That's it: I've decided I'm done with consulting! [i][b]{Rant}[/b]Maybe I don't have a big enough ego, or maybe I don't have the patience (or I'm just not cut out) to play the neverending petty games of frustrated, insecure overachievers (at all levels) who never seem to grow tired of carrots and sticks.[b]{/Rant}[/b][/i]Now, as to the next chapter.I'm curious to hear about experiences of those who've managed to escape (and somehow can't resist returning to this forum) to any of the following:a) Moving into the startup world, as an employee for now. (My initial take is... Pros: Real responsibility; chance to make a difference. Cons: Pay; possibly even more long hours)b) Product Management. (Could be a good fit. Pros: Easily transferable skills for an experienced Digital Consultant / BA like me. Cons: Likely no variety of projects; hoping office politics won't be too bad...) c) Contracting. (Pros: ££££; I see it as a short-term, high-gain option. Cons: My skillset may be too generic)What say you, forumites?

I'd say you are looking at this from an unhelpful angle i.e. in pros and cons.The reality is you'll find all the things which you have grown to dislike in consulting present in any other type of organisation including start-ups (where these behaviours can be both even more stark and impossible to avoid when you have so few colleagues) and industry (where the more fixed reporting lines create fiefdoms and ingrained behaviours which only armageddon will end).Everything in life comes down to carrots and sticks. [i]Everything[/i].So ask yourself, what's your preferred carrot? And what sticks can you live with? Or put another way, instead of pros and cons, what do you [i]want[/i] to do. Start with what makes you happy / fulfilled then identify what would enable you to spend at least 60% of your time with the carrot.

Some great advice from Mars as ever, thank you Mars for your continued helpful contributions!My take would be similar, that things aren't that different elsewhere. I've built a handful of startups since leaving consulting and have had experience of working in a big corporate when T-C got acquired. The pressures and frustrations are largely the same, dealing with people who can be unreasonable, politics and egos, pressure to work long hours and inability to switch off.So I think Mars' assessment is spot on. Decide what it is about work that you'd most like your lifestyle to gravitate towards and then go in that direction - but with your eyes open. If work/life balance is important, for example, I have seen a lot of people move into contracting and be able to take sizeable chunks of the year off to spend with family, take extended ski breaks, etc. But that leaves you still working in environments where office politics will be at play for example.Hope that helps in any case and good luck with making the right call! Tony