Startup to consulting

Hello there!

Let me share my two cents:

• I do think that and underappreciated pre-MBB experience is working in a startup. Especially in countries with lower level of tech expertise and young entrepreneurship (like Saudi, but also Italy - my home country), startup employees, co-founders, etc. are seen as much needed disruptive innovators
• However, the question is still how to pass the first step (i.e., the Recruiter selecting your resume from the pile of resumes on their desk) -- and that is something which is honestly hard to optimize for
• Since you are mentioning it, I still think that the easiest/surest way for you to get into Saudi MBB is doing an MBA (I know that the government might sponsor a part of it) in a European/US school, and then applying to Saudi offices -- I know that MENA Recruiters particularly appreciate local profiles with international education/experience

Therefore: polish your resume (get help from an MBB friend, or from a coach!) try to apply to a few consulting roles (you'll have a chance, the question is how much of a chance!), and worst case plan for an MBA -- especially if the government sponsors it

Best,

Tom

Hi,

It’s hard to give a clear, realistic view without seeing your full resume.

Working in a startup in business development isn't automatically a bad or a good thing. MBBs often prefer more traditional corporate profiles but in reality a lot depends on other factors too. Things like the startup’s brand, the actual impact you’ve had, and how well you show strategic exposure vs pure sales all matter quite a bit.

Happy to take a look at your CV if you want and give you more detailed feedback, free of charge.

Given your background anyway I’d focus on making your resume really clear on impact and any strategic work you’ve done, and at the same time push hard on referrals. For non-target profiles referrals can make a big difference

If you’re open to it, just send your resume over and I’ll give you a more concrete view on where you stand and what to improve.

Either way, good luck.

Regards,
Franco

Hi there,

Good news on the geography: ME is booming, especially Riyadh. I am currently coaching candidates across most major firms in this region (MBB, Kearney, S&, and others).

The honest answer on MBB: it is a stretch. Not from a target school, one year of experience, no MBA — that is a hard sell at that level. For Tier 2 and boutiques in Riyadh, your odds are much better. And your background is more interesting than you might think — cross sector commercial work, stakeholder management across banking and telecoms and aviation and government, market expansion. That is very much what consulting does. You just need to package it right.

For experienced hire recruiting (which is your path here), it happens on a rolling basis. No single application window. That means you need to be networking now, not waiting.

1) Network hard. Figure out which firms are actively hiring for your profile and level. Each firm is different and timings change.
2) Get referred if you can. A referral changes everything at this stage.
3) Apply broadly. Tier 2 and boutiques first. MBB as a stretch.

Never stop recruiting until you have a signed offer in hand.

Some reading to help:
https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-get-a-consulting-internship-tips-and-tricks
https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/application-tracker

A coach can help you build a proper game plan for this: https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/coaching-packages-5/31

Good luck — fingers crossed!

MBB: realistically no - Without a target school, an MBA, or directly relevant prior experience, breaking into MBB in Riyadh is tricky. These firms have a deep funnel of talent from target schools or other top-tier consultancies or specialized expertise that is hard to find elsewhere. One year of BD at a startup, however good, in my opinion, will not clear that bar.

Tier 2: possible, but only with the right network - and even there, the application pile is too deep to break in cold. A referral from someone inside is what gets your CV actually read. Spend serious time on LinkedIn building genuine connections with consultants at these firms in Riyadh.

Honestly - if you do want to try, don't try to apply as a generalist consulting candidate. Instead, position yourself as a digital/AI/commercial specialist with sector exposure (your banking, telco, aviation, government background is actually useful here). Build the network deliberately - given it is not a standard path - you will need to be sharper and more strategic than the standard candidate.

The short answer is 'yes'.

But, 

I would need to understand you profile better to give you a sense of how realistic that is. 

And still, that aside, it's important to not target only MBB. This doesn't apply to you but to all candidates - the priority should be to enter in the industry, and ideally in one of the best firms. Once you're in the industry and you already have a value proposition as a consultant, then you can move between firms if that's important to you.

Adding here a guide that I built, which is targeted at that:

• • Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Yes there is a real path. Riyadh actually works in your favour.

A few things to know:

• The Gulf market is hiring heavily and more open to non-target backgrounds than the US or Europe. MBB and tier 2 in Riyadh weigh local knowledge, sector exposure, and commercial instinct. You have all three.
• Your sector spread is a strength. Banking, telecom, aviation, tourism, and government are exactly what MBB Riyadh is staffed on. Vision 2030 is driving the pipeline. Lead with this.
• Tier 2 is your best entry point. Strategy&, Oliver Wyman, Kearney, Roland Berger, Arthur D. Little are more open to non-target profiles. Get in, build two to three years of strategy experience, then lateral to MBB if you still want to.
• MBB is possible but harder without a target school or MBA. Best shot is referrals and a clean story on why consulting, why now, why this firm.

What to do now:

• Network on LinkedIn. Reach out to associates and consultants for 15-minute chats. Gulf offices are usually responsive.
• Start case prep now. Cases are the main gate.
• Tighten your CV. Quantify impact, show commercial results.
• Apply broadly across tier 2 and MBB, but prioritise tier 2 for realistic conversion.

Good luck.

hello! 

You can absolutely make the transition from a startup background into consulting in Riyadh, even without a target school or an MBA. The Saudi market is growing fast, and firms care a lot about practical impact, commercial exposure, and cross‑sector experience, all of which you already have.

Your work in business development, partnerships, and market expansion is directly relevant to strategy. The fact that you’ve worked with banking, telecom, aviation, tourism, and government is a real advantage because these sectors are major clients for MBB and Tier‑2 firms in the region. Cross‑functional collaboration and stakeholder management are also skills consulting teams value highly.

The main challenge will be positioning your experience in a structured, problem‑solving way and showing that you can handle analytical work. Strong applications in Riyadh often highlight ownership, measurable results, and the ability to work in fast‑moving environments, which aligns well with startup roles.

In short, you do have a realistic chance. You’ll need a strong CV, clear storytelling, and solid case prep, but your background is far from a blocker. Many consultants in the region come from non‑traditional paths, especially when they bring commercial and growth experience like yours.

Alessa