Getting into Management Consulting

Who the f is saying the money is good? I see freshly minted kids from college making more at Faang and good startups working a third of the hours consultants work for.

1. Yep, post MBA is the most common track. They take laterals from other consulting funds (MBB, even PWC, Accenture if you have expertise in a specific space).
2. Bain has better WLB than McK and BCG (a big no no in WLB). But even Bain has long working hours on weekdays.

they don't hire lateral hires. fresh minted mba or iit or top ug only. if u are in tech then its possible, but again u might not be as valuable as management consultant

Don't come to consulting if you aren't ready to sacrifice WLB

My 2 cents:

• Proper management consulting (which fascinates us all) is mostly at MBBs only. As you go down the tiers, the quality of clients reduces which in-turn reduces your pay and benefits.
• Brand names on your CV are the only way to get in at entry level in India. This can be tags at a UG level (IIT), PG (IIM/ISB) or 1-2 years of Analyst experience at tier 2 consulting/top tech/quant firms.
• For mid career folks, one way could be to land a consulting role at tier 2 or tier 3 firms and move to their US office. From there, you can network your way to an MBB interview as the competition is comparatively easier (I could be wrong though)
• You cannot expect WLB in initial years of top-tier consulting (until you reach Principal title). It’s just not possible as you have to travel on Mondays to client site and return on Thursdays with working from base office/home on Fridays. It’s very hectic, hence the high attrition after 2-3 years. Most people only want the tag as it makes your CV standout in whatever it is that you want to pursue next.