Hi,After graduating from Columbia with a Master's degree, I decided to take a year off due to a personal health issue in my family. Now that I'm back on the job market, I'm looking at consulting firms. I'm unable to apply through Columbia though since I am an alumnus and don't qualify for on site interviews, so I apply directly through the firms website. Does this mean that I would be a non-campus hire, not a Columbia hire? If it does, are my chances of getting an interview greatly diminished?

Gandalf3 - I can't speak about Columbia specifically, but usually consulting firms consider graduate candidates at the end of a gap year directly alongside candidates who are finishing up at university and due to graduate later in the year. So you're competing for the exact same jobs as students still at Columbia - and will be in the same intake as those still at Columbia and due to graduate in the coming year. You would expect to be interviewed around the same time that the firms are interviewing for their graduate hire positions on campus, as you'd need to progress through the rounds of interviews in parallel to the other candidates they are considering. Where your interviews would take place I can't comment on, but if you look like a good candidate on paper and can get yourself to one of their interviewing locations then there's no reason you should be at any disadvantage - indeed being slightly more mature and world-wise is if anything seen as an advantage.Good luck.Tony RestellTop-Consultant.com