Up-or-Out

The convention that failing to be promoted within a window means leaving the firm. In practice most firms handle it as a supported transition over months, because a former consultant inside a client organisation is worth more than a resentful leaver.

Where Up-or-Out comes up

The Consulting Industry: How It Is Structured and How It EarnsThe economics explain the career. Understand the pyramid and the billing model, and up-or-out, the hours and the hiring volumes all stop being mysterious.Read the guide — 10 min The Consulting Career Path, Analyst to PartnerThe ladder is unusually explicit and unusually short at the top. Most people are meant to leave, and the industry is built around that.Read the guide — 10 min

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Consulting interview prep

Related Consulting terms

Leverage Model Utilisation Engagement Commercial Due Diligence Personal Experience Interview Value Creation Plan

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Browse the full glossary — 216 finance recruiting and technical terms, in plain English.