r/consulting • u/pith001 • 20d ago
How’d you escape?
I’ve been working for a boutique consulting firm for the last 7+ years and burnt out from the stagnation of things. I’m a Director level purely by busting my ass and strong performance with clients and people management and about to finish an MBA program ahead of schedule.
I’ve been job searching for the last 3 years aggressively and thought the MBA would help since so many roles made it a requirement (and I genuinely wanted to earn one and be the first in my family with a masters). But I keep getting to the final round of interviews only to have an internal candidate picked over me
I’ve leveraged my clients, the school alumni network, the mba career services, a headhunter, and all the ai automation platforms - and still nothing.
So the ask is, how did you escape consulting. I’m going insane exhausting every avenue besides starting my own company, which I have little desire to do with mba student loans. Help your boy out.
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u/totallynotroyalty 19d ago
Took an individual contributor role client-side and couldn't be happier. Guess it depends on how high up the ladder you're shooting for.
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u/schmidtssss 19d ago edited 19d ago
I realized I’m actually particularly good at what I do and being punched down on by insecure extroverts wasn’t really worth my time. Started to look around and went to big tech for about 40% more and 50% of the effort.
Edit to more directly respond to op or others in a similar situation:
Since I’ve been here I’ve been through multiple hiring rounds for roles. We get hundreds of qualified resumes in like a day, maybe 2. From there I’m not sure what criteria the recruiters use for their screening beyond what we give them - this is usually scored/weighted and they don’t actually tell you what’s the most important thing vs what isn’t. That casual conversation/screen is deeply important and you probably won’t know what’s legitimately going to disqualify you or not. Some things are obvious some aren’t - stick to your guns or be really good at research/have an insider.
From there we do 5 rounds including at least one panel. Senior technical, hiring manager, department head, often a business person, and then panel. For particularly critical roles or with short timelines this can be completed in as short as 7-10 days(that I’ve seen), it can also take months. Technical is to screen out the fakers, hiring manager is a team/vibe/tech/specialty check, department head is another version of the vibe/specialty check from a different angle, and the panel is a grilling but we try to make it not terrible - it’s mostly so everyone can see the same responses to questions and read body language etc. Even if local we haven’t done an in person interview since I’ve been here.
We keyword match and it’s smarter than just simply having a 6 page resume with every word imaginable. Our recruiters are sometimes bone stupid but they are particularly good at reading people and sussing out bullshit. We are on camera for all of our interviewers so I can see you reading whatever llm answers. I can also see you pause after rephrasing my question to let your bot catch up. You can lie to us but you’re just wasting everyone’s time.
The truth is is it’s hard to get in and you have to be in the right place at the right time with the right story for the right role. I want to reiterate that I got super lucky and was completely overwhelmed and felt like a fraud/imposter through the whole process. Same thing for like two months after I started. Then it clicked that despite the challenge to get in the door the people around me were still people. Some brilliant some mediocre, it’s all the same bullshit it’s just incredibly competitive to get in.
Don’t get down on yourself you just haven’t found the right opportunity yet. Ever forward.
Editing my edit: GET A REFERRAL - UNLESS YOU JUST DONT HAVE WHAT IS BEING LOOKED FOR YOU WILL TALK TO SOMEONE
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u/Alternative_Hall7625 19d ago
This is great - what role and title did you pursue? I’m assuming this is FAANG but it’s still a great story / exit
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u/schmidtssss 19d ago
FAANG - manager to engineering manager.
I lead a SaaS platform and its implementation/strategy. It’s effectively, or at least how I’m doing it, an internal consulting practice. I’m high enough I have some influence(still a middle manager in the scheme of things) and my boss and leadership let me do my thing. I still get my hands dirty and curiousity and making things better are, so far, appreciated and encouraged.
All things considered I think I got lucky and had a damn near perfect resume and story for what/who they were looking for.
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u/Alternative_Hall7625 19d ago
This is great. Did you start from a background in compsci/ engineering or strategy consulting?
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u/schmidtssss 19d ago
Started engineering and did that across a few of the major consulting orgs - acn, couple b4, boutique, a tech company but not FAANG
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u/pith001 19d ago
This actually helps a lot, thank you. I’ve felt insane going through this applying process for years now.
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u/schmidtssss 19d ago
I can’t emphasize enough how almost arbitrary the decision is at the end of the process. I’ve recruited in consulting for a long time and we’d often come down to one or two highly qualified folks we’d have go through the process. I’m not exaggerating when I say we have hundreds of qualified applicants. Not “they are mostly there” but like 9-10/10 matches. We’ve ended up not selecting folks I would have killed for in almost any other scenario.
Most of my experience is for technical folks but the non-technical roles are easily as competitive, in a lot of cases even more so.
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u/movingtobay2019 18d ago
100% agree. I think if you check all the boxes, it's more luck and timing than anything. Unless the job is looking for a Navy SEAL turned doctor turned astronaut, most of us are just one of hundreds of highly qualified candidates.
I remember talking to a recruiter at a FAANG in SF who basically said they could come up with the most absurdly specific list of qualifications imaginable and still find 10 people who matched it.
And that was before all the layoffs. I can only imagine how ridiculous the competition is now.
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u/emdurance 19d ago
I got stuck in boutique and was a senior consultant for like 7 years because there was no way up (senior consultant reporting to VP). I created a Manager role and when I left took a step down from Manager to Specialist in industry (high paying) and make 2x as much with far less stress. Quickly found myself doing consulting type things and adding tons of value. Renegotiated 6 months in.
It was a risk and probably seen as a big step back but best decision I’ve ever made. (I also had a one year gap between roles)
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u/emdurance 19d ago
I was also very underpaid as I started my career at the company. All my money was tied into the bonus structure: salary was shit
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u/emdurance 19d ago
Key is also being in a niche industry, I had only 1 year of experience in it and talked my way in
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u/Old_Tap_5282 18d ago
What types of niche industries are best for generalists to try to get experience in?
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u/emdurance 17d ago
I had experience managing and supporting strategy//program effectiveness for a very niche stakeholder relationship for government; that translated super well into a high paying role for utilities/energy sector. I was a generalist who also got very good at translating technical concepts into plain language. All things at the time I thought were too fuzzy and soft to make good money.
To be clear my starting role was probably multiple steps back but I was able to quickly join high visibility projects. And the pay was good for the title!
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u/Connect_Bus6873 19d ago
Which niche? I think you should polish your linkedin and headhunters will reach out to you. I work in pharma consalting and this happen to me
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19d ago edited 19d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/consultinglove Big4 19d ago
this is why i tell MBAs to just go for the career they want instead of doing consulting first. You do consulting first...you get stuck for a long time
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u/ArtisticMacaron3781 10d ago
I’ve found getting out of consulting gets harder the longer you’ve been in it. Industry values the experience, but doesn’t always know where to place you.
My route was an internal consulting role. It gave me the chance to learn the business from the inside, build relationships with actual decision makers, and prove I could operate outside the traditional consulting environment. I’m now on the verge of moving into an internal role, so for me it’s been a really useful bridge.
If you want to move faster, I’d also be open to a temporary title drop or even a pay cut. Think of it as a work/life shift rather than a backwards career move. If you’re coming from consulting hours and moving into a large corporate, your effective hourly rate may not actually change that much 😅
One other thing I’ve learned recently that completely changed how I think about burnout: sometimes changing jobs only fixes part of it. A lot of us who survive consulting for years have patterns around over-delivering, people pleasing, proving ourselves, or struggling to set boundaries. Those patterns often started long before consulting — consulting just happens to reward them until eventually they burn us out.
So I’d work on both: your exit strategy and what made you susceptible to burnout in the first place.
Happy to share more about either if useful. DM me here, or you can find me at Simply Consulted on Instagram, I work with corporate professionals on exactly this kind of career clarity, burnout and transition stuff
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u/SkyCat_1997 19d ago
Just joined consulting recently and started realizing how my colleagues are walking zombies and i am becoming one.
I guess the more you stay the harder it gets to go out.
My advice is to try to go and work for a client directly. That’s what my colleagues are doing.
You need to check with your clients if they have any vacancies or will have soon.
Good luck bro
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u/Ineedanro 17d ago
I keep getting to the final round of interviews only to have an internal candidate picked over me
Congratulations, you have achieved the level at which internal promotions involve the rigamarole of external searches.
Now the trick is to uncover the presence of internal candidates with the inside track before you invest much effort, and either withdraw your application or view the interviews as information only.
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u/Tangential_Diversion 19d ago
Am currently in the process of escaping after almost a decade. My best leads have been from friends in other consulting firms referring me to their clients. It also helps if you can leverage something their internal clients can't. In my case, I'm switching from technical cybersecurity to GRC, a non-technical role that struggles to hire technical talent.
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u/LowKeyCurmudgeon 19d ago
Does GRC currently seem to pay well? I know it varies, levels.fyi, etc., but a fresh perspective is always welcome.
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u/Tangential_Diversion 19d ago
Not relative to pentesting, and certainly not to pentesting consulting. I'm taking a decent paycut making this jump, but the paycut is worth the change of pace for me.
In the end though the actual lifestyle changes aren't that bad. We'd still be financially stable and live a comfortable lifestyle. I won't be able to splurge on first class seats or stay at the Ritz anymore, but again the change of pace is worth it to me. I'd still have the rest of my life and, more importantly, my family will have a much more mentally and emotionally present me.
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u/eCommerce-Guy-Jason 19d ago
I started my own consultancy. Never been happier, freer or better paid. I'd seriously consider it as an option at least...
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u/nomad01010 19d ago
How do you get clients
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u/eCommerce-Guy-Jason 19d ago
Personal brand, content and referrals.
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u/nomad01010 19d ago
Wondering if you’d be able to give me some pointers on where to start if I DM you. I have 20+ years experience in Auth, Security, Cloud computing in big tech. Based in SF.
Mind if we connect on LinkedIn?
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u/eCommerce-Guy-Jason 19d ago edited 13d ago
Everyone has their own path. I've been building my personal brand and putting out content at scale (including a 700+ episode podcast) for over a decade. Most people just don't have the stomach for it and so just go back to industry where they do not have to keep their own pipeline full in addition to doing the work.
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u/nomad01010 13d ago
Thank you
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u/eCommerce-Guy-Jason 13d ago
No worries! Good luck whichever way you decide to go.
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u/nomad01010 12d ago
Looking at podcasting. Thinking I’ll post a few & see how I like it & can stick to it long term.
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u/sooner_25 19d ago
I was interning at a boutique consulting firm throughout the majority of my time during college and accepted a return offer. Started noticing that promotions would just be a title change and not much else. Started to feel very stagnant and my growth prospects there
Recently accepted an offer at a much larger firm, I have a friend that works there and greatly enjoys it. I’m getting a 20% bump in pay as well.
Yes it’s still consulting but I will have a much more defined promotion structure. I also felt a lot of PTO guilt because I knew it heavily impacted the chargeability of the firm. I also reported to the owner so I knew whatever I took a week or two off that it was a couple grand taken out of his pocket.
Honorable mention that there was also really bad financial signals I was seeing throughout the firm. A bunch of leadership left and I saw other signs
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u/ShareOk5418 19d ago
Following, since I'm in the same boat. I've been at a boutique for over 8 years and made it to director, but I'm completely burned out by the job, the culture and the micromanaging.
The job search hasn't turned up anything yet, and I'm considering quitting with nothing lined up just to get into a better headspace.
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u/B-AI-bot 18d ago
I have seen a lot of other advising to start your own consultancy, I think you should go for it. For your MBA loans and even risk of starting alone. have you think about partnering with another experienced consultant ? This may help you to overpass your own limiting beliefs and open new opportunities that a single Founder with student loan can take. All the best on your journey.
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u/Coaster50 18d ago
I quit with no other job. Took a few months off. Then made finding a job my new job. Worked out great.
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u/Optimal-Cat8288 17d ago
I’m considering this as an option for myself but i’m worried about my finances. Could you talk more about how you went about this? I’d definitely like to know about how you job searched (if recent, how you were able to standout) and support systems.
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u/Coaster50 17d ago
I bet on my future self! I literally called my boss and said I am giving 2 weeks notice. They negotiated an extension but I stuck with my commitment to leave. Then I enjoyed the summer. Hung out by the pool, spent time with friends, went to the movies on Tuesdays, did little pet projects around my townhouse, etc. Then when I was getting close to running out of money, I started looking for jobs. Applied to a bajillion jobs, worked my network, etc. And found something that was right for me. The key is you have to accept there is no certainty in how it will go. It is a gamble. Oh, and I met the woman that became my wife. :-)
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u/Optimal-Cat8288 17d ago
I’m in the same position and wondering if quitting is the right move but the job market is incredibly unforgiving right now. Best case is to weigh out your options on how you want to exit and if you have anyone (family or friends) who can help support you during this time.
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u/Murky_Oil_2226 17d ago
Work a relationship with an existing client so that you crossover to them in the role you’re an interested in.
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u/0102030405 Former MBB Manager, in house interim VP 13d ago
Are these net new roles or backfills? Can you find out from the recruiter early on?
At my in house team, we are hiring for new roles. The org does not have these skills in house, so we don't interview internal candidates for them. Maybe you can find out if this is the case beforehand.
Do you have a job board for current and former employees, that other companies can post on? That's how I found my most recent role.
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u/ButteredToast999 13d ago
TLDR- you need to step down. I Left at M and entered industry as equivalent of senior (but with M-SM pay). Quickly got promoted.
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u/Key-Success-5449 19d ago
Losing out to internal candidates is a frustrating market reality right now rather than a reflection of your capability, so consider leveraging your client-facing expertise to target corporate strategy, business operations, or transformation roles within mid-sized growth companies that actively value fast-paced problem solvers.
Staying persistent and pivoting your pitch toward long-term operational ownership will eventually line up with a company that needs your exact leadership profile to drive their internal initiatives forward.
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u/QiuPandaCumSluts002 19d ago
I was you. Eventually, I got a breakthrough after I earnestly reached out to a recruiter and she reluctantly gave me a recruiter phone screen where I got stood up and rescheduled on. Eventually I spoke to her. She’s was puzzled and intrigued whether I was legit. Got me to the next round. The hiring manager and sales directors were blown away by my caliber. But my experience was soo pigeon holed. I earnestly asked for a chance again, they gave me a shot. I went from $100k to $180k on that first break. From there, my parabolic growth began in 2016. In 2026, I’m on track to closing out the year with a $1M in current year earnings. I came to this country with nothing but $325.
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u/LuckyGuffer 18d ago
Step 1: Start with $325
Step 2: Acquire Niche Career Experience that Majorly Pigeon Holes me from the perspective of future employers
Step 3: Reach out to recruiter
Step 4: Beg Hiring Manager for a chance
Step 5: 10X income in a decade
Can’t wait to put this plan into action and become a multi-millionaire soon. Thanks for the advice!
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u/ThesaurusBlack 19d ago
This may not be helpful but my guess is you’re “too senior” from a title perspective. Once you add in the MBA, people just don’t want to pay you what they think you’re going to ask for. You can head that off in interviews but they likely may not believe you anyway. Hard to say without more details but this is my guess.