Different offers which one to take?

Question

Dear preplounge community,

I am reaching out as I got several offers and not sure which would be the best.

1/ BCG research team which is a global team, we all come from different countries, in a function that I am really passionate but still I am a research consultant (senior knowledge analyst) and I would work as an expert consultant on cases (50/60% of my time), for the rest of my time I would do research, commercial proposal, IP and so on.

2/ tiers 2 or 3 consulting companies (think Oliver Wyman, AT Kearney and smaller local consulting) offer.

Which one should I take? Working for a MBB is always my dream, but going to a research team make me less entousiaste... BCG is really strong in the practice that I am affliate to. My ultimate goal is having a great exit opportunity, I am not pursuing partner track but I would like to learn as much as possible in terms of methodology and learning experiences. Thank you a lot and I cannot display my offers.

N.B: I am currently a consultant at a tiers 2/3 consulting company.

Best

Answer 1

Hey,

Congrats!

To help decide between the two, answer the following key questions for yourself:

Do I have the right aptitude/skills to offer to the firm?
Do my values align with the firm’s (culture, leadership, ways of working, reputation etc)?
Is the role a good fit with my career aspirations at least in the short to mid-term? One way to gauge this by what responsibility you will be given
Will this job allow me to give my best & be happier?
Are any underlying risks of taking this job manageable? E.g. is there a risk the role won’t exist in 6 months?

Once you have answered the above questions honestly, you are then ready to look at other factors such as title, salary, benefits, location, work life balance etc to work out your final decision.

Just like everything else in life, no job or firm will be perfect. There will always be something a little better. There will be ups and downs and it’s important not to be driven by anxiety to get into “a job”. Focus on mutual fit.

All the best choosing.

Answer 2

Based on understanding that you want to be a client-facing MBB consultant, I would only take the BCG offer if there is a certain trajector to make that transition. Many will say it's possible but the reality is often the opposite. If so, I would be tempted to build your consulting experience else where first and then re-apply to MBB. Considering that MBBs are continuing to grow in scale (i.e., intake), if you have a strong profile with good experience, I would feel encouraged. On the contrary, once you are a research consultant, getting over that "label" can be a big struggle, even if it's BCG.

Answer 3

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offers!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

I would highly advise you to opt for the option that better aligns with your professional (and maybe even personal) mid- to long-term goals. In order to make an informed decision, I would advise you to do the following:

Weigh the different criteria that are meaningful to you independently of the current options (e.g., prestige, culture, international exposure, compensation, location). After that, score the two options based on your criteria and their weighting, resulting in two scores. This way, you have covered the left-brain perspective.
Critically assess your initial reaction to the outcome of the scores. For instance, if you feel the urge to tweak the numbers, this is a solid indicator that you do not want this decision to become reality. This way, you have covered the right-brain perspective.
By doing so, you will be able to integrate both parts of the brain into the decision-making, guaranteeing a higher chance that you will still be happy with it years later.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 4

Hi there,

You have to first figure out exactly what you want career-wise!

The wrong career at an amazing company means nothing!

If the specific role you are given at BCG meets your career needs, then go for that! If, however, you're sacrificing (i.e. the day-to-day activites don't appeal to you long-term), you can't compromise on that even if it's a top-tier firm!

Answer 5

Hi, if you are serious about strategy consulting I would prefer ier2 firms to a research role

Best,
Antonello

Answer 6

If you post your offers, I'm happy to react.

Answer 7

Congrats on getting these interviews in the first place! We are looking for the same qualities in the written case as... (read entire answer)

Congrats on getting these interviews in the first place! We are looking for the same qualities in the written case as in the verbal one. You should have 1 hour to prepare so the... (read entire answer)

Answer 8

Neil, I was an experienced hire as well, so can definitely relate. The hardest part for your will likely be to get... (read entire answer)

Neil, I was an experienced hire as well, so can definitely relate. The hardest part for your will likely be to get an interview. McK is probably most open, assuming you have a... (read entire answer)

Answer 9

Let me take a crack at this (in English) since no-one has addressed this. Top consultancies typically want the best... (read entire answer)

Let me take a crack at this (in English) since no-one has addressed this. Top consultancies typically want the best people regardless of their background. Yes, some roles are... (read entire answer)