After 2 years at a T2 I was put on the PIP and unfortunately didn’t pass it and will need to leave in ~1 month. I’ve been applying to jobs for 3 months but all I have now is an offer from a boutique consulting firm that a recruiter headhunted me for.
My long-term goal is to get into tech (and product management at some point) and I’ve been applying for Strategy&Ops roles but only got 3 interviews in 3 months and no success (rejected at different stages). There’s a part of me that thinks that I’m not able to get through these interviews for the same reasons that I failed consulting: I’m not that good with consulting-like case studies and I have rather low quant skills for someone with my tenure. I also require visa sponsorship in the UK which not all companies provide so the amount of interviews I’m getting can partially be attributed to that.
Apart from this dismissal crushing my ego and my idea of who I am, I’m extremely scared that after I have “going from a T2 to a boutique” on my CV all decent exit opportunities that T2 got me will be closed.
I also can’t financially afford to not have a job rn.
Would appreciate if anyone has any tips, interview tips for tech or how to handle this situation better.
I got fired from a T2 and struggling to find a job
Hi,
I’m really sorry you’re going through this, it’s completely normal that it’s hitting both your confidence and your clarity.
That said,I’d try to separate emotions from decisions as much as possible right now.
First point: don’t jump to harsh conclusions about yourself.
You got into a T2 firm, which means you passed multiple interview rounds and were selected among many candidates. That alone proves you’re not “not good enough.” Something didn’t work in that specific environment or context; that’s very different from your overall potential
Short term: prioritize stability (financial + visa).
Given your situation,securing a job now is the priority, not optimizing the perfect move. If nothing stronger comes through, I would take the boutique offer.
Moving from T2 to boutique will not “kill” your career. You can absolutely shape the story later; many people make non-linear moves early on
Mid-term: reset and target what you actually want
You mentioned tech / strategy & ops; if that’s your real goal, then in a way, this could even be a forced but useful pivot point.
What I would do:
- be more structured in your applications (not just sending CVs)
- build internal contacts through networking
- apply broadly (10+ companies), even if not all are perfect fits
Right now the goal is to get closer to the role you want, not to land it immediately.
On interviews:
If you feel cases/quant are a weakness, that’s something you can fix.Don’t treat it as a permanent limitation; treat it as a skill gap you can work on. Coaches here on Preplounge can help a lot with this! I am happy to support you if you want.
Big picture:
This feels like a major setback now, but it’s very often just a short detour, not a closed road. The key is to stay pragmatic in the short term and intentional in the next step.
Hope this helps;happy to chat more if useful.
Franco
hey there :)
don’t over-interpret the PIP, it usually reflects a specific fit issue, not your overall ability. your exit options aren’t gone.
take the boutique offer, you need the stability and it won’t block tech later if you position it as more hands on and operational.
for tech interviews, focus less on classic cases and more on clear thinking, basic metrics, simple quant, and strong storytelling from your projects.
be very targeted with applications due to visa, aim for companies known to sponsor and start with Strategy and Ops roles, then move internally.
if you want, happy to help you prep or structure a quick plan.
best,
Alessa :)
It might be more appropriate for you to reach out to a career counselor or recruiter in this situation.
Sorry about your situation.
I'm really sorry to read this. This must be really heavy on you.
Nobody is born a consultant, and even if your skills are not the best, you can always get better. There's not much use in being hard on yourself.
It also sounds like you have some beliefs that might not be helpful, like 'T2 to boutique' not being a good idea. The whole point is WHY you're doing it. I know lots of people that move into boutiques because they want to be in consulting long term but they also want other things in parallel, like more time to spend with their families or pursue other interests.
So I recommend you find whatever makes things work for you now, and when you're in a more stable situation, you can switch to something that makes you even happier.
All the best,
Cristian
Hi, Tough situation.
A few points to help you reframe things.
1. Take the boutique offer
Given your situation (timeline + visa + finances), this is the right move.
Going from T2 → boutique is not a “failure signal” in the market. It’s a very common transition, especially when people are figuring out next steps or repositioning.
What matters later is:
- what you do there
- how you position your story
Not the label itself.
2. PIP doesn’t define your potential
Being put on a PIP often means:
- mismatch with the team / project
- specific skill gaps (e.g., quant, structuring)
- sometimes just bad timing
It doesn’t mean “you’re not good enough.”
Also, the fact that you got 2 years in T2 already shows you have a solid base.
3. On tech / Strategy&Ops interviews
Your intuition is probably right: if you struggled with consulting-style cases, that can impact these roles too.
The good news is: this is fixable.
Focus on:
- basic structuring (simple, clear logic — nothing fancy)
- core math (percentages, quick estimates)
- communicating your thinking step by step
You don’t need to become amazing — just solid and consistent.
4. Visa is a real constraint
This is important and often underestimated.
Fewer interviews is not just about your profile — sponsorship reduces the pool significantly. So don’t over-attribute everything to your performance.
5. On “closing future doors”
You’re overthinking this.
People don’t look at CVs like:
“T2 → boutique = downgrade, reject.”
They look at:
- skills
- trajectory
- story
If in 1–2 years you move into tech or a stronger role, no one will care about this step.
6. What I’d do in your position
- Take the boutique role
- Stabilize your situation
- Spend the next months improving core skills (cases, math, communication)
- Start targeting tech roles again once you’re more confident
Last point: what you’re feeling (ego hit, doubt) is completely normal. But don’t confuse a setback with a long-term limitation.
Plenty of people have bumps like this and still build great careers.
Focus on the next step, not the whole path. Happy to help if it is needed.
Good luck!
Hi there,
Sorry that you're going through this. It is definitely a challenging market right now and there's no magic advice that guarantees to solve things.
Something that I've found that helps me when I'm in a difficult situation is asking myself whether there's anything else that I can do, that I haven't done yet?
If there are things that you can think of, focus on doing that.
If there is nothing that you can think of, then be at peace that you've done your best with the things that you can control and the rest is out of your control.
Good luck.
