Start by looking for weak ties rather than assuming you have zero network. Alumni, professors, classmates, former interns, family contacts and people from student organizations can often create the first introduction.

If there is genuinely no warm path, targeted cold outreach is completely reasonable. Choose people with a specific connection such as your school, office, practice or background so the message has a clear reason.

Your first goal is information, not a referral. Ask about their path, the office and what they wish they knew when recruiting. That makes the conversation easier and helps you decide whether the firm is actually a fit.

Track who you contact and follow up once where appropriate. A small number of good conversations is more useful than treating networking as a volume contest. For more detail, see the consulting networking guide and the consulting coffee chat guide.

Where would you start if you do not have a consulting club or a single close connection in the industry?

What would you do if your school basically has no MBB alumni at all?