36.3 Career development

The great diversity of career structures in consulting firms reflects their different history, size, technical areas covered, consulting modes used, and even personal preferences of the key decision-makers. But certain patterns emerge from this diversity.3

In large firms, the consultants progress through four or five principal grades, or ranks, during their career. Small firms use only two or three grades. In pursuing flatter and leaner structures, some large firms have also reduced the number of rungs in their consultants’ career ladders.

Career progression implies that the consultant will take on more responsibility, which can be:

●supervisory (team leadership, project management, supervision of assignments);

●promotional (management surveys, marketing, negotiation and selling of new assignments);

●managerial (managing organizational units in the firm, functions in general and top management);

●technical (directly performing assignments that require particularly experienced and knowledgeable consultants, training of new consultants, development of methods and practice guides);

●various combinations of these four alternatives.

A summary description of a typical career structure is given in box 36.2.

Factors affecting careers

In a typical consulting career there is a significant relationship between progression in rank and role. A higher rank means a more difficult role and more responsibility. The relationship is not the same in all firms. Some prefer a conservative approach, whereby precisely defined functions are assigned to each rank in the consulting hierarchy. Thus, only a consultant of a high grade would negotiate with a potential client. In contrast, many firms are increasingly flexible in deciding what consultants can and should do, irrespective of rank. For example, a consulting project may be managed by an individual in any of the four principal grades (starting at the operating consultant level), depending on the scope of the project and the capabilities of the individual. These firms encourage young operating consultants to assume responsibility for more difficult jobs and for managing assignments, and thus to expand their capabilities, as soon as possible after joining the firm. Even consultants with relatively little experience are encouraged to manage projects, present results to clients, and take initiative in working with clients.

Career advancement is based above all on achievement. As seniority is difficult to ignore, individuals who cannot demonstrate high achievement are encouraged to move on. If they stayed, they would see their younger colleagues