The travelling is sold as a perk but it’s soul destroying. There’s only so much Hilton doubletree room service one person can eat before the novelty wears off … I lasted 2 years 6 months 😂
Yeah, I'm not sure it would be for me either. It can be easy to assume that the sense of adventure you feel globetrotting for pleasure will translate to work. But sitting in a hotel room doesn't equate to getting to know a place. Some of the more long term travel does sound appealing though, i.e. if you get put on a longer project abroad. I just spoke to someone who spent 6 months in South Africa and really enjoyed it.
Worked 79 days in a row without seeing the sun (no windows in audit closets… I mean rooms). Not worth it. And we have it easy compared to investment bankers
Nice for peopole out of school without routine and family and mortage to see the world, but most companies like this DON'T put regular people in such accomodation D
you couldn't have phrased this better. im an mbb consultant who has passed the two year mark- going in I was very bright eyed and I worked so so hard- at first you think oh I just have to learn and it'll get better. I'm sure the job will feel more useful, meaningful and have a clear reasonf or the long hours as I work more - but what actually happens is you learn it's really a please the client and cover your ass kind of game with managers demanding everything from you, you unable to say no because how can you even in this kind of workplace. Not to mention the expectations to contribute outside of casework, being staffed on projects with little choice- being a high performer while it saves you from being fired gives you more expectations and hard work. I am an incredibly motivated and hard-working person who has never complained of having to do too much in my life but consulting pushed me to the edge. Not being allowed to exist as a full person for work that is actually truly meaningless is so sad. nothing I've worked on so far is actually useful or important but the day to day pressure is relentless. the only pros of the job are the pay and benefits and the people are generally kind and helpful.
I am really sorry to hear that - it sounds tough. Your experience was echoed by a number of people I spoke to. It seems to be difficult to maintain clear boundaries at work and still feeling like you are keeping pace. But yes, from what I hear people are nice and do listen to and help one another, which cant be said for similarly competitive industries
Did 2 years at a big four firm and I definitely found myself in your description. Especially the part of yes-sayer managers is what freaked me out. It's not about delivering value, it's about binding the client and squeeze out money by squeezing juniors. On the other hand, their favorite junior consultant is the one who never says no. Mentally unstable colleagues didn't cope. But hard schools form well. Consulting isn't for everyone, think well before you apply. Good video mate!
This is so well put together. I did my MBA, after owning my own business (I did not have any qualifications). I could have gone to consulting, but it was hard to get into given my experience. I ended up in Tech - and I am so glad I did. Firstly, I get crazy work life balance generally. There are some project where I travel, and that can be a little full on, but generally it is great... too great even. One thing I did see, is many of my classmates went into consulting. Most are desperately unhappy, if not outright depressed. And it is sad to see, really.
This is a great video, I did 5 years in consulting and faced the 2 year choice. I decided to stick it out because I was still learning a lot but I saw a lot of people leaving at the 2 year mark. Personally I think there's not much difference between someone who leaves at 2 years and 3 years but if you can make it to 5 you can unlock the next level of opportunities either in the firm or externally and it's worth waiting for. Remember it's not just the time but what you do with it - you can easily cram 5 years of experience into 2 if you're surrounded by the right mentors, coaches and sponsors who can help you with a lot of growth opportunities
As an engineer for a major tech company, I've always wondered with my fellow engineers who thought it was a good idea to say a bunch of buzz words in lieu of saying actual things... after watching this video I think I have my answer!
I have been working at Bain since 2016, for 7+ years now and made my way from Business analyst to Senior manager. I feel very happy and valued here, worked on multiple exciting projects in different geographies. I would say if you can stay and cope with the pace, it’s better to stay as you get more benefits as your role evolves. Leaders of the firm have worked 20+ years in it, it would be quite challenging to get to their circle from outside
I’ve worked in a specialized retail environment for 10 years, and we always wonder where the big wigs at the top get their crazy ideas because everything they come up with is completely detached from how the work is actually done.
Easy, they never been to your level. They just read BS and implement BS. If it works, they get medals (bonus) if not, they will pin it on you for being lazy or whatever.
Do companies ever hire independent consultants? Is it working for a consulting firm that is the soul-sucking part? Sorry if these questions are naive. All of this is new to me but I’m very curious. Thank you if you can answer.
I do wanna sometimes ask from consultants which we work with why on earth they are okay with what they are doing. Their business strategies often involve misleading the client subtly in order to make the client dependant on them. It's predatory and they pay a lot of attention often especially for non-technical roles towards the physical attractiveness of the consultant rather than their actual capability to help their clients.
The women I know who work or have worked in consulting are all childless. It’s a bitter truth. And some of them want children, but spent their fertile years with chasing a “career”. People treat working for a known consulting firm like an investment in their career that will necessarily pay off down the line. It may do so career wise but once you are in your mid 30s, childless and single, was it worth the hustle? I know people who have built careers following their interests and common sense. Consulting firms are great in selling dreams, both to other companies AND young people.
I guess it depends if you even wanted to have children to begin with, an increasing amount of people don’t! Also plenty of women have children in their mid thirties and even at forty, I wouldn’t rule motherhood out as an option if you really want to pursue it, especially with things like IVF. I’m sure all that extra money they’re making would help with paying those treatments too.
@@yob_wocIndeed a lot of people don't want children. It is generally a waste when someone gives their life to a career that doesn't really care about them in return. I had an ex who was in consulting. She would get burned out at least twice a year, her health suffered, her relationships suffered, etc. She eventually felt like her work was having little impact on the world. It doesn't seem like a great way to live.
I have made it 4 years now in consulting, and am now seriously contemplating leaving. The relentless pressure and expectations is making me miserable and making the people around me miserable. This video was very helpful and helped me find perspective. Thank you, you have a subscriber in me 😊
I'm really sorry to hear that you are finding it tough. But I'm glad that my vid can help you to get a sense of things! Thanks for the sub and good luck with whatever decision you choose to make :)
These consulting companies are a joke. How can you expect these consultants to provide an advice on your organization when they themselves have never worked in one. Regardless how bright you are or how great your alma mater is, hands on experience is key.
Incredibly useful video! As someone coming from a social sciences background and looking to take another MSc but this time around in Management to break into MBB, this was definitely super informative! Thank you 🙏🏼
Hahaha I love this video. I have been consulting for a smaller boutique firm for almost 15 years and love it. Especially when you get out along side a big four or what not firm and you bill every hour you work and reap the rewards and don’t have their framework of bs to work with in or drag you down. Haha. Going into industry was never a pill for me as it felt like retirement. Workers at clients are all on auto pilot. Consulting I at least reap the money and non of the internal politics. But that’s my scenario. I know tons of people would hate it. Great video!
I'm glad you like the video! On the whole, those I have spoken to who work for boutique firms seem to come away with more positive experiences. But I think they tend to go in more intentionally or because they have an interest in the companies specialisation (a generalisation obviously). Also the culture and politics of large corporations can be hard to navigate
Second point that’s a little misleading is around the work. I think there’s a little bit of a bias since the interviewees all seem to be strategy centered consultants. There’s plenty of consulting work out there that is actual real delivery. Big system implementations, custom software development, etc… where you do “see” the impact of the work you do..
The worst professional years of my life. Living out of a suitcase for 4-5 days a week, every week, every month, every year. A piece of grabage for boss/bosses/partners/directors who enjoy the good life while you work like a dog for him/her. DON'T WORK for any of the big four's including the Indian consulting companies. Take less money and work somewhere else. At least you will have a sembelance of a life.companies. Take less money and work somewhere else. At least you will have a sembelance of a life.
It’s like legal, accountancy, investment banking. Sit down with a calculator and work out the numbers. How much are you being paid per hour ? I bet it’s about $ 30.
I think the moral of the story here is, be grateful of whatever job you have. Nothing is perfect, instead of finding flaws in all jobs look at the positive. If you are in IB, stop whining about long hours, how about you look at how much you are being paid compared to the rest of the people, if you are in consulting, stop complaining about travels and long hours and look at your perks/salary/being able to bz class often where some ppl have never taken a flight in their life before let alone struggling to put food on the table. For accountants stop complaining about job being boring where job stability is probably better than most jobs out there without risk being fired. Moral of the story is, stop complaining, looks at the pros and be grateful. The reality is there is 0 job there perfect, just be grateful then you become happy
I used to work in consulting. Clients wanted me to work outside company. Easy steal and make my own company. I decided to travel the world instead. Now I see consulting companies are getting many government contracts. Easy money, not as before when every client was special. Do they even talk with private clients?
And that's why I would never want to work for the Big-4. Why should I choose to have longer working hours than others and no real social life and get "highly paid" but when you count correctly your salary is as high as anybody else's when you count in the many hours you work more than you should. Let's say you work 70 hours a week and earn 160k a year, then you really earn a little bit more than 80k a year (which is not bad) but others work in the same time 40h a week earn 70k a year and have social life. That's in my eyes much preferable and you won't get burned out. The hours of more work are a very good spring board to burning out. If you want to go into consulting go to a smaller consulting company based in Germany. Then you are protected by laws which also regard working hours and after starting a job you can't get fired after 6 months and so on...
I am curious how much consulting firms differ from the US. I worked 2 years for the Big Four in the Netherlands and had a shitload of vacation days due to accumulated overtime hours which I could convert to vacation hours. I am not kidding, during my 2 years work I had 3 months vacation. It was very manageable in the Netherlands but very curious how the same company is in the US.
Great content! Happy to have it recommended by the algorithm. Hope it will explode your channel growth. Keep it up! PS. Worked at a newly founded contractor (construction) last year, who had McKinsey and BCG as role models. Didn’t get any training and was thrown into multiple projects. For me was unworkable, since I did not feel in control of the situation. Messy. Walked less than six months in, couldn’t stand it. Did at least 60 or so hours per week, surplus free for the company of course. Everything had to be built from scratch in each project (lacking organizational support structures). Don’t think my mind would function at all at any of the top consultancy firms. Fascinated you managed two years in such an a$$ situation. What’s your current career trajectory/plan?
Thanks for the kind words! Gosh that sounds very stressful. Sorry to hear it was so chaotic. I didn't personally work in consulting, the info was derived from a series of interviews I conducted with consultants and ex consultants, 9 in total though I might do some more. My career is has been mostly in Film, TV and Photography , so a little different but I'm very interested in exploring different professions, hence the channel! I hope you have been able to find something that aligns better with your work style and values
This is a good summary. I think it is better to have concrete technical skills than the Project/Product/Program management, generic people management skills. After all, the technical solutions are what sell projects. That's where most of the differentiation is between firms for non strategy projects. Also, with the year of efficiency at Facebook, lots of these PMO type roles are getting eliminated. Better to actually be able to implement the solution hands on rather than just be a people manager, RAID log keeper and status updater.
Wow, watching your video I thought this channel was much bigger, this level of quality is amazing considering the size of your channel. I am currently in uni, and I’m considering consulting as a career option, but hearing all of these comments by former and current employees at large consulting firms makes me want to avoid it. But I guess investment banking, asset management, and other finance careers all require extremely long hours in the beginning of your career. From what I hear there isn’t another way.
Great video, I'm a nearly finished econ graduate and thought about joining data consulting. However, this really confirms some doubts I've had. Thanks for the insight, you've earned a new sub!
I’m aware of all this, but am still considering going into consulting to boost my career. I make a third of what consultants make, but I work countless hours with very little support from my team. If I am going to be overlooked, I’d like to at least be paid more and boost my resume for a better future
That is why you just pile up money while you are working in consulting firm. Then put some of them as capital to create a business or build up passive income streams or both. If the company is not good, I leave before my first year.
Aren't they brilliant! Its a big part of being a consultant, clear idea communication. I'm making a video that touches on this subject as we speak. So keep an eye out
Consultant for 4 years. Projects all have their own stressors you need to adapt to. Doubt I’ll leave but the stress is constant. Focus on keeping my head down and retiring early.
What’s missing here is that those who stay longer have to align themselves to a client or practice area. Thus you have no choice but to be more invested in ensuring the strategy is implemented and sustained. That’s what drives long term relationships
As a Software Developer... The industry of corporate enterprise software is plagued by everything you said in this video, it sounds exactly the same! The common denominator? Both are industries based on creating "exponential value for investors" (at the cost of people's backs), and to hell with anything that might be viable but isn't multi-million profits. (Venture Capital or whatever... Stock prices! IPOs... the only thing that matters to them)
I guess it varies from person to person since some people thrive under pressure. I worked as a management consultant for 4 years before joining the full-time MBA program. Decided to do something different and got a summer internship within the corporate strategy team at a big Canadian bank. During my internship, I missed the constant hustle, continuous long working hours, working on the weekends, stress and urgency. This made me realize that I am not really a good fit for roles outside consulting and I declined my return offer. Recently joined the consulting firm and it feels like home.
I’ve worked in environments where we used consultants from companies like those that you would associate with a video like this. Their lives seemed so stressful that I was always glad that it was not one I had to lead.
I interviewed an ex PHD student this weekend who echoed this opinion. I'll get round to doing a series on Academia in general a some stage. I thought about it briefly when I was leaving uni but decided against it having spoken to the academics in my life
Wow this video was so great! Wasn’t expecting such amazing video quality and insight. Feel this would have been massively useful for me a few years ago 😂 What is the purpose of this channel? Will you be exploring different career paths or just focusing on consulting? Thanks!
Yay, so happy to hear that! So the idea behind the channel is to provide info on lots of career paths people at different times along their journey - some still in careers and some who have left, to try and give the full spectrum of opinions. I've got a few more vids on consulting that I want to finish then onto the next, possibly AI or Investment Banking. Is there anything you would like to see?
It's ok if it's not for you but it's always worth a try. I met people who went in with lots of different degrees - biology, geology, social sciences, English. It's more about your reasoning, analytical skills and adaptability + going to a 'good' uni helps to get in
I did speak to a couple of people who are in the career for the long run and happy, but there were certainly a lot of people who saw it as a stepping stone
Boys and girls, take note: study computer science or engineering! These fields give you strong, transferable skills and open doors to exciting, future-proof careers in tech, AI, robotics, and more. Consulting might sound glamorous, but it’s a burnout-heavy path with limited growth unless you love endless presentations and pleasing clients. Build skills that matter-choose tech or engineering!
This video is very accurate and I really want to highlight that you actually have more control over your own destiny than the video portrays. If you perform at a high level, you can by and large pick your staffing just by being on top of the list for those you want to work with again... and being willing to slightly weaponize incompetence for those you don't want to work with.
IMO is that a lot gets lost on the young and inexperienced. Same way with many high school classes. I’d probably rock as a consultant with my experience at 44
I worked at an engineer consulting firm for two years. The problem of intangibility is real. You make a recommendation and never see the results. I worked in industry before consulting, so I had some idea what a real project was like. But it was clear to me that if I spent too long in this environment, I would lose all sense of scale. If I spent too long recommend things that never happen, I knew I would eventually be lost.
Oh dear, honestly there is a lot that is good about the job. I just wanted to give the whole spectrum of opinions. Remember of the 9 people I interviewed not one of them said they regretted going into it. I'll also be following up with video on the positives of the job. Let me know how you get on or if there is any other content on the topic you would like to see, I'm here to help :)
Strategy is probably the most BS branch of organization out there. Only relevant to board and CEO, who will probably not even use it in their decision making anyhow. But it sure looks nice.
Though I agree with many of the points in the video. I disagree with the statement that you just get shipped off to some project one after another. I can’t speak for all firms, but I’ve found that I always get myself on projects that I want to be on. Granted I take charge of my career, be strategic about networking (when my current project is about to end) to get myself where I want to go but this has worked wonders in navigating a long consulting career.
Thanks for the valuable insight! I heard quite mixed things about people's ability to choose which projects they work on - it seems to vary quite a lot company to company and even person to person
In my experience, the main purpose of consults is to be the bad guys as part of the change management process. Senior leadership will allow the consultants to take the brunt of the ill will regarding unpopular initiatives.
I always wondered how consultation firms analyse and provide ingenious solutions within a deadline. Now I understand it's just "overworking to finish the class project"
Glad to hear it! I have hear from a couple of people that the tools, insights and networks it afforded them were invaluable in starting up a business. I hope the company is going well :)
something i ask myself everytime... how can someone, fresh graduated, maybe 25 years old, no life experience... work in consulting and give advices??? makes absolutely no sense...
It's a question I asked myself too! But there is useful work they can around data collection and organisation - for example conducting interviews, desk research, reading through reports and pulling out key points. Basically if you are switched on, have good communication & excel skills you are useful to a consultancy
After just 2-3 years, you're still at an entry level in most fields unless you're in software engineering, where the skills are highly transferable. Boys and girls, take note: consider studying engineering! 😂
Hello, first up thanks for the comment! So what I had in mind mostly while making this video was your big firms like MBB, The Big 4 etc. But much of it applicable across industry. For example, the former Big 4 consultant was actually a sustainability expert and she had issues with long hours and intangibility. However if you go work at a smaller specialist firm you might find that the hours are more reasonable and you feel closer to your outcomes. I plan to make a video comparing working at the big companies vs boutique firms soon which might help to answer your question more thoroughly. If you have any suggestion of what you would like to see in the video then let me know
Consultants sometimes are very much de-attached from reality. The truth is nobody cares with the flashy top premium brands, as long as you have the skills and can get the job done. Some ppl even don’t know wtf are these ABCD firms. Did less than 2y stints and pretty much knew that.. it wasn’t for me. Eventually I started my own biz and very much satisfied with what I do now 💪
New Flash! The pyramid structure is the model of the entire corporate world since time immemorial. It's not, by any means, unique to consulting. What else is new?
90% of the consultants i met had no clue what they are doing, and i was happy because they didnt test anything that was important xD If i would every have an own company these consultants wouldnt get anything special not even the studdied people, there are other measurement sfor people that actualy worked their asses up to get where tehy are.
Consultancies benefit from ex-consultants holding managerial positions in companies. They get business from it. It is a circular economy, feeding from each other.
now make a video for the ones who try to do the bullshit that consultants propose without the supposedly available in the proposal personnel and technological resources.
sounds like a sick business model. just the idea that they call it on the beach when they have no assignment shows how fake it is. I wonder how much value these consultants actually creates, from my experience not much.
I'm talking mostly about Management consulting and Strategy consulting but really the video is discussing work at a grouping of firms - MMB, Big 4 and firms in tier 2 and 3. It's a challenge making a video general enough to be helpful to a good number of people but narrow enough to identify meaningful trends. I hope you could find some use in it at least :)
The travelling is sold as a perk but it’s soul destroying. There’s only so much Hilton doubletree room service one person can eat before the novelty wears off … I lasted 2 years 6 months 😂
Yeah, I'm not sure it would be for me either. It can be easy to assume that the sense of adventure you feel globetrotting for pleasure will translate to work. But sitting in a hotel room doesn't equate to getting to know a place. Some of the more long term travel does sound appealing though, i.e. if you get put on a longer project abroad. I just spoke to someone who spent 6 months in South Africa and really enjoyed it.
Worked 79 days in a row without seeing the sun (no windows in audit closets… I mean rooms). Not worth it. And we have it easy compared to investment bankers
Nice for peopole out of school without routine and family and mortage to see the world, but most companies like this DON'T put regular people in such accomodation D
you couldn't have phrased this better. im an mbb consultant who has passed the two year mark- going in I was very bright eyed and I worked so so hard- at first you think oh I just have to learn and it'll get better. I'm sure the job will feel more useful, meaningful and have a clear reasonf or the long hours as I work more - but what actually happens is you learn it's really a please the client and cover your ass kind of game with managers demanding everything from you, you unable to say no because how can you even in this kind of workplace. Not to mention the expectations to contribute outside of casework, being staffed on projects with little choice- being a high performer while it saves you from being fired gives you more expectations and hard work. I am an incredibly motivated and hard-working person who has never complained of having to do too much in my life but consulting pushed me to the edge. Not being allowed to exist as a full person for work that is actually truly meaningless is so sad. nothing I've worked on so far is actually useful or important but the day to day pressure is relentless. the only pros of the job are the pay and benefits and the people are generally kind and helpful.
I am really sorry to hear that - it sounds tough. Your experience was echoed by a number of people I spoke to. It seems to be difficult to maintain clear boundaries at work and still feeling like you are keeping pace. But yes, from what I hear people are nice and do listen to and help one another, which cant be said for similarly competitive industries
Did 2 years at a big four firm and I definitely found myself in your description. Especially the part of yes-sayer managers is what freaked me out. It's not about delivering value, it's about binding the client and squeeze out money by squeezing juniors. On the other hand, their favorite junior consultant is the one who never says no. Mentally unstable colleagues didn't cope. But hard schools form well. Consulting isn't for everyone, think well before you apply. Good video mate!
Thanks mate, I'm glad it spoke to your experience but sorry that it was rough. Well done for making it through the 2 years
So banking instead then?
@@bacoolbanking is probably worse 😂
Really good to hear an honest account of what consulting can be like! I also lasted only 2 years but learnt a lot and don't regret it!
Glad to hear it spoke to you :)
This is so well put together. I did my MBA, after owning my own business (I did not have any qualifications). I could have gone to consulting, but it was hard to get into given my experience. I ended up in Tech - and I am so glad I did. Firstly, I get crazy work life balance generally. There are some project where I travel, and that can be a little full on, but generally it is great... too great even. One thing I did see, is many of my classmates went into consulting. Most are desperately unhappy, if not outright depressed. And it is sad to see, really.
This is a great video, I did 5 years in consulting and faced the 2 year choice. I decided to stick it out because I was still learning a lot but I saw a lot of people leaving at the 2 year mark. Personally I think there's not much difference between someone who leaves at 2 years and 3 years but if you can make it to 5 you can unlock the next level of opportunities either in the firm or externally and it's worth waiting for. Remember it's not just the time but what you do with it - you can easily cram 5 years of experience into 2 if you're surrounded by the right mentors, coaches and sponsors who can help you with a lot of growth opportunities
Thank you for this brilliant and insightful comment!
As an engineer for a major tech company, I've always wondered with my fellow engineers who thought it was a good idea to say a bunch of buzz words in lieu of saying actual things... after watching this video I think I have my answer!
Agree, what is “Consulting” anyhow? I’ve heard of “consulting Engineers” But how can a person with a BA consult on anything? They have no experience.
I have been working at Bain since 2016, for 7+ years now and made my way from Business analyst to Senior manager. I feel very happy and valued here, worked on multiple exciting projects in different geographies. I would say if you can stay and cope with the pace, it’s better to stay as you get more benefits as your role evolves. Leaders of the firm have worked 20+ years in it, it would be quite challenging to get to their circle from outside
Thanks for the excellent insight! And well done for making Senior Manager, not an easy thing to do
I’ve worked in a specialized retail environment for 10 years, and we always wonder where the big wigs at the top get their crazy ideas because everything they come up with is completely detached from how the work is actually done.
Easy, they never been to your level. They just read BS and implement BS. If it works, they get medals (bonus) if not, they will pin it on you for being lazy or whatever.
Retail consultant here and I agree with you 2000% with all of my soul 😂
Consultant for 10 years now. I feel so burnout but there is really no way out, as it is difficult to find non consulting work afterwards.
Do companies ever hire independent consultants? Is it working for a consulting firm that is the soul-sucking part?
Sorry if these questions are naive. All of this is new to me but I’m very curious. Thank you if you can answer.
That’s interesting, you often hear people talking about great exit opportunities.
I do wanna sometimes ask from consultants which we work with why on earth they are okay with what they are doing. Their business strategies often involve misleading the client subtly in order to make the client dependant on them. It's predatory and they pay a lot of attention often especially for non-technical roles towards the physical attractiveness of the consultant rather than their actual capability to help their clients.
There's a reason prostitution is considered the oldest profession.
Consulting is no different - you're whoring yourself to your company.
Are they even part of the implementation?
100%
@jimbojimbo6873yeah and you guys act like we don’t know that and it’s exhausting. We know you guys are pretty much all predatory pos
The women I know who work or have worked in consulting are all childless. It’s a bitter truth. And some of them want children, but spent their fertile years with chasing a “career”. People treat working for a known consulting firm like an investment in their career that will necessarily pay off down the line. It may do so career wise but once you are in your mid 30s, childless and single, was it worth the hustle? I know people who have built careers following their interests and common sense. Consulting firms are great in selling dreams, both to other companies AND young people.
I guess it depends if you even wanted to have children to begin with, an increasing amount of people don’t! Also plenty of women have children in their mid thirties and even at forty, I wouldn’t rule motherhood out as an option if you really want to pursue it, especially with things like IVF. I’m sure all that extra money they’re making would help with paying those treatments too.
@@yob_wocIndeed a lot of people don't want children. It is generally a waste when someone gives their life to a career that doesn't really care about them in return.
I had an ex who was in consulting. She would get burned out at least twice a year, her health suffered, her relationships suffered, etc. She eventually felt like her work was having little impact on the world. It doesn't seem like a great way to live.
Lying on their deathbed, wishing that they'd spent more time in the office 😂
Career women in general
@@user-ku2tq1js2v Nah, there are many careers that aren't too demanding.
I have made it 4 years now in consulting, and am now seriously contemplating leaving. The relentless pressure and expectations is making me miserable and making the people around me miserable. This video was very helpful and helped me find perspective. Thank you, you have a subscriber in me 😊
I'm really sorry to hear that you are finding it tough. But I'm glad that my vid can help you to get a sense of things! Thanks for the sub and good luck with whatever decision you choose to make :)
Thanks mate, I have received a very exciting industry offer and will be pursuing that - thank you so much!
"Well, that's not how my uni presented the idea of consulting..." Anyone else?
Thanks for your comments, it'd be really interesting to know how they presented it
Woah, what an incredible video from a channel of this size. Very informative, hope you get the YT-growth you deserve
Thank you! Really kind words, I appreciate it :)
These consulting companies are a joke. How can you expect these consultants to provide an advice on your organization when they themselves have never worked in one. Regardless how bright you are or how great your alma mater is, hands on experience is key.
Incredibly useful video! As someone coming from a social sciences background and looking to take another MSc but this time around in Management to break into MBB, this was definitely super informative! Thank you 🙏🏼
I'm really happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment and good luck with the Msc, I hope you enjoy it 👍
Hahaha I love this video. I have been consulting for a smaller boutique firm for almost 15 years and love it. Especially when you get out along side a big four or what not firm and you bill every hour you work and reap the rewards and don’t have their framework of bs to work with in or drag you down. Haha. Going into industry was never a pill for me as it felt like retirement. Workers at clients are all on auto pilot. Consulting I at least reap the money and non of the internal politics. But that’s my scenario. I know tons of people would hate it.
Great video!
I'm glad you like the video!
On the whole, those I have spoken to who work for boutique firms seem to come away with more positive experiences. But I think they tend to go in more intentionally or because they have an interest in the companies specialisation (a generalisation obviously). Also the culture and politics of large corporations can be hard to navigate
Eloquent speakers and informative content. subbed!
I appreciate the support 😀
Second point that’s a little misleading is around the work. I think there’s a little bit of a bias since the interviewees all seem to be strategy centered consultants.
There’s plenty of consulting work out there that is actual real delivery. Big system implementations, custom software development, etc… where you do “see” the impact of the work you do..
The worst professional years of my life. Living out of a suitcase for 4-5 days a week, every week, every month, every year. A piece of grabage for boss/bosses/partners/directors who enjoy the good life while you work like a dog for him/her. DON'T WORK for any of the big four's including the Indian consulting companies. Take less money and work somewhere else. At least you will have a sembelance of a life.companies. Take less money and work somewhere else. At least you will have a sembelance of a life.
I'm really sorry to hear that it was so rough. I hope you have found better balance these days
Yeah some indian consultancies pay pennies in terms of working hours we put in, why would I mess my mental peace for less money
So entry-level consulting is like doing a post-doc or being an intern at a hospital.
There's definitely similarities
I mean at least it gives you a high salary. I would rather wipe my tears with dollar bills than assignment papers
It’s like legal, accountancy, investment banking. Sit down with a calculator and work out the numbers. How much are you being paid per hour ? I bet it’s about $ 30.
A very good point. It could be interesting to rank a few popular jobs by per hour wage
I think the moral of the story here is, be grateful of whatever job you have. Nothing is perfect, instead of finding flaws in all jobs look at the positive. If you are in IB, stop whining about long hours, how about you look at how much you are being paid compared to the rest of the people, if you are in consulting, stop complaining about travels and long hours and look at your perks/salary/being able to bz class often where some ppl have never taken a flight in their life before let alone struggling to put food on the table. For accountants stop complaining about job being boring where job stability is probably better than most jobs out there without risk being fired. Moral of the story is, stop complaining, looks at the pros and be grateful. The reality is there is 0 job there perfect, just be grateful then you become happy
I used to work in consulting. Clients wanted me to work outside company. Easy steal and make my own company. I decided to travel the world instead. Now I see consulting companies are getting many government contracts. Easy money, not as before when every client was special. Do they even talk with private clients?
And that's why I would never want to work for the Big-4. Why should I choose to have longer working hours than others and no real social life and get "highly paid" but when you count correctly your salary is as high as anybody else's when you count in the many hours you work more than you should. Let's say you work 70 hours a week and earn 160k a year, then you really earn a little bit more than 80k a year (which is not bad) but others work in the same time 40h a week earn 70k a year and have social life. That's in my eyes much preferable and you won't get burned out. The hours of more work are a very good spring board to burning out. If you want to go into consulting go to a smaller consulting company based in Germany. Then you are protected by laws which also regard working hours and after starting a job you can't get fired after 6 months and so on...
I am curious how much consulting firms differ from the US. I worked 2 years for the Big Four in the Netherlands and had a shitload of vacation days due to accumulated overtime hours which I could convert to vacation hours. I am not kidding, during my 2 years work I had 3 months vacation. It was very manageable in the Netherlands but very curious how the same company is in the US.
Great content! Happy to have it recommended by the algorithm.
Hope it will explode your channel growth.
Keep it up!
PS. Worked at a newly founded contractor (construction) last year, who had McKinsey and BCG as role models. Didn’t get any training and was thrown into multiple projects. For me was unworkable, since I did not feel in control of the situation. Messy. Walked less than six months in, couldn’t stand it. Did at least 60 or so hours per week, surplus free for the company of course. Everything had to be built from scratch in each project (lacking organizational support structures). Don’t think my mind would function at all at any of the top consultancy firms. Fascinated you managed two years in such an a$$ situation.
What’s your current career trajectory/plan?
Thanks for the kind words!
Gosh that sounds very stressful. Sorry to hear it was so chaotic. I didn't personally work in consulting, the info was derived from a series of interviews I conducted with consultants and ex consultants, 9 in total though I might do some more. My career is has been mostly in Film, TV and Photography , so a little different but I'm very interested in exploring different professions, hence the channel!
I hope you have been able to find something that aligns better with your work style and values
Another great video! Thanks for sharing :)
Really useful, and oddly entertaining. Thank you.
Great video - amazing to have found you this early, I’m certain you’ll go long ways!
That's a lovely thing to say, thanks :)
So glad I found this video! So helpful!
Woop woop!
Wow what a high quality video impressive, for such a small channel
Merci! Trying to hit the ground running
This is a good summary. I think it is better to have concrete technical skills than the Project/Product/Program management, generic people management skills. After all, the technical solutions are what sell projects. That's where most of the differentiation is between firms for non strategy projects. Also, with the year of efficiency at Facebook, lots of these PMO type roles are getting eliminated. Better to actually be able to implement the solution hands on rather than just be a people manager, RAID log keeper and status updater.
Wow, watching your video I thought this channel was much bigger, this level of quality is amazing considering the size of your channel.
I am currently in uni, and I’m considering consulting as a career option, but hearing all of these comments by former and current employees at large consulting firms makes me want to avoid it. But I guess investment banking, asset management, and other finance careers all require extremely long hours in the beginning of your career. From what I hear there isn’t another way.
Great video, I'm a nearly finished econ graduate and thought about joining data consulting. However, this really confirms some doubts I've had. Thanks for the insight, you've earned a new sub!
Brilliant, I am happy that its was useful to you. Good luck with the rest of the degree and I hope you find a job that inspires you!
I’m aware of all this, but am still considering going into consulting to boost my career. I make a third of what consultants make, but I work countless hours with very little support from my team. If I am going to be overlooked, I’d like to at least be paid more and boost my resume for a better future
That is why you just pile up money while you are working in consulting firm. Then put some of them as capital to create a business or build up passive income streams or both. If the company is not good, I leave before my first year.
I am amazed at how well all these people speak.
Aren't they brilliant! Its a big part of being a consultant, clear idea communication. I'm making a video that touches on this subject as we speak. So keep an eye out
@@jobsworthy I will, thanks. And I meant you, as well!
Consultant for 4 years. Projects all have their own stressors you need to adapt to.
Doubt I’ll leave but the stress is constant. Focus on keeping my head down and retiring early.
What’s missing here is that those who stay longer have to align themselves to a client or practice area. Thus you have no choice but to be more invested in ensuring the strategy is implemented and sustained. That’s what drives long term relationships
As a Software Developer... The industry of corporate enterprise software is plagued by everything you said in this video, it sounds exactly the same! The common denominator? Both are industries based on creating "exponential value for investors" (at the cost of people's backs), and to hell with anything that might be viable but isn't multi-million profits. (Venture Capital or whatever... Stock prices! IPOs... the only thing that matters to them)
I like your video style, man- keep it going!
Thanks mate, i appreciate that! Should have a new video up this week
I guess it varies from person to person since some people thrive under pressure. I worked as a management consultant for 4 years before joining the full-time MBA program. Decided to do something different and got a summer internship within the corporate strategy team at a big Canadian bank. During my internship, I missed the constant hustle, continuous long working hours, working on the weekends, stress and urgency. This made me realize that I am not really a good fit for roles outside consulting and I declined my return offer. Recently joined the consulting firm and it feels like home.
Very true! Great to hear your experience, thanks for sharing
I’ve worked in environments where we used consultants from companies like those that you would associate with a video like this. Their lives seemed so stressful that I was always glad that it was not one I had to lead.
Thanks for the comment! It's a stressful job for sure, but some people enjoy those high pressure environments
"consultant" sounds so general...this video applies to literally everybody in a skilled career.
He's talking about MBA consulting
@@ryomaechizen4400 yea i know but given what i know about business in general , just hearing him it sounds similar even to my field
Academia ain't that different. Cheers for an excellent video
I interviewed an ex PHD student this weekend who echoed this opinion. I'll get round to doing a series on Academia in general a some stage. I thought about it briefly when I was leaving uni but decided against it having spoken to the academics in my life
Wow this video was so great! Wasn’t expecting such amazing video quality and insight. Feel this would have been massively useful for me a few years ago 😂
What is the purpose of this channel? Will you be exploring different career paths or just focusing on consulting? Thanks!
Yay, so happy to hear that! So the idea behind the channel is to provide info on lots of career paths people at different times along their journey - some still in careers and some who have left, to try and give the full spectrum of opinions. I've got a few more vids on consulting that I want to finish then onto the next, possibly AI or Investment Banking. Is there anything you would like to see?
Yes! In my case, I’d say: Procurement, government and strategy
Consulting was recommended to me but i knew i wasn’t going to last so I haven’t taken it however i can still apply but it just doesn’t fit my major
It's ok if it's not for you but it's always worth a try. I met people who went in with lots of different degrees - biology, geology, social sciences, English. It's more about your reasoning, analytical skills and adaptability + going to a 'good' uni helps to get in
Rly I could only see this job as a stepping stone for your career, having experiences in BCG for example could ease your future career
I did speak to a couple of people who are in the career for the long run and happy, but there were certainly a lot of people who saw it as a stepping stone
Boys and girls, take note: study computer science or engineering! These fields give you strong, transferable skills and open doors to exciting, future-proof careers in tech, AI, robotics, and more. Consulting might sound glamorous, but it’s a burnout-heavy path with limited growth unless you love endless presentations and pleasing clients. Build skills that matter-choose tech or engineering!
This video is very accurate and I really want to highlight that you actually have more control over your own destiny than the video portrays. If you perform at a high level, you can by and large pick your staffing just by being on top of the list for those you want to work with again... and being willing to slightly weaponize incompetence for those you don't want to work with.
Thanks for the comment and insight!
Joined the #5 firm (RSM) at age 54 after a 15 minute interview. Been there six years. Plan to retire there.
IMO is that a lot gets lost on the young and inexperienced. Same way with many high school classes. I’d probably rock as a consultant with my experience at 44
I'm sure you would!
Excellent video. Really good.
I worked at an engineer consulting firm for two years. The problem of intangibility is real. You make a recommendation and never see the results.
I worked in industry before consulting, so I had some idea what a real project was like. But it was clear to me that if I spent too long in this environment, I would lose all sense of scale. If I spent too long recommend things that never happen, I knew I would eventually be lost.
Useful insight! Thanks for the comment
I'm doing an MBA rn and whenever a classmate shows enthusiasm for joining consultancy firms I kinda feel sorry for them.
Oh great, I start strategy consulting in a month :)
Oh dear, honestly there is a lot that is good about the job. I just wanted to give the whole spectrum of opinions. Remember of the 9 people I interviewed not one of them said they regretted going into it. I'll also be following up with video on the positives of the job. Let me know how you get on or if there is any other content on the topic you would like to see, I'm here to help :)
Strategy is probably the most BS branch of organization out there. Only relevant to board and CEO, who will probably not even use it in their decision making anyhow.
But it sure looks nice.
Though I agree with many of the points in the video. I disagree with the statement that you just get shipped off to some project one after another.
I can’t speak for all firms, but I’ve found that I always get myself on projects that I want to be on. Granted I take charge of my career, be strategic about networking (when my current project is about to end) to get myself where I want to go but this has worked wonders in navigating a long consulting career.
Thanks for the valuable insight! I heard quite mixed things about people's ability to choose which projects they work on - it seems to vary quite a lot company to company and even person to person
In my experience, the main purpose of consults is to be the bad guys as part of the change management process.
Senior leadership will allow the consultants to take the brunt of the ill will regarding unpopular initiatives.
I always wondered how consultation firms analyse and provide ingenious solutions within a deadline. Now I understand it's just "overworking to finish the class project"
They say that all the doors in Hell lock from the inside.
I read the book "The Big Con" and it made me wonder how overvalued projects from The Big Four were.
Did my two years, prepared me immensely for starting my own company. But I knew going in I didn’t want to stay there.
Glad to hear it! I have hear from a couple of people that the tools, insights and networks it afforded them were invaluable in starting up a business. I hope the company is going well :)
Thanks for this video. I guess I'm gonna be sticking around in consulting for 6 more months :) I'm learning, but yes it sucks.
Sorry to hear that you're not enjoying it. Good luck with the rest of your time, I hope it's not too rough
Super nice video. Thanks for sharing! :)
Thank you for watching!
Consulting is better if you start your own business.
External consulting services are completely superfluous.
I was trying not to cry after hearing their struggles they need a hug.
This is a pretty damn good video bro. Thx
Cheers, that's very kind!
something i ask myself everytime... how can someone, fresh graduated, maybe 25 years old, no life experience... work in consulting and give advices??? makes absolutely no sense...
It's a question I asked myself too! But there is useful work they can around data collection and organisation - for example conducting interviews, desk research, reading through reports and pulling out key points. Basically if you are switched on, have good communication & excel skills you are useful to a consultancy
It's soul crushing. But that only matters if you have a soul to begin with.
A good piece and good discussion, but I think a more worthwhile discussion would be what actual value on these large firms actually bring.
Great idea! I will look into it. Thanks for the comment
After just 2-3 years, you're still at an entry level in most fields unless you're in software engineering, where the skills are highly transferable. Boys and girls, take note: consider studying engineering! 😂
Is this different for specialized consulting? In my case I think about going into sustainability consulting
Hello, first up thanks for the comment! So what I had in mind mostly while making this video was your big firms like MBB, The Big 4 etc. But much of it applicable across industry. For example, the former Big 4 consultant was actually a sustainability expert and she had issues with long hours and intangibility.
However if you go work at a smaller specialist firm you might find that the hours are more reasonable and you feel closer to your outcomes. I plan to make a video comparing working at the big companies vs boutique firms soon which might help to answer your question more thoroughly. If you have any suggestion of what you would like to see in the video then let me know
Interesting vid!!
Merci :)
Consultants sometimes are very much de-attached from reality. The truth is nobody cares with the flashy top premium brands, as long as you have the skills and can get the job done. Some ppl even don’t know wtf are these ABCD firms.
Did less than 2y stints and pretty much knew that.. it wasn’t for me. Eventually I started my own biz and very much satisfied with what I do now 💪
Well done for setting up your own business! Not an easy thing to do so happy to hear your enjoying it
New Flash! The pyramid structure is the model of the entire corporate world since time immemorial. It's not, by any means, unique to consulting. What else is new?
Pretty accurate
90% of the consultants i met had no clue what they are doing, and i was happy because they didnt test anything that was important xD If i would every have an own company these consultants wouldnt get anything special not even the studdied people, there are other measurement sfor people that actualy worked their asses up to get where tehy are.
This was an excellent video
Thank you!
Great video
Consultants don´t need to drink company Kool-Aid. They just stir it.
Consultancies benefit from ex-consultants holding managerial positions in companies. They get business from it. It is a circular economy, feeding from each other.
For sure! I talk a bit about that in my overview vid on consulting. Thanks for the comment
now make a video for the ones who try to do the bullshit that consultants propose without the supposedly available in the proposal personnel and technological resources.
sounds like a sick business model. just the idea that they call it on the beach when they have no assignment shows how fake it is. I wonder how much value these consultants actually creates, from my experience not much.
More pay than retail.
I can't stand consultants. Waste of time. They make a lot more than me to essentially give bad ideas to the higher ups.
Hmmm, the "best two years". Reminds me a bit of a Mormon mission.
Sooooooo truuuuuuueeeee
I’m glad I never gave myself into that burnout machine
surprisingly good american accent
Haha I'll take that :) thanks
consultant of what?
I'm talking mostly about Management consulting and Strategy consulting but really the video is discussing work at a grouping of firms - MMB, Big 4 and firms in tier 2 and 3.
It's a challenge making a video general enough to be helpful to a good number of people but narrow enough to identify meaningful trends. I hope you could find some use in it at least :)
Stayed for 4 - the work life balance people are losers
Wtf is consulting anyways? Who needs that shit?
Consulting is a bs industry
“Forgive the American accent” *starts talking normally*
Up or out
Exactly!
I want to be a consultant. And it is just because I love it.