Science background - wanna go into consulting
Hi everyone! As the title says, I have ~2 years of work experience in a science-related field, but my actual work has been much more on the business/strategy side rather than lab work — things like business development, technology assessment, market research, industry engagement, etc.
I’ve recently been trying to move into consulting, but I’m barely getting any interviews. I’m starting to wonder if my resume just isn’t positioned properly for consulting roles.
The other thing I’m struggling with is networking. Most of my friends and people in my existing network are also from science/technical backgrounds, so I don’t really know anyone in consulting that I can reach out to for advice or referrals.
I’m also feeling a bit discouraged because when I look at consulting job descriptions, they often mention backgrounds like business, economics, finance, engineering, mathematics, etc. I’m from a science background, so I’m wondering if I’m already at a disadvantage compared with candidates who have more traditional business degrees.
For those who have worked in consulting or made a similar career switch:
Is it realistic to move into consulting with a science degree + ~2 YOE in business/strategy-related work?
Are there actually people in consulting who came from science backgrounds?
Could the main issue be how I’m presenting my experience on my resume rather than my background itself?
What types of consulting firms/roles would be more open to someone with my profile?
And how important is networking/referrals for someone making this kind of switch?
Would really appreciate any honest advice, especially from people who have made a science → consulting transition. I’m trying to figure out whether I should keep pushing for consulting or take a more indirect route first.