I have 5.5 yrs of experience as an engineer - I am not a traditional type of engineer though, as I have mostly been involved in cost evaluations and scenario modelling (using Excel/VBA and sometimes a bit more of intense programming and SQL). I have been re-evaluating my career path as I increasingly find that in my line of work (or it might just be my current employer) in order to progress your career further, say above a manager position, you only really need to be good at bullshi*ing and delegating, and your performance is not really judged by your technical skills or capability to deliver. I have seen so many managers who would just delegate a very difficult piece of analytical work (that they don't understand) to poor graduates, who would be staying till 9pm to finish while the managers are all gone home at 5:30pm. And because the managers don't even understand what it actually takes to get the job done, they don't really appreciate the graduates' effort.I have been lucky enough to receive an offer from a big4's consulting group recently. I would say there is not much of financial benefit as the salary they are offering is actually slightly lower than my current salary (the position offered is pretty junior, as I have no experience in consulting, where as I have been on a relatively good advancement track so far). However, I would just love to quit my current job because 1) I don't want to continue to work for incompetent managers; and 2) I would at least be judged fairly.Based on what my friends in consulting tell me, I understand that in consulting, although you still have to work very hard for long hours, you at least work with managers who are knowledgeable and your performance is judged more fairly.I would just like to know if the grass IS greener - or am I being a bit too hopeful that things would be different in consulting?Thank you.

This is a wind up right?If not then I feel for you, because despite the fact that you could not be more wrong, you should probably take the new job anyway as it would get you out of job you clearly hate.There are few industries where bull$hit and blithely delegting to harder working junior employees are more the norm than in MC!!

Your "friends in consulting" are spinning you a yarn. However, a change is as good as a cure, so you might as well apply to consulting jobs and see for yourself.

It didn't mean to be a wind up, sorry if it came across as such.So would you say the grass is not really greener in consulting? If that is the case, I might just quit my current job and find another in the same field. What factors would you say most critical to a successful consulting career? The particular team I was offered the position was strategy modelling team, and I was hoping it was your analytical problem solving skill that was most important (well, along with team work and communication skills).Any advices / insights would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Wait, don't let two people on this forum deter you from making a career choice.What is said in the posts above is correct. MC is renown for junior members working the hardest as a result of delegation of tasks from above.However, this is going to be be like this everywhere you go. If I am reading between the lines of your post, your dissatisfaction with your current employer does not seem to be due to the inequity of hours worked as such, rather the incompetence of management.You can safely assume in consulting, managers [or at least the majority of them] will be switched on and that the gene pool overall will be higher than that of where you are working [to be clear: no due to MC being smarter than industry managers; rather, in MC if people do not perform, they get pushed out - hence there is little dead weight]MC is aggressive by virtue of its culture of up or out; hence do not expect appreciation for the hours you will put in but do take comfort in knowing that if you are good and you perform, you will be promoted without doubt. Unlike industry, you do not need to wait for a vacant seat above you to be promoted and you are not as subject to office politics [there is however in MC, just like anywhere else, a significant element of a*** kissing...]So to cut the story short, if you are after an environment, which rewards effort and performance [e.g. meritocracy] and an environment, which will constantly push you to stretch and grow; then MC is worth considering.Furthermore, a big 4 name on your CV is also a bonus.