I’m starting to think more seriously about my consulting endgame. The conventional wisdom is that consulting is a springboard — you do 3-5 years, build the resume, then exit to industry, PE, or start something. And yeah, the brand name matters.
But I’m noticing that the people who seem genuinely happy in their next roles aren’t always the ones who picked the most prestigious exit. Some of them moved into product management and found out they hated sitting in meetings all day. Others went to fast-growing startups and got burned out because there’s no structure. A few went to PE and realized they missed the client-facing work.
I want to be more intentional about what I’m actually optimizing for. Is it money? Growth potential? Work-life balance? Being close to decision-making? The ability to actually build something?
I’ve also noticed that the exits that seem smoothest are the ones where people thought about skill translation early — not just coasting through consulting and hoping something clicks at the end.
What should I actually be thinking about before I’m three years in? How do you figure out what kind of work environment you actually thrive in, not just what sounds good on paper? And what are people not talking about regarding consulting exits?
This is such a forward-thinking perspective! Consulting opens so many doors, and you’re right to think intentionally. Explore different roles, talk to people in industries you’re curious about, and trust your instincts. You’ll find the perfect fit!
honestly most people treat consulting like an exit ramp, not a job. they coast, collect the credential, and then complain theyre unhappy. the truth is u need to figure out early whether u want autonomy, or impact, or money, because the exit doesnt fix a fundamentally misaligned career. spend time actually learning what u want instead of assuming prestige company = good exit.
You’ve identified the gap that separates intentional career builders from credential collectors. I’d recommend a framework: First, audit your consulting experience. What surprised you? Were you energized by client relationships, problem-solving, data analysis, or team leadership? These preferences signal your next role. Second, recognize what consulting actually teaches you that’s useful: project management, client navigation, stakeholder alignment, analytical discipline. Third, separate prestige from purpose. A tier-two tech company building products you care about outperforms a prestigious firm where you’re miserable. The smoothest transitions happen when people have experimented internally—worked on different types of projects, tried team leadership, engaged with different client types. Build optionality through variety within consulting, not just credentials. Finally, network in your target exit space now, not two years in. You’ll make better decisions when you understand the reality of the roles you’re considering, not the narrative.
I exited to a product role at a Series B that seemed hot, and honestly the first six months were rough because I hadn’t thought about what I actually valued. I’d assumed “better exit” meant more autonomy, but I actually missed structure and clear client relationships. A friend of mine transitioned to corporate strategy at a Fortune 500 and thrived because she’d done similar work in consulting. She knew what she was getting into. The people I’ve seen do best weren’t necessarily going to the fanciest place — they were going somewhere that matched what they’d learned about themselves in consulting.
Research on post-consulting careers reveals some useful patterns. About 35% of consulting exits go to product or tech roles, 25% to corporate strategy or operations, 20% to PE or finance, and 20% distributed across other industries. Satisfaction varies significantly by fit rather than prestige. Product management roles favor those with client-facing consulting experience and analytical rigor. Private equity favors transaction-focused work and financial modeling. Strategy roles favor those with quantitative depth and stakeholder management skills. Exit success correlates more strongly with skill-role alignment (0.68 correlation) than with company brand (0.32 correlation). Within consulting, people who rotate across geographies, industries, and service lines build broader skill portfolios and report higher exit satisfaction. Timing also matters: exiting between year 3-4 correlates with faster advancement than year 5 exits in target roles.
wait so ur saying dont just go for the fanciest exit? that actually makes so much sense. gonna think way more bout what i actually want before year 3