Simon-Kucher & Partners is one of the most specialized strategy consultancies in the world: commercial growth, pricing, monetization, and sales effectiveness are not "nice-to-have topics" there — they're the core of the firm's identity.
That changes what a "great consulting CV" looks like.
This guide gives you:
- A Simon-Kucher-optimized CV structure (ATS-safe + recruiter-friendly) - The exact signals Simon-Kucher screens for (and how to prove them) - Bullet point formulas + pricing/growth-style impact examples - A keyword bank tailored to Simon-Kucher work (pricing, monetization, GTM, commercial excellence) - A free CV template you can use immediately
About Simon-Kucher in 60 Seconds
Simon-Kucher & Partners (often just "Simon-Kucher") is a global consulting firm focused on unlocking profitable growth by optimizing the commercial levers that drive revenue: product, pricing, innovation, marketing, and sales.
Key Facts Worth Knowing
- Founded in 1985 in Bonn, Germany as a university spin-off
- Known for decades as a leader in pricing strategy and revenue management (it's "in the DNA")
- Operates globally with 30+ countries and a team of 2,000+ people
- Regularly ranked highly for Pricing / Sales / Marketing consulting
Implication for Your CV
Simon-Kucher will love "classic consulting excellence" (structure, impact, leadership) — but they'll especially reward candidates who show a natural bias toward commercial thinking: pricing, customer value, willingness-to-pay, revenue growth, and go-to-market practicality.
What Simon-Kucher Looks For in Candidates
Simon-Kucher describes itself as an entrepreneurial team, and they explicitly emphasize living their values (not just listing them). Here are the 6 signals you should make obvious on your CV:
1) Entrepreneurial Drive (Ownership, Initiative)
- They repeatedly highlight entrepreneurial spirit and ownership in how they work and hire
- On your CV, prove it with: "Built / launched / created" (not "supported")
- Clear scope: budget, timeline, stakeholders
- A visible "before → after" story
2) Impact (Measurable Outcomes, Preferably Commercial)
- Their "better growth" positioning is explicitly about sustainable revenue/profit growth — not just PowerPoint output
- Best impact metrics: Revenue uplift, margin improvement, price realization
- Also strong: Conversion rate, churn reduction, ARPU/NRR, sales productivity, win-rate, pipeline velocity, unit economics (CAC, LTV, payback)
3) Integrity + Professionalism
- Integrity is explicitly called out as a core value
- CV translation: No inflated claims, clear attribution ("I did X" vs "we did X"), consistent dates, no unexplained gaps
4) Team + Respect (Collaboration Under Pressure)
- Team and respect show up directly in their values
- CV translation: Cross-functional stakeholder work, leading without authority, client-facing communication, workshops, alignment
5) Structured Problem Solving (Consulting Baseline)
- Simon-Kucher's recruitment heavily involves case interviews (often pricing/commercial contexts)
- CV translation: Problem statements + structured approach, analytical tooling (Excel modeling, SQL, experiment design), "Diagnosed → designed → implemented → measured"
6) Commercial Intuition (THE DIFFERENTIATOR)
- This is what sets Simon-Kucher apart from "generalist strategy" firms: their brand is deeply tied to pricing/monetization and commercial excellence
- CV translation: Customer insights, willingness-to-pay, segmentation, packaging, monetization, subscription metrics, GTM / sales enablement / funnel optimization
Simon-Kucher CV Format: The Non-Negotiables
Simon-Kucher recruiters are still recruiters: they scan fast. Your format needs to be: 1 page (most candidates), ATS-safe, and easy to skim in 20–30 seconds.
The Safest Simon-Kucher CV Structure (Recommended Order)
- 1. Header (Name, city, phone, email, LinkedIn)
- 2. Education (degree, university, GPA if strong, scholarships)
- 3. Experience (reverse chronological, impact bullets)
- 4. Leadership / Extracurriculars (only if it signals impact/ownership)
- 5. Skills (languages, analytics tools, relevant certifications)
ATS Formatting Rules (Don't Lose Points for Silly Reasons)
- Avoid: Columns, tables, text boxes, icons as labels, embedded graphs/skill bars, fancy spacing that breaks parsing
- Use: One-column layout, standard headings (Education, Experience, Skills), consistent date formats, bullet points with numbers (%, €, time, volume)
The "Commercial Consulting" Nuance
For Simon-Kucher, the format itself should subtly signal: You're quant + commercial, you think in metrics + value drivers, you communicate like a consultant (clear, structured, no fluff).
Bullet Points Simon-Kucher Actually Likes (With Examples)
The Bullet Formula That Works Best
Action + Method + Business outcome + Proof metric — If you only do one thing: add a metric to every second bullet.
“Supported pricing strategy project for a software company”
“Built value-based pricing model for B2B SaaS; analyzed WTP via customer segmentation + survey insights; **increased price realization by 6–9%** in pilot cohort”
Ownership language, clear method, commercial metric, specific context
“Worked on market research and competitor analysis”
“Designed packaging options and discount governance; reduced ad-hoc discounting; **improved gross margin by 2.1pp**”
Shows packaging/monetization work (core Simon-Kucher territory) with margin impact
“Created presentation for leadership team”
“Led exec workshop with Sales + Product to align on monetization roadmap; shipped new tiers within 6 weeks; **lifted ARPU by 4%**”
Cross-functional leadership, speed to implementation, commercial outcome
Commercial Excellence / Sales Effectiveness Examples
- Diagnosed funnel drop-offs across inbound + outbound motions; implemented lead scoring + revised sales scripts; improved conversion from MQL→SQL by 18%
- Built sales territory model and quota allocation; improved coverage; increased pipeline creation by €Xm within 1 quarter
Transaction / PE Angle Examples (if relevant)
- Simon-Kucher explicitly works with PE / transaction contexts (topline / commercial uplift)
- Built commercial due diligence module to assess pricing power + churn drivers; delivered sensitivity model; shaped investment memo assumptions; identified €Xm uplift potential
Simon-Kucher Keywords (ATS + Human Screen)
Simon-Kucher's service positioning centers on commercial strategy, pricing, monetization, sales, marketing, and growth. Use keywords naturally (don't keyword-stuff). Best places: Experience bullets, skills line, project titles.
Pricing & Monetization
- Value-based pricing, willingness-to-pay (WTP), price waterfall
- Price realization, discount governance, price segmentation
- Packaging, tiering, bundles, monetization model
- Revenue management, dynamic pricing, elasticity
Commercial Strategy / Growth
- Go-to-market (GTM), market segmentation, value proposition
- Customer lifetime value (LTV), acquisition cost (CAC), payback
- Growth strategy, revenue uplift, margin improvement
Sales Excellence
- Win-rate, pipeline velocity, sales productivity
- Territory design, quota setting, sales enablement
- CRM analytics (Salesforce), lead scoring, funnel conversion
Marketing & Customer
- Customer insights, behavioral economics (when applicable)
- Positioning, pricing communication, offer design
Analytics Toolkit (Only Include if True)
- Excel modeling, SQL, Python/R (basic), Tableau/Power BI
- A/B testing, cohort analysis, forecasting
How to Choose and Frame Experiences for Simon-Kucher
You don't need a "pricing internship" to get in. But your CV should clearly answer: "Can this person drive profitable growth in the real world?"
Simon-Kucher's framing is explicitly about optimizing commercial levers to drive sustained revenue/profit outcomes. So prioritize experiences that show at least one of:
- Customer value understanding (insights, segmentation, product value)
- Commercial decision-making (pricing, packaging, GTM, sales)
- Measurable outcomes (uplift, margin, conversion, churn)
| What You Did | How Simon-Kucher Reads It |
|---|---|
| Built a market model for a product launch | GTM + demand sizing |
| Improved conversion rate on a landing page | Commercial optimization + funnel |
| Designed discount policy for sales team | Price governance |
| Ran customer interviews | Value drivers + WTP inputs |
| Optimized subscription plans | Packaging + monetization |
If You're Coming From "Classic" Consulting / Finance
Lean into the overlap: Strategy consulting → quantify commercial outcomes. IB / PE → translate to revenue drivers, not just valuation. Product / growth roles → highlight pricing + ARPU + retention metrics.
Final Simon-Kucher CV Checklist
Format & ATS
- One column, no tables/graphics
- Clean headings, consistent dates
- PDF exported correctly (text selectable)
Signal Strength
- Clear ownership verbs (built, led, designed)
- Metrics in bullets (€, %, time, volume)
- Commercial angle visible (pricing / GTM / revenue)
Story
- Each experience has: problem → action → result
- No vague filler ("supported", "assisted") without specifics
- Matches Simon-Kucher values: impact, team, entrepreneurship, integrity
Keywords
- Pricing / monetization / commercial excellence terms used naturally
- At least 1-2 bullets show commercial/revenue impact
📄 Free Simon-Kucher CV Template
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