Can I join Bain as a Consultant without being an AC?

Peter,

it's absolutely not late.

I've worked with 50yo transferring into consulting (albeit at a senior role). 

All you need to do is make sure that you tell your story right and position it so that moving into consulting seems like the next natural step.

Happy to help with this as you need. 

In the meantime, you might find this guide useful to help you understand how to approach the application process:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Perfectly fine, but not easy. 

The path is through networking. You need to convince people beforehand that you are a valuable talent and have a chance to fit in the consulting world. Because at this point you are a “unique asset”, and to value “unique assets” you cannot follow the usual “batch process”. 

Networking (sending emails/linkedIn contacts, using your contacts to reach people working in consulting and exploring that possibility) is the process that yields the best results in your case.

Regarding the main question… can you join as a consultant without being an AC? Definitely yes.  You would be joining at a post-MBA role (which is a consultant role). With your experience an AC role is out of question.

Hi Peter,

1) I am 36 years old with experience in leadership and a track record for growth in various industries. Is it too late to get into consulting?

It's not too late, although I would highly recommend you look for an internal referral to maximize your chances. You might also consider an expert role if you match the requirements.

2) How do I best package myself? 

Ideally, you want to have a CV and Cover with the correct format and a referral. You can find more about that below:

▶ How to Get a Consulting Interview Invitation

Good luck!

Francesco