I have recently been attending final interviews with a few big firms and I am really surprised at the salaries they are offering. Also checking on the salary survey somewhere on this website the monies are not comparable to whats obtainable in industry for experienced professionals.Am I right to say that its easier and quicker to reach a salary of 100+ in industry than it is in consulting?I thought there is a lot of money to be made in consulting but I am now wondering whether I should make the switch.

For the past 5 years or so, employers have cashed in on the fact that so many folk are desperate to "get into consulting".Consultants are almost always seen as an "expense" and are the first to be slashed from budgets. However, many employers expect us to work for the same salaries as their own staff. With increasing pressure on day rates, commoditisation of services, freelancers spring up all over the place and higher expectations about what we're expected to deliver, it's increasingly becoming an unattractive business model.Let's face it, what sort of nutter do you have to be in order to work 12 hours a day putting together powerpoint slides for a lower hourly rate than you could earn stacking shelves in sainsbury's, whilst simultaneously dealing with a transient pool of over-competitive colleagues, job insecurity, and egos the size of planets? Cuz that's the reality for most consulting grads these days...

And people wonder why the consultants obsession with IB and why attrition rates in FS consulting are so high

Whichever route you take it is not easy or quick to obtain a salary of 100K plus.Consulting is more meritocratic so easier if you are able and prepared to do what it takes. In industry there are more factors beyond your control (M&A, restructuring, politics) that can affect your career.

Consulting has less politics that industry ? no way. Consulting is all about the politics.

Who's to say you'll ever break 100k Willy? And, indeed, what is "glamorous" about that?You seem like a lot of people I've seen come and go from consulting, think it's there's a "quick buck" to be made, all you do is turn up and 6 months later you're a millionaire. Consulting is like any other trade though, you need to work at it and become good to move up the ladder and get the rewards. Funnily enough, consulting companies don't throw money at people untested in the business as far too many of them disappear again 6 months later only having recouped a small amount of the cost to the company to hire them. You can make 100k in consulting still in your 20s, the model of many consultancies is that they'll pay you a base then a performance-related bonus though. If you're not interested/ good enough, you don't earn the money, simple as that. If it's all about money and not variety and challenge, I suggest you look elsewhere for your career.

I am the glamour in consulting!

I my goodness!!!!! What are u lot like??!!!!!! U are so naughty and greedy!!! Why can't we all learn to be happy with our lot and love our fellow beings!!!! :-)

Claire, sweet child, because if we were all like that all the fun would be taken out. Just as in the markets in the 80s. It used to be very un PC and brilliant but then Labour came into power and all the fun went out of it. Regulation and PC came in

For God Sake.... That last reply was NOT me!You lot are so sad you have too keep imitating me and getting me told off! Naughty!Im not posting as Claire anymore, your all mean!

Glamour?Look on the top shelf, between razzle and escort.That's what you'll be doing when you're on your own in your mediocre hotel for the 20th straight week.

Hi Glam, I like your style. I think a lot of people badly underestimate how soul-destroying the whole travel thing is.

And the car articles are so interesting even in a foreign language that you have no idea about

Just a thought - if you're looking for glamour in consulting, check out thread 28916 (Too good to be true)Oh happy days!!

Just watched it...Oh Happy Days.....Christ on a bike....they must have been on drugs...you wouldn't participate knowing it was going to be filmed but then again they looked like they might have been Germans.