Management consultancy is always one of the most popular choices for graduates owing to the perception that it is a quick way to get a lot of transferable experience and that a few short years in a consultancy will translate into a fantastic job in industry. In a Financial Times article this week our MD James Callander has a look at some of the potential problems of this career path as well as the many benefits.
Some of the concerns highlighted in the article were around the volatile and unstable nature of the role as well as the lifestyle implications of joining a consultancy. Indeed, while many candidates tell us that the well documented fear that you will ‘never again see the light of day’ after becoming a consultant is a major concern for them before joining and a major reason why they might eventually leave it doesn’t seem to put many of them off actually becoming one. And that seems to be because, in the bluntest terms: the benefits are worth the costs. When it comes down to it a few years of having a very limited social life and absolutely no idea who has won X factor is worth it in terms of the valuable and varied experience gained and the opportunities which are now open to them.
From our point of view a few years spent productively in a good Management Consultancy is definitely still something which many companies prize very highly and we are always happy to talk to anyone looking to take those valuable skills and make the transition back into the light of day.
Claire Barnes works on the Freshminds Select team
