I often hear that you become very valuable if you are a manager in consulting, why so?

Hi,

I was a manager at MBB - sharing my perspective based on what I observed at my clients as well as from headhunter/recruiting discussions. The value comes from a couple of things:

1. Problem solving
2. Project management
3. Team management (high capacity, high capability team)
4. Navigating organizations and driving change
5. Ability to engage and deal with CXO level stakeholders
6. Nose for value

Some of these traits you get exposed to already as a consultant. But often never at the same intensity or strategic level as a manager.

Hope this helps to clarify!

This is truly a stamp of approval!

If you can manage at MBB for example, you can well-and-truly do it all. The skills you need to posses include (but are not limited to):

1. Ability to work hard and long hours
2. Ability to manage multiple direct reports
3. Ability to drive client relationships
4. Ability to manage multiple senior stakeholders with differing views
5. Direct relationships and exposure to C-Suite Executives
6. Ability to pick up topics/knowledge on any subject/industry rapidly AND drive results
7. Ability to project plan + manage
8.  

There 2 key reasons for this:

1. You have proven yourself to reach leadership role in a very challenging environment

2. You have built valuable set of skills that include:

- Stakeholder managements

- Leading problem solving of complex topics

- Motivating and managing the team's morale

- Endurance to work hard and commitment to deliver

Those are valuable skills in any organization hence the point that you heard

Because it is not easy to become a manager in the first place and a lot of consultants also choose to voluntarily leave at this level. Job opportunities for MBB managers are abundant and some even pay considerably higher. A lot of people agree it is one of the best levels to exit from MBB

Why is it hard? Typically it takes 4-5 years to get to manager and this means you would have to survive nearly a dozen reviews and show constant growth and development 

It is a complex profession and it is typically at this level that a consultant becomes truly independent meaning they can work without supervision and guide others. Partners love good managers because they don't have to worry about the day to day project and can focus on other things

Hi, especially for the years in consulting (6+) and for the ability to lead a brilliant team and manage a client with different exposure (from the C1 levels to the bottom)

Best,
Antonello

Hi Anonymous,

I agree to the existing answers as they show your implicit and explicit achievements in your role as manager.

However I'd like to look at the question from a more rationale and economical point of view:

1. Consulting firm side: You have the biggest leverage in terms of rate per day and additional (more junior) consultants billed - in simple terms speaking you earn the most money for the firm
2. Client side: At this time you most likely specialized in industry and/or functional area, so you are highly specialized in what the client needs

Hope that helps - if so, please be so kind and give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Hi there, 

To get into consulting is very hard as it’s a huge competition among candidates.

People also become more valuable while working in consulting as they learn such skills like:

• Structural thinking
• Ability to interact with people
• Ability to work with information
• Time management and resource management
• Ability to learn
• Customer focus

Do you need any further help? 

All the best, 

GB