What is Illinois Business Consulting?
Illinois Business Consulting (IBC; formerly OSBI Consulting) is a student-run consulting organization within the College of Business at the University of Illinois. IBC provides opportunities for graduate and select undergraduate students from across the campus to apply their classroom learning to solve real business problems.
What Does IBC Do?
IBC provides consulting services to a wide variety of clients, from Fortune 500 and middle market corporations to start-up and not-for-profit organizations. Since its inception in 1996, IBC has completed over 600 engagements for more than 350 clients. Students work in teams of 4-6 Consultants to assist clients in a number of different areas, including benchmarking, market analysis and feasibility studies, financial modeling, and strategy formulation.
Why Should I Get Involved?
You can derive several benefits through participation in IBC projects:
- Opportunities to apply what you learn in the classroom to real business issues and to better understand business concepts
- Skill development, particularly in the areas of project management, data gathering and analysis, working with a cross-functional team, and effectively presenting your ideas
- Networking opportunities with clients that could potentially assist you in your job search
- Employment experience that you can use to differentiate yourself from your classmates
- Consulting experience that is particularly useful if you are interested in finding a position with a consulting firm
Consultants who perform well can be promoted to a Senior Consultant position, which is a great opportunity to practice and further develop leadership skills.
How Can I Apply?
Graduate students and junior and senior undergraduate students from across the campus are eligible for being staffed on projects. In order to apply, you must complete an interview with a member of the IBC Leadership Team. Finalists are then interviewed by an IBC staff member. If you are interested in joining an IBC team, you can sign up for an interview outside Room 421 DKH, and please be sure to drop off your resume when you sign up. If selected, you will be required to attend a series of training sessions to prepare you to work on IBC engagement. The expected time commitment for a project is 8-10 hours per week.
Where Can I Get More Information?
For more detailed information, please visit our website at Feel free to stop by to speak with a Leadership Team member in Room 421 DKH or call (217) 244-8344.