Is consulting still a good fit after 12 years in Pharma Tech + Executive MBA

This is a fantastic pivot point, and you are far from alone—many high-performers leverage the EMBA exactly for this strategic shift. The short answer is yes, it is absolutely worth pursuing, but the path for you is fundamentally different from a traditional post-MBA hire.

The reality is that 12 years puts you well above the standard Associate/Consultant entry point. You would be entering the firm as an Experienced Hire (EH), likely targeting the Engagement Manager (EM) or potentially Senior Engagement Manager (Sr. EM) track. Firms don't typically hire candidates at your level just to train them on basic consulting; they hire you for your existing value. Your entire recruiting strategy must pivot on maximizing your specific wedge value—the deep expertise in Pharma Tech transformation.

Here is the mechanics of how this works: You are not competing in the high-volume campus recruiting funnel. You are being assessed directly against a specific headcount need within the Healthcare or Digital practice. This means your success depends heavily on fit and timing: Does the firm currently have an open EM/Sr. EM slot that requires someone who can immediately lead a team on a complex life sciences technology project? If the answer is yes, your profile is gold. If they are primarily hiring generalists, your specificity might work against you in the initial screen.

Therefore, avoid blind case prep for now. Your immediate focus should be strategic networking to find the specific practices and offices with high demand for your exact skills. Your preparation needs to focus less on proving you can solve a case, and more on proving you can sell and lead the client relationship, translating your 12 years of industry knowledge into a structured, MBB-caliber narrative. Only start case prep once you have secured the traction to enter the interview funnel for a specific senior role.

All the best!

Hi, 

Sharing my POV:

Is it still worthwhile for me to prepare for consulting interviews (case prep, fit prep, etc.) at this stage of my career?

• Ultimately the question is to whether or not you think consulting is the right path for you now
• If the answer is yes, then you need to prepare for the interviews
• I know several people who have transitioned after ~10+ years of experience and made it to partner. On the flip side, I also know several   who have decided not to pursue consulting and instead stay in industry
• No right or wrong, just a matter of clarifying your goals and understanding the trade-offs

Do firms typically hire candidates with my seniority into experienced roles, or is it harder to transition compared to earlier career stages?

• It is possible to transition, but most experienced hires come in as a Manager or Senior Consultant (1 year away from Manager). I've seen this even in individuals with 10 years of experience (they joined as consultant)
• You will not join as a Principal/Partner, which is what many experienced hire of your seniority candidates often expect

Would my profile be considered a good fit for consulting, or would it be better to focus on industry leadership paths instead?

• I think it is a fit because of your industry experience, but depends on whether you want to make the change to consulting
• I would say if seniority is more important, better to focus on industry leadership paths instead.... and get to boss around consultants when you hire them ;P

Lastly, you might find these articles helpful for you:

5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Interview

Using AI for Case Preparation

Succeeding in Consulting as an Experienced Hire

Hi there, 

If you want to interview for consulting, yes you would still need to prepare for consulting interviews (case, fit). Although for you, maybe the case interviews would be fewer in number and may be a bit less structured, but you still need to be well prepared. Sharing my own example - I had a total of 12+ years experience (including 4 years in BCG) when I interviewed with Bain, and I was given 2 case interviews and 5 fit interviews with 7 different partners. 

For consulting, you might be a better fit for either a specific healthcare practice (e.g., ringfenced), or as an expert (note: expert track is different from the general consulting track).  

EMBA would not give you much value in consulting; it might be more valued in industry leadership role. 

Best,

Emily

Hey there :)

With 12 years in Pharma Tech plus an Executive MBA, consulting absolutely remains an option. Firms do hire at your seniority, usually into experienced roles where your domain depth is a real advantage. The interviews are still required, but the focus is more on leadership, client handling, and how you think, not on being a junior generalist. Transitioning is doable, though the bar is higher because they must see clear partner-track potential. At the same time, industry leadership roles are equally strong paths, so it really depends on which environment you want day to day. If consulting still excites you, it is worth preparing.

If you want help shaping your narrative for experienced-hire roles, just let me know.

best, Alessa :)

Hi there!

It is totally doable, and I’ve seen many such transitions (I’m an example myself). But there is also a flip side to this decision - let me walk you through both options you presented:

1) Getting into consulting is achievable, but it requires some effort:

a) Be a consulting-ready candidate: If you don’t want to get negotiated down (in terms of job title / salary), work on presenting your skills as relevant to consulting as possible - concise and to the point. The way you speak is also important.

b) Practice takes time: Case preparation is a process that can take a while. Regardless of your private commitments (family, hobbies, etc.), you may need to make compromises to do it right.

c) Networking is key: Consulting firms often hire senior candidates who can bring not only expertise but more importantly connections and projects. Do you have a network you can capitalize on? The more potential clients you can bring, the stronger your negotiation power.

d) Consider becoming an SME instead (a “half-consultant” way): If you have connections with consultants in your industry, you can support project teams by sharing your expertise without being a full-time consultant yourself. Alternatively you can connect on LinkedIn with Expert Agencies for side jobs where you can share your knowledge to some engagements.

2) Leveraging your industry expertise further:

a) In-house consulting in healthcare: Large corporations often have internal strategy/consulting teams. Joining one could be an option - you build on your sector experience while developing strategic-thinking capabilities. (Hint: the recruitment process is often similar to consulting - case studies included)

b) Build your expert presence on social media: By staying in the industry, you can start sharing strategic insights and perspectives on key problems. This helps elevate your personal brand and accelerate your senior-level career development.

3) So what should you do?

Unless you have a strong network or are really motivated to put in the effort to enter the consulting world, I would recommend pursuing an industry career - you will probably progress faster than starting from scratch in consulting. 

However, if you are truly interested in concepts, frameworks, and the consulting way of working, you can practice a few cases on your own - it’s a great strategic-thinking exercise. :-)

Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions.

Best of luck,
Kacper

Hi there,

With your level of experience and an Executive MBA, firms usually hire people like you into experienced or expert roles rather than entry level generalist tracks. Some interview prep still makes sense, but the focus is much more on leadership, judgment, and real impact than textbook casing. Consulting can still be a great option, especially in life sciences and tech, but you should compare it against senior industry leadership paths that you could get since both align well with your long term goals.