I would be extremely grateful for advice about starting as a consultant from being an experienced professional from another field. Mine is currently a professional training / coach / advisor to charities and non-profits. 36 years old looking for a life shaking challengeAdvice welcome

wow. i would suggest an mba at a top 5 school if youre serious. I really hope you understand that its more of an erthquake change than a shake.

If you've got a wife/LT partner and/or kids, this is a decision to take very seriously. The impact of you being away from home 3-5 days a week should be discussed at length before making the change.Not sure that I agree about the MBA, but without knowing more on your background and ambitions, it's hard to tell.Good luck...

I agree - it can be tough - the entry barrier at 36 with no consulting experience may also mean you have to shine with general skills in any assessment / interview.

You'll get a job- but agree with the above,think very hard as the bottom end of the consulting ladder can mean a lot of time away from home until you establish your network, build a client list etc and can get on the jobs you want.MBA isn't neccessary unless you want to go to one of the big strategy houses- and they may not like your charity background.If you're sure this is what you want to do, I'd recommend you start looking at some of the mid-size to niche firms with strong public sector teams... find out a recruiter's name, then call then up and have a chat. Good luck!