Do I Still Want to Do Consulting?

When I started this project, my plan was simple:

Interview CEOs → learn about consulting → land an internship → become a consultant.

Pretty straightforward.

But somewhere between interview #1 and #20, my focus shifted.

I realized it wasn’t just about consulting. It was about business itself. How companies actually operate. How leaders really think. And how AI is quietly reshaping industries in ways I never expected.

The funny part? I began with the goal of securing that “dream internship.” Now, I’m not sure that’s the most important thing I gained. Maybe not even what I want most anymore.

What I Saw Up Close

Conversations with leaders at Orkla, Vy, Storebrand, NorgesGruppen, and many others gave me a rare vantage point one that even experienced consultants don’t always get.

It was a crash course in how things really work:

• The behind-the-scenes trade-offs you never read in reports.

• The subtle ways AI is transforming logistics, marketing, and infrastructure.

• The fact that leadership doesn’t feel the same across sectors a grocery chain, a bank, and a tech firm each demand something different.

I went in curious about consulting. I came out curious about industries themselves.

Some meetings left me thinking, “I could see myself here.”Others made it clear how dramatically a sector can shape your daily life.

Each CEO conversation was like a glimpse into a possible future version of myself. That perspective has been just as valuable as anything I learned about consulting.

Consulting Isn’t the Only Path

I used to think consulting was the only way to get a 360° view of business, the only role where you could learn fast, see across industries, and make an impact.

This project proved otherwise.

By reaching out, asking questions, and building something of my own, I realized there are multiple paths to that vantage point.

Consulting still excites me.

But so do retail, energy, tech, and transportation.

And that realization makes consulting more appealing, because I wouldn’t choose it by default, but because I see where it fits.

The Shift Happening Now

AI isn’t just changing consulting. It’s changing what clients expect.

They still want senior, trusted advisors.

But they’re also looking for younger consultants who bring new thinking and AI fluency.

Research and due diligence are increasingly automated. What matters now are the skills machines can’t replace: creativity, problem-solving, and strategic judgment.

Which means the challenge for people like me isn’t just getting into consulting. It’s preparing to succeed in roles that are being redefined in real time.

So… Do I Still Want Consulting?

Yes. Probably.

But with an asterisk.

Because what I want most isn’t just to carry the title. It’s to be in the rooms where big questions are asked. To sit across from leaders shaping industries. To keep learning at a pace that feels a little uncomfortable and a lot exciting.

That could be in consulting. But it could also be in tech, energy, finance, or something I build myself.

If this project taught me anything, it’s that the most interesting careers don’t start with certainty. They start with curiosity.

— June