Mastering Career Transitions in Consulting
Why they can be hard and how to get them right
In the world of consulting, career transitions are a constant. Whether you’re joining the profession for the first time, stepping into management, or taking on sales and leadership responsibilities, each shift brings new challenges, expectations, and skills to master. These transitions aren’t just promotions - they’re strategic investments made by consulting firms, designed to help individuals grow and contribute at a higher level.
However, transitions can be difficult, even for high-performing consultants. Many professionals struggle to leave behind the comfort of expertise in their old role, while firms sometimes unintentionally hinder progress with statements like, "Just finish this project first" - prioritising short-term project needs over long-term development. This misalignment between strategic intent and day-to-day management can significantly impact transition success.
So, how can consulting firms ensure successful transitions? And how can individuals navigate these career shifts effectively? This article explores why transitions are tough and how to support people through them, drawing on McKinsey’s Influence Model as a framework for success.
What do we mean by ‘Transitions in Consulting’?
A transition in consulting refers to a significant role change that requires new responsibilities, skills, and ways of working. Some of the most common transitions include:
1. Entering consulting for the first time
Graduates or MBA hires moving from academia to consulting.
Experienced professionals shifting from industry into consulting.
2. Stepping into management
Leading projects for the first time.
Managing junior consultants instead of just delivering work.
3. Leading clients and contributing to firm leadership
Creating greater impact in client organisations, managing complexity and ambiguity.
Balancing firm-wide responsibilities with personal consulting work.
4. Taking on greater BD and sales responsibility
Shifting from delivery to selling work and managing client relationships.
Carrying sales targets and commercial accountability.
Each of these transitions represents a significant investment of time, money, and trust by the firm. Getting them right is critical—both for individual career success and for ensuring the firm sees a return on its investment.
Why transitions are challenging
Despite being strategic decisions made by firms, transitions often prove more difficult than expected. Here’s why:
1. Leaving the comfort zone
Most consultants are experts in their current role before transitioning. Moving into a new position means losing that expertise, stepping into uncertainty, and facing imposter syndrome1 or self-doubt. It can feel more comfortable to linger in the realms where you’re already capable.
2. Mixed messages from Leadership
Even when firms promote individuals into new roles, immediate project pressures often take priority. Leaders may inadvertently undermine transitions with phrases like:
“Just finish this project first—we’ll focus on your new role after.”
This has a detrimental impact as it slows progress (for the firm and individual) and creates confusion about expectations.
3. The need for new skills
Every transition requires new capabilities, whether it’s:
Leadership and team management skills for first-time managers.
Sales and client relationship-building skills for business development roles.
Strategic thinking and firm leadership capabilities for senior roles.
For a transition to be successful, firms must be deliberate in how they support consultants through them. It’s easy for this to get lost in the focus on client work and pace of day-to-day delivery.
How to support consulting transitions: a proven framework
One of the most effective ways to guide career transitions is through McKinsey’s Influence Model, which outlines four key elements for driving successful change:
1. Fostering understanding and conviction
People need clarity on why the transition matters and what success looks like. This means:
Clearly defining the role – Beyond job descriptions, firms should provide competency frameworks and mindset expectations.
Ensuring leadership alignment – Senior figures must reinforce the transition and avoid mixed messages.
2. Reinforcing with formal mechanisms
Firms should put structured support systems in place, including:
Regular feedback mechanisms to track progress and identify roadblocks.
Backfilling previous responsibilities to ensure individuals aren’t pulled back into their old role.
Measurable success metrics i.e. tracking key data points, such as CRM activity for business development roles, utilisation shifts for leadership transitions, internal surveys to assess role alignment.
3. Developing talent and skills
Transitions aren’t just about mindset shifts—they require skill development. Firms should:
Identify critical new skills – what’s needed for success in the new role?
Address individual strengths and gaps – each consultant will have different learning needs.
Create safe spaces for discussion – individuals should feel comfortable voicing concerns about their new role.
Offer structured training and simulations – real-world practice builds confidence before stepping into the role fully.
4. Role modelling from Leadership
Senior consultants and firm leaders must demonstrate the behaviours they expect from those transitioning. This includes:
Supporting rather than stalling transitions – avoid asking new managers or sales leads to keep doing their old role “just for now.”
Holding themselves accountable – defining what leaders will do differently to support transitions.
Recognising and rewarding progress – actively encouraging new behaviours and acknowledging growth.
By applying these four principles, firms can ensure that career transitions aren’t just promotions on paper, but successful shifts in practice.
Final thoughts on making transitions work
Successfully navigating transitions in consulting requires intention, structure, and support. Whether you’re an individual stepping into a new role or a firm guiding a team through career progression, getting it right matters.
Key takeaways:
1. Transitions are hard because they require leaving the comfort zone, developing new skills, and overcoming leadership misalignment.
2. Consulting firms must put formal mechanisms in place to reinforce transitions, from backfilling old roles to tracking performance metrics.
3. Leadership plays a crucial role—supporting, role modelling, and holding themselves accountable for successful transitions.
If you’re facing a transition—or helping others through one—ask yourself: Are we supporting this shift in the right way? If not, now’s the time to start.
At Honeycomb Consulting Skills Training, we specialise in helping consulting firms navigate career transitions. If you want some help thinking through the challenges your firm is facing, or you think some training support would be valuable for your team, please use the links below to get in touch with us. We are always happy to talk.
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An excellent resource for those wanting to explore Imposter Syndrome in more depth: https://impostorsyndrome.com/