🇧🇪 Should You Join a Consulting Company? The Real Pros and Cons (From a Consultant’s Perspective)

My name is Lin. I work at XX, my project is XX, and in the future I hope to become XX. What about you?

This conversation repeated itself the whole evening — like corporate speed‑dating. It was one of those typical “business update nights”: presentations, walking dinner, networking, everyone circulating with a drink in hand, rehearsing the same introduction again and again.

If you’ve ever worked in consulting, you know this scene. Consultants reconnecting with their consulting company, hoping to land a good project, hoping sales remembers their name, hoping the next assignment will be better than the last. It’s a strangely familiar ritual — half social, half strategic.

In my previous edition, I explained how consulting companies operate in Belgium — the business model, the relationships, and why this industry is so deeply embedded in Belgian corporate life.

Today, let’s flip the perspective.

If you’re job‑hunting in Belgium, especially as an international professional, you’ve probably noticed that consulting companies are everywhere. But what does it actually mean to work for one? What are the advantages? What are the hidden challenges?

After spending years in Belgian consulting firms — across multiple clients, industries, and projects — here’s the honest breakdown.

The Advantages of Working in a Consulting Company

1. A surprisingly low entry barrier

It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true: consulting companies are often easier to enter than traditional corporates.

Why? Because they need to place consultants across many clients, industries, and roles. It’s impossible to predict the exact project you’ll land on, so interviews focus less on technical depth and more on:

• communication
• problem‑solving
• adaptability
• learning ability

Hard skills? They’ll train you — often aggressively and very specifically.

In short: consulting firms hire smart people and invest in them.

2. Flexibility to explore different roles and industries

If you’re early in your career or still figuring out what you enjoy, consulting is one of the best playgrounds.

You can try:

• different roles
• different teams
• different industries
• different technologies

And you don’t need to “job hop” to do it. You simply switch projects.

After one or two years on a mission, you can tell your manager you’re ready for something new — and the company will help you transition.

3. A much larger professional network

As a consultant, you naturally meet more people:

• colleagues at the client
• colleagues in your consulting firm
• people you meet during trainings, events, and internal meetings

In the same amount of working time, you meet 1.5x more people than in a traditional job.

For internationals in Belgium, this is a huge advantage.

4. Fast skill growth

Every new project forces you to learn:

• new tools
• new processes
• new industries
• new ways of working

This accelerates your growth far more than staying in one fixed role.

It’s especially valuable for fresh graduates or career changers.

5. Access to big‑name clients

Consulting is a B2B business. Clients are usually large companies — because smaller companies simply can’t afford consultant rates.

That means you get to work at places like:

• ING
• BNP Paribas
• Proximus
• Toyota
• Deloitte
• Pfizer

When I was in consulting, internal trainings felt like reunions of people working at Belgium’s biggest companies. Everyone proudly shared where they were assigned — and swapped stories about each client’s culture.

For a young professional, this exposure is priceless.

6. A natural stepping stone

Most people don’t stay consultants forever.

Consulting is often a launchpad:

• You explore different roles
• You discover what you enjoy
• You build experience
• You build a network

Then you jump — usually to a client.

This is extremely common, and both sides usually negotiate it professionally. Burning bridges helps no one.

The Challenges of Working in a Consulting Company

Of course, no job is perfect. Consulting comes with its own set of challenges — some obvious, some hidden.

1. Interview… after interview… after interview

Even after you pass the consulting firm’s interview, you still need to interview with every new client.

Every project change = a mini job search.

It’s lighter than a full job hunt, but still requires preparation. This is why consultants tend to become very good communicators.

2. “On the bench” — the cold seat

One big advantage of consulting is that you get full salary even when you’re not on a project.

This period is called “on the bench”.

It’s not all bad — you can:

• help internally
• take trainings
• meet more people
• work on certifications

But if you stay unassigned too long, it becomes stressful:

• you’re not generating revenue
• your annual review may be affected
• your confidence may take a hit
• you might get “boreout”

Even though sales carries the responsibility, consultants still feel the pressure.

3. Lack of belonging

You gain a big network — but sometimes lose a sense of home.

At the client, you’re always “external”. Your email address literally says so. You’re not invited to internal events.

At your own company, you rarely work with your colleagues daily.

It can feel like living between two worlds.

4. Career planning is not fully in your control

Consulting companies will show you a beautiful career path. But in reality, your assignments depend on:

• client demand
• your availability
• your skill match
• timing
• and yes… your relationship with sales or management

Consulting firms genuinely try to match your ambitions — but business needs always come first.

5. Higher workload

When I was a consultant, my days looked like this:

• full day at the client
• evening meetings at my consulting firm
• internal trainings
• two inboxes to manage

It’s manageable when you’re young and energetic — and the learning curve is worth it — but it’s definitely more intense than a typical 9‑to‑5.

My Personal Experience

I joined a consulting company shortly after I graduated, at that time as a young professional, I wanted to explore, learn, and figure out what I truly enjoyed — and consulting gave me exactly that.

My second consulting job came through a personal connection. I joined with a clear purpose: use it as a stepping stone to join the client. And it worked.

So before you decide whether consulting is right for you, ask yourself:

Does this model match what you need at this stage of your career?

For many people — especially internationals in Belgium — the answer is yes.

Some Well‑Known Consulting Firms in Belgium

If you’re interested in exploring consulting roles, here are some active and reputable firms in Belgium (based on people I know and real experiences):

• Accenture
• Deloitte
• Capgemini
• Inetum
• Devoteam
• Ordina
• Sopra Steria
• TriFinance
• V-IT
• Axxes

(And many more — Belgium’s consulting ecosystem is huge.)

Final Thoughts

Consulting is not perfect — but it offers opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere:

• fast learning
• big‑company exposure
• flexibility
• a strong network
• a clear path into the Belgian job market

If you’re early in your career, new to Belgium, or still exploring your direction, consulting can be an excellent starting point.