Leaving before one year is not automatically a red flag, especially if the role is clearly different from what you were recruited to do. The explanation matters more than the exact month count.

Recruiters will want to know whether you are running from normal project frustration or making a considered move toward work that fits your goals better. A short tenure becomes more concerning when it is part of a repeated pattern.

You can frame the move around project mix, learning, and the type of consulting you want next, while still speaking positively about what you gained at the boutique.

Do not manufacture a twelve-month milestone if the current role is not helping you. Apply when the target role makes sense and prepare a concise, non-defensive explanation for the timing.

One short role is explainable. A pattern of short roles would worry me more.