Consulting vs. Industry: What They Don’t Tell You About Big 4 Exits
On expectations that didn’t quite meet reality…
By Dorothy Ng - a former Big 4 consultant navigating the pivot to industry life. This is a reflection on what’s lost, what’s learned, and what it means to grow into your next chapter.
Every junior associate - and I mean every single junior associate - in public practice says that they can’t wait to make senior associate so that they can go to industry, get more work life balance, and get paid more to do less (says their peers). But is the grass really greener on the other side?
I’m a former Big 4 consultant who spent over half a decade (and yes, I was one of those juniors who proclaimed, “I’m going to leave to industry when I become a Senior Consultant!” and somehow I blinked, and became a Manager in EY Canada’s Technology Strategy & Transformation Practice) growing my career at EY. I advised clients on IT strategy, agile transformation, and enterprise risk management, and found deep purpose in mentoring others and building inclusive, diverse teams… I loved it so much, but it also took a lot of out of me, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
In late 2024, I made the leap to industry to build an IT strategy function from the ground-up and explore new ways of working from the inside out. I wanted to gain operational experience and get my hands dirty in building something after years of sitting on the outside.
The transition has been eye-opening - not just professionally, but personally.
Leaving the Big 4 for industry felt like the right next step - and in many ways, it still is. However, not every “dream move” lives up to the dream. And sometimes, what we think we’ll love… just doesn’t hit the way we imagined. I came in with expectations… some were met, some were exceeded, and some fell oh-so-short.
The corporate equivalent of lukewarm clam chowder with overcooked seafood.
"It's just hot ocean milk with dead animal croutons!” - Eleanor Shellstrop, The Good Place (Season 2)
Mentally, where I aspired to be.
Here are five of the things I have realized since my transition to industry. Shared not to throw shade, but to show that even smart, well-timed career moves come with their own quiet surprises. Putting this into writing was a very cathartic exercise for me.
Slower Days = Better Balance… Right?
Deep Work Without Distraction
Being an Individual Contributor Again
Escaping the “Up or Out” Mentality
Feeling Like an “Insider” at Last
1. Slower Days = Better Balance… Right?
I thought I’d love the slower pace of industry. After years of high-pressure deadlines, stacked calendars with back-to-back calls, and evening/ weekend deck reviews, I assumed my nervous system would thank me. Industry gave me time and space to pursue some new hobbies, such as pottery, colouring, and different styles of dance. I also caught up on 6 years of sleep debt.
I’m thankful for what industry gave me outside of work.
But what I didn’t anticipate was how much energy I got from being needed in fast bursts. The hustle wasn’t just draining - it was oddly motivating. Slower days gave me more time, but they also gave me… emptiness. And over time, that emptiness turned into restlessness.
Turns out, balance to me is less about hours worked - and more about the meaning and output behind those hours.
2. Deep Work Without Distraction
One of the selling points of my current role was the ability to focus. No endless context-switching, no juggling five clients and project teams at once, no split attention.
But there’s a flip side to deep focus when you’re a team of one: isolation. I now spend most of my time in a silo - not because I’m antisocial (although I do have my introverted moments), but because the structures around me aren’t yet built for inclusion or collaboration.
I wanted to love the solitude. But sometimes, it just feels like silence.
3. Being an Individual Contributor (IC) Again
I used to say I missed being close to the delivery work… the hands-on, strategic thinking that sometimes got lost when managing people. The quiet comfort of building decks with #PPTjuice and a cozy, lo-fi jazz playlist in the background. Time and white space to truly strategize and think about the impact of my recommendations. The joy of storytelling.
So I welcomed the chance to go back to delivery.
What I didn’t realize? I also missed leading. Coaching. Empowering. Creating space for others to grow.
Stepping out of a people manager role gave me clarity, but it also gave me grief. I didn’t just let go of responsibilities. I let go of a version of myself I really liked.
4. Escaping the “Up or Out” Mentality
One of the hardest things about public practice is the ladder. You’re always moving - toward promotion, partnership, or burnout (ha ha ha…). It’s a ruthless, cutthroat environment and “up or out” is the norm. Coming to industry, I looked forward to being in a space that wasn’t obsessed with hierarchy (and "the grind”).
But now I see the other side: without visible pathways or structured mentorship, growth becomes invisible. Vague. You’re not being pushed - but you’re also not being seen. They aren’t kidding when they say that in some organizations, a promotion only occurs when someone moves internally or leaves the company.
It turns out, I liked the pressure of being pushed. I liked having a coach, a champion, a track to run on. I thought I’d love the freedom, but it feels a little too free floating.
5. Feeling Like an “Insider” at Last
When you’re a consultant, you’re always slightly on the outside. You bring the solutions, but you’re not in the system. I thought going in-house would finally give me that coveted sense of ownership. But ironically, I’ve never felt more on the outside.
There are cliques I can’t break into - either because I’m “too junior,” “lack seniority at the company,” or “these decisions need to come from leadership.” Decisions made without me. Rooms I’m not invited to - not because I can’t contribute, but because I haven’t been woven into the rhythm of the place.
I wanted to feel like I belonged. But sometimes, I just feel like a reluctant +1 to a distant relative’s wedding.
So… Now What?
Transitions are complex. Industry isn’t “worse” than consulting - it’s just different. Some things land. Others don’t. The key, I’m learning, is to hold space for both.
I’m still glad I made the leap so that I can navigate my career without any regrets. But I’m also allowing myself to grieve the things I thought I’d love… and didn’t.
