How did you find your dream role and career passion?

Hi there,

I can relate a lot to what you’re describing — and honestly, this is a very typical phase after a few years in consulting. You’ve seen a lot, learned a lot… but it starts to feel a bit “all over the place.”

A couple of things that might help you think about it more clearly.

First, I wouldn’t put too much pressure on the idea of a single “career passion.” In practice, most people don’t find it in one shot. It’s usually more iterative — you notice what you enjoy a bit more, you move in that direction, and it becomes clearer over time.

In your case, the retail/consumer interest is already a useful signal. It may not be “the answer,” but it’s definitely not random either. If you consistently enjoy those problems more, that’s worth taking seriously.

What I’ve found helpful is to separate the question a bit, instead of trying to solve everything at once.

For example:

• Do you actually want to stay in consulting as a way of working (variety, pace, external perspective)?
• Or are you more drawn to owning something and seeing it through over time (which usually points more toward in-house roles)?

That distinction is often more important than the industry itself.

Then on the industry side, you don’t need to be 100% sure. You just need a direction that feels more interesting than the alternatives. Retail seems to be that for you right now.

Given that, both paths you mentioned make sense:

• either try to move closer to consumer/retail within consulting (even if it means switching firms)
• or move in-house and go deeper in that space

There’s no “perfect” choice here — it’s more about what you want to optimize for next.

One thing I would strongly recommend is not trying to figure this out only in your head. Talk to people. A few conversations with people in retail strategy roles (both in consulting and in-house) will give you much more clarity than weeks of thinking.

Also, don’t worry too much about “locking in” at 35. You’re not choosing your last job — you’re choosing your next step. And it’s completely fine if that step just gets you closer, not all the way.

If I simplify it, I’d do this:
lean into the retail signal → decide whether you want consulting vs. in-house → test it through conversations / exposure → then make a move.

That’s usually how people get out of this “stuck” feeling.

Best,

Soheil

Hi,

This is a great and very honest question; what you’re feeling is actually quite common.This “feeling lost” phase is less about your job inconsulting and more about a natural evolution point in your career. After a few  years, many people start asking: “Is this really what I want to do long term?” That typically hits strongest around your age.

Soheil and Mauro already shared good perspectives on this, let me add my experience as well. I left BCG after 10 long and intense years more or less at your age. The key shift for me was reframing the question:not “consulting vs corporate”, but “do I want to stay in the corporate world at all?”

When I looked at industry roles, I realized that despite some benefits (better lifestyle), the core of the job would still be quite similar. That’s what pushed me to try something different and start my own business; harder, but much more energizing, this let me experience "freedom".I’m not saying entrepreneurship is the answer, but my suggestion is:  broaden your lens beyond consulting vs industry and consider different ways of working (corporate, freelance, entrepreneurship).

On retail; it’s a good signal, but treat it as a data point, not a conclusion. Ask yourself whether you’re optimizing for:

• topic (retail)
• lifestyle
• type of work

Finally, don’t rush into a “perfect” answer. For most people "career passion" is not really a thing. Focus on what no longer fits, test a few directions, and iterate. That’s how clarity usually emerges.

Hope it helps,
Franco

Hi Anonymous, thanks for your question!

I can relate a lot to what you’re describing.

When I started in consulting, I didn’t have a “clear passion” either. The reason I joined was actually quite simple: I wanted to help CEOs take the most important decisions — or at least understand how those decisions are made.

In the first years, I worked across different topics and industries, especially in financial services. It was interesting, but still quite broad.

Then, a bit by chance after ~5 years, I ended up working in the payments space.

At the beginning, it was honestly tough. It’s a very technical industry where details really matter, and you can’t have a real “big picture” unless you truly understand how everything works. I had to push through that initial barrier.

But at some point, something changed. I started getting genuinely interested in it.

And when I say interested, I don’t mean “it’s useful for work.” I mean:

• reading articles about payments because I wanted to
• going deeper into topics without being asked
• being curious even outside of projects

That’s when I realized I had found something different.

Even later, when I worked on other industries, that interest stayed. People started seeing me as the “go-to” person for that space.

Eventually, I got an opportunity in that sector and made a pretty big decision — I left consulting for it, because I had understood that’s where I really wanted to build and have impact.

On your situation, a couple of thoughts.

First, I wouldn’t stress too much about not having it figured out yet. There’s no perfect timing. I’ve seen people find their “thing” quite late. One of my friends, now partner at McKinsey, only really found his preferred sector after ~10 years in consulting, around mid-30s.

That said, I do agree with something Jack Ma once said:

• 20–30: explore
• 30–40: find your thing
• 40–50: double down and win

You’re in that phase where it makes sense to start narrowing down.

So the key question is not “what sounds interesting,” but:

What is the area where you naturally go deeper without effort?
Where spending extra time doesn’t feel like a cost.

If that’s retail for you, then it’s worth taking seriously:

• either move internally / switch firm to get more exposure
• or go into a corporate role in that space

But if you’re not fully convinced yet, keep exploring a bit more. You don’t need to force a decision just to “have one.”

In terms of how to think about it, I’d simplify it to:

• What topics do I enjoy learning about even when I don’t have to?
• In which projects did I feel most engaged, not just successful?
• Where do I see myself building real expertise over time?

That usually gives clearer signals than trying to define a “perfect career path.”

So overall: you’re not behind, and what you’re feeling is very normal.
You just need to pay attention to where your genuine interest is — that’s usually the best guide.

Happy to chat more if useful.

hey there :)

honestly, what you describe is very normal even after a few years in consulting, and you’re already further than you think because you’ve spotted a real pattern with retail and consumer thinking

what helped me and many others is shifting from “what is my passion” to “where do I naturally enjoy the work and perform well”, passion usually follows exposure not the other way around, so instead of forcing a big life decision I’d test it in small steps, for example by trying to get even one retail-related project, doing side work with a consumer startup, or speaking to 5 people in in-house retail strategy roles to see what their day really looks like

to be more target-focused I’d simplify it to three questions, what type of problems energize me, what environment do I enjoy day to day, and what trade-offs am I willing to accept, like lifestyle, location, pace, once you answer those honestly you’ll see patterns pretty quickly

an out of the box idea that works surprisingly well is to “prototype your future”, meaning take 4–6 weeks and act as if you already made the switch, for example analyze a retail company you like, build a mini strategy deck, reach out to people in that space, maybe even advise a small brand for free, you’ll feel very quickly if it clicks or not

also don’t over-index on “final decisions” at 35, most strong careers are still shaped by 2–3 more moves, so think in experiments not commitments

if you want, happy to help you narrow this down based on your exact preferences

best,
Alessa :)