Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

 

A Strategy& cover letter is a one-page document that introduces you to Strategy& recruiters, explains why you want the role, and highlights qualifications your resume cannot fully capture. Strategy& does not require cover letters in most regions, but a strong one helps borderline candidates clear the resume screen and land a first round interview.

 

I am a former Bain Manager and interviewer who has read hundreds of consulting cover letters. In this guide, I will walk through what Strategy& looks for, how to write each section step by step, common mistakes to avoid, and a full template you can model.

 

But first, a quick heads up:

 

McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and other top firms accept less than 1% of applicants every year. If you want to triple your chances of landing interviews and 8x your chances of passing them, watch my free 40-minute training.

 

Does Strategy& Require a Cover Letter?

 

Strategy& does not require a cover letter in most regions. According to Strategy&'s UK careers FAQ, cover letters are not a mandatory part of the online application form. However, candidates who submit strong cover letters consistently move past resume screens at higher rates than those who skip the step.

 

Strategy& receives tens of thousands of applications globally each year. The firm has an offer rate of just 3 to 5%, which means a single additional data point can tip a borderline application either way. A clear, concise cover letter gives recruiters a second reason to advance your file.

 

Cover letters also occasionally end up in the hands of the consultant interviewing you. Interviewers will sometimes skim your cover letter beforehand to find talking points and learn about your background. Even when nobody reads it, the act of writing one forces you to clarify why you want Strategy& specifically.

 

Regardless of whether you submit one, spend the majority of your application time on your consulting resume. Your resume is the single most important component of your Strategy& application.

 

What Does Strategy& Look For in a Cover Letter?

 

Strategy& looks for five core traits in every applicant: intellectual curiosity, analytical excellence, drive, teamwork, and innovation. These traits show up across the firm's recruiting materials and in the structured behavioral questions interviewers ask. Your Strategy& cover letter should demonstrate at least three of these traits with concrete, quantified examples.

 

Here is what each trait means and how to demonstrate it in your cover letter.

 

Trait	What to Demonstrate
Intellectual Curiosity	A genuine love of learning and asking why. Show projects where you dug deeper than required.
Analytical Excellence	Structured thinking and quantitative rigor on complex problems. Show specific analyses or models you built.
Drive	Willingness to push through hard problems, exceed expectations, and own your work from start to finish.
Teamwork	Collaborating across functions and cultures, managing differing opinions, and building trust quickly.
Innovation	Generating new ideas, challenging convention, and finding non-obvious solutions to client problems.

 

You do not need to cover all five traits in one cover letter. Pick the three that best match your background and the specific role you are applying for. Each trait becomes one of your three body paragraphs.

 

It also helps to demonstrate you understand what makes Strategy& different from broader PwC consulting and from the top three strategy firms. The firm operated as Booz & Company before PwC acquired it in 2014, and today runs more than 70 offices with over 3,000 strategy consultants. Your cover letter should make clear why Strategy&'s specific platform appeals to you, not just consulting generally.

 

How Do You Write a Strategy& Cover Letter?

 

There are five sections to the perfect Strategy& cover letter: contact information, salutation, opening paragraph, body paragraphs, and concluding paragraph. Below, I walk through each section with templates and examples you can adapt.

 

How Should You Format Your Contact Information?

 

At the top of your Strategy& cover letter, include your full name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. Bold your name and make the font size noticeably larger than the rest of the letter so it stands out immediately.

 

Here is an example of how this should look:

 

John Doe

[email protected]

(123) 456-7890

123 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

 

Do not include a photo, age, marital status, or other personal information. These are inappropriate for US applications and can violate hiring policies in many jurisdictions.

 

What Salutation Should You Use?

 

Start your Strategy& cover letter with a personalized salutation. Do not use "To whom it may concern," which feels generic and signals you did no research on the firm.

 

Identify the lead recruiter for your target office and address the cover letter to them. You can usually find this person on LinkedIn or through campus recruiting events. If you cannot identify a specific recruiter, use one of these:

 

• Dear [Recruiter Name] and members of the Strategy& Recruiting Team,

 

• Dear members of the Strategy& Recruiting Team,

 

• To [Recruiter Name] and the Strategy& Recruiting Team,

 

A personalized salutation signals effort. In my experience reading hundreds of cover letters at Bain, personalized openings were the single biggest predictor of whether a recruiter read the rest of the letter in full.

 

How Do You Write a Strong Opening Paragraph?

 

The opening paragraph is the most important part of your Strategy& cover letter. Most recruiters will only read this paragraph in full and skim the rest. Spend the most time making these two sentences clear, concise, and memorable.

 

Your opening paragraph should consist of exactly two sentences:

 

• Sentence 1: A powerful summary of your background, credentials, and years of experience.

 

• Sentence 2: A summary of why you are a great fit for the specific Strategy& role, listing three reasons that will become your body paragraphs.

 

Make sure you use the correct Strategy& job title. The post-undergraduate role is called Associate, the post-MBA role is called Senior Associate, the undergraduate summer internship is Associate Intern, and the MBA summer internship is Senior Associate Intern.

 

Here is an example opening paragraph for a Senior Associate role:

 

I am a strategy consultant with four years of experience leading market entry and growth strategy projects that have driven over $200M in client revenue across consumer goods, healthcare, and technology. I believe my analytical excellence, drive, and intellectual curiosity make me a great fit for the Senior Associate role at Strategy&.

 

Notice how the opening sentence quantifies impact ($200M) and lists specific industries. This signals you are a results-oriented candidate before the recruiter reads anything else.

 

What Should Each Body Paragraph Include?

 

You will write three body paragraphs, one for each reason you listed in your opening paragraph. Each paragraph should highlight one of Strategy&'s five core traits with a specific, quantified example.

 

Follow this structure for each body paragraph:

 

• First sentence (bold): A summary of the entire paragraph with a quantified result.

 

• Remaining sentences: The story or experience in more detail, with specific actions you took.

 

Bolding the first sentence of each body paragraph is a proven technique. Most recruiters skim, so the bold sentence is the only thing they read in each paragraph. If the bolded sentences alone tell a compelling story, the rest of the letter has done its job.

 

Here is an example body paragraph for analytical excellence:

 

My analytical excellence helped a $1.4B retailer identify $30M in annual margin improvements through a granular SKU-level pricing analysis. At my current firm, I led a four-person team in building a price elasticity model across 12,000 SKUs and three customer segments. The work required pulling transaction data from three legacy systems, normalizing pricing logic, and running regression analyses to find SKUs with the most pricing headroom. The recommendations were adopted by the client's pricing committee and rolled out across all 240 stores within six months.

 

Notice how the example includes specific numbers, a clear personal contribution ("I led"), and a measurable outcome. Generic claims like "I have strong analytical skills" tell the recruiter nothing.

 

How Do You Write the Concluding Paragraph?

 

The concluding paragraph should reiterate your interest in Strategy& specifically, mention your next steps, and thank the recruiter for their time. Keep it to two or three sentences.

 

Here is what a strong concluding paragraph looks like:

 

Strategy&'s integration with PwC and its capabilities-driven strategy approach are why I want to build my career here specifically. I would welcome the chance to discuss how my background fits the Senior Associate role and can be reached anytime at the contact details above. Thank you for considering my application.

 

The most important thing your conclusion does is signal you know what makes Strategy& different. Mentioning the firm's capabilities-driven strategy approach, its position inside the PwC network, or a specific industry practice tells the recruiter you have done your homework.

 

What Does a Full Strategy& Cover Letter Look Like?

 

Below is a complete Strategy& cover letter example you can model. This template is based on a real candidate who landed an Associate offer.

 

Jane Smith

[email protected]

(555) 123-4567

456 Market Street, New York, NY 10005

 

May 20, 2026

 

Dear Sarah Martin and members of the Strategy& Recruiting Team,

 

I am a strategy analyst with three years of experience leading market entry and growth projects that have driven over $150M in revenue across financial services and consumer markets. I believe my analytical excellence, drive, and teamwork make me a great fit for the Associate role at Strategy&.

 

My analytical excellence helped a Fortune 500 bank unlock $40M in annual revenue through a customer segmentation rebuild. In my current role, I led a three-person team in re-segmenting the bank's mass market customer base using transaction data, demographic overlays, and propensity modeling. The new segments allowed the bank to redesign its product bundles and marketing approach, generating an estimated $40M in annual incremental revenue within nine months.

 

My drive enabled me to deliver a board-level strategic plan in five weeks for a private equity portfolio company at a critical inflection point. When the portfolio company's CEO requested a 90-day turnaround plan, I worked 70-hour weeks to interview 20 executives, model three scenarios, and synthesize the findings into a 40-page board deck. The plan was approved by the board and led to a 22% EBITDA improvement within twelve months.

 

My teamwork allowed me to lead a global team of seven consultants across three time zones on a complex post-merger integration. I coordinated workstreams in New York, London, and Singapore, holding daily 7 AM calls to resolve dependencies and align on deliverables. The integration was completed two weeks ahead of schedule and the merged entity exceeded its first-year synergy target by 15%.

 

Strategy&'s capabilities-driven strategy approach and its integration within the broader PwC network are why I want to build my career here specifically. I would welcome the chance to discuss how my background fits the Associate role and can be reached anytime at the contact details above. Thank you for considering my application.

 

Sincerely,

Jane Smith

 

What Are the Best Tips for Writing a Strategy& Cover Letter?

 

There are seven tips that consistently separate strong Strategy& cover letters from weak ones. These come from reading hundreds of letters as a former Bain interviewer and coaching candidates into Strategy& offers.

 

Tip #1: Keep It to One Page

 

Your Strategy& cover letter should never exceed one page. Recruiters spend an average of 30 to 60 seconds on each cover letter, so anything longer than a page is unlikely to be read in full.

 

Use 10 or 11 point font, single line spacing, and standard one-inch margins. If you are running over a page, cut sentences, not margins.

 

Tip #2: Show, Do Not Tell

 

Generic claims like "I am a strong problem solver" or "I have excellent communication skills" mean nothing to a Strategy& recruiter. Every claim should be backed with a specific, quantified example.

 

Compare "I have strong analytical skills" to "I built a financial model for a $2B acquisition that identified $50M in cost synergies." The second version proves the claim. The first just asserts it.

 

Tip #3: Use Strategy& Terminology

 

Use the exact job title you are applying for. Reference Strategy&'s recruiting language: capabilities-driven strategy, fit for growth, deals strategy, or a specific industry practice you want to join.

 

This signals you have spent time on Strategy&'s careers website and understand the firm's positioning. Generic consulting language tells the recruiter you wrote one cover letter and sent it to every firm.

 

Tip #4: Explain Why Strategy& Specifically

 

Strategy& interviewers are explicit that they screen out candidates who treat the firm as an MBB backup. Your cover letter should give at least one reason that applies to Strategy& and not to any other firm.

 

Strong examples include Strategy&'s position inside the PwC network, the capabilities-driven strategy approach, a specific industry practice like aerospace and defense, or a sector lead whose published work you admire. Vague references to "great culture" or "smart people" do not count.

 

Tip #5: Lead Body Paragraphs With Numbers

 

Every body paragraph should start with a bolded sentence that includes a specific number. Revenue impact, cost savings, team size, project duration, percentage improvement, all work.

 

Numbers force you to be specific and they catch the recruiter's eye when skimming. A bolded sentence without a number is a wasted opportunity.

 

Tip #6: Match Your Examples to the Role

 

If you are applying for an industry-focused role, use examples from that industry where possible. If you are applying to deals strategy, lean into M&A and due diligence experience.

 

You do not need a perfect match. But the closer your examples align to the role's day-to-day work, the easier it is for the recruiter to imagine you doing the job.

 

Tip #7: Proofread Three Times

 

Typos, grammar errors, or the wrong firm name will get your cover letter rejected immediately. I have personally seen candidates address their Strategy& cover letter to "Dear BCG Recruiting Team" because they reused the same letter.

 

Proofread your letter at least three times. Then send it to a friend or mentor to proofread once more before submitting.

 

What Are the Most Common Strategy& Cover Letter Mistakes?

 

The five most common Strategy& cover letter mistakes are generic content, treating the firm as an MBB backup, no quantified results, going over one page, and failing to proofread. These mistakes show up across thousands of applications and they are entirely avoidable.

 

Mistake #1: Generic Content That Applies to Any Firm

 

If your cover letter could be sent to McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and Strategy& with only the firm name changed, it is too generic. Strong cover letters reference firm-specific traits, programs, or terminology.

 

Mistake #2: Treating Strategy& as a Backup

 

Phrases like "I am also applying to Strategy&" or "Strategy& would be a great place to develop consulting skills before [other career goal]" are immediate rejections. Strategy& interviewers actively screen for genuine motivation.

 

Mistake #3: No Quantified Results

 

Body paragraphs without numbers do not convince anyone. Every body paragraph should anchor its claim with a specific revenue, cost, percentage, or team-size figure.

 

Mistake #4: Going Over One Page

 

A 1.5-page cover letter signals you cannot prioritize information. Cut content rather than reducing margins or font size below 10 points.

 

Mistake #5: Typos and Grammar Errors

 

A single typo in a one-page document is hard to miss. Spelling the firm's name as "Strategy and" instead of "Strategy&" or capitalizing it as "STRATEGY&" suggests you did not pay attention to the firm's own materials.

 

How Should You Submit Your Strategy& Cover Letter?

 

Submit your Strategy& cover letter as a PDF, not a Word document. PDFs preserve formatting across devices and operating systems, while Word documents can render differently for the recruiter than for you.

 

Name the file using a clear convention: "FirstName_LastName_StrategyAnd_CoverLetter.pdf." This makes it easy for recruiters to find your file when sorting hundreds of applications.

 

Upload the file through Strategy&'s online application portal. Do not email the cover letter directly to a recruiter unless they specifically request it. Following the firm's process is part of how recruiters assess attention to detail.

 

If you are applying through a campus career center, follow that center's instructions instead. Some career centers have specific naming conventions or submission deadlines that override the firm's standard process.

 

What Should You Do After Submitting Your Strategy& Cover Letter?

 

After submitting your Strategy& cover letter, immediately start preparing for the Strategy& case interview. Most candidates underestimate how long case interview prep takes and end up scrambling when the invitation arrives.

 

Strategy& invites interviews on a rolling basis, typically within two to four weeks of application submission. If you are not interview-ready by the time the invitation arrives, you have wasted the application.

 

Allocate 80 to 120 hours of case interview preparation before your first round. Use that time to learn case interview frameworks, practice mental math, and complete at least 30 live practice cases with partners.

 

If you want to learn case interviews quickly, my case interview course walks you through proven strategies in as little as 7 days.

 

Also prepare for behavioral questions. Strategy& weighs fit more heavily than most consulting firms, so prepare at least three personal stories that demonstrate leadership, impact, and teamwork.

 

If you want a faster path through the most common questions, my fit interview course covers 98% of them with model answers.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Does Strategy& require a cover letter?

 

No, Strategy& does not require a cover letter in most regions. However, submitting a strong one helps borderline candidates move past the resume screen at the application stage.

 

How long should a Strategy& cover letter be?

 

A Strategy& cover letter should be exactly one page. That typically translates to 300 to 400 words across the opening paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.

 

What format should I use for my Strategy& cover letter?

 

Submit your Strategy& cover letter as a PDF in 10 or 11 point font with one-inch margins and single line spacing. Name the file "FirstName_LastName_StrategyAnd_CoverLetter.pdf" so recruiters can find it easily.

 

What should I include in the opening paragraph of a Strategy& cover letter?

 

The opening paragraph should be exactly two sentences. The first summarizes your background with a quantified impact statement, and the second lists three reasons you are a fit for the specific Strategy& role.

 

How do I know if my Strategy& cover letter is good?

 

A strong Strategy& cover letter passes three tests: every body paragraph has a quantified result, every reason mentioned is specific to Strategy& and not generic, and the bolded sentences alone tell a compelling story.

 

Should I mention other consulting firms in my Strategy& cover letter?

 

No, never mention other consulting firms. Strategy& interviewers explicitly screen for candidates who treat the firm as an MBB backup, and naming other firms signals exactly that.

 

How is a Strategy& cover letter different from a PwC cover letter?

 

A Strategy& cover letter focuses on the firm's five core traits and its position as PwC's dedicated strategy arm. A broader PwC cover letter uses the PwC Professional framework and applies to consulting, assurance, tax, and deals practices.

 

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