Management Consulting Discussion

[akatsuki]



I am currently finishing up my MBA and have reached final rounds with a mgmt consultant firm. I never even considered working in this capacity before coming into this year, but one thing led to another and I am 3 rounds in.
My question is: what are the exit opportunities after about 3-4 years from the associate/sr associate roles?
Thanks

A lot of associates at my firm stick for 2 years, then go to PE for a couple of years before heading off for MBAs.

 

[mintyfresh]



A lot of associates at my firm stick for 2 years, then go to PE for a couple of years before heading off for MBAs.

Thanks - but I was looking at it from a post-MBA point of view.

 

[akatsuki]

Ah, totally different and a lot more open of a question then. Depends on which firm you are at and how you have shaped your career. I think the generalists have a tougher time finding a post outside of BD/strategy groups...

 

[svelten]

I'm thinking a few years down the line this is something I would want to get into. What are my chances though, and any thoughts on improving upon them? Profile in two years' time (ideally):

-MSc. resource management
-Worked for government in environmental regulation/policy development and industry in environmental consulting. Want to get into oil&gas consulting as an eventual way into management consulting
-No business experience or background however - strengths and skillset in scientific policy and research. Do I need to go for an MBA before I even consider this career path?
-Late 20s

 

[indesertum]

any management consultants in nyc or boston that i can meet in person for a 20 minute cup of coffee? or any management consultants that i can have a quick 20 minute phone conversation with?

 

[mintyfresh]



any management consultants in nyc or boston that i can meet in person for a 20 minute cup of coffee? or any management consultants that i can have a quick 20 minute phone conversation with?

No harm in reaching out via linkedin to an alum. I've done this many times with positive results.

Will be starting at a boutique in the summer, so no help to you yet!

 

[indesertum]

T

No harm in reaching out via linkedin to an alum. I've done this many times with positive results.

Will be starting at a boutique in the summer, so no help to you yet!

Thanks. Much appreciated

 

[marin]



I am currently finishing up my MBA and have reached final rounds with a mgmt consultant firm. I never even considered working in this capacity before coming into this year, but one thing led to another and I am 3 rounds in.

My question is: what are the exit opportunities after about 3-4 years from the associate/sr associate roles?

Thanks

Ah, totally different and a lot more open of a question then. Depends on which firm you are at and how you have shaped your career. I think the generalists have a tougher time finding a post outside of BD/strategy groups...

It's very common to move from a firm to a client. In firms where one aligns with an industry, even as a generalist you may have interesting options provided your projects have given you exposure to an interesting function or initiative. For example, mobile is a hot topic across many industries, and if you've been involved with a strategic mobile initiative in a prominent company, you'll be an attractive hire to your client and its competitors.

 

[SeamasterLux]

I'm still reading through this thread and I hope I'm not asking something that has already been asked but I was wondering whether there'd be a way to move from a BIG 4 Consulting department to MBB while not having graduated from a top European business school.

I studied in France in a good university but that's irrelevant since French system only recognizes top Grandes Ecoles (Polytechnique, Centrale, Mines, Ponts, HEC, ESSEC, ESCP).
I work in a nearby country since I definitely wanted to avoid France. I've jumped two ranks already but I don't know if there's a proper way to sell that or if people would just answer: "who cares, it's a Big 4 firm. That's not challenging, is it?"

I'm doing quite well but I lack the challenge to be honest.

Thanks for any piece of advice (including: "stay where you are, make it to partner)

 

[kasper007]

in france, it will be tough to be honest. currently doing an MBA at a top european b-school and many of my classmates are in the midst of summer recruiting. one guy is in a similar situation to you and actually completely avoided the paris offices because he taught he wouldn't stand a chance and the few more than didn't go to grande ecoles didn't make it past first round.

that being said, attitude toward credentials is more relaxed outside of france where you'd have an easier time successfully selling your experience so my advice would be to target offices in nearby countries. it can be hard to lateral from a lesser firm to MBB without going to b-school though as that's where the vast majority of hiring are made

 

[SeamasterLux]

in france, it will be tough to be honest. currently doing an MBA at a top european b-school and many of my classmates are in the midst of summer recruiting. one guy is in a similar situation to you and actually completely avoided the paris offices because he taught he wouldn't stand a chance and the few more than didn't go to grande ecoles didn't make it past first round.

that being said, attitude toward credentials is more relaxed outside of france where you'd have an easier time successfully selling your experience so my advice would be to target offices in nearby countries. it can be hard to lateral from a lesser firm to MBB without going to b-school though as that's where the vast majority of hiring are made

Thank you for taking the time to answer Kasper007. That is why I do want to avoid France at all costs amongst other reasons.

But from what you're saying, I understand that even future MBA graduates from a top European B-School but that didn't attend the Grandes Ecoles do not make it past the first round in MBB in France? That's appalling... Maybe I misunderstood what you said though.

In any case, a headhunter had recently contacted me since my profile matched what McK Zurich was looking for (German, English, French speaker with solid experience in TMT) but that after talking to McK, it appeared that I lacked either a MBA or a PHD.

 

[crispeta]



But from what you're saying, I understand that even future MBA graduates from a top European B-School but that didn't attend the Grandes Ecoles do not make it past the first round in MBB in France? That's appalling... Maybe I misunderstood what you said though.

If that's correct, it has not always been the case - I know "exceptions"..

 

[kasper007]



But from what you're saying, I understand that even future MBA graduates from a top European B-School but that didn't attend the Grandes Ecoles do not make it past the first round in MBB in France? That's appalling... Maybe I misunderstood what you said though.

In any case, a headhunter had recently contacted me since my profile matched what McK Zurich was looking for (German, English, French speaker with solid experience in TMT) but that after talking to McK, it appeared that I lacked either a MBA or a PHD.

If that's correct, it has not always been the case - I know "exceptions"..

it's obviously not impossible, i wouldn't say the sole reason these classmates didn't make it to the second round is because of where they studied, but there is still a strong bias toward candidates with a grandes ecoles background, even at the MBA level and beyond. while this is not unique to france, it's much stronger there than anywhere else in the developed world. and it's not just consulting either, finance is the same. i've been speaking with a pe fund that pretty much exclusively recruit candidates that did either poly or hec. i'm canadian and we have a very egalitarian view of educational background so this is often shocking to me too!!!

 

[SeamasterLux]

it's obviously not impossible, i wouldn't say the sole reason these classmates didn't make it to the second round is because of where they studied, but there is still a strong bias toward candidates with a grandes ecoles background, even at the MBA level and beyond. while this is not unique to france, it's much stronger there than anywhere else in the developed world. and it's not just consulting either, finance is the same. i've been speaking with a pe fund that pretty much exclusively recruit candidates that did either poly or hec. i'm canadian and we have a very egalitarian view of educational background so this is often shocking to me too!!!

All the more a reason for me not to come back to France... I remember a Senior Manager at a large French PE fund that was told he should either do an MBA or find another job because he wouldn't make it to higher ranks "because they couldn't decently let him negotiate directly with French CEOs who have graduated from ENA or Polytechnique" (and he had graduated from a fine university but not a Grande Ecole).

Of course, this exists everywhere, especially in Finance as you mentioned before. I used to be in Equity Research and got a contract in M&A but it was awfully difficult to get (I didn't take the job in the end, 90-hour-weeks didn't appeal to me that much, especially given the low pay due to the fact that I had not graduated from a Grande Ecole, once again).
If you look at the resumes of Blackstone team on the internet, I think 95% of them are undergrad + grad of Ivy league universities.

I might consider a European MBA since some of them offer a one year program (Insead, IE, IMD). Now, I've got to rock the essays. I've got a GMAT score already but don't know if I can use this one or if I have to repass it especially for the applications.

 

[Yesenia Cuddy]

Management consulting business isn't that bad.It not only pays well but also a great opportunity to interact with different businesses and help them utilize their existing resources to its full potential.But you should have some passion for it.I have been working as a consultant for the past 15 years and i find it really exciting even now.