Hi all, I am currently a consultant with Sogeti that deals with IT consulting, and I am doing testing and SQL database work. I just graduated from college with 2 master degrees in Operations research and Engineering Management and a bachelors in operations research. At this point in my career I am lost and not very interested in the work I am doing since it deals with programming. I am now interested into getting into management consulting, would this be possible? and what is good way to start making the switch?Also, what are the differences with Management Consulting vs IT consulting and what are the exit opportunities with each? Thanks for your help!!

Well, one of them involves coding JavaScript and configuring ODBC-compliant databases in order to make IT systems that (hopefully) work. The other one involves talking about the cultural issues and stakeholder sensitivities of that, and how staff might feel as a result of the changes.Or, put another way, one involves having technical skills. The other involves using social skills to make up for a lack of technical skills (and by "technical" I mean any skills that have to be learnt in order to work in a certain profession such as law, accountancy or medicine, as opposed to "technical" in the IT sense).

I have worked in both technology and operations. The first thing I would suggest is moving into something like (IT) PM if it is possible. From here you can eventually move across to the consulting division of an outsourcing firm or possibly big4 which will be more business focused. This is the route I took, alongside some of my friends who now work outside of technology.Otherwise getting into MC would require starting on a fresh grad programme. Choice is yours

Thank you for your advice. I was planning to make a switch after year in the firm so my resume doesn't look like I am unfaithful. Companies I am looking at are Deloitte, Accenture, Bain, and Mckinsey. To go about this and getting into more of the business side and if start afresh, I would need to contact my University recruiting program or just apply directly to these firms?Thanks

I'm with a07 - moving into the PM side is a good route and you could then look to move internally. You would need stellar academics (i.e. Oxbridge) to get a look in at Bain or McKinsey..

Thanks for your input, however, to get into Sogeti's Project Management side will take a long time at least 5 years so it might be better to apply to the bigger firms after about a year since I will have been at Sogeti at least 2 years. My current work has just been requirement documentation so I feel I am not building my experience well enough.