Career transition advice: Moving from strategy roles to top-tier consulting as a pathway into investment-focused careers (VC/PE)

Question

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some professional advice from this community.

I have 1.5 years of experience in tech consulting at a boutique firm (not Tier 2), and currently work in the Strategy & Operations department at a marketplace. Altogether, I’ve built 3 years of experience in Berlin across consulting and strategy roles.

While I’ve gained valuable experience, both roles have been quite distant from investment-focused work. I'm now aiming to transition into a top-tier consulting firm (MBB or Tier 2), which I see as a strategic bridge toward ultimately working in VC or PE. My plan is to gain exposure to finance-related projects and complement that path by pursuing the full CFA qualification.

That said, I have a few key questions:

Is a move to top-tier consulting even feasible after my current role?
If yes, how likely is it that I’d get staffed on finance-focused projects (e.g., due diligence, private equity, M&A strategy)?
Or would it be more realistic to aim for a direct transition into VC/PE after this role?

Any insights or advice would be truly appreciated!

Answer 1

It is possible to move to an MBB, yes. Give your best shot.

If you get in, you can ask to be staffed in DD / M&A projects. There are plenty of them. And many people try to avoid those projects (are more intense) so if you volunteer you have a good chance.

Answer 2

Hi there,

Thanks for the overview! And hello from Berlin as well!

In short, I recommend pursuing both consulting roles and PE roles in parallel. Considering the state of the market at the moment, it makes sense to diversify.

Regarding consulting, your background is great, and it already signals you have consultant-like skills, so there's no reason why you should pursue MBB.

If you join as a generalist, you tend to have more flexibility to choose between projects once you get to the 1 year mark of tenure. Before that, it's a bit more difficult.

What you can investigate, however, is whether they are hiring any consultants directly in the Finance practice (though then you will need to demonstrate that you have deep expertise in that area).

Best,
Cristian