For students targeting M&A, private equity, venture capital, strategy consulting, transaction services or audit, expert consultations are most useful as focused conversations with professionals already doing the job. They help you understand the work, test your assumptions and decide what to do next in your internship or graduate job search.
The goal is not to collect impressive contacts or ask someone to secure an interview. It is to get practical answers that are difficult to find in job descriptions: what juniors actually do, what interviewers expect and how to prepare for a particular team.
On CallanInsider, these conversations take the form of free, 15-minute phone calls. Once two members sponsor you, you gain access to the insider directory. You can then book a call, and the insider calls you at the agreed time.
Here is how to make that short conversation count.
What Are Expert Consultations in a Student Career Search?
In this context, an expert consultation is an informational conversation with someone whose professional experience is relevant to your career decision.
That might mean speaking with an M&A professional before applying for an internship, asking someone in audit about the first-year workload, or discussing consulting interview preparation with a strategy consultant.
Unlike a recruitment interview, the conversation is primarily about learning. You are trying to understand the role and improve your approach, not demonstrate everything you know.
A useful call should help you answer at least one concrete question:
- Is this work a good fit for your interests?
- What does a junior actually contribute?
- Which experiences should you highlight in an application?
- What should you prepare before an interview?
- What is the most sensible next step in your search?
One clear answer is more valuable than a rushed overview of an entire career.
What Can an Insider Tell You That Online Research Cannot?
Firm websites and job listings are useful starting points. An insider can add context, explain trade-offs and help you interpret what you have read.
What the job looks like day to day
A job description may mention research, analysis and client work without explaining how those tasks fit together.
You can ask which assignments juniors handle, who reviews their work and what tends to make a day demanding. That gives you a more realistic picture than asking whether a role is “interesting.”
How to interpret recruiting expectations
Application requirements rarely explain what strong evidence looks like. A professional may help you understand how to present a student society project, internship or part-time role in a way that is relevant to the job.
Their perspective is not an official hiring policy unless they explicitly say so. It is still useful context for making your preparation more specific.
Whether your assumptions hold up
You might be attracted to venture capital because you enjoy startups, or to consulting because you like solving problems. A conversation can help you explore the less visible parts of those roles and decide whether the broader work appeals to you.
Choose a Professional Who Matches Your Question
The most senior person is not automatically the most useful person to contact. Relevance matters more than title.
A recent entrant may have a fresh perspective on internship applications and the transition from university. A more experienced professional may be better placed to discuss team expectations or longer-term career choices.
Match your question to the insider’s experience:
| Target sector | A useful conversation focus |
|---|---|
| M&A | Junior responsibilities, internship preparation and team working practices |
| Private equity | Entry routes, prior experience and junior investment work |
| Venture capital | Sourcing, startup research and evidence of interest in the sector |
| Strategy consulting | Project work, case interview preparation and teamwork |
| Transaction services | Junior assignments, client deliverables and recruiting expectations |
| Audit | Engagement work, early responsibilities and qualification expectations |
On CallanInsider, insiders create their profiles from LinkedIn and choose three to five topics they can help with. Those topics give you a practical way to identify someone suited to your question.
How to Prepare for a 15-Minute Expert Consultation
Preparation should make the conversation more focused, not turn it into a performance.
1. Set one objective
Write down the decision you want help with before booking.
For example:
“The aim is to understand how to prepare for a first transaction services internship application.”
That is easier to address than “learn about finance.” It also helps you decide which questions to leave for another conversation.
2. Research the basics
Read the insider’s profile and review the relevant role or sector. Avoid spending limited call time on information readily available on a firm’s website.
You do not need to arrive as an expert. You do need enough context to ask a useful follow-up question.
3. Prepare a short introduction
Keep your background brief: your stage of study, relevant experience and reason for exploring the sector.
Aim for roughly 30 seconds. A long account of every course and extracurricular activity leaves less time for the insider’s answers.
4. Pick three priority questions
Prepare three questions, with one or two backups. Put the most important one first.
If the discussion becomes valuable, follow it rather than forcing your way through a checklist.
Questions to Ask During an Expert Consultation
Strong questions invite examples, comparisons or practical recommendations.
To understand the work
- What does a typical assignment look like for someone joining your team?
- Which tasks take up more time than students usually expect?
- What makes a junior colleague helpful during a busy period?
To improve your application
- Which parts of a student’s experience are most useful to explain clearly?
- What could a student do before applying to demonstrate a realistic interest in this work?
- Which misunderstandings about the role tend to appear in applications?
To prepare for interviews
- What should a candidate be able to explain about the job itself?
- What distinguishes a well-prepared answer from a rehearsed one?
- Which area would be most useful to prioritise at this stage?
To decide what to do next
- Based on this background, which gap would be most useful to address first?
- What type of professional would offer a complementary perspective?
- What is one practical step to take over the next month?
Technical preparation may come up, including valuation, accounting or case practice. Use the call to identify what matters and where to focus, rather than asking the insider to teach an entire technical topic in 15 minutes.
A Simple Structure for the Call
A light structure helps you respect the insider’s time without making the exchange feel scripted.
| Time | Focus |
|---|---|
| First 1 to 2 minutes | Thank the insider, introduce your background and state your objective |
| Next 9 to 10 minutes | Discuss your priority questions and relevant follow-ups |
| Final 3 to 4 minutes | Summarise the main takeaway, clarify a next step and close on time |
Because the insider calls you, make sure you are available at the agreed time, somewhere quiet, with your questions ready.
Listen for specifics. If an answer is broad, ask a focused follow-up such as: “What would that look like for an intern?”
Should You Ask for a Referral?
A referral should not be the default objective of a first conversation.
Start by understanding the role and showing that you have prepared thoughtfully. A professional may be able to explain the application process without being in a position to recommend you.
If a relevant opening comes up naturally, ask what the appropriate next step would be. That gives the insider room to suggest applying directly, speaking with someone else or sharing further information.
Avoid treating a helpful conversation as an obligation to support your candidacy.
Turn the Conversation Into Action
The value of an expert consultation depends on what happens afterwards.
If an appropriate contact channel is available, send a brief thank-you that mentions one specific takeaway. Then record:
- What changed your understanding of the role.
- What you need to investigate further.
- One action to complete next.
- Any commitment you made during the call.
For example, you might revise an application paragraph, research a team more closely or prioritise a particular area of interview preparation.
Treat each conversation as one informed perspective, not a universal rule. Experiences can differ across teams, firms and locations. CallanInsider’s community-answered interview and career questions by sector can also help you identify topics to explore in a later call.
Find a Relevant Insider on CallanInsider
Choose one career question that would make your next step clearer. Then visit CallanInsider, secure sponsorship from two members to access the directory, and find an insider whose help topics match your needs.
Book a free 15-minute call, prepare three focused questions and be ready when the insider calls.