Are you willing to move from your firm to the Middle East offices for higher compensation?

Are you willing to move from your firm to the Middle East offices for higher compensation?

Most Consulting salaries in Middle-East are at-par/above with their US counterparts - pre-tax. So the final difference in your pocket is going to be the tax amount. So if BCG Consultant all-in in the US is $200k (including healthy bonus). Minus the tax. Decision is yours.

Is it true that consulting experience in the Middle East is less valued in other places in the world when you try to exit?

Point 1: I don't think so - based on my experience. You get to directly interact with ministerial level entities as a consultant. The change you bring about is at an entire country-level - and not just 1 factory of 1 corporation.

Point 2: If you are thinking about exit before entry - then you are not entering consulting for the right reasons. 

Compensation alone should not be the sole driving factor to make that move unless obviously someone is desperate or are just cruising along without a clear career development plan.

Please have a look at this article for detailed commentary on factors to consider to make the right career choices: https://www.preplounge.com/en/how-do-i-know-which-career-is-right-for-me

The better question is “are you willing to move from your firm to a country/region you don't want to live in”. Some people would love to live in the Middle East while others would not!

For me, it depends on where you are in your career. In my early 20s I would have (and did), but I also went to a country I enjoyed. Now, I would never move to somewhere I didn't want to be simply for compensation (or even career progression tbh!)