Updated July 2026. By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. The war for talent in consulting is the constant, high-stakes competition among firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain to attract and keep the small number of people who can actually do the work. It is a fight the consulting industry named itself in 1997, and…
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Updated July 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The most common consulting exit opportunities are private equity, corporate strategy, and startups/tech, with roughly two-thirds of post-MBA consultants leaving for one of these three within five years. Less common but premium paths include growth equity, venture capital, big tech product and BizOps roles,…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Updated July 2026. Up or out in consulting is the principle that you either get promoted to the next level within a set window, usually two to three years, or you leave the firm. It sounds brutal, and the phrase scares almost every new joiner at McKinsey, BCG,…
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Updated July 2026. By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Consulting vs investment banking is the classic two-offer dilemma, and here is the short answer: choose consulting if you want broader exit options, more varied work, and a schedule you can mostly live with; choose investment banking if you want maximum pay in your first…
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Updated July 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant Bain & Company has six career levels: Associate Consultant, Consultant, Manager, Associate Partner, Partner, and Senior Partner. A first-year Associate Consultant in the US earns roughly $140,000 total compensation in 2026, climbing to $230,000 as a post-MBA Consultant, $360,000 as an Associate Partner, and…
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Florian spent five years at McKinsey as a Senior Consultant and is a highly experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach. Having conducted interviews with hundreds of candidates, he understands exactly what top-tier firms look for in successful applicants.
He founded StrategyCase.com to make top consulting careers more accessible by providing tailored, up-to-date insights into the recruiting process. Recognized as the most successful case and fit interview coach, Florian has helped his clients secure 700+ offers at MBB, Tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms over the past four years.
He is the author of “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview,” “The 1%: Case Interview Workbook,” and “Consulting Career Secrets”, all available on Amazon.
