Your unique background is not a barrier - it's your competitive advantage. Consulting firms actively seek diverse perspectives from engineers, lawyers, military officers, doctors, and other professionals. Learn exactly how to leverage your experience to break into the consulting industry.
Deep industry knowledge enables consultants to add immediate value to clients and provide credibility that generalists cannot match.
Fresh viewpoints from outside the consulting bubble often lead to breakthrough insights and innovative solutions for clients.
Experienced professionals bring demonstrated leadership, impact, and the maturity that comes from real-world responsibility.
Select your professional background to see firm-specific transition guides, transferable skills analysis, and preparation timelines.
Professionals from tech companies, startups, or engineering roles looking to pivot into strategic consulting.
Veterans and active-duty officers transitioning from military leadership to consulting.
Researchers and scientists from academia or R&D looking to apply their expertise in consulting.
Finance professionals from banking seeking broader strategic advisory roles.
Startup founders and entrepreneurs seeking to leverage their experience in consulting.
Legal professionals seeking to leverage their analytical skills and business acumen in consulting.
Finance professionals with accounting backgrounds seeking strategy-focused consulting roles.
Medical professionals seeking to leverage clinical expertise in healthcare consulting.
Education professionals seeking to transition into consulting, often in education or nonprofit sectors.
Social sector professionals transitioning from NGOs, foundations, or government into consulting.
Each firm has unique culture, values, and preferences for non-traditional hires. Select a firm to explore background-specific guides.
Global reach, CEO-level access, and the most recognized brand in consulting.
Innovation-focused with strong digital and analytics capabilities.
Broad industry coverage and path to implementation work.
Operations and procurement leadership with strong global footprint.
Unique capabilities-driven strategy approach with functional expertise.
Strong in private equity due diligence and life sciences.
Jump directly to your specific background + firm combination:
| Background | McKinsey | BCG | Bain | Deloitte S&O | EY-Parthenon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Lawyer | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Military | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| PhD | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Accountant | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Banker | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Doctor | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Teacher | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Nonprofit | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
| Entrepreneur | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide | Guide |
Showing first 5 firms. Select a background above to see all 10 firm guides.
Most successful transitions take 4-8 months of preparation. Start networking and studying before you're ready to apply. Building relationships takes time.
Frame your experience in consulting terms. Leadership, analysis, stakeholder management, and impact matter more than industry-specific expertise.
Case interviews are learnable skills. Commit to 30+ practice cases with feedback. Your analytical abilities will be tested regardless of background.
Referrals matter enormously. Connect with alumni from your background who made the transition. Ask for informational interviews, not job referrals (initially).
Practice case interviews with AI coaching. Build the skills you need to make a successful transition to consulting.