Strategy Consulting at Accenture compared to Big4 and MBB etc

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offer from Accenture!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

• First of all, unless you have competing offers, comparing Accenture to other consulting firms is meaningless, especially since no coach can provide firsthand experience with all consulting firms. Instead, if even after your application process, you still don't know what to expect, I would strongly advise you to reach out to your future colleagues and ask them about it.
• Moreover, there is no one-size-fits-all solution; it depends much more on what you want to get out of this experience. The same applies to exit opportunities and how you approach future applications and your preparation for them.
• Lastly, I would advise you to reach out to your future HR representative about any transfer programs, as only they know for certain. However, you should wait before asking about moving. It may be perceived negatively if you ask about moving before even starting at your local office.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming consulting career start with Accenture, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best

Hagen

Hi,

Firm culture/work and travel experieces change quite often, so I would HIGHLY suggest you find someone on Linkedin/peer who is CURRENTLY working there to talk about their experiences.

I would go onto Linkedin, go to the people who are there, click connect, and also click "add note." Do this with as many consultants as possible - try to fnd people similar to your the role you got.

I say this because when I joined McK in 2023 I was told there would a ton of chances to transfer from the recruiting team in the amsterdam office, london office and jhb office - kinda not the case.

Good luck and happy to chat!

Hi there!

Congrats! That's amazing to hear. 

Honestly, you're best off speaking with someone at Accenture who is currently in the same role as the one you'll be joining. Try to find them via LinkedIn, reach out, introduce yourself and ask these questions. 

Then, on a more strategic level as a new joiner consultant, you might find these resources helpful:

• Expert Guide: How to Become A Distinctive Consultant
• Expert Guide: How to Manage for Lifestyle in Consulting

Best,
Cristian

Congrats on the Accenture Strategy UK offer, it's a great place to start in consulting. I actually moved from Accenture to McKinsey, so happy to share what I learned.

1. Type of work/projects: I feel like the projects types and industries are generally quite similar between MBB, accenture and Big 4. The only difference I noticed is, since clients pay more for MBB than for the others, the pressure and expectation of results is higher.
2. Strategy vs. general consulting at Accenture: Strategy roles are more focused on big-picture, C-level problems, while "regular" consulting (like in Technology or Operations) is more about implementation. Difficult to compare travel, it mostly depends on your clients and industires, rather than strategy vs management consulting. From my experience, I traveled much more in McKinsey because most my clients in Accenture were located in my city.
3. Accenture Strategy vs. Big 4 and MBB: Compared to Big 4, Accenture Strategy has a stronger digital/tech edge and often larger transformation projects. Compared to MBB, as mentioned in the previous questions, quite similar projects, with more predictibale hours (eventhough very dependent on client and industry). MBB tends to be more intense but also offers more depth in pure strategy.
4. What to focus on: Learn how to structure problems clearly, sharpen your Excel/PowerPoint skills, and get comfortable with working with senior clients, market sizing, basic finance, and storytelling. Also, try to get staffed on a variety of industries early to build range.
5. Opportunities to move abroad: Yes, Accenture has a global footprint and is "fairly open" to internal transfers, especially if you build a strong internal network and stay a full year or more. Even though it's not straightforward as some people might believe, as you usually need to find sponsors in the region you're going to (similar issue in MBB)

6. Exit opportunities: Many move into corporate strategy, product roles, startups, or even pivot to MBB (like I did). The brand, network, and training are all strong stepping stones.

   Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, as I feel my experience is quite relevant here.

Hi there,

Agree with Christian, different offices may have different cultures and working style as well, so talk to a peer and understand how the projects and atmosphere are.

Good luck on this new endeavor, Accenture is a reputable company!

Best,

Mari

It is comparable to other Big4.

To have a better answer to your questions, you should consider asking the recruiter to talk to someone about their experience, so you can make a decision with closer to 100% confidence.