Hi all,I have just finished a graduate scheme at a telecoms company and am wondering whether to make a move into consultancy. The position I have been working in has provided me with excellent experience and exposure to all areas of the company. While realistically I went in as a novice I come out knowledgeable and definitely able to hit the ground running at any new company. I always had it pegged that I would finish the scheme and then move into consultancy but now I wonder if that would actually be a good move. I would probably get paid £5K more but, from what i hear here, with the hours/lifestyle it wouldnt actually be worth it.So my question is: If you had two years telco (or any other type of company) experience in industry would you, if you had your time again, bother with consultancy or seek to continue in industry? Appreciate opinions.

consulting is fundamentally different from industry. The work is different, you're serving your client versus being the client. However, if you're willing to put up long hours, exhausting flights, often shitty project work, beurocracy at your firm for awesome exposure to various industries, high level executives at clients, travel to exotic places (sometimes). Then consulting may be for you. Be ware though that you may enter as an entry level guy because you don't have any consulting exp.

You get one life Mike - if you're really curious, get yourself into a consultancy and spend a couple of years there; it certainly won't harm your prospects if you decide it's not for you after a couple of years and might fast track you when you/if you rejoin industry.No job is perfect so we all make compromises. Just yesterday evening for example I had to stop off at hospital to have my tongue sewn back on after biting it off to stop myself telling a 'manager' at my firm to go breed with his immediate female predecessor. Compromises.

Hi Mars,The whole one life thing is kind of the reason i am thinking of not doing it! One life to spend 2 years with no hours to spend with my real friends as opposed to a bunch of people i am forced to spend my waking hours with.Mike