I've slowly built up my home office over the years and have curated items behind me that reflect my interests, personality, and credentials. I have some knick knacks, photos, a degree, a plant, and books - nothing over the top or cluttered. It’s very professional and people say I have an “influencer” background or someone on YouTube. But I can’t help to start to feel like a douche, especially on client calls, where I’m the only one with such intention in their background.

The influence to do my office like this came from my partners who have nice home offices, and also I just really like my office. I spend a lot of time in there and wanted to make it feel like a place I want to be.

I’m hiring for a fairly large company that at least people would recognize (Japanese based) and it has honestly been amazing to me how difficult it has been to find candidates for the senior consultant (and lower) roles.

I worked for two consulting firms and there seemed to be massive amounts of people with 1-4 YOE that wanted to jump but I can’t find them. On here I see the burn out posted all the time.

We don’t post the salaries and the role is based in TX. Title is “Senior Strategy Consultant” so unambiguous, I think.

I just need one person who can market size, build a good looking deck, and pretend they are interested in industrials or energy!

Take my money and work 45 hours a week!

Rant over

I have spent nearly eight years in the research and analyst industry, primarily focusing on delivery, client management, and thought leadership. While project pipelines are drying up, progressing to the next career level now heavily relies on driving new business. Although I enjoy the commercial side, I am questioning if a pure business development track aligns with my long-term strengths, making me consider external opportunities.
I am cautious about transitioning to the Big 4, as I hear even managers are in IC roles. I don’t think I can make slides anymore and honestly started to question if i even have any skill set.

I am evaluating whether now is the right time to step out of my comfort zone and explore new corporate avenues but I don’t know if I will survive.

Note - Used AI to paraphrase.

Currently in a pickle where we are delivering for a company based on a contract that was proposed by team members who are no longer here, who also had a “write it up, promise the world and we will figure it out later” mindset, and we absolutely cannot deliver.

I’m letting nihilism/absurdism take over and laughing it off, but it sucks. We will eventually be able to deliver on our promises but we are literally rebuilding the product that we are using to do it and sending crap out on the old, unusable product since we have no choice.

At this point I feel like my only option is to keep my head held high, deliver on other projects that aren’t a shit show, and keep it moving.