If you're applying to L.E.K. Consulting, your CV has to do two things fast:
1. prove you can handle rigorous, data-heavy strategy work, and 2. show you'll thrive in a fast-paced, team-based environment where L.E.K. looks for a combination of attributes (not a rigid checklist).
Below is a complete, practical guide you can follow section-by-section—and then sanity-check with an ATS scan before you submit.
What L.E.K. Looks For
On L.E.K.'s own recruiting pages, the themes are consistent: teamwork, communication, flexibility, creative thinking, plus the ability to think through business problems with data and defend conclusions.
Translate That Into CV Evidence:
- Analytical horsepower (must-have): Show: modeling, sizing, pricing, market analysis, experiment design, dashboards, due diligence, structured problem solving. Best proof: quantified outcomes (revenue, margin, conversion, CAC/LTV, time saved) and the method (model built, analysis done, approach used)
- Clear communication (written + stakeholder): Show: concise writing, exec-ready outputs, presenting, aligning stakeholders. Best proof: "Presented recommendation to C-level / Steering Committee", "Wrote 10-page memo / built investor deck / created decision doc"
- Teamwork + ownership: Show: collaboration + being the person who drives workstreams. Best proof: "Led workstream of 3…", "Owned end-to-end analysis…", "Coordinated with X functions…"
- Integrity + collaborative culture fit: L.E.K. emphasizes integrity and collaboration in how it describes itself. You don't write "I have integrity." You show it through responsibility, trust, and real ownership (especially in internships/jobs).
The Ideal L.E.K. CV Structure (One Page)
Keep it one page unless you're a very experienced hire.
Recommended Order:
- Header: Name, city, phone, email, LinkedIn (clean, no icons needed)
- Education (top if student / recent grad)
- Experience (internships + roles)
- Leadership & extracurriculars
- Skills (tools + languages)
What "L.E.K.-Ready" Looks Like Visually:
1-column layout (ATS-safe), consistent dates (MMM YYYY – MMM YYYY), 2–4 bullets per role, max, lots of whitespace; no "design CV" styling.
The Bullet Formula That Wins at L.E.K.
Use this every time: Action + Scope + Method + Result (metric)
“Worked on market research for a healthcare company.”
“Built a market model for a healthcare client, sizing a €Xbn segment using claims data + competitor pricing; identified 3 growth levers projected to add +Y% revenue.”
Method + scope + business outcome
“Supported due diligence.”
“Ran commercial DD workstream: analyzed cohort retention and unit economics, identifying churn driver that reduced valuation case by €X (data-backed).”
Ownership + analytical rigor + impact
Rule: if the bullet has no number, you're likely leaving points on the table.
What to Emphasize (By Background)
If You're an Undergrad / Non-Target:
- 1–2 "spikes" that prove problem solving (case comp, data project, internship with metrics)
- Leadership with ownership (club role where you built something tangible)
- Quant signals (math, stats, econ, engineering, CS modules)
If You're an MBA / Experienced Hire:
- Business impact, scale, and stakeholder management
- Times you influenced decisions (not just executed tasks)
- Leadership + mentoring
If You're a PhD / MD / Advanced Degree (Esp. Life Sciences):
- L.E.K. explicitly has advanced-degree pathways and describes life sciences roles as hypothesis-driven, research/analysis heavy, and fact-based.
- Emphasize: hypothesis framing, messy data → structured insight, publications only if they signal impact (don't waste space)
ATS & Formatting Checklist (Non-Negotiables)
Many consulting CVs die because parsing breaks. Keep it boring.
Do:
- 1 column
- Standard headings: Education, Experience, Leadership, Skills
- Use normal bullets (•) and standard fonts
- Submit as PDF or DOCX (if a portal prefers one)
Avoid:
- Tables, text boxes, columns
- Icons and heavy graphics
- Headers/footers with important info
- "Skill bars" or charts
Common Reasons L.E.K. CVs Get Rejected
- No clear "strategy consulting signal": Fix: add 2–3 bullets that show structured analysis + business outcome.
- Responsibility bullets ("helped", "assisted", "worked on"): Fix: rewrite to ownership + method + metric.
- Too academic, not decision-oriented (common for advanced degrees): Fix: connect the work to what decision it changed (or what lever it proved).
- Too long / too dense: Fix: cut to your best 2–3 bullets per role. Make the page scannable in 15 seconds.
Final Checklist Before You Submit to L.E.K.
Content:
- One clear spike (the "wow" line)
- Metrics in most bullets
- Evidence of teamwork + communication
- Evidence you can think with data and defend conclusions
Formatting:
- 1 page, 1 column
- No tables/graphics
- Dates and titles consistent
- File name: Firstname_Lastname_LEK_CV.pdf
📄 Free LEK Consulting CV Template
Get our ATS-ready template tailored for LEK Consulting. Enter your email to receive it.
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Stern Stewart & Co. CV Guide 2025: What They Look For + ATS Keywords + Free Template
Arthur D. Little CV Guide (2026): Free ATS-Friendly Template + What ADL Really Screens For
