Experienced Hire (10 years, Retail Tech/Digital Transformation) seeking transition to Consulting - Role and Fit advice

Hi there,

You have a strong and relevant background for consulting, especially with your mix of retail, tech, and digital transformation experience across regions. Those skills are highly valued right now as firms support clients in omnichannel and e-commerce transitions.

Firm fit: MBB all have strong consumer and retail practices, but you may find an especially good fit with Bain, which has deep retail and digital experience, or BCG’s digital and transformation teams (BCG X). Among Tier-2 firms, Oliver Wyman, Kearney, and Roland Berger also recruit experienced professionals from retail and tech. Big Four consulting divisions such as EY-Parthenon, Deloitte Monitor, or PwC Strategy& are very active in this space too and can offer faster entry points.

Role level: With around 10 years of experience, you would likely enter at Manager or Engagement Manager level, depending on how much of your previous work involved client-facing strategy or leadership. Some firms may suggest starting as a Senior Consultant if your background is strong but not directly in consulting, with a fast track to Manager after six to twelve months.

If you position yourself around retail innovation, digital transformation, and customer experience, you will align closely with what many consulting teams are building right now.

Best of luck!

Hi,

I would say that most firms would lap up the opportunity having any one with 'non-consulting' industry experience (so they can tell clients we have 'industry experience'), but I would argue actually that your profile is abit niche if it was account management/digital transformation. 

The reason is because a bulk of the retail type clients are literally still traditionally brick & mortar... and so based on my experience the profiles that the retail practice do appreciate are the category managers/buyers because these folks are the ones who will actually speak the language. 

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't apply still - but just a dynamic to keep in mind. 

As to the role - in my experience you would start off as a Consultant with 1 year tenure, that means you have 1 year to get promoted to Manager (instead of the normal 2 years others get). I find it hard to believe an MBB firm would allow a lateral manager hire without consulting experience - the risk is too high and there have been too many stories of failures.

Given your experienced hire background, I think you'll find this article helpful:

5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Consulting Interview

You have a great profile. 

Going to your questions.

1. The big firms have retail practices, which is likely where you can bring the most value. Reach out to the recruiter and ideally ask them to put you in touch with the recruiter from that practice. Then try to understand from them what roles they are currently recruiting for. 

In terms of specialised firms focusing on retail only, these might be smaller boutiques that operate only in specific regions. The best way to come across them and get a sense of which ones would be relevant for you is to have coffee chats with people in the industry in your region. 

2. Re what role to go for specifically. The role structure differs from firm to firm, and the only person with whom you can have an informed discussion and clarify this question for you is the recruiter from the specific firm and office you are targeting. 

If you have any other questions, feel free to drop me a line directly. You might also find the following guide useful if you are about to start your recruiting process:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian 

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your career trajectory thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

• First of all, I would advise you to look at the incumbent consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and others, where the retail and digital practices are quite advanced. On top of this, please have a look at the Vault Consulting Rankings to explore other notable consulting firms with a strong retail and/or digital footprint.
• Moreover, regarding the level, I would advise you to aim for a Manager role - but only if you have solid leadership experience in cross-functional settings. Most consulting firms will assess this case by case.

You can find more on this topic here: Boutique consulting firms.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files, for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hello 
You have a great and diverse background - something many consulting firms like to see as well as great brands to go along with it - so a great start!

1)Firm fit/ Sectoral Expertise: This will depend on the locations also that you're considering when applying. Would you consider a move? For example, OC&C is very retail focused and could be a great fit! As well, if you're looking at MBB the retail clients are mainly served in Paris/Milan/NYC. As for your tech capabilities, most firms are looking at this in some capacity but you should definitely consider BCG, McKinsey, Roland Berger and Kearney. 

2)Target Role /Level: With 10 years of experience you could come in at the consultant level (similar to a post MBA level) as long as you can master your storytelling through the interview process and show the skills required. I would advise against trying to push for a project lead/Manager role as it could be extremely overwhelming and lead to potentially not making probation. Consulting is a beast where you need to trust the process and learn the ropes step by step :)

Good luck!
 

Hi there,

With 10 years in retail tech and digital transformation, you’re well-positioned for consulting, especially in Retail, Consumer Goods, or Digital/Tech Transformation practices. MBB, Tier 2, and Big Four consulting arms all value this experience.

For level, you’d generally target Manager or Senior Consultant / Engagement Manager, depending on the firm. You'd probably have to play a more junior role in the first 6 months to build your consulting toolkit before actually playing a manager role in MBB. This initial 6 months will be important.

Hi there, 

Majority of the firms would have a retail practice, where you past experience would be very relevant. The difference is which firm is relatively stronger in retail in your country / region. 

As for the role, it could be challenging to join as project leader / manager, given you don't have prior consulting experience. Even if the firm takes the risk and recruit you at such level, they might as you to start with 6 months as consultant first to get to know how consulting works. 

Alternatively, you can consider joining as an retail industry expert, instead of a general consultant. That's quite common for people with long industry experiences. 

Best,

Emily