+ What even is consulting?

Think of consulting as giving advice to organizations. Sometimes a company will encounter a problem that isn't in their area of expertise (for example, a tech company wants to create a sustainability strategy, or a sustainability-focused non-profit wants to assess their business growth opportunities). In these cases, they reach out to consultants to help them solve these challenges.

(Don't worry if you aren't too familiar with consulting —many of our members weren't either before they learned about BEACN).

+ What sets BEACN apart from other consulting groups at UC Berkeley?

We're glad you asked! Firstly, we primarily focus on the intersection of sustainability and social-responsibility with business development. Also, as a Haas School of Business sponsored consulting organization that was founded in 2006, we've also had some time to optimize the club experience to the best that it can be. Lastly, we don't buy into the competitive culture of Berkeley business groups. Our goal, in our recruitment processes and internally, is to be as welcoming and inclusive as we can.

We're confident that you won't find a community like BEACN anywhere else! Each of us have met incredibly supportive mentors and formed meaningful friendships within the club — we do enjoy our project work, but the community is the reason we love BEACN so much!

+ In addition to the website, where else can I get more information about BEACN?

Contact us! We'd love to talk with you one-on-one to learn more about you and how BEACN can add to your journey at Cal. We're more than happy to answer any questions you have, so please refer to our Contact Us page to get in touch.

For prospective applicants, we also hold info sessions and have tabling, where you can learn more about the club and talk with current members. Check out the Join page of this website for details.

+ What is the weekly time commitment?

Around 6-8 hours a week. If you're concerned about balancing BEACN with your workload, feel free to reach out to hear from our members about how they do it.

+ Are all BEACN members interested in consulting careers? If I don't want to do consulting post-grad, will BEACN help me?

Our members go on to a wide array of careers. Certainly, some of our members work in consulting careers post-grad; the skills they've learned in BEACN make them attractive applicants to consulting firms. However, many BEACN members have careers in academia, sustainability, public policy, tech and more!

Regardless of your career interests, BEACN can definitely help you achieve your professional goals. Skills like problem solving, client interaction, and slide decking are widely applicable across many sectors and professions! Additionally, our extensive alumni network will help you navigate any career path that you choose.

+ Does BEACN charge dues?

Nope! We are fully committed to providing anyone with the same opportunities to succeed in BEACN. To that end, our club is fully supported by the revenue we get from our client engagements. If you feel that your financial background is an obstacle to your full participation in the club, please refer to the DEIB page for information about the BEACN Opportunity Scholarship!

+ What are the dates for this semester's recruitment cycle?

Check the Join page of this website for up-to-date information!

+ What does BEACN look for in an applicant? How can I make myself stand out?

We look for 2 main things: passion and potential. Are you passionate about BEACN's mission of promoting sustainability and social responsibility? How will you utilize BEACN's resources to grow?

We review applications very closely, and our recruitment process gives each applicant many opportunities to showcase these aspects about themself. Because of this, don't worry too much about standing out and just try to be yourself. It also never hurts to talk to us at our tabling events or infosessions—we're always interested in learning more about you!

To learn more about our application process and what we look for as a club, we highly recommend that you come to our infosessions. Additionally, check out the applicant resources we've compiled on our Join page.

+ I'm interested in BEACN, but the interview process seems really daunting. How should I prepare?

Every person in the club has felt that same way—we have all been in that nervous headspace before the interview starts, so we know how you feel. That said, we truly want each applicant to succeed in their application and interviews, so keep that in your mind when you get nervous. It sounds cliché, but we're really just looking for you to be yourself.

We also will host a case worskhop to help you approach the case interview. This should help you feel more comfortable with approaching a case question—especially if you've never done a case interview before. We design our case interview so that you don't need casing experience (beyond the case workshop) to succeed on it.

Check out some of the applicant resources we've compiled on the Join page of the website for more tips, and feel free to ask BEACN members about their interview advice at our infosessions and tabling events.

+ I've never done consulting or business stuff before. Can I still be a strong applicant?

Yes! We have plenty of resources to teach you about consulting once you join the club—you don't need to know it all before you join. In fact, many of our members had no consulting or business experience prior to joining BEACN. In our recruitment efforts, we're looking for people who are passionate about our mission and will learn and grow with our resources.

+ I'm not a Business or CNR major. Will that disadvantage me in the application process?

Not at all! We have members from all academic backgrounds from every college at Berkeley—from Classics and Music to CS and Environmental Economics, and more! We believe that having a range of backgrounds and skillsets makes our club stronger, so we look for people from all disciplines.

+ I applied to BEACN in a previous semester and didn't get in. Will that be held against me if I apply again?

Absolutely not! Many of our current members have joined BEACN after reapplying—we would love to see you apply again!

+ What services does BEACN offer?

Since we've been around since 2006, we have plenty of resources and experience in a variety of fields. We're comfortable with almost any project. Go to our Services page to learn more.

+ I'd like to learn more about how my company could partner with BEACN. What are the next steps?

That's great to hear! Please send us a message and we would love to set up a time to talk more about how we can help you.

+ Does BEACN charge for its services?

Yes—because BEACN puts in 500+ hours into each project, we do ask for a financial contribution. The payment is tax-deductible, and the amount depends on a company's ability to pay. We also do pro-bono projects, usually for non-profits and small businesses. Reach out to us for more details about pricing.

+ Since you're students, how can I be sure that your work will help my company/organization?

Our nearly 15 years of experience with over 100 projects has given us the tools to succeed on almost any project. We also have MBA mentors from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business with management consulting experience who advise our projects—their knowledge and resources really help our projects go the extra mile.

If you'd like to see for yourself, please refer to the sample projects and testimonials on the Services page. If you would like more information, please feel free to reach out to us! We can send you examples of previous projects (that clients have allowed us to share).