No offence taken - it infuriates me that some recruiters of whatever persuasion will tell you any sort of myth to get what they want. Often though I think it is a lack of experience and poor judgement on behalf of the recruiter rather than always a tendency to mislead.Deloitte is - in my humble opinion - certainly the best of the Big 4 and depending on what you have been doing there a move into strat is certainly feasible, and that would include MBB. It depends on your profile rather than whether or not you have 2 years experience at Deloitte. Hopeful have you considered the (relatively new) Operational practice within McKinsey - basically more scm, continuous improvement focused? I hear they are being less elitist than the main corp strategy piece. If I am looking at a Deloitte CV for strat generally I want to see S&O on it. If you have the profile you CAN make it to MBB (BCG probably being the fussiest of them, Bain being the least, but I am talking about splitting hairs here) - but it is never going to be "well within you grasp" - that's the point isn't it? That they are 'elite' and therefore a stretch for anyone to get into. You really need to feel too good for them to make the grade.The other strat firms are excellent - and obvious - post Deloitte firms, and there are some boutiques out there growing fast and with great reps. Also consider firms like ATK, Roland Berger, Monitor Group, or - for the more eclectic among you - even creative/strategy agencies with a consulting orientation like Interbrand, Wolff Olins etc.Hopeful and One More Try - take a realistic look at your CV; you know the criteria for MBB so if you don't have it put them aside and focus instead on the second tier. There is still enormous kudos in joing an LEK or Trinsum (was Marakon). Deloitte S&O is a great point from which to enter strat firms, if you have the cahoonas to back it up.
