Hi, I have offers from LEK and Deloitte to join their health care practice. I have a MD, MSEngrg and a MBA with a health sector focus. Would appreciate if anyone could share their views to compare these 2 firms.Thanks.

Well done on both offers. LEK and Deloitte are two very different type of organisations. LEK is a strategy firm and Deloitte a Big 4. The work at LEK will be far more analytical and high level strategy work compared to Deloitte. It really depends on where you see yourself in 5 years time. I would generally say that receiving an offer from LEK is more impressive than receiving an offer from Deloitte as the organisation is much smaller and they are generally a lot harder in their assessment - particularly the analytical skills. However, depending on the level of your position, you might not be as client facing . Generally LEK is more a 'sit behind your desk and work crazy hours' type of organisation. Personally, I would go for LEK because of the high level strat work they do and the reputation they have in the health care sector. You are able to move from a strategy firm to a Big 4 (they will be jumping for you), but not always from a Big 4 to a strategy firm. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Anyone who has worked for both these firms (or some other comparable combination) will be able to tell you that in most cases the strategy firms are a short term gig for MOST people (very few can handle the pace), while the big 4 (of which Deloitte is by far the best firm) offer a more manageable work/life balance, resulting in people staying on much longer and (in my opinion) gaining a more rounded consulting profile (wider industry exposure, greater client interaction).The ongoing commoditisation of the consulting market is slowly-but-surely breaking the stranglehold that the strategy firms have on the top-end consulting market (just like some of the smaller technology consultancies are eating the lunch of the big 4), and so I would not automatically assume that you will gain better exposure at LEK, which leads me to my final point: In many cases, clients will have absolutely no idea who/what LEK is, while everyone knows Deloitte and what the firm stands for. So, if you want to move (or move back to) from consulting into industry (and believe me, the time will come), I'm not so sure that LEK will be the best bet.

That last reply makes some decent points about trends, and the conclusion may well be true for a generalist or an undergrad, but for a healthcare specialist it just doesn't make any sense at all.For someone with a profile such as yours, this is a complete no-brainer. LEK hands down. LEKs healthcare group is very large, particularly in Boston and London. You will get a lot of exposure to healthcare PE/VC, big pharma, biotech and devices, as well as smaller mid-market firms. You will either stay and make manager in two years, or leave and go to a PE/VC firm or into industry. I am quite confident that your options will be far better than at Deloitte. You don't need everyone to have heard of you - just your clients and the relevant people within healthcare. And they will respect LEK far far more than Deloitte.Btw, I too am an MD/MBA and work at a pure strategy firm. I never considered Deloitte as an option.

There is no such thing as a "pure strategy firm". What do people keep saying this? Pure strategy work, most particularly at MBB, is but one part of much larger management consulting services. Pure strategy firms do not exist today.

Anon, please do try and post comments that are relevant to the discussion rather than randomly making pointless, unhelpful and irrelevant posts

oh, thanks Dooooood. I will remember that, particularly from one with a name like Dooooood. Furthermore, my point stands.

So start a new thread then. Try and keep focused instead of letting your mind wander off down irrelevant paths.For what it's worth I agree with the poster d above. If you are going to add any more to this thread then at least address the topic and give some feedback to the original poster.

Thanks for your inputs. This definitely helps.