I was just fired by my consulting job in London, what do I do?

Question

I was recently let go from my entry-level consulting role at a boutique firm and am now exploring my next steps. I’m eager to continue my career in consulting but recognise that entry-level opportunities in London are limited and typically follow annual hiring cycles. Given the current market conditions, I’m open to considering adjacent roles that leverage consulting skillsets, but I’m concerned that transitioning into another industry might make it harder to re-enter consulting down the line.

I feel pretty lost and I’d appreciate any advice or guidance on how best to navigate this transition while keeping my long-term career goals in mind.

Answer 1

Hi there,

Sorry to hear that—getting let go is tough, but you’re already thinking ahead, which is great. Here’s how to navigate this:

1. Prioritize Consulting, Keep Adjacent Roles as Backup
• Consulting: Target boutique firms and Tier 2s (EY-Parthenon could be a good option for you). Leverage networking—former colleagues, alumni, and recruiters are key.

2. Consider Market Realities
• London’s entry-level consulting market is tough—explore firms hiring off-cycle or consider roles in the Middle East/Europe where demand is higher.

3. Address the Gap
• Look into training (Coursera, Udemy) to upskill in areas like data analytics or financial modeling to strengthen your profile.

Some friends of mine have also been through the same process recently so I am happy to help you navigate it and bounce back.

Feel free to message me :)

Best,

Evelina

Answer 2

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that you've been let go from your consulting role. I can understand why you're feeling uncertain, especially given the limited entry-level opportunities and the concern about moving away from consulting.

Here are a couple of related opportunities to consider:

Business operations/strategy: if you have 1-2 yrs of experience in consulting, this should be quite natural for you to move towards
Product/Project management: for BA-level this is very common due to the project management work in consulting firms (e.g., managing your own workstream, manage leadership, manage scope and risks)
Transformation office in companies: If you have experience in any type of transformation, those are quite unique experiences that probably only possible to have exposure in consulting firms, especially for entry-level roles

In terms of returning to consulting - be open-minded about it! There are always pathways to do so (e.g., take an MBA), and some bigger firms such as MBBs actually like people with industry experience. Although you may not join at entry level, but always possible to join later in your career as a manager/expert in a certain domain. Consulting industry is taking some hit from the economic situation right now, also from trends such as GenAI/AI, all could contribute to the slower hiring pipeline. But if you keep looking, you never know what you will land.

Stay positive and open-minded, keep looking and upskilling and eventually something will land.

Hope this helps,

Han

Answer 3

Hey there 😊, I'm really sorry to hear about your situation; while it feels overwhelming right now, try to see it as an opportunity to recalibrate your career and explore adjacent roles that leverage your consulting skills, perhaps in corporate strategy or project management, which can keep your long-term consulting aspirations alive even if re-entering the traditional consulting cycle might take a little extra time—it's a good idea to tap into your network, seek advice from mentors, and maybe consider short-term or contract roles that can help bridge the gap while you sharpen your skills and keep your profile active; feel free to reach out if you need any more guidance. Best, Alessa 😊

Answer 4

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your negative experience!

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

First of all, as you rightly pointed out, applying to other consulting firms in the UK is unfortunately not possible at the moment due to an unfortunate combination of not having enough work experience to be considered an experienced hire and the cyclical nature of hiring in the UK.
Moreover, I would therefore advise you to either apply to consulting firms outside the UK and/or to adjacent industries and roles, even if this means a (temporary) end to your consulting career.

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

Best,

Hagen

Answer 5

Hi there,

Sorry to hear! :-(

I get that this is a challenging situation, but you still have solid options ahead. Here’s how I’d approach it:

Clarify if consulting is the right fit for you: Take a step back and analyze why you were let go early in your tenure. Was it a performance issue, a cultural mismatch, or market conditions? How does this experience influence how you would approach your next job? What can you learn from it?
Explore adjacent roles: Strategy roles in industry or in-house consulting can be great alternatives that keep you on a consulting-like trajectory. Many of these don’t follow strict annual hiring cycles, making them easier to break into.
Consider geography: If London’s limited hiring cycles are an obstacle, expanding your search to other locations could open up better opportunities. Many regions offer more flexibility with hiring and fewer constraints around entry points.

Happy to discuss more if you need guidance on your next steps!

Cheers,

Florian