A survey of 273 current consultants examined the career aspirations and candid views of senior consultants. A high proportion cited something other than promotion as their first choice, highlighting a gap between their ideals and reality.
A survey of 273 current consultants was conducted to clarify the career aspirations and candid views of senior positions at consulting firms. The results indicated that many senior consultants felt a gap between the missions expected of them by their firms and the kind of consultant they had originally wanted to be, with some feeling this gap particularly strongly.
Only 34.8% said that further promotion at their current firm was their first choice for their future career. The remaining 65.2% were said to prefer a direction other than promotion, such as remaining in their current position or moving outside the firm, as their first choice.
Among those whose motivation had declined after promotion, 52.6% cited moving to an operating company or startup as their first choice, indicating a relationship between changes in motivation and career aspirations.
Among those wishing to move outside their firms, the desire to take responsibility for decision-making and execution themselves, rather than ending with making recommendations, ranked highly across all levels, indicating a preference for deeper involvement.