Hi I graduated last year and have since been working in a strategy boutique (for the hi-tech industry) I have now been offered a job in both a teleco company (Nortel) and a strategy consultants which speacialise in public sector and health care. I really like the tech side of things but love strategy the Nortel post is in supply chain operations at grad level. I'm really at pains what to do they are both the same salary.After a few years at the strategy consultants could I cross sell my skills back into the tech industry or will I be in health care consulting the rest of my days?Any help would be great thanks

Healthcare consulting is a world of its own where your time on the job and "industry" contacts you've built up make a disproportionate difference. Therefore, when you step out again, you might be looking at starting at the bottom again in tech.(I am talking here about the UK due to the dominance of DH and NHS as ultimate clients. Pharma consulting in the US is more akin to consulting in other regulated and R&D-led industries.)

Anyone else got any help?

I appreciate you may not want to hear this but I'm not sure either sound like great moves. It depends on a) why you want to move from your current role so soon b) where you want your career to go. If you HAVE to chose between the two I'd be tempted to go for the Blue Chip name that keeps your sector focus ie Nortel and steer clear of Health. Good luck!

Thanks for your reply Chris but is Nortel currently that strong within the industry?

I've done some consultancy in healthcare (for a specialist healthcare consultancy) and whilst it's interesting and lucrative it's ultimately frustrating because government policy often renders your work/proposals irrelevant. I'd agree with the above post, take a good blue-chip job.

what a choice. personally, I would be inclined to go with the Healthcare option - at least you are in an industry for which there will always be demand. You seem quite young by your post. By the time you are older perhaps with family/kids etc it might be nice to migrate into a comfortable Government post. Nortel have been in a dreadful state for many years now and is probably one to avoid.

Hi Paul Thanks for your comment I'm 25 not really young but young enough. I would agree about the Nortel situation having looked at their quarterly results and industry expectations etc. Do you think you can cross sell health care consulting skills into the high tech industry? Thanks again