Perspective on Consulting in the Middle East

Hello,

To answer your questions:

Are there any major factors that I should also take into consideration for applying to this region? 

I second what others have said here re: do you want to live and work in the Middle East? How easy would it be for you to relocate? What is the office culture like? 

I highly recommend looking into some of these more subjective factors by starting to network with people at the offices you are interested in applying to.

Suppose I work in Middle East and focus on financial services practice, would it be hard to move to another consulting firm in another city (ex: London)? Would the skill set be “transferable”, given different region might have very different dynamic and project types?

I think so - the more experience you have, the more valuable you are as a prospective hire, though of course all will depend on how hiring is going, what skills and networks you have built up, and so on. But I don't think that taking a job in the ME closes doors for you in other regions at all.

Hi there, 

Your motivation for the ME makes sense. 

There are no major concerns. 

I assume that you know about the culture, way of life and that you've visited and as a consequence you like it. Ideally you wouldn't jump into it without having found some overlap. 

It's also such a diverse and up and coming region that I doubt you'll have any challenge into moving into another region afterwards. 

If you're struggling with the recruitment process, here's a guide you might find helpful in terms of how to plan out a strategy for the applications:

• Free Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

adding my 2 cents to this..

1. Are there other major factors to consider? Yes, in addition to what you mentioned, the cultural aspect is an key component worth taking to account. Get clarity on whether your preferences resonate with local norms and typical work culture. No point in forcing a move there, if you don't feel comfortable.
2. Would it be hard to move? Mobility among the major firms is generally quite good. Note that the better your performance in an MBB firm and the more you understand on how to create “Push & Pull”, the more doors will open in terms of transfer.
3. Would the skillset be transferable? Yes, absolutely. Having worked in different regions (including ME) myself, I'd argue that general consulting skills apply across regions in a very similar way and you will be able to leverage strong analytical, problem-solving and comms skills anywhere in the world.

Feel free to reach out, if you'd like to discuss further.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi

Hi there,

We don't know much about you (your background, experience, resume, languages, etc.) so it's hard to say. BAsically you want to apply where:

1. Your resume/profile makes sense
2. You have networked well and they show interest
3. There appears to be work/deman

Ultimately, through networking you're going to be able to figure this out particularly well…and, by the way, it's going to change by company!

Here's some more reading to help:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-get-a-consulting-internship-tips-and-tricks

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/application-tracker

I have seen a number of candidates getting trapped with this approach. I would suggest talking to a few people (at your intended level) to learn about what is needed to survive in the consulting space in the region - make sure you get candid responses, else it may wrongly inform your decision. If possible visit the region and imagine for yourself whether you would be able to do it 5 days a week for the coming two years?

One of the main criteria you missed is whether you want to be in the region. Do you think you would fit culturally with the ME region? The Middle East is not only Dubai, it is beyond Dubai cities like Riyadh and Doha. Are you willing to relocate to these places? 

Though tax cut, no visa seems attractive, it all boils down to whether you be happy while living in Middle East and doing consulting.

Hi there,

1) Are there any major factors that I should also take into consideration for applying to this region?

Yes, as mentioned in the other comments you should consider whether you would be ok with working in the ME. If you don’t like the idea to work there for a few years, I would not try to apply there even if you can transfer after.

2) Suppose I work in the Middle East and focus on financial services practice, would it be hard to move to another consulting firm in another city (ex: London)?

Normally it is possible to transfer between offices or to a different consulting company in another region after a few years. 

To get a data-driven answer on the likelihood for a particular company, you can do the following:

1. Go to LinkedIn
2. Add in the search bar a keyword related to your office (ie Dubai or UAE)
3. Add your target company as “Company” (or “Previous Company”)
4. Add as the current location the UK/your target country in Europe
5. Check how many current/former consultants are present 
6. Normalize the results for the cohort size of your office to understand the likelihood

Hope this helps,

Francesco