Rejected my offer from Bain to join a startup 6 years ago - best decision in hindsight

Does anyone have any insights into the type of projects, culture, WLB etc. in the Big 3 Management Consulting firms in India, especially in Bangalore? Thank you.

Hi Guys, I am working as a software developer in Oracle( btech from old IIT) . Its been 2 years and I now want to switch to management consulting (preferable in MBB) to experience it so want to give MBA. 1. I did some research but I want to gain some information on the salary aspect of it. I heard that the salaries are not that high they would probably be in the same range that I am getting now. BUT, I want to know in the long run do consultants get more hikes compared to tech roles? 2. I heard the wlb is pretty bad so is there some resource that I can study to know if thats the right suit for me since its a big risk I’ll be taking moving on to a different field. There are some good exit opportunities also I believe after MBB can someone tell more about it. Would really appreciate some answers on this. Its on my head for a long time. Cheers!

200+ peeps asked to leave over the weekend

Heard from people I know at Bain that they are laying off. This is mostly the first time an MBB is doing layoffs (earlier they would silently fire, or delay onboarding) A friend got impacted. Seems like this could be 10-15% of their consultants. Unprecedented.

Hey guys, I've been working in top tier consulting firm for a year and I'm just bored of making decks. What exit opportunities exist for me?

I've been in startups for the last 8 years. From Series B/C onwards to even a unicorn, over time worked at 3. One of them was an outright scam, raised many millions of $s from top investors, and then ultimately died. Also close with CXOs at decent sized startups, and there is a pattern out there. A few thoughts: 1. Being a startup founder is tough. There's pain. Some people thrive in pain. AKA Masochists. Know how to spot a founder who works 15 hours a day because they love their vision vs. somebody who works 15 hours a day because they're masochists. These people thrive in pain, and hence love to see you miserable as you slog away the hours under their leadership. There is absolutely no vision for the future that they have. They do it for the fame, money, and cause a lot of pain in the process. Nothing good comes out of it. Investors love this breed. 2. I wish I'd done more than just leave the scammy startup. At the point, I decided against whistleblowing. Because I thought there's so many people employed here, they would all be impacted. Over time, 200-300 people more joined after I left. Once the scam was caught, all of them lost their jobs. 3. I'm not a coder. I'm a generalist. Over time, my pay grew but not in line with my peers who went into consulting/VC and then came back to big tech/startups. Over time, you disadvantage yourself if you stick around as a generalist in startups for too long. The next team pays you at some premium over the last one, there's no step jump. You need to somehow find a successful startup early, and genuinely, that is impossible to game - even VCs have to bet on 20 to get it right. These are a few disjointed thoughts. I hope they give some insight. My only takeaways: - If you work at a scammy startup, don't stand it. At least, don't stick around. - I earn lesser than my peers (tier 1 undergrad), but I regret nothing. I love my work, and I'll never get over the kick. I cannot imagine working at a larger company ever again. - Ultimately, you have to be optimistic. Believe that India will grow, good founders will come around, magic will happen ❤️

Back in 2018, I had an offer from a fast-growing fintech startup. The salary was lower, the hours looked brutal, and the whole thing seemed risky. I chose to stay at my comfortable Big Tech job instead. Fast forward to now: that startup just went public, and early employees are instant millionaires. Meanwhile, I'm still grinding away at the same desk, wondering "what if?" Has anyone else passed up a high-risk, high-reward opportunity for security? How do you cope with the regret?

Consulting is often glorified, but it's common to see consultants who spout random facts, offer rationalizations, and underdeliver significantly. The job involves sucking up to seniors and pretending to know things you don't. Admitting ignorance is frowned upon, leading to a culture of covering up. It's a masterclass in office politics, but the notion that consultants add economic value is questionable. Many just take a cut from company profits while demanding overwork and underpaying employees. Would an entrepreneur, who has built a profitable business from scratch and spent years in the industry, really need the insights, forecasts, and estimates from an MBA, CA, or Engineer who only signals confidence without substance? Consultants, emboldened by business school theories, often believe they add real value. Yet, investors don’t rely much on CA audit reports, and reputable policymakers often disregard consultant insights. In our fast-changing world, capitalism won't let consultants exploit companies forever. Companies should hire people with more skin in the game, not consultants with little accountability for results. [PS: I'm still a consultant, & ready to suck up to my seniors for career growth]