I keep seeing posts about people just walking into corporate strategy roles straight from consulting, and I’m wondering if I’m being naive about my own timeline. I want a real roadmap, not inspirational BS about ‘if you align your energy’ or whatever.
Here’s where I’m at: I’m 4.5 years into consulting. I have solid project experience, I’ve staffed well, and I hit my promotion window. But if I’m honest, I haven’t done anything intentional to specifically prepare for a corporate strategy role beyond being good at my current job. I don’t have deep finance knowledge, I haven’t spent time really understanding how M&A works from the inside, and my network in corporate strategy is maybe 3-4 people who are nice to me but would probably not go to bat.
So instead of hoping something opens up, I want to actually plan this. If I’m serious about landing something in the next 24 months, what does that roadmap actually look like? What should I be doing in the next 90 days? What should I have accomplished by month 12?
I know this sounds mechanical, but I feel like if I can see the concrete steps, I can actually execute instead of just casually networking and hoping something breaks my way.
here’s the mechanical version: months 1-6, get a hiring manager coffee informally (not an interview), figure out what they actually care about. months 6-12, get one relevant internal project or client where u can say u did something strategy-adjacent. months 12-24, apply when u have that thing to point at. the rest is networking hygiene and not bombing interviews. sounds boring because it is.
This frames it way better than i was thinking. So you’re saying like, actually do relevant work, don’t just talk about it? That makes sense.
A structured approach is wise. Your 24-month timeline is realistic but requires intentional sequencing. Phase one (months 1-6): build targeted network by scheduling informational conversations with three hiring managers at target companies. Request specifics on what signals they evaluate for corporate strategy hires. Phase two (months 6-12): accumulate relevant project experience—seek staffing on strategy-oriented engagements, internal M&A due diligence work, or transformation initiatives. Document outcomes quantitatively. Phase three (months 12-18): formalize applications and interview preparation with concrete case frameworks. Phase four (months 18-24): execute offers and negotiate entry level. This sequence matters more than activity volume.
You’ve got a solid plan-building mindset. Breaking it into quarters is smart. You’ll absolutely get there with this clarity!
I did almost exactly this. First six months I just asked a lot of questions—like talked to maybe eight people about what they actually do day-to-day. That part felt slow but it actually crystallized what I wanted. Then I actively looked for work on my bench that touched strategy stuff. When I interviewed after month 12, I had real examples to talk about, not just consulting case studies. It totally changed how the conversations went.
Industry data suggests consulting-to-corporate strategy transitions succeed at highest rates when candidates demonstrate three specific signals: (1) internal projects or relevant client work showing strategy acumen, (2) documented relationships with hiring managers or sponsors, (3) clear articulation of why the specific company/role fits their growth plan. Your 24-month window is reasonable if you deploy concurrent activities across networking, skill-building, and applications starting at month 6-8, not month 18.
also don’t underestimate the luck factor. ur timeline is solid but a lot depends on when hiring actually opens at places u care about. so have a backup plan for extending or pivoting if month 18 doesn’t hit like u want.
What kind of strategy-adjacent projects are actually available in consulting? Like, how do you ask for that without making it weird?
Just tell your staffing partner you’re interested in exploring corporate strategy and want exposure to that work. Most firms support that because it helps with retention!