Finally got out of Big 4 consulting - there’s light at the end

Finally exited consulting.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, toward the end, it started to feel like a prison I couldn’t get out of fast enough.

I resigned last week from a Big 4. In my ex-firm, all leadership changed, the culture changed with it, and a lot of the growth and opportunities that were sold upfront just… didn’t really show up. It became a cycle of pushing through work that didn’t feel meaningful, in an environment that didn’t feel particularly supportive.

I tried to stick it out, told myself it was temporary, that it would get better. It didn’t. I tried year after year giving everything to the firm, but the firm gave me a 2% increase each year with no promotion.

So I started applying. A lot. For a while it felt pointless rejections, silence, second-guessing everything. You start wondering if you’re stuck or if this is just what it is.

But eventually, something absolutely amazing clicked and I got out.

If you’re in a place where consulting feels like it’s draining you and you’re trying to leave - keep going. It’s frustrating and slower than it should be, but there is a way out.