Leaving MBB after 1yr vs 1.5yr really such a game changer?

Question

Situation: I will complete 1st year at Bain in Summer after MBA (top3 ranked) as experienced hire (5 yrs total experience in no-name startups), good review and good case setting so likely will be able to hold out a few more months.

Complication: I have the offer to join an early stage startup as co-founder with existing funding, first potential clients, and outstanding co-founder. Company is early stage so will take a year to see if the company can take off or not. Also co-founder already quit and is going all-in so asking for me joining Full-time only in December seems very unlikely.

Question: I am contemplating if leaving after 1 year dilutes my CV and MBB brand, making my future job search more difficult than if I would stay and complete 1.5 yrs (especially given 5yrs experience in rather no-name brands). I would likely not stay the full 2 yrs. as consulting really is not my passion.

Can somebody help maybe from experience in a similar situation?

Answer 1

Leaving after 1 year vs. 1.5 years at MBB isn’t a huge difference if your next move is compelling, especially as a funded co-founder with traction.

– Brand signal is already there after 1 year, especially post-MBA; just be sure to highlight strong performance
– Dilution risk is minimal if the startup is credible and your role is clear (e.g. co-founder, strategic lead)
– Longer tenure (1.5 yrs) may help only if you’re planning to re-enter consulting or join large corporates soon after

If you're serious about the startup, and it's a now-or-never timing, go for it. Just make sure your exit story from Bain is clean and intentional.

PS: I also co-founded a tech start-up during my time in consulting. Let me know if you wish some advice.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

So if you're asking for the 'smart' thing to do, I'd say I should stay for at least 2 years.

Why? Because that's when most employers consider you have the consulting 'toolkit' and you ideally have one promotion within MBB to point to. You can then refer back to your time in MBB as being a consistent period of time from which you left with some learnings.

But you shouldn't stay because of this.

If you feel your place is not in consulting and the offer you received really is a good one, then go for it. Follow also your gut. At the end of the day, it's not really possible to know how the alternate futures are going to develop. Nor do I know how miserable you currently are at MBB - I know lots of people that were on the brink of breakdown, so leaving would've definitely been the right thing for them.

Whichever way you go, good luck, and trust that regardless of your choices, you can make other choices afterwards. You're not going to 'break' anything in this process.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 3

If consulting is not your passion - then you should definitely move towards what is your passion.

Leaving MBB after 1-1.5y does not necessarily appear as a bad mark (especially if you are moving to a startup) - you just don't get the benefits of having left after a promotion.

You might want to check with the career-advisory teams internally if you can convert the start-up stint into some kind of secondment opportunity. This might give you a risk-free window into experimenting with the startup. Alternatively you could explore talking about long-term leave or sabbatical.

Answer 4

Once you’ve got an MBB brand on your resume, your biggest edge for future exits is the network you build—both with colleagues and with clients.

So I’d frame the decision differently: what’s your real end goal in joining Bain? What’s the outcome you’re chasing?

Once that’s clear, deciding whether to go for the startup path or not becomes much easier.

I’ve coached and mentored many consultants through their exit plans. Happy to help you frame the decision—just send me a message.

Best,

Alberto

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Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: Sierra Sprints - New Product Launch

Answer 5

Hey there

Leaving after 1 year is fine and won’t hurt your CV significantly. The MBB stamp is already strong, and the difference between 1 and 1.5 years is minimal unless you're aiming for promotion. If the startup is high potential and timing-sensitive, go for it.

Best, Alessa