Where do consultants go after leaving McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and other top firms? Explore the most common exit paths and find detailed guides for your target firm and destination combination.
Private equity firms acquire, improve, and sell companies.
Venture capital firms invest in early-stage startups.
Hedge funds hire consultants for their analytical skills and industry expertise, particularly in long/short equity and event-driven strategies.
Investment banks hire experienced consultants into associate and VP roles, particularly for M&A advisory and sector coverage teams.
Corporate strategy roles involve setting long-term direction, evaluating M&A opportunities, and driving strategic initiatives within large corporations.
Major technology companies (Google, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft) hire consultants into strategy, operations, and product roles.
Smaller, specialized consulting firms offering more autonomy, faster advancement, and often better work-life balance than large firms.
Joining startups in operations, strategy, or leadership roles.
Starting your own company.
Leadership roles in nonprofits, foundations, and social enterprises.
| Exit Destination | McKinsey | BCG | Bain | Deloitte S&O | EY-Parthenon | Oliver Wyman | Kearney | Roland Berger | Strategy& | LEK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Private Equity PE | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Venture Capital VC | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Corporate Strategy Corp Strategy | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Startups Startups | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Tech Companies Tech | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Hedge Funds Hedge Funds | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Investment Banking IB | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Entrepreneurship Founder | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Nonprofit & Social Sector Nonprofit | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
Boutique Consulting Boutique | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View | View |
These firm-to-destination combinations represent the most common and well-established career transitions:
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