I’m finishing up my marketing management degree and thinking about applying to consulting firms for my first role after graduation. The thing is, I keep hearing completely different takes on what it’s actually like. Some folks say it’s amazing for learning and will open tons of doors down the road. But then others tell me consulting is basically fake work where companies just hire you to take the blame for tough choices, and junior people mostly give obvious advice anyone could Google. I’m honestly confused about what to believe. The application process seems incredibly competitive and complex, so these places can’t be total garbage, right? What do you all think based on real experience?
Honestly? It’s overhyped AND useful - the annoying truth nobody wants to hear. You’ll learn stuff and make decent money, but half the “strategic insights” are just common sense in fancy PowerPoints. The real value is networking and having that brand name on your resume, not some mystical consulting magic. Don’t expect to save the world with spreadsheets.
If you can handle the grind and politics, go for it. Just know what you’re signing up for.
depends on the firm. i worked at a mid-tier place for 18 months - mixed experience. you get thrown in the deep end fast, but most clients already know what they want. they just need someone external to validate it. burnout’s real tho, lost 3 coworkers my first year. good for quick skill buildin, but dont expect every project to be groundbreaking.
Consulting’s totally worth it! You’ll pick up amazing problem-solving skills and get exposed to tons of different industries. Sure, it’s tough work, but you’ll learn fast and it pays off. Go with your gut - apply!
My friend went straight to McKinsey after college - total sink or swim situation. She learned way more in months than I did in years at my corporate job, but the hours were insane. 80+ hour weeks were normal. What blew my mind was the real responsibility she got. She wasn’t just making PowerPoints - she was presenting to CEOs within months. Two years later she scored a strategy role at a tech unicorn that would’ve taken 5+ years to reach any other way. It’s basically bootcamp - brutal but fast-tracks your career if you survive.
I’ve worked with consulting teams for about ten years, so here’s my take on when consulting actually adds value versus when it’s just expensive show. Consulting works when you need specialized skills your team doesn’t have, or when you want objective analysis without internal politics mucking things up. But the criticism is spot-on when companies hire consultants just to validate decisions they’ve already made or dodge responsibility for tough calls. The junior consultant experience? It’s all over the map. Some firms genuinely fast-track your development by throwing you into complex business problems. Others have you collecting data for months with zero strategic involvement. For your career - ask yourself if you can handle ambiguous, high-pressure situations and if you’re willing to sacrifice work-life balance for rapid skill building. The brand name and analytical skills definitely open doors, but success comes down to managing client relationships and turning insights into concrete recommendations. Pretty presentations won’t cut it.
The numbers definitely work out. Consulting grads make 40-60% more than regular corporate entry-level jobs, with MBB firms hitting $165k+ starting packages. The real kicker is the alumni network - 78% of ex-consultants reach senior management within 10 years compared to just 23% from traditional corporate paths. But here’s the catch: turnover sits around 25-30% annually because the pressure cooker environment burns people out. The “scapegoat” thing is real too - about 40% of consulting work involves cost-cutting where companies just want external validation for decisions they’ve already made. It’s basically trading work-life balance for a fast-tracked career.