Should I stick it out one more year?
I've been working for a boutique strategy consulting firm for close to a year (straight from undergrad). I have an undergrad degree in systems engineering. I love the junior people at my firm, but am frankly burned out. I am at the point where I am getting stress eczema from work. I also am looking for something that is more analytical and meaningful (as cliché as that sounds). I often wonder about the true impact of our work. Should I just grow a pair and stick it out one more year when there might be better exit opps or start looking for other opportunities? I worry that there aren't as many opportunities because my firm is smaller
How small is this boutique firm? Have you been staffed on the same project for the entire duration? Is your boutique firm specialized in one industry? Trying out a new project might reengergize you. I personally think you should stick it out a year unless you can get something lined up before you quit. People don't realize how good they have it until its gone.
As for exit opps, this is hard to gauge simply from the info given. However you'll always have B-school as a possiblity I guess.
To play devils advocate, I left my boutique firm after my first your to go back to the BB I had interned with. I was stuck on the same project for my first year and had it extended another 9 months. That was enough for me. Although my scenario is most likely not applicable, if you can show during your interview that you are making a change for the betterment of your career than you should be fine.
The grass is always greener, bro. I would advise against leaving unless it was something really unbearable like a systems implementation that seems to have no end. If you haven't yet already, start hinting to the partner that you want to roll off the project and keep nagging him about it every month.
Eczema? Get the hell out of there. Yes, the grass is always greener, but you'll definitely regret it if you sacrify your health for the company.
My firm is ~100 people and we specialize in Consumer Packaged Goods (we do a lot of segmentations). I've worked on 3 projects, one of which lasted 9 months. The other one was a few weeks long and had awful hours The current project I'm on is short term and shouldn't be as bad hours wise, but I'm having trouble seeing the value add we really provide to our clients/society.
If the hours aren't generally terrible, then I'd suggest sticking it out. At the lower levels, you're unlikely to be adding much value wherever you go. Getting to a good B-school, then transitioning from there is better/easier for most.
Bump - interested in getting opinions on exit opps with only 1 year consulting experience from a non-MBB firm
Remember that the idea of 'adding value' is subjective. For example, many bankers move into PE with the idea of being able to create value at the portfolio companies, only to realize they are doing the same Excel-monkey work.
Does your firm do pro-bono projects? I've never been staffed on one but feel like it's the closest you can get to really 'adding value' to society.
That's very true! My firm doesn't really do pro bono projects.
Unless you see your work-life balance improving in the foreseeable future, there is absolutely no reason to stay there.
You have what, ten months of professional experience? How can you possibly think you understand the business well enough to make that claim?
I worked on a pricing project where our overall recommendations were dismissed by the client at the end. I also don't see how working on projects where we try to get clients to steal share from another firm really adds any value. Sure that firm might gain share and profits, but it's at the expense of another company. We're just shifting allocations of money. You're right I don't know everything, but I have friends who have worked for 5+ years in consulting who are still struggling to see the value.
This post was a little socialist, even for my taste.
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