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Got messaged by a C3 . ai recruiter. Read that wlb is bad and that the interview process is absurdly long, but the Glassdoor reviews are 4.2 and can't find actual hours worked posted by anyone. How's the culture really? I'd be aiming for DS consulting, something more functional but with DS/ML concepts as my differentiator.
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1) the idea that because Big 4s are doing strategy, MBBs will be obsolete soon is laughable. And I say that as an MBB alum that came to Big 4 to do strategy.
2) being a lateral principal/AP at MBB is tough. Not impossible at all of course, but tough. You’re competing to make equity partner with a bunch of people who are already embedded in teams/pyramids. You have to work pretty hard and have good luck to find the right seat to get promoted — basically you need to luck your way into a commercially successful team that doesn’t have a principal for a reason that isn’t “this team isn’t a viable path for promotion”. And as a lateral it’s hard to know the full story. You don’t have the institutional knowledge someone who grew up at the firm does.
3) on the other hand, making partner at Big 4 can be tough as well. Especially in these times, it can be easy for firms to tell you “next year” more times than you’re willing to wait.
So the way I’d look at it is: if you want to be a partner at a consulting firm, don’t take either of the paths you mentioned — look for a direct admit partner opportunity at another big 4. If you think you want to do something else eventually, go to MBB and get the brand on your resume.
The suspense is killing me
MBB but only if you have time bandwidth and a lot of physical stamina and networking ability.
First time hearing that MBBs will get disrupted by Big 4 consulting. If anything it’s the other way around - MBBs doing more implementation work eating into Big 4
Clearly you all have yet to read Clay Christensen ... not that it’s gospel, but it does support the thesis of the original question.
If anything, I think the small boutique shops are more of a threat to MBB than the B4. I can't even begin to count the number of clients that I have seen move their strategy work from MBB to smaller shops. Don't know if it's just a matter of pricing or clients developing a preference for smaller niche providers or unique expertise or simply MBB fatigue but from my vantage point its definitely been a noticeable trend.
Perhaps consider partnership at a tier 2 or boutique shop. You may have an ability to stand out and build a book of business that makes an impact on the company vs. just being partner #978 at a large firm.
I wonder how much of this is due to the increasingly technical nature of businesses. There are plenty of people who understand general business strategy, but to be successful requires more specialist knowledge than before.
But I don't think this means boutiques will disrupt big firms. Big firms will just need to get better at being a house of specialists vs an army of generalists.
Been hearing that for a while - don’t see any signs yet so you’re hearing wrong. Also assume you meant as a Partner at MBB - Principals (at some firms like OW) is a level below Partner
Subject Expert
If someone isn’t yet an equity partner at Big 4, the chances that they can get a direct admin equity partner seat at MBB are pretty slim. Almost everyone goes down a level when they move that direction.
It's really more of a convergence than either group disrupting the other.
"MBB" is mostly only a thing for consultants. I can't tell you the number of times I've hear Bain uttered in the same sentence as B4 when listening to clients choose a consultancy.
I've heard things like, "CEO is ex-McKinsey, so this will be tough," but other than that, many clients don't see a big difference.
My old 'boss' (Director Level at KPMG for 10 years) went to Bain as Principal.
The quality difference will always be there. I think MbB business is still safe, but Big 4 business might get disrupted due to automation.
How does automation disrupt B4 consulting?
Things have to be integrated to be automated. How close are we to automating integration?
We are a VERY long way away from automating market entry decisions.
Not sure what you think B4 consulting firms do, but it's a lot of things that are very hard to automate.
If you have a good thing why move? There’s your answer.
At the end of the career, does the compensations tend to become equal? Since MBB equity partners don’t earn pension but B4 partners do?
Depends on how high you go in either situation. I know bankrupt ex-PMDs from both back stories (or just living with a lot less luxury than they had expected). I think the NPV is probably about the same. B4 are, however, much larger consultancies than MBB, in general, so there are more Ps to be made.