process improvement projects
   
   **General: **
   
   + Respond to RFP's and prepare proposals
   
   + Develop and maintain strong internal and external networks
   
   + Prepare and deliver presentations to satisfy client needs and goals
   
   + Conduct market research across different infrastructure sectors and present findings to leadership.
   
   **Qualifications**
   
   **Required: **
   
   ** **
   
   + Bachelors degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Economics, Business or Finance, Organizational Psychology, Computer Science, Logistics or similar with coursework in engineering, economics, business and/or applied math/sciences where relevant
   
   + 3.0 GPA or higher
   
   + Completion of at least one relevant internship while pursuing the above degree(s)
   
   + Strong interest in infrastructure project development, delivery and/or operations
   
   + Knowledge of basic business and operational concepts
   
   + Strong quantitative skills with good knowledge of MS Excel.
   
   + Proficient in MS Office suite.
   
   + The ability to prioritize effectively, balance assigned work and exceptional organization skills required for our constantly evolving environment
   
   + Strong interpersonal and communication skills essential for team-based working
   
   + Presentation skills with colleagues and clients at all levels
   
   + Analytical mindset and/or Strategic thinker
   
   + Willingness to travel both domestically and internationally
   
   + Must not require sponsorship, now or in the future to be considered for this role
   
   **Preferred: **
   
   + Masters degree Construction Management, Economics, Business or Finance, Organizational Psychology, Computer Science, Logistics or similar
   
   + Bilingual (Spanish or Portuguese with English)
   
   + Familiarity with project management tools and techniques
   
   + Flexibility and Out-of-the-Box innovative thinking
   
   **Also: **
   
   + Additional relevant work or internship experience with a contractor, design firm, or cost consulting firm.
   
   + Relevant experience across a variety of project types in both infrastructure and buildings e.g. rail, bridges, tunnels, large office/mixed use etc.
   
   + Working understanding of project development process and project finance
   
   + Coursework in construction economics or construction management
   
   + FE/EIT Certification, CCT/CST, LEED
   
   + Knowledge of AutoCAD, MicroStation, Revit, Primavera 6, Excel Financial Modeling techniques, VBA. Programming languages also a plus.
   
   **Notable Projects **
   
   For over seven decades Arup has been at the forefront of the most ambitious and innovative design and engineering. From concert halls to national stadiums, renewable energy to driverless cars, we continue to add to that history every day. Notable projects from our Advisory team include:
   
   **Due Diligence and Technical Advisory: **
   
   + Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) 11GW renewable energy portfolio
   
   + Technical Advisor on more than $300 billion of M&A and P3 projects globally, since 2008
   
   + Advising major pension funds on the acquisition of a stake in Mexican infrastructure concession company IDEAL.
   
   **Financial and Procurement Advisory: **
   
   + City of Long Beach Civic Center P3
   
   + Potrero Bus Yard Modernization P3
   
   + MBTA Commuter Rail Transformation
   
   **Cost Consulting: **
   
   + Second Avenue Subway
   
   + Fulton Street Transit Center
   
   + JetBlue Airway's Terminal 5 at JFK Airport
   
   + Renovation of Lincoln Center
   
   **Operations and Management Consulting: **
   
   + Delta Airline Operational Readiness (LGA & LAX)
   
   + Caltrain Organizational Review
   
   + DC Water Strategy
   
   **Benefits that Work ** - At Arup, we have a comprehensive and valuable benefits program that works for our employees and their families while keeping costs low. These benefits provide health and welfare security for you as well as paid time off for rest and renewal. Our Global Profit Share Plan (paid bi-annually) provides an opportunity for you to share in the success of the Firm. As a valued employee of Arup, you can also choose to participate in our 401(k) plan with up to 10% company match to help you save for your future.
   
   **Flexible Working** - We believe that flexible arrangements create a more inclusive way of working that supports our diversity and the wellbeing of our people. Options for alternative schedules and the ability to work outside of the office for a portion of your workweek are available.
   
   **Arup is an Equal Opportunity Employer.** We consider all qualified candidates regardless of national origin, veteran, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or other status protected by law. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please contact us at .
   
   \#goarup
   
   **Previous Job Searches**
   
   **My Profile**
   
   Create and manage profiles for future opportunities.
   
   **My Submissions**
   
   Track your opportunities.
   
   **Similar Listings**
   
   Americas Region
   
   San Francisco, California, United States
   
   Strategic Advisory Services
   
   Requisition #:SAN0000R5
   
   Americas Region
   
   San Francisco, California, United States
   
   Strategic Advisory Services
   
   Requisition #:SAN0000PI
   
   ©Arup Careers. All rights reserved.
   
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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find graduate consultants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your graduate consultant job on Zippia to find and recruit graduate consultant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with graduate consultant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new graduate consultant

   Once you've selected the best graduate consultant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new graduate consultant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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