Is a career in consulting worth it?
The
profession of consulting offers an excellent opportunity to earn more than your colleagues in other industries. Joining a consulting firm is one of the fastest and most effective ways to build an extensive and valuable network. On the one hand, you’ll be working with multiple customers and stakeholders over the course of your various projects. In this way, you can build relationships between multiple organizations (usually with high-level employees), which can result in job offers, other consulting assignments, or even mentorships.
Consulting certainly has a hierarchy, but it also has a large undercurrent of performance-oriented opportunities and benefits. On the other hand, if you value standardization and consistency and are drawn to predictable working days, consulting may not be the best choice for you. When so much money is at stake, it leads to a lot of unhealthy political dynamics within the consulting organization. If you have any questions about advice or about your career path, don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
I think the big difference in the benefits of consulting over a standard industry is that in consulting, you are the product and your employer obviously treats you as a priority, just maybe second to maybe sales. If you are motivated by an entrepreneurial environment, consulting is a very worthwhile career choice. If you’re looking at one of these huge consulting firms and value moving up quickly, make sure you really think through this dynamic. There is camaraderie among consultants, in good places, where they are happy that they work together and not in the companies where they are employed.
In fact, I became very impatient, particularly in my early twenties, early in my career, until I felt I could do much more than what I was allowed to do in one of the big consulting firms. Not all consultants and not all companies are the same, so it’s impossible to give a general answer to your question. Professionals who lack strong work ethics or who lack long working hours are generally unsuccessful in consulting. Counseling can be a challenging career path. But if you have the right skills and the right mindset, it can be a lucrative career choice and a chance to work for some of the world’s biggest companies.
As a consultant, you’ll have an impact on how large, huge, and influential organizations operate around the world. If you really value a healthy lifestyle balance or a work-life balance more than career and long-term growth potential, then consulting is not the right choice for you. I think my lifestyle, prestige, and money are worth it, but my company is significantly different from MBB and Big Four, which is probably what you’re thinking of.
References:
- Is Consulting the Right Career for You?
- 5 Reasons to Try Consulting (No Matter What You Want to Do) | The Muse
The profession of consulting offers an excellent opportunity to earn more than your colleagues in other industries. Joining a consulting firm is one of the fastest and most effective ways to build an extensive and valuable network. On the one hand, you’ll be working with multiple customers and stakeholders over the course of your various…