Hi, I would like to seek your advice. I am currently based in a developed market where the salary is very high. However, during my job search, I did not manage to find a consulting role in the developed market. I found a boutique consulting firm job in an emerging market instead, which pays quite low (emerging market standard), and would be a stepping stone to consulting firms. I believe I could learn the transferable skill and will enjoy the job.
However, here's my concern:
I'm wondering whether consulting firms' (MBB / Tier 2) salary is decided in a structured way (location & ranking, for example), or is it negotiated and will be benchmarked against the previous position? I am worried that if I take this role that doesn't pay well, would it impact my future salary at consulting firms if I manage to get an offer? Would the firms lowball me because my salary at the boutique was low? (p.s. I will be applying for experienced hire roles in the future)