Not much to add on the PE front: these jobs are very hard to get, especially on the investment side, MBB would help but banking would help even more.
You also asked about doing a lateral from boutique or tier 2 towards MBB. This is definitely possible, and happens a lot. Expect to "lose" your experience, and start from scratch. It does work however. I know of 3 examples in my immediat circle:
1. A consultant spent 2 years at Infosys, joined Strategy& as a 1st year consultant and is now a partner there
2. Someone did 2 or 3 years in a boutique, joined BCG as a 1st year consultant and was a rock star until he left very recently to join a start up
3. A Senior Principal at ATK did a lateral to BCG (joined as Principal, probably Junior Principal), and has now been a BCG partner for 5 or 6 years
You may lose a couple of years of experience, but all these guys would argue it was the right thing to do, and would do it again
Not much to add on the PE front: these jobs are very hard to get, especially on the investment side, MBB would help but banking would help even more.
You also asked about doing a lateral from boutique or tier 2 towards MBB. This is definitely possible, and happens a lot. Expect to "lose" your experience, and start from scratch. It does work however. I know of 3 examples in my immediat circle:
1. A consultant spent 2 years at Infosys, joined Strategy& as a 1st year consultant and is now a partner there
2. Someone did 2 or 3 years in a boutique, joined BCG as a 1st year consultant and was a rock star until he left very recently to join a start up
3. A Senior Principal at ATK did a lateral to BCG (joined as Principal, probably Junior Principal), and has now been a BCG partner for 5 or 6 years
You may lose a couple of years of experience, but all these guys would argue it was the right thing to do, and would do it again