I'm currently pursuing Master's at T5 school and prior to this I had 3 years of work experience as health care data analyst and been working part-time along with school.
I'm trying to pivot to consulting/strategy, and I'm wondering if I would have a better chance applying to Associate level roles as a student or to experienced hire roles?
My expertise is also in healthcare (pursuing health policy master's) so I would love to get advice on the positions that would maximize my chance.
Thanks!
Hi,
I assume you are applying to a US office. In that case, 31 is definitely not too old for MBB Associate-level recruiting, especially if you're currently enrolled in a strong master's program and recruiting through the student pipeline.
In other geographies, the situation can be a bit different depending on the office and recruiting model. If that's your case, feel free to contact me via DM and we can discuss it in more detail.
In general, I would recommend applying through the student channel rather than as an experienced hire, assuming you're eligible. The recruiting process is usually more structured and there are often more openings available.
The key question is not your age, but rather:
If those pieces are solid, I don't see age as a meaningful concern.
Best of luck!
Franco
Hi there,
I would need to understand your profile in depth in order to give you more tailored advice.
But high-level, 31 is not too old for an Associate. I definitely would not worry about that.
The question is indeed whether you'd be better suited for specialist or generalist roles. This is part of how you build an application strategy. You should try to get a sense of the firms that you're targeting and the roles they have open, and which role sits closest to the overlap between what you want to do and where your expertise lies.
You might also find the following guide useful:
• • Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy
Best,
Cristian
Short answer, you will likely have to come in at Associate level rather than experienced hire.
Without prior consulting background, firms typically want you to go through the standard hierarchy steps to learn the ropes of the trade.
The bigger thing to be ready for is the mindset shift. You will be working alongside peers who joined directly after undergrad and are several years younger but have more consulting experience. The PhDs and experienced hires who do well are the ones who come in genuinely open to learning the craft from these peers, rather than carrying their prior seniority into the office.
Honestly, I don't think 31 is "too old" for consulting, but I do think you need to be realistic about the level.
With your background, I would find it relatively difficult to convince a firm to hire you as an Associate purely based on age and years since graduation. Consulting firms care much more about the relevance of your experience than your age.
You have:
Those are valuable assets, but they don't automatically translate into post-MBA Associate-level consulting experience.
My suggestion would be:
Also, given your healthcare background, I'd look carefully at healthcare-focused consulting opportunities and practices, where your expertise can be a real differentiator.
Most importantly, focus on becoming interview-ready first. Once you're ready, apply. In my experience, candidates often spend too much time optimizing titles and levels when the biggest hurdle is still getting through the interviews.
So overall: no, 31 is not too old. But I would target Consultant/entry consulting roles when you're ready rather than assuming age alone should push you into a more senior track.
Hi,
Without an MBA, most probably you will be asked to join as a pre-MBA role. But ultimately only recruiting/HR will be able to tell you that.
31 is definitely not too old to start consulting :)
Given your background, you might find these articles helpful:
5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Interview
31 isn't too old. With 3 years of relevant experience and a T5 Master's, you're well within MBB Associate range.
Apply through campus recruiting as a Master's student, not experienced hire. T5 schools feed directly into MBB post-grad Associate pipelines. Structured process, on-campus support, peer cohort. Experienced hire route would mean giving up the campus advantage.
Best roles for your profile. MBB Healthcare practices (McKinsey HSS, BCG Healthcare, Bain Healthcare). Also strong fit at ZS, IQVIA, Putnam, Clearview, LEK Healthcare, EY-Parthenon Life Sciences.
Lead with healthcare specialism, not generic consulting interest. Quantify your data analyst impact. Start case prep now, aim for 30 to 50 cases.
Good luck.
