Compare office and practice combinations
A global brand doesn't guarantee the same project mix or experience in every location. Compare the specific office, practice, and role. A healthcare practice in Boston, an energy practice in Houston, and a digital role in Singapore can differ substantially within one firm.
Evaluation dimensions
Record:
- major client sectors and practice strength;
- generalist or specialist staffing;
- strategy versus implementation mix;
- office and travel expectations;
- class size and training;
- manager and feedback model;
- international mobility;
- promotion and specialist paths;
- current application and assessment process;
- work authorization and language.
Firm category isn't destiny
A boutique can lead high-stakes strategic work; a global strategy firm can spend years implementing. A technology consultancy can advise senior leaders and build the system. The actual project, team, and manager often matter more than the category.
Research sources
Use official practice pages, current job descriptions, case studies, recruiting events, employee conversations, and public client examples. Rankings and anonymous commentary can generate questions but shouldn't be used as proof.
Questions that reveal the work
Ask what the last new-hire class actually worked on, how people are staffed, how much implementation occurs, how performance is reviewed, what changed in the practice, and how people develop expertise.
Learning environment
Strong environments provide frequent feedback, exposure to decisions, and increasing ownership. Formal training is useful, but the manager and project cadence determine much of the learning.
Career and exit claims
Consulting can lead to corporate strategy, operations, product, investing, startups, public service, and many other roles. None is guaranteed. Evaluate the skills and network produced by the actual work.
Firm-archetype tradeoffs
A global strategy firm may offer broad senior-client exposure and a strong generalist system but can have competitive staffing and substantial internal demands. A specialist boutique may provide immediate domain depth and direct senior access but a narrower project market. A technology implementer can provide tangible system ownership and longer client relationships but less time on stand-alone strategy questions.
Practice maturity
Ask whether the practice has repeat clients, established experts, recruiting momentum, and a clear promotion path. A fashionable new practice can offer opportunity and ambiguity at the same time. An established practice can offer strong apprenticeship but less freedom to define the work.
Office economics
A small office can be close-knit with broad exposure but more dependent on a few partners and clients. A large office can provide more staffing options and communities but feel less personal. Neither pattern is guaranteed; the actual leadership and project portfolio matter.