I'm due to start an entry-level position with a very small niche consulting company in a few weeks.I sent off CVs to all the major strat firms, and was rejected off hand by many (possibly due to a non quantiative degree, although I do have AAA at A-Level and a 2:1 from a top 10 university), but did get to take the MCK test (failed alas) and got to the final round with Bain, where I was rejected due to a lack of structure in my cases.Although I like the firm I'm due to be starting with, the fact that I have failed to get into any of the 'known' companies has left me pondering whether or not I'm simply wasting my time by taking this job. Starting off at a small firm, can I advance to larger and larger (more and more prestigious) firms?Am I wasting my time thinking about consulting as a career if I cannot get into one of the best firms from the outset?Any constructive advice (sans snide comments please) would be highly appreciated.

Have you no self-awareness whatsoever? This is something that nobody but you can answer. Do some serious self-reflection. Or, dare I say it, stop being so damn linear in your thinking and take a risk. It's good for you.

Of course not; at worst you can build a few years experience and then move into a bigger firm anyway, but with far more exposure at this level that you would have achieved in MBB or similar. This is only the launch of your career - you don't have enough experience (of work or life for that matter) to benchmark the opportunity against, so get on with it, work hard and enjoy it.

yes you are wasting your time. Anyone reading your CV will assume that you ended up at the smaller company rather than sought it out. You are better off getting some experience with a branded company in industry. Small company consulting experinece is fine if you have gained big company experience first and go in at a senior level. It is pretty much a route to nowhere under your circumstances. If you really have nothing else, get out as quick as you can - try to get on next year's round. The whole "client exposure thing" is true but will actually make the transition to a major player much harder to cope with as you will effectively have a smaller role with a bigger player. Total waste of time I would say if you are hoping to get into a proper consulting firm later.Sorry.... but take it from one who knows!!

You'll be fine. Providing you really make the best of the high level exposure that niche firms can give a new starter (typically more senior clients, more genuine client facing work, less spoon feeding), then after two/three years you should be well placed to move on your own terms.One thing to bear in mind though is that joining a niche firm will force you to specialise early, this isn't necessarily a bad thing (or a good one) but you need to be aware of it and plan accordingly.

Well, thanks for the responses, although it's difficult to know which point of view to trust more.Looking at things objectively, I think that a year to 18 months of experience in a smaller firm would add to my CV, because currently it has nothing quantitative on there. Given that my degree was a language, I could reasonably say that I wanted to obtain some experience and quantitative skills, before looking to move into a larger firm that has an international presence, thus enabling me to use my language skills. Does that make sense?!

... no, you will be selling used cars by the time you are 25