Consulting Career
Should I keep a flat if consulting travel means I am rarely home?
I've just joined a consulting office where I'll be travelling most of the week and back in my home city for about two days. Some colleagues don't rent a flat and stay in hotels over the weekend instead. I can see the financial appeal, but I'm worried about never having a place that feels like home. Has anyone made this choice?
Ian’s Answer
If it helps, I also considered this decision. I ultimately decided on keeping a home. At least for me, having a home base to put my things, relax/recover in on the weekend, see familiar faces at etc. definitely kept my sanity. Most people I know have a home base, though I have heard of a few people calling their hotel home.
That being said, I was travelling to a city where I knew noone and I was very far away from my home country - if I had travelled to a number of other cities where I knew people, had a parent's home I could store my stuff in, and perhaps started BCG at a younger age I probably could have done it!
I think that the benefits also play a bigger impact lower down the food chain. For example, the returns on this decision are very high on the lower wage of Associate, however, at Project Leader level this probably doesn't make sense!