I'm toying over the idea of going into a graduate analyst scheme in a market research consultancy at the moment with good responsibility and leadership prospects open to me and the chance to become a junior consultant quickly if i prove myself. The company differentiates itself on its problem solving emphasis and argues that it is at the management consultancy end of the spectrum. Everything about it looks promising but I'm worried about the general reputation of market research consultancy in the management consultancy sector? Is it generally good or bad? Will the skills I develop in such a programme be easily transferable to management consultancy later on or will people, for want of a better expression, wrinkle up their noses at it.I don't want to sell myself short, I'll be graduating with a 1st, hopefully, from a top uni and I have relevent experience in the field with all the applicable skills, but I also don't want to pass up an opportunity for what might be a good career move when the market is a little unstable at the moment.Any advice and comments welcome, including the barrell of abuse that normally follows any questions aside from the straight and narrow managment consultancy threads (if constructive!)

It all rather depends how you define "management consultancy". There are some market research firms (e.g. Kaiser Associates) who position themselves more in the "management consultancy" space than others. Therefore, the two things are certainly not incompatible.Any areas of consultancy that have a sectoral or functional focus which involve a fast-changing knowledge base (high-tech sectors and technology consulting spring to mind) will benefit more from market research experience in that area than those with, for example, a more relationship-based or pure strategy bent.Overall, as a consultant in operational strategy, I would pick a good candidate from a good market research firm over a mediocre candidate from a Big 4 firm if I was hiring for a junior consultant position as I'd see your experience as just as relevant to my needs. If I was hiring at mid-career to senior levels, I would be looking for more client relationship management and consulting (vs. analysis) experience, which may be harder to achieve in a market research firm.

So, it is generally respected across the consultancy industry at the lower levels and becomes less applicable the higher up you go. Would you suggest then, if i did decide to take this role, and wanted to move into more mainstream mangement or strategic consultancy at a later date i should do it at a junior consultant level, sooner rather than later to prevent being tied in?Thank you for you advice, it's great having the insight of somone in the know on this one.

it's a one-way street, if you're about to get a first from LSE/Oxbridge and take this kind of job you'll never be able to join a reputable management consultancy at any level, unless you go for an MBA after the research postthink it all over again

Well those are two very conflicting views on it. So, in your experience it does have a poor rep?I'll be graduating from a top-tier uni but not oxbridge or LSE.Anyone else have a similar or conflicting view?

Anyone else...please. I could really do with some educated input on this one rather than the actual company trying to sell me their job

I quote: 'I'll be graduating with a 1st, hopefully, from a top uni and I have relevent experience in the field with all the applicable skills' - so why bother looking at market research anyway if you want to enter MC? Frankly I think a stint in MR will only harm your chances of entering MC - if you want to take an indirect route for reasons I cannot fathom given you sound convinced you have the right profile, join a grad scheme with a good blue chip.

The reason I'm looking at other routes is because I'm not absolutely dead-set on going into MC, I'm considering other options to make sure I play on my strengths as much as I can. Saying this, I don't want to close any doors to a possible change into MC later on, it sounds like a position in market research might do this. I am considering grad programmes with blue-chip companies too. Basically, I don't want to rush headlong into somthing when i could be better at something else and therfore progress quicker.

So how will you know what you are good at, or enjoy, unless you do it? I don't see how doing MR will decide whether you will enjoy MC, and frankly MR will not open many doors for you. If I had a £ for every MR who was in fact a frustrated MC...

Then you'd be even wealtheir than you are now, being a non-frustrated MC?!I know I sound like I'm being very indecisive but I don't think it's quite as simple as just trying it out fo fit....which is why I'm being a bit cautious about what I actually go into. MC is hugely respected, rigorous and rewarding i know, and I've done an internship in it, but I don't think I'm the typical perfect candidate for it, although i do have the right skills. Through a process of rejection and reduction....and being pretty choosy to be honest, I've come to the conclusion that...if I could create a perfect job to go into when i graduate, it would be a consultancy role with a commercial, creative focus. I suppose like brand consulting but far more rigourous. But who knows if I'll be lucky enough to find the perfect role, probably not. I'm a little more realistic than that so I'm keeping my options open during the count down to my graduation and, hopefully, through being so anlytical about it all, I'll get there in the end.