Consulting is often imagined as a job reserved for young graduates hired straight out of school. That is true for part of the hiring, but not all of it: every year, firms also recruit production engineers, buyers, financial controllers, doctors, lawyers and data specialists, for the expertise they bring. The path is not the same as a student’s, neither in expectations, nor in the process, nor in the way you present your CV. This article explains what really interests firms in an experienced profile, the level at which you join, and the limits to weigh up before leaving a stable job.
What firms expect from an experienced profile
A firm that hires a beginner buys potential: it bets on their ability to learn fast and trains them in its methods. A firm that hires someone with ten years of experience buys something else: knowledge of a function or an industry that it cannot produce internally, and that allows it to sell and deliver more credible engagements.
The French executive employment agency Apec 🔗 says so clearly in its job profile for organisation consultants: several years of experience in consulting, change management or project management, or operational experience in the field of expertise, is generally expected, and specialisation by function (production, procurement, sales) or by industry (civil engineering, chemicals, energy) is appreciated. McKinsey, for its part, writes on its interviewing page 🔗 that it looks for problem-solvers from a wide range of backgrounds, from law and medicine to engineering or military service, and plans expertise interviews for some roles.
In practice, three qualities are sought:
- transferable expertise: what you know must be useful to several clients, not only to your current employer;
- credibility with clients: you have lived through the problems the firm claims to solve, and you speak the language of operational teams;
- the ability to adopt consulting methods: structuring a problem, synthesising, producing deliverables at a sustained pace, which does not come naturally after years in industry.
The kinds of expertise that interest firms
Not all expertise has the same value for a firm. The kinds that sell best match the engagements clients ask for most.
Industrial operations and supply chain. A methods engineer, a production manager or a planner can join an operational performance firm. They know lean, ERP systems and the constraints of a plant. The operations and supply chain consultant CV template shows this path: two years as a methods engineer before consulting, then on-site engagements described by their indicators.
Corporate finance. Financial controllers, consolidation managers and treasurers are sought after by finance function transformation teams, which are very present in the large networks described in our article on Big Four advisory.
Procurement, human resources, customer relations. Every corporate function has its consulting team. An experienced buyer brings knowledge of categories and negotiations; an HR manager, knowledge of industrial relations and payroll systems.
Data and digital. Firms look for profiles able to link use cases to technical constraints. For a candidate coming from tech, it helps to be able to place your profile: the page on the difference between a data analyst and a data scientist 🔗 helps you name precisely what you can do, which matters when choosing a practice.
Regulated industries. Healthcare, energy, banking, insurance, the public sector: knowledge of the rules, the players and the decision channels is a rare asset. A former manager from a public administration or a hospital finds a place in public sector consulting firms.
Conversely, expertise that is too specific to one company (an in-house tool, an internal organisation) sells poorly: it has to be reworded as a general skill.
At what grade to join
This is the most delicate question, and the one that creates the most misunderstandings. Your seniority does not convert directly into a consulting grade.
Firms generally distinguish two situations:
- you mainly bring methods still to be learnt: you join as a consultant or senior consultant, sometimes below your current level of responsibility, because you need to acquire the reflexes of the job;
- you bring rare expertise that can be sold immediately: you can join as a manager or as an expert (some firms have expert tracks separate from the classic track), with responsibility for content rather than team management.
Several criteria weigh in the decision: how close your experience is to the firm’s engagements, how comfortable you are with case exercises, your ability to supervise consultants who are younger but more practised in the methods, and the firm’s policy on experienced hires. It is not unusual to negotiate an intermediate grade with an early review after the first year.
Accepting to join one notch below can be a good calculation if the firm offers fast progression once the methods are acquired. What matters is to discuss it openly in interview rather than discover it on arrival.
A recruitment process adapted to you
The process for an experienced profile resembles the graduate process in its structure, but the weight of each step changes.
Cases remain almost always on the programme. Even for an expert, firms want to check the ability to structure a problem and reason out loud. Cases are often drawn from your industry, which helps you on substance but exposes you more: the interviewer expects a finer reading than a student’s. Revise the great classics, such as the profitability case, by transposing them to your industry.
Expertise interviews take up more room. A partner or an expert from the firm questions you about your field, often by asking you to comment on a real, anonymised client problem. They want to know whether you could hold the discussion in front of a director at the client.
Motivation questions are more demanding. Why leave a stable job, why now, why this firm? Recruiters have seen experienced candidates leave after a year, disappointed by the pace. They will test how clear-eyed you are about the job.
Online tests are sometimes lighter, but not always: some firms keep them whatever the profile.
Rewriting your CV in the language of consulting
A manager’s CV from industry is not read like a consulting candidate’s CV. It has to be rewritten, without distorting the career.
Translate jobs into problems solved. “Production manager” says nothing to a partner. “Turnaround of a workshop of 80 operators: overall equipment effectiveness up 12 points in 9 months, without investment” speaks immediately, because it is the kind of result they sell.
Here is an example of rewriting on the same experience:
| Before | After | |---|---| | Packaging category buyer, supplier management and tenders. | Redesign of the packaging purchasing strategy (a top-tier category): consolidation of the supplier panel, European tender, negotiated savings of 9 points on unit cost, presented to the management committee. |
The right-hand version follows the logic of an engagement: a scope, a method, a quantified result and an audience. The figure illustrates the form; use your own, provided you can explain it in interview.
Show the consulting skills you have already acquired. You have probably facilitated workshops, run a cross-functional project, presented to a management committee, supported an organisational change. These experiences must be visible, because they reassure the firm about your ability to adopt the job.
Keep to one page, or two at most. A fifteen-year profile can run to two pages, but the first must be enough to understand the expertise and the results. Older jobs are summed up in one line.
Choose a CV title that says where you are going. “Supply chain expert, ten years in industry, moving into operational performance consulting” is clearer than a simple current job title.
For a profile coming from public administration, the public sector consultant CV template shows how an experience in a regional prefecture fits into a consulting career. And to rewrite your own CV without losing time on formatting, the ConseilCV editor handles the layout and produces a PDF that firms’ screening software reads correctly: you can concentrate on translating your experience.
The limits to know before taking the plunge
A move into consulting has its trade-offs, which are better faced squarely.
- The pace. Long weeks, travel to the client’s site and short deadlines are the norm. After years of regular hours, the adjustment is real.
- The beginner’s position. Even as an expert, you will learn the methods from younger consultants. Some people take it badly.
- Pay. Depending on your starting point and entry grade, the move can be made at equal pay, with a rise or with a cut. Do the calculation on the whole package, including variable pay and benefits.
- Constant evaluation. Firms assess their consultants engagement after engagement, and progression is not guaranteed.
- Going back to industry. It is generally easy, and often at a higher level than when you left: that is even one of the arguments for the move. But it has to be prepared from day one, by choosing your engagements.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an age limit for becoming a consultant?
No, there is no formal limit. What counts is the fit between your expertise, your entry grade and the firm’s needs. Beyond about fifteen years of experience, entry more often happens through an expert track or as an independent consultant.
Should you take another degree before applying?
Not necessarily. An MBA or a specialised master’s can ease the transition for a profile far from consulting, but many firms hire directly on expertise. Preparing cases seriously often has more effect than an extra degree.
Is independent consulting an alternative?
Yes, especially for very experienced profiles. Umbrella employment (portage salarial) and matchmaking platforms let you start without a company structure, but you then have to find your engagements yourself, which requires a solid network.
How do you prepare for cases when you left school long ago?
Like a student: with sample cases published by firms, a practice partner and regular mental arithmetic. Experience helps on substance, not on format.
Sources
- Apec, job profile: Consultant en organisation 🔗
- McKinsey & Company, Interviewing at McKinsey 🔗