Exit Opps from Accenture, Deloitte, and The Monitor Group

I can't seem to find any old threads that address the exit opps that come after working at Accenture and Deloitte. The only information that I've gotten from reading about these two firms is: Deloitte isn't good, and Accenture is the "kiss of death". I know these two firms don't compare to MBB but you can't put your eggs in one basket (or even 3). I also would like to know about the exit opps for The Monitor Group; I think they may be better than Accenture and Deloitte.

careers after consulting: Accenture career path

Our users shared that exit opps from firms like Deloitte and Accenture will likely be similar to exits from Bain and McKinsey with the exception of private equity exit opportunities.

manbearpig - Corporate Finance Vice President:
They have the same exit opps as any other consulting firm. If you're in tech consulting at Deloitte you likely won't get any corporate strategy exit opps, but if you're doing actual MC at any of these places, you'll have the same options as someone from MBB. Granted, you probably won't be as high in demand as if you were at MBB. In the end, people don't care about the name of your firm, they care about the quality of your experience. Generally, you will get better quality experience at MBB, but if you have good quality experience someplace else, it's not like the hiring company will reject you just because you don't have McK on your resume.

DagwoodDeluxe - Private Equity Associate:
I think the only difference in exit opps between MBB and Accenture/Deloitte is in PE. MBB place well in PE, whereas it is tougher for Accenture/Deloitte. Granted, this could be an issue of self-selection, as my friends at Accenture/Deloitte are not interested and/or did not try to move to PE.

From a corporate perspective, exit ops are pretty similar. Nice mix of corporate strategy, corp dev, and even a few people going into real operating roles. Also, a surprising number go into non-profit (TFA, Peace Corps, other non-profit).

One other difference I've observed is re: grad school. I think (I do not have a large sample size for this assertion) that most Accenture/Deloitte alums who choose to attend grad school (either right after consulting, or after their job they did after consulting) get an MBA.

At MBB, a material % of the analyst class will pursue a graduate degree other than an MBA. MBA is definitely the most common, but many kids do JDs, MDs, MA/MS, PhD, etc. For example, in my MBB class, two went to law school, two went to med school, two went to culinary school (seriously), and several others went to get an MBA. Several are doing a joint degree (most common is MBA + MPA-ID at HBS/Kennedy and the Lauder program at Penn).

Anyway, the take-away is that exit opps from Accenture/Deloitte are great compared to most first jobs out of undergrad, especially if you're interested in corporate.

Venture Capital Exits from Deloitte and Accenture Consulting

Coming out of any management consulting program, it will be difficult to break into PE as you don't have modeling experience, likely don't have vast connections in the industry, and don't have detailed industry experience in HC or tech.

DagwoodDeluxe - Private Equity Associate:
It is very difficult to break into VC from any firm straight out of undergrad. Unlike PE firms, VC shops do not (typically) have a large number of associates (the name of the position ex-consultants and bankers take). VC shops may have 1-2 associates, but they are mostly partners.

To be valuable to a VC shop, you must either:

  • Have incredible subject matter expertise (e.g., PhD in a life-sciences or computer science field)
  • Have an incredible network (e.g., know all the entrepreneurs and VCs in Silicon Valley)
  • Be a proven entrepreneur

None of those three things are likely true for any person who has only done two years of consulting after undergrad.

If you really want to do VC, than start a successful business (or two).

An associate's role at PE firm is to:

  • Evaluate markets to identify potential investment opportunities ("market scans") (this is done by attending conferences, meeting with bankers, and simply doing research online)
  • Help execute the deal process, including modeling, doing diligence, and managing consultants, lawyers, etc.
  • Help oversee the portfolio companies (run analysis on performance, assist the management team)

None of those skills are valuable for VCs. Hence, very small need for associates at most VC shops.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in VC, check out a video from the Columbia Business School about how to break into VC.

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They have the same exit opps as any other consulting firm. If you're in tech consulting at Deloitte you likely won't get any corporate strategy exit opps, but if you're doing actual MC at any of these places, you'll have the same options as someone from MBB. Granted, you probably won't be as high in demand as if you were at MBB. In the end, people don't care about the name of your firm, they care about the quality of your experience. Generally, you will get better quality experience at MBB, but if you have good quality experience some place else, it's not like the hiring company will reject you just because you don't have McK on your resume.

-MBP
 

I think the only difference in exit opps between MBB and Accenture/Deloitte is in PE. MBB place well in PE, whereas it is tougher for Accenture/Deloitte. Granted, this could be an issue of self-selection, as my friends at Accenture/Deloitte are not interested and/or did not try to move to PE.

From a corporate perspective, exit ops are pretty similar. Nice mix of corporate strategy, corp dev, and even a few people going into real operating roles. Also, a surprising number go into non-profit (TFA, Peace Corps, other non-profit).

One other difference I've observed is re: grad school. I think (I do not have a large sample size for this assertion) that most Accenture/Deloitte alums who choose to attend grad school (either right after consulting, or after their job they did after consulting) get an MBA. At MBB, a material % of the analyst class will pursue a graduate degree other than an MBA. MBA is definitely the most common, but many kids do JDs, MDs, MA/MS, PhD, etc. For example, in my MBB class, two went to law school, two went to med school, two went to culinary school (seriously), and several others went to get an MBA. Several are doing a joint degree (most common is MBA + MPA-ID at HBS/Kennedy and the Lauder program at Penn).

Anyway, the take-away is that exit opps from Accenture/Deloitte are great compared to most first jobs out of undergrad, especially if you're interested in corporate.

 
Best Response
DagwoodDeluxe:
I think the only difference in exit opps between MBB and Accenture/Deloitte is in PE. MBB place well in PE, whereas it is tougher for Accenture/Deloitte. Granted, this could be an issue of self-selection, as my friends at Accenture/Deloitte are not interested and/or did not try to move to PE.

From a corporate perspective, exit ops are pretty similar. Nice mix of corporate strategy, corp dev, and even a few people going into real operating roles. Also, a surprising number go into non-profit (TFA, Peace Corps, other non-profit).

One other difference I've observed is re: grad school. I think (I do not have a large sample size for this assertion) that most Accenture/Deloitte alums who choose to attend grad school (either right after consulting, or after their job they did after consulting) get an MBA. At MBB, a material % of the analyst class will pursue a graduate degree other than an MBA. MBA is definitely the most common, but many kids do JDs, MDs, MA/MS, PhD, etc. For example, in my MBB class, two went to law school, two went to med school, two went to culinary school (seriously), and several others went to get an MBA. Several are doing a joint degree (most common is MBA + MPA-ID at HBS/Kennedy and the Lauder program at Penn).

Anyway, the take-away is that exit opps from Accenture/Deloitte are great compared to most first jobs out of undergrad, especially if you're interested in corporate.

Agree with this. In my earlier post, I was only thinking of corporate exits. I'm sure McK and Bain are in a league of their own when it comes to PE placement.

-MBP
 

The McBainGroup places extremely well into PE, friends of mine have easily been able to get into pretty good shops based on 2 years of post-undergrad experience or getting some pretty interesting positions in the corporate world. I have heard of very few Deloitte/Accenture/Monitor alums placing well with only 2 years of experience.

Life, liberty, and the happiness of pursuit.
 

It is very difficult to break into VC from any firm straight out of undergrad. Unlike PE firms, VC shops do not (typically) have a large number of associates (the name of the position ex-consultants and bankers take). VC shops may have 1-2 associates, but they are mostly partners.

To be valuable to a VC shop, you must either: - Have incredible subject matter expertise (e.g., PhD in a life-sciences or computer science field) - Have an incredible network (e.g., know all the entrepreneurs and VCs in Silicon Valley) - Be a proven entrepreneur

None of those three things are true for essentially any person who has only done two years of consulting after undergrad.

If you really want to do VC, then either start a successful business (or two). Haha, easier said than done.

An associate's role at PE firm is to: - Evaluate markets to identify potential investment opportunities ("market scans") (this is done by attending conferences, meeting with bankers, and simply doing research online) - Help execute the deal process, including modeling, doing diligence, and managing consultants, lawyers, etc. - Help oversee the portfolio companies (run analysis on performance, assist the management team)

None of those skills are valuable for VCs. Hence, very small need for associates at most VC shops.

 

It is very difficult to break into VC from any firm straight out of undergrad. Unlike PE firms, VC shops do not (typically) have a large number of associates (the name of the position ex-consultants and bankers take). VC shops may have 1-2 associates, but they are mostly partners.

To be valuable to a VC shop, you must either: - Have incredible subject matter expertise (e.g., PhD in a life-sciences or computer science field) - Have an incredible network (e.g., know all the entrepreneurs and VCs in Silicon Valley) - Be a proven entrepreneur

None of those three things are true for essentially any person who has only done two years of consulting after undergrad.

If you really want to do VC, then start a successful business (or two). Haha, easier said than done.

An associate's role at PE firm is to: - Evaluate markets to identify potential investment opportunities ("market scans") (this is done by attending conferences, meeting with bankers, and simply doing research online) - Help execute the deal process, including modeling, doing diligence, and managing consultants, lawyers, etc. - Help oversee the portfolio companies (run analysis on performance, assist the management team)

None of those skills are valuable for VCs. Hence, very small need for associates at most VC shops.

 

What you need to do is take that Monitor offer and be excellent. As you may know Monitor was founded by Porter. Be outstanding at Monitor, then do your MBA at Harvard. They have strong links with the school, due to obvious Porter reasons and you have a chance of getting in. Monitor + HBS Porter = Strategy god. Then move on to a management role wherever you want basically.

 

This forum just disillusions people into obsessing over MBB with some association of "winning at life" as a vindication of sorts. It's sad, but that's how myopic type-A personalities act; everything is a dick measuring contest and as a result people don't really measure what actually matters.

I have a friend at LEK and he loves it though. He's only been on strategy projects thusfar. With that said, you got some sound advice at Monitor. Can't really go wrong here.

 

OK fine maybe 'sadly' was not the best choice of words there - perhaps this forum has been getting to me too much...

But there seem to be a couple of votes for Monitor over LEK. Is this considering my long term plan of consulting->MBA->strategy in tech company? Or just generally? I'd be keen to hear more views, and maybe also some explanations.

runitback - yeah I am studying in the UK (Cambridge)

 
 

Monitor OW LEK AT K are all excellent, excellent consulting companies. Very good exit opps, very good pay, good projects, smart people. I keep thinking when I read these forums how obsessed people are with MBB. I bet 90% on this board are still in college, because a lot of comments are very immature. Consulting is an exceedingly difficult industry to break into, so if you have got offers from Monitor and LEK you are already in the 95th percentile of college grads. Pat yourself on the back and move on to bigger and better things.

In terms of ranking, OW FS is generally considered a top tier player. LEK's strategy work can at times be on par with MBB. Booz is in the ear of high ranking government employees, like AT Kearney's operations work is top quality. As I said - all superb firms, guys.

 
bbjhva:
Monitor OW LEK AT K are all excellent, excellent consulting companies. Very good exit opps, very good pay, good projects, smart people. I keep thinking when I read these forums how obsessed people are with MBB. I bet 90% on this board are still in college, because a lot of comments are very immature. Consulting is an exceedingly difficult industry to break into, so if you have got offers from Monitor and LEK you are already in the 95th percentile of college grads. Pat yourself on the back and move on to bigger and better things.

In terms of ranking, OW FS is generally considered a top tier player. LEK's strategy work can at times be on par with MBB. Booz is in the ear of high ranking government employees, like AT Kearney's operations work is top quality. As I said - all superb firms, guys.

give me a gig at anyone of those firms and i'll be happier than a pig in mud... especially OW...

Get it!
 
bbjhva:
In terms of ranking, OW FS is generally considered a top tier player. LEK's strategy work can at times be on par with MBB. Booz is in the ear of high ranking government employees, like AT Kearney's operations work is top quality. As I said - all superb firms, guys.

doesn't booz do mostly commercial work? not sure they even have a significant presence in government at the moment, at least compared to BAH

 

I'm not sure it's a slam dunk with Monitor - LEK is pretty damn good, too. I'd just go with the one you like more; for what you want to do, both places will put you in a good position.

One of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.
 

So I went for LEK in the end (even though everyone here was recommending Monitor). I spoke to a bunch of people and it really seems that LEK has a better reputation in London/Europe than Monitor (it is headquartered in London after all). LEK London also does a lot of stuff in alternative energy, biotech and PE apparently, while Monitor Europe focuses on healthcare and consumer goods - considering my long term goals, I'm more interested in the sectors that LEK works in.

However, I do realise that Monitor probably has a better global name, which would maybe have served me better for getting into a HSW MBA. Does anyone know how well LEK places into HSW? One other disadvantage with LEK is that there is little travelling at the Associate level, but people seem to say this is a good thing (no 5am Monday flights). Also the LEK office is sooo much nicer than Monitor.

Anyway, those are some of the reasons for the decision. I know that LEK has a reputation for working a lot, but on the flipside, they seem to have a much more structured 3 year long program for new intakes (Monitor London doesn't appear to have the same).

I hope I haven't made a mistake! I'd be interested to hear any further thoughts on this..

 
 

randomperson - nicely done. Great that you have done your hwk and research and are at peace with the decision. As you should be - both are terrific offers. You're right - LEK is not as global a name but in London it is very very good.

As for HWS placement, I think the difference between an applicant from LEK/Monitor will be miniscule. Don't worry too much about it. Yes Monitor has perhaps greater 'history' with the top b-schools, but now everyone has heard of LEK and all the good work it does.

 
Rumplesmoothspin:
What would you like to exit into? If it's a bigger CO firm then it's difficult unless you do an MBA.

What are your plans for when you decide to leave?

First of all, thanks for the reply

I may continue MBA at target school after 4 years of work experience. I am looking for getting into finance sector after my postgrad degree in Finance, so it will be like 2 years from now

 

Thanks for the comments,

How about ibank ? any chance for ibank position after I finish my postgraduate degree in finance ?

Also, if I want to switch to MC role, how should I approach it ? (since I am in IT role atm)

 

if you're set on going into banking after mba, you should obviously try to attend a top 10 mba program, and network your balls off... also, you need to get lucky with economy

my older bro was an engineer and went to HBS for MBA. He wanted to get IBD job, but couldn't get it. He got some very solid offers outside banking, but if economy sucks and there is very high competition for banking jobs, it may be difficult to land a banking job even after top MBA. a lot of people at top mba programs come from banking analyst work experience, and many of them want to go back to banking. you are competing against these people to land banking jobs...

that said, consulting firms don't care as much about your pre-mba work experience as finance employers. as long as you have high GMAT and attend top b-school, that's all you need to land interviews for top management consulting firms... and you need to do well with case interviews to land offer

also, you seem to be thinking about exit ops even before starting your work... try to focus on doing well at your work and try to enjoy it. lastly, Accenture is not kiss of death. I know 2 people, who were friends with my older bro, who made it to HBS after working at Accenture for several years, so anything is possible

 

i agree with sexy like enrique, focus on getting your shit done at Accenture and kill it there.

i started off in IT and through networking/hard work/a little luck, i ended up on some prety kick ass projects that i doubt even MBB likes cant get you straight out of college. i was sitting in on client board meetings, writing/selling proposals, advising C-suite execs as an analyst. Then through networking Accenture internally, i am moving to MC hopefully soon. like i said i ended up pretty lucky since I managed to make good contacts with SMs in MC who are helping me transition. only way to do it i think, going thru HR will take u ur whole career to transition.

my plan is to get into top MBA soon and then decide on banking vs consulting.

 
Ppandey:
i started off in IT and through networking/hard work/a little luck, i ended up on some prety kick ass projects that i doubt even MBB likes cant get you straight out of college. i was sitting in on client board meetings, writing/selling proposals, advising C-suite execs as an analyst.

Dude - big props for doing that at Accenture, I know how rare it is and you must have really pushed hard. You are, however, kidding yourself if you think sitting on board meetings and advising the C-suite is out of the ordinary for fresh faced MBB BAs.

 

Just curiosity, I moved to HK after I finished my BCs degree in US 1 year ago.

How useful is master of finance from HKU, CU or UST ? Am I able to switch field with it (either one) and are they worth to take it ?

Thanks ahead for any input !!

 

I know someone who went from Accenture to a prestigious consulting firm in Chicago, no MBA. Seems to be a good launching pad for some folks.

"That dude is so haole, he don't even have any breath left."
 

A bit of more info, the partner told me about the pay in final interview.

  1. When you got in, you are an analyst ($60,000)
  2. After two to three years you will become a consultant (90k+)
  3. Manager (120k)
  4. Senior manager (140k)
  5. Senior executive (unknown)

I know, very tempting. But how about auditing and Shell finance, any insights?

 
Sovjet:
If you don't mind Oil & Gas IBD/ER, I'd take Shell. I'm not really sure that Accenture (with an IT focus) would be a good transition to IBD. However, Accenture places better than Audit into a business school - so it depends on how you want to transition (before or after b-school).

What are the chances for a direct transition from Oil&Gas to IBD ? How about a b-school, given that I won't have any pre-MBA IB experience ?

 

I believe Deloitte Consulting has a program where they fund your MBA (GSAP?). You mentioned getting an MBA is not something you want to do, but it really is one of the best ways to switch industries (and the DC brand would probably help in getting into a top school). Consider schools like Kellogg that have a one year program too.

Other than that - try to network and get into S&O (which, I believe, has a financial consulting division). I know of people networking their way into S&O from Tech/HC/Advisory. While it is an uphill battle, it is definitely possible. Getting staffed on projects that are cross-service-line/area definitely helps here.

Not too sure if this will help - but look into certifications like the CFA as well. CFA + solid GPA in finance from a good school + work experience at DC might help you lateral (without being pushed down to an entry-level job).

 

Thanks for the replies so far! Part of me wants to just get out of consulting. Living out of a suitcase has been trying at times. Maybe moving out of consulting into a more advisory type position in FAS would be beneficial?

As far FMP goes, I don't have a Master's, but I have been out of school working for 2+ years. Not sure if that disqualifies me.

 

you could look at the other 3 big 4 firms as they are aggressively getting into the financial consulting space and they pine over Deloitte people

My drinkin' problem left today, she packed up all her bags and walked away.
 

@"Myron Gainz" @"JonnyPi" -- I didn't see that OP is located in Europe, and, unfortunately, cannot speak intelligently to the comparative exit ops for these groups over there.

However, as it seems you are both generally interested in how a consultant might break into PE, I have a few general thoughts that might be helpful to you.

The most logical progression from management consulting to PE, in my mind, is to join an "in-house operating" team within the PE firm. The current PE landscape has moved significantly away from relying on financial leverage and multiple arbitrage for outsized returns; operational expertise and active management of portfolio companies by the PE firm have become critical drivers of IRR. If you are interested in learning more about these operating teams, take a look at this white paper done at INSEAD (may have to copy and paste link into your browser):

http://www.insead.edu/facultyresearch/centres/global_private_equity_ini…

For young professionals, there are two hurdles on the way to making this jump:

1) While scores of PE shops have teams like this, they are not as essential as the deal teams themselves (obvious, I know) and, as such, not every firm has one. 2) There is no need for junior level consultants on teams like this; as an analyst/associate, you're not going to have any meaningful input regarding the operation of portfolio companies. The kind of work a PE firm needs a junior to do can, and will be, given to former IBD kids, etc.

So, if you want to join a team like this, you have to stay in consulting for a significant amount of time to build the experience you'll need to be competitive. This is what I meant by bolstering skillset/CV. Not to mention that you'll likely want an MBA at some point along the way. It may seem a bit daunting, but hell, it's the path I'm gunning for, and if I can make it happen I'll be pretty damn satisfied with what I've been able to make out of my career.

 

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