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What is the possibility?

Hey Coach/Mentor/Friends,

What do you think? Is there a shot at landing a Management Consultant gig?

At 40, I've come full circle and realized my true passion lies in consulting and strategy. I'm actually aiming for that dream job as a Management Consultant!

While I can't swing an MBA right now, I've been diving into courses on Coursera to get up to speed. (Hey, gotta work with what you've got!) Maybe my past grades weren't stellar (2.78 GPA in IT), but I'm committed to crushing it this time around (I'm maybe slower compared to younger generation, but I fully committed)

On the plus side, I've got 12 years of B2B experience plus 3 years across different ventures. So, what do you think? I know it might be a long shot, but your experience and insights would be amazing!

Thanks so much!

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Top answer
Michael
Coach
on Jul 09, 2024
Ex-McKinsey EM | I help aspiring consultants from atypical background to nail case interviews

Hi Robert,

Your experience and passion are invaluable. Just speaking for the firm that I've worked at before, there are practices / “growth platforms” where industry veterans like you are highly valued by clients.

Some considerations:

  • Is your passion strictly on the traditional strategy consulting, or are you also happy as a management consultant in transformation, new business building, etc.?
  • Regardless of the track you choose, you need to pass the case interview (PEI may not be that challenging for you). Experience hires often struggle with the top-down, structured way of problem-solving, a skill not quite used outside of consulting
  • An MBA is not necessary but it has 2 merits for consulting: 1) a comprehensive learning on business across functions and industries, 2) sufficient time and resources to practice case interviews. As long as you can get the two from alternatives, 1 from other online courses, and 2 from here.

Always best wishes to people pursuing their passions.

on Jun 27, 2024
#1 rated McKinsey Coach | top MBB coach

Hi Robert,

Yes, of course it's possible.

It rather depends on what you expect. 

First of all, I'd recommend you apply broadly and see the target of your application strategy to get into the industry rather than a specific firm. Then once you're in the industry, you can jump 2-3 years later to a ‘better’ firm.

Second, make sure that you leverage as much as possible your existing experience. Ideally you go for a specialist role or one within a practice. Once you identify your target firm in your location, then have a chat with the recruiters to figure out what would be best for you.

Sharing with you a guide on how to approach the application process:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Florian
Coach
on Jun 28, 2024
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 600+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU

Hi there,

Yes, you do.

The first step that guides everything afterward is reaching out to your network and getting in touch with current consultants of target firms.

They can help you with a nudge in the right direction AND a referral that pushes your application.

Do this in a structured way:

  1. Scan your network for potential contacts
  2. Reach out to a few 
  3. Iterate if you don't get the right responses
  4. If you have exhausted your network, repeat the same process with a LinkedIn cold-outreach

All the best,

Florian

Hagen
Coach
on Aug 07, 2024
#1 recommended coach | >95% success rate | 8+ years consulting, 8+ years coaching and 7+ years interviewing experience

Hi Robert,

First of all, it's great to read that you found your (professional) passion!

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

  • I am quite certain that you are able to access the consulting industry, especially if you were to apply for a specialist role with your extensive work experience.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Pedro
Coach
on Jun 28, 2024
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Former Principal | 1.5h session | 30% discount 1st session

Yes, it can be done. But you have to make sure you can fit in your resume some indicators of excellence.

Otherwise my suggestion would be to try to join a Big 4 company for management consulting, with you contributing with some tech expertise and using it to transition into business.

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