Opinions on tech strategy vs implementation decision
Summary of the situation/decision:
Currently, I'm a manager at a Big 5 (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG and Accenture) technology strategy service line, on western Europe (joined 6 months ago). I have received an offer from Orphoz (Mckinsey implementation/transformation brand) to become a manager in one of their western Europe offices, (a fairly recent one, with a relatively small team). I am undecided whether I should accept the offer from Orphoz or stay where I am. Financial compensation in either option is the same, give or take, so I see it basically as a career-driven decision. I am undecided on what to do.
What are your thoughts?
Additional information below.
My pros and cons of a move to Orphoz
- Pros:
- Possibility of getting the Mckinsey "seal of quality" / "shine" due to brand association, and thus having more "doors opened" to me in the future (as opposed to current situation).
- Getting into an office and company that are in an early stage, and so have a higher chance of moving upwards faster and getting to partner earlier (at least earlier than current situation).
- Cons:
- Doing implementation / transformation projects, which I perceive as being less "sexy" and thus devalue me as a consultant in the eyes of "the market" (not sure if this perception is accurate, or if being in a Mckinsey brand is the more relevant factor and will compensate for this).
My pros and cons of staying at Big 5
- Pros:
- I am already established as a high performer and "marked" for career advancement.
- Doing strategy projects, which I perceive as being more "sexy" and thus value me as a consultant in the eyes of "the market" (not sure if this perception is accurate, or if being in a "weaker" Big 5 brand is the more relevant factor and will trample this).
- Cons:
- Becoming too directed to technology (regardless if projects are strategy projects).
- Slower career due to being on a more consolidated company.
My personal characteristics:
- I do not have any strong preferences for specific type of projects or industries (strong strategy preference vs a strong implementation/transformation preference, for example).
- My focus is on progressing upwards to leadership & higher pay positions as fast as possible, and also be recognized by "the market" as an "elite" professional.
- Not sure whether I want to be in consulting forever or not.
My background:
- Several years of experience on mostly implementation / transformation projects at one of Big 5.
- Last 6 months doing technology strategy at another Big 5 (changed company primarily for a pay increase).
- I have always been a high performer at Big 5, being appreciated by partners and senior managers.
- No MBA.
You won’t get the McK brand at Orphoz. You seem keen to optimise for getting McK on your CV - have you tried just applying to McK directly?
I applied for Mck directly in earlier stages of my career, but I was always rejected. At this stage I don't think there is a point in applying, given my professional experience (majority of transformation/implementation projects) and lack of academic credentials (MBA is mandatory for a manager at Mck).
What is your reasiong for saying that you won't get the Mck brand at Orphoz? I am asking this because Mck seems to be pretty open about Orphoz being a Mck brand (Orphoz is presented everywhere as "a Mckinsey company").
That's incorrect, an MBA is not mandatory for EM+ at McK.
McK has an implementation practice within the firm, and in terms of "prestige," it goes: McK Generalist, McK Implementation (which might be a better fit for you, with your background and experience), McK subsidiary.
It might still be better than Big 4 but you should be aware that most people won't look at Orphoz on a CV and equate that to McK.
I thought the MBA was mandatory due to Mckinsey sending their BAs for a paid MBA after a couple of years at the firm. Anyway, I think that with my current professional profile (several years of experience in transformation/implementation at Big 5, mediocre academic record), trying to get into Mckinsey as generalist has a very low chance of success.
Going to your other point: I was told by the Mckinsey partners during interviews (interviewed with 4) that Orphoz is pretty much the same thing as Mckinsey Implementation (at least in western Europe; a friend that I have at Mckinsey Implementation in the US told me that, internally, Orphoz belongs to the same implementation group as Mckinsey Implementation). The partners told me that the Orphoz brand was adopted after an unsuccessful attempt to get into transformation/implementation projects in Europe using the "classic" Mckinsey brand.
Given this, I agree with you that at this stage brand "association" with Mckinsey is non-existent/low, and it might never materialize/increase in the future, hence my doubts about this aspect.
Not at all. The sponsored MBA is completely voluntary.
Anyway, I wouldn’t sell yourself short. If having an McK brand is important to you, definitely shoot your shot again - especially with the Implementation track. They look for a different skill set to the generalist track, so you might get more traction this time around. Good luck!
Thanks for your feedback qezc!
Since you were the only reply I got to this tread, let me ask you: what is your feeling? Staying in tech strategy at Big 5 (eventually taking another shot at Mckinsey as a generalist)? Move to Orphoz?
Once again, thanks for your help.
Hmm - I think I’d stay put. It sounds like you’re doing well where you are, and moving will mean starting over and rebuilding your rep, network and trajectory within the firm from the beginning. And definitely don’t give up on that lateral move into McK :)
Just another data point about the opinions that I gathered from friends so far (I'll divide them into friends that do not work in consulting and friends that work in consulting):
Friends that do not work in consulting
Friends that work in consulting
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