Hi AllI am coming into consulting after 7 years in the telecomms industry. I would like to get peoples views on what are likely to be my biggest challenges? Also what general things will I need to work on too improve? Of course everybody is different and you dont know my specific skills, but what are the general challenges facing somebody moving from industry? Thanks.

Establishing a network, being flexible, being able to take instructions from people half your age and possibly twice your intelligence (possibly not), firm culture, project management skills in consulting, dealing with ambiguity, going far outside your industry skillset, the travel, models and bottles, learning how to manage conflicting personalities at every level on a large scale and fast pace, criticism over even the smallest details, and being a team player

Thanks, some interesting comments even if some are just the normal cliches. At 27 I imagine its unlikely people will be half my age. You never know though with these high achieving consultants, I guess :-)The team player point interests me. This is of course very different from working in a team. I have always been led to believe that consulting is always very cut thoat and that everybody is out for themselves. So you work more in teams than industry but people in industry are more team players. is this not the case?

That last paragraph made almost no sense whatsoever.

Yes it did.He means that consultants work together in little clusters of say 5 consultants per project (defined as a "team"). However, they are not very good at working with each other because they are so competitive and un-cooperative.On the other hand, people in industry tend to work more independently of each other, but when they do have to work amongst themselves in little groups (i.e. as a "team"), they co-operate and do so very well.

Exactly correct Sophie. Looking back, it wasn't the best written paragraph I have ever produced. However it's a web forum so who really caresSo is my assumption correct that consultants work a lot in teams but aren't actually very good at team work. You will all happily climb over each other to get where you want to be individually. There is minimal sense of common goals and unity

Industry is just the same. "Management team" is not an accurate description of most boards. Senior people are competitive and look after their own interests.

Unfortunately, LIFE is just the same. let's sing together..."It's a hard knock life, for us..."