I tried a job simulation tool to learn about working as a consultant at BCG

It began by asking me to click at least one of several reasons I was taking the course. Those were: I'm not really sure what a consultant at BCG does; I've heard about BCG and want to know more; I want to build my skills in consulting to help my career; and I want to increase my chances of getting hired by BCG.

It also came with the warning that the virtual experience wasn't meant to be used on my résumé, LinkedIn profile, or elsewhere to imply that I had experience working for or doing an internship with BCG. Fair enough.

The first section was meant to help me think creatively, "like a BCG consultant," by shifting my mental models. To help me get there, I watched a TED Talk by a BCG partner on fostering creativity in business. The nearly eight-minute video focused on how the key to creativity is doubt.

Next, I read a BCG article on ideas for generating ideas. It highlighted the importance of effectively framing questions and drawing up "binding constraints and criteria for success" instead of so-called blue-sky thinking, which, the article contends, often doesn't lead to useful ideas. I feel like I'm getting a good education so far in consultant jargon, at least.

From there, I downloaded some slides. My task was, in part, to show how a trend that might be perceived as a threat could be made into an opportunity. The example threat was about aging demographics. The possible opportunity was the emergence of a "silver market."

Now, it was my turn. I had to find the silver lining in urban congestion. I came up with the rather clumsy "opportunities for high-volume services in dense markets." The example answer that a bona fide BCGer might give was "growth cluster of the future," the simulation showed me.

From there, I explored how shifting our mental models can help us solve problems and uncover opportunities. One example included the French manufacturer Bic. The company went from only making pens to adding goods like razors and lighters by considering itself a producer of low-cost plastic goods rather than just ballpoints, according to the simulation.

I filled out some more slides about how budget airlines had disrupted the aviation industry. Once again, the BCG crew topped my answers. Regardless, I found it helpful to compare what I answered to what the pros came up with.

In the second section, my job was to generate ideas to help a fictional luxury clothes producer boost sales. I watched another short video and read an article on how to conduct effective brainstorming sessions. It dismissed the idea of thinking outside the box in favor of using them as helpful constraints — the way a string doesn't impede a kite but enables it to fly.

I filled in more slides on how to reframe the question, "How could we sell more outerwear this winter season?" I had to come up with three new approaches. One slide contained this tip: "A good question for brainstorming will be narrow and concrete, so that people feel they know how to begin answering it."

It reminded me of the advice for posing questions to artificial intelligence tools.

I gave some less-than-stellar answers compared with the sample. The lesson then went into the value of "identifying and doubting one's current boxes" and figuring out which ones need to be rethought or even trashed.

It turns out my reframed questions in this section weren't as narrow as they should have been. So, my one-man brainstorm wasn't as fruitful as what a well-trained consultant might produce. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the exercise, and it made me think.

Ultimately, by giving me small tasks to work through, the intro to life at BCG made me sometimes forget that I was doing a simulation. I was focused on the work.

That's why the effort felt like a reasonable way to get a sense of what working in such a role at BCG might be like. Of course, it could be off, but because Forage works with the employers to develop the courses, there are company insiders signing off on the content.

If I were new in my career, I could choose to share the results of the company whose job simulation I completed to signal to recruiters I'm interested.

Forage also suggested text to add to sections of my résumé about how I'd completed a strategy consulting job simulation and offered tips for using my experience on Forage to help answer the question, "Why are you interested in this role?"

The simulation I completed wasn't that long; some Forage offers take several hours to complete. Brunskill said it's all an effort to give students a view into what the work could be like.

The best news is that students who start one and aren't into the work don't have to go into the wrong field.

"It's just as powerful telling a student a role that isn't suited to them as it is telling them which careers do align with their skills and interests," Brunskill said.