Hi all,What a shame I only discovered this forum today. I'm hoping someone on here can help me with an incredibly difficult decision I have had to make. Currently in finance in a well paying industry with a top 5 global player, much of my job has involved business analyst / consulting type activities.I got a job with a global technology consulting firm recently, but my current employer counter offered, including paying 100% for my MBA, a promotion, and putting me on the company's career fast track program. Total difference in income is staggering over the next 2 years but I can't help thinking I am giving up on the opportunity to get into consulting.Is this concern in any way valid? Can someone give me an idea of when the best time is to get into consulting, earlier in career, or becoming industry expert first and then moving? I am only 6 years into my career at the moment, consultancy is what I've wanted to passionately do since I left uni, but I made the decision that putting passion aside for now to catapult my career a bit further (and make more money) makes most sense. The pieces might fit better together once I'm done with my MBA as well?Any thoughts?

Firstly congratulations on the consulting offer and the counter offer. A great situation to find yourself in.I would say the real crunch time for you will be upon completion of an MBA. At this point consulting firms will be queuing up to hire you (assuming you've been to a top school), but that's really the last point at which it's easy to transition from outside consulting into consulting. Soon after that in a consulting career you have to start actually bringing in new business rather than just delivering on consulting engagements - and to do that requires credible experience in consulting and a strong network of contacts. Essentially there comes a point at the upper end of the Project Manager grade where it becomes increasingly unlikely that firms will appoint anyone not coming directly from a consulting employment background.So if your question is "are you closing off the option of moving into consulting if you don't take this offer now?", I would say that a consulting career move is still very much on the cards for you once you've completed an MBA from a top school. Whether you'd choose to move to consulting at this stage is a different point; often once people have got used to the remuneration that Finance offers them (and have got themselves tied into a massive mortgage, school fees, etc) then they don't or can't make the move to consulting at this juncture. One for you to keep in mind and plan for if you stay put as it sounds like you've chosen to do.Good luck and hope this helps.Tony RestellTop-Consultant.com

May or may not apply to you but food for thought anyway:http://www.forbes.com/2008/06/28/counter-offer-employer-lead-careers-cx_hr_0630counteroffer.htmlhttp://www.thewisdomjournal.com/Blog/10-reasons-i-wont-accept-a-job-counter-offer/

Thanks Tony, that is very helpful. I am being signed in for 2 years after completion of my MBA (it is indeed at a good school) so I guess at that point there will be another stressful and difficult decision to make - pay them back, or stay it out.My longer term objective is making partner in a consulting firm, the selling piece actually excites me. My current employer, however, is a fantastic company to work for, and should I choose to stay here the opportunities will not be scarce. Family / children not an issue and I don't see it being in the medium term, so it sounds like it really is going to be about money in the end, and taking the hit if required at the right time in order to get exactly where it is I want to be in 10 years from now. Chipzilla, those reads were very good, thanks - definitely food for thought. It's very situational though, and mine was a bit more complex. Thanks again.

I want to congratulate on consulting offer. Its simple if you are able to do that work you can get into consulting. Its beneficial for you and others.