Schedule mock interviews on the Meeting Board, join the latest community discussions in our Consulting Q&A and find like-minded Interview Partners to connect and practice with!
Back to overview

Career switch from civil engineering to consulting

Hello,

I am working on switching from my current role (civil engineering) and to move to either implementation/operations consulting or capital and infrastructure projects. I have a PMP and a master's in engineering management, but not enough business/management experience. My work is rather technical. Any recommended courses to fill the gap to enable me to do that career switch?

Thanks a lot,

6
3.9k
30
Be the first to answer!
Nobody has responded to this question yet.
Top answer
Ian
Coach
on Nov 15, 2020
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success

Hi there,

Two main tips for you

Do Industry Research

I have a template, so feel free to reach out if interested!

Some key tips:

  1. List all the major industries that you'll need to learn
  2. Create a template that you can fill in with research. This would include things like
    1. Industry summary
    2. Total market size
    3. Major players
    4. Cost drivers
    5. Revenue drivers
    6. Major trends
    7. etc.
  3. Fill in the template for each industry one by one. Use google to find the relevant information and piece it together. Over time, you'll get more and more efficient as you see which sites are good for what

Definitely a good idea to partner with someone equal to you! You can each research an industry and present it to each other.

 Do Daily Reading to Build Background Knowledge

1) Read the Economist AND the Financial Times daily

2) There are some excellent articles written about all sorts of topics (especially consulting) here: https://www.spencertom.com/category/management-consulting/

3) Read BCG Insights and McKinsey Insights

4) Anything by Malcolm Gladwell (it's not consulting-specific but I daresay his books are the most quoted/referenced among consultants...due to the type of thinking/communication he embodies)

Deleted user
on Nov 15, 2020

Hey there,

I dont see any reason at all why you wont be successful. Unless you are thinking of an MBA, I would advise you dont invest 100s or 1000s of $ in technical/online course. Once you get in a global consulting firm they will provide ample training. Key thing is to smash the interview process, have a solid CV to get through to interview.

I ran Accenture UK & Ireland's Supply Chain and Operations practice in London, so can give you plenty of tips and insights on your aspirations. Please feel free to message me and we can discuss this in detail. Here's summary for you:

 1. Accenture & Big 4 have invested heavily in their product engineering and operations capability and are growing in that space

2. They are always looking for people with complex capital projects & engineering experience; Aerospace & Manufacturing industries are the primary focus. Industry X.0 is the next big deal

 3. You will have to prep like you would to get into consulting: CV, case, FIT interview etc

14
Anonymous A
on Nov 15, 2020
Hi Adi, thank you for your elaborate reply. The problem is that I already have 8 years of engineering experience, and it seems these companies are looking for engineers with 3-4 years of experience. Do you recommend I still apply?
Deleted user
on Nov 15, 2020

If you want to prepare some basic business skills, check out this coursera specialiation by Wharton:

https://www.coursera.org/specializations/wharton-business-foundations

I found it quite helpful as a non-business major to prepare for my MBA. 

10
Anonymous A
on Nov 21, 2020
Thank you. I'll start with this and then move to case preparation.
on Dec 31, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi, aerospace engineering here :)

Feel free to text me for sharing my experience

Best

Antonello

Clara
Coach
on Nov 16, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

I feel the pain. I transition from Architecture to Management Consuting. It can be done! I also met a doctor in the office, who had the same issues. 

Feel free to PM

Cheers,

Clara

Gaurav
Coach
on Dec 08, 2020
#1 MBB Coach(Placed 750+ in MBBs & 1250+ in Tier2)| The Only 360° coach(Ex-McKinsey+Certified Coach+Active recruiter)

Hello there!

I totally agree with the experts that it's possible and you can succeed.
Maybe in addition I would say that after completing some courses you could find a coach to provide you with all the basics and help you in case interviews preparation,

Good luck!

GB

Similar Questions
Consulting
How do I show CDD Experiences on a Resume?
on Apr 02, 2025
Global
7
2.7k
Top answer by
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer
52
7 Answers
2.7k Views
+4
Consulting
What are the best tools to practice consulting maths?
on Jun 01, 2024
Global
9
7.9k
Top answer by
Deleted user
187
9 Answers
7.9k Views
+6
Consulting
How to answer what motivates you
on Aug 24, 2024
Global
6
13.9k
Top answer by
238
6 Answers
13.9k Views
+3
How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or fellow student?
0 = Not likely
10 = Very likely
Thanks for your feedback! Your opinion helps us make PrepLounge even better.