In this episode of Exiting Academia, I sit down with someone who made a move that a lot of humanities PhDs are curious about: going from a PhD in Comparative Literature into consulting at Bain. We talk through what that transition actually looks like—how you translate a research-heavy, writing-intensive doctoral background into the kind of problem-solving, client-facing work consulting demands. I also dig into the mindset shift that has to happen when you stop optimizing for academic signals and start communicating value in industry terms. Along the way, I highlight the practical pieces that matter most: how to tell your story without apologizing for your field, how to reframe “soft” skills as measurable impact, and how to approach networking and recruiting with intention. If you’re a grad student or PhD who’s been wondering whether consulting is realistic (especially from the humanities), this conversation is meant to give you a clearer map—what to emphasize, what to stop over-explaining, and how to build a credible path to what’s next.