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I hope some genuine people are their in Fishbowl
Just now finished my MBA, So I'm looking for a role in Finance domain and I would appreciate your support.
My focused area is Investment banking, Financial markets, Financial analysis and reporting
I know you people will help me and I'm very grateful for you guys.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/manju-ram
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How much does post MBA corporate strategy make?
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Are you selling yourself short? You may have better chances targeting more senior roles based on your previous career and your MBA. Also Alix and A&M have so many people on the older side in not very senior roles.
Thanks AP, very helpful.
Pro
I would also say the digital tag is a hot thing now in MBB. With your tech bsckground, I would look at that. It's general consulting on digital/AI proojects, so not implementation and not the coding. But the ability to interface the two worlds is a key skill not everyone has. Search for people in consulting with digital and try connnecting with them.
That’s masked age discrimination and it’s rampant in the United States. It’s even worse if you are white heterosexual male in addition to being “experienced”.
Stay calm. None of this matters. Take a breath, and evaluate your skills again those succeeding in other roles you desire. Find a mentor. Do your best, never stop doing your best, and always smile because when we die, no one cares where you worked or what you did. If they remember you, they remember how you made them feel.
Although it may not feel like it right now, you are still young, and much of your career is ahead of you. Your combination of tech with an MBA is valuable. The question is - is it in consulting? There are other careers out there in business that are both lucrative and exciting. I'm not saying to give up. Continue to knock on the consulting door. However, not everyone wants a consultant in their 20s or even 30s! Companies want people with experience in the world, and you've got that. Your career is not a mess.
So, be open to opportunities.
Agreed definitely apply to the big 4. They love to take in 40 year olds and give them a low salary and SA title. Ask for a Manager title.
Where do you live? Maybe your location is the problem.
Pro
The game has been played since forever. I scored great interviews out of B school and was told “let’s talk baseball. We like our Managers in their 20s not their 30s. We probably couldn’t afford you but you rock and good luck.” It sucks but it hurts. Especially when a team can benefit from quality mentoring.
Pro
Oh it took a some time at a tier 2 then suddenly I was MBB material and then I wasn’t (I was one lev below Partner there and truth be told I was on the wrong side of company politics). So another T2 wanted me as a Partner and how could I resist! It’s less about companies and more about relationships.
For everyone who commented or privately reached out. Thank you so much. Your offer to support means the world. I hope I can pay you back one day.
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Might need to pivot into a different career path that's not consulting. sorry, OP.
Thank you SC1 for sharing your journey. You are absolutely right. I will explore that option too.
Not sure if you're aware but the big consulting companies have been massively downsizing in the past 2 years (for sure MBB). So it's not a good timing.
The big consulting companies would also question you on why you would leave your tech experience behind?
You should try to position yourself as someone who understands tech and can do strategy. So maybe try a different personal branding/ develop a good story around what you can bring to the table!
I second this. Big-4 are downsizing and have hiring freezes in place, particularly in consulting. Timing is not good for you to get in the door.
So sorry you are going through this. I think a big issue is the timing. Consulting companies just don’t have as many projects right now. Most are also using cheaper staff in developing countries, making it harder for onshore staff to find billable hours. COVID was the extreme opposite. Anyone could find a job in these firms. They over hired and now are shedding staff.
Try a different industry. If you are set on consulting, try finding contacts you can do coffee chats with. Coffee chats have never worked for me but may click for you. And remember, knowledge is never a waste. Just because you didn’t get placed with a consulting firm, doesn’t mean this is the end of the road. You’ll land somewhere - just have to broaden your search criteria. Good luck.
Thank you. Coffee chat never worked for me either. My younger friends seem to get more traction when popping "I am interested to know more about your journey/industry". After having accomplished something (e.g. leading teams in F500 companies), I can only come across as looking for a new job.
Will keep at it. Thanks again.
Reality is that the longer you wait, the harder it is to get into consulting laterally. Not impossible though. But most firms look at potential and trajectory. Coming from industry is a bit challenging as you may not have the rigor and good habits the people grown from within have. A slow career progression also is a bit of an orange flag in an aggressive industry. If you have not reached some executive level by 40, will you make it to partner by 50? Will you be able to get on a faster pace in an up or out world? Finally, age may play a role as the industry requires stamina, long hours and potentially travel. Not saying this is right or that you cannot overcome this but this is an insider view from a lifelong consultant at different firms. There are always exceptions. Maybe focus on expert positions or specialized roles. Good luck.
Hmm. Very interesting points. Thanks for sharing. TBH, I am guilty of not exploring a wider career options early on in my career. I got in a technical role and my goal back then is to be the best at what I do. Few years later I was managing a team of experts and at one point managing cross-functional teams as a project manager. I really didn't care about company performance as much as project performance because I was at the core of the value chain.
That's been said, I agree with some of your points but I think consultants perceive others negatively sometimes. Some of the industry professionals do work 60 hours a week, work on new certifications after work, and have very critical roles.
Thank you so much for your comment. This is the common perception I needed to hear so I know how to overcome.
Would be helpful if you shared your resume and 1 paragraph of what you’re good at (expertise) and what you’re looking for. I’m sure we can then offer more specific advice
You're trying to get in while I'm trying to get out. 😂
45. I had the same issue twice. Dot com crash laid me off at PWC within 3 months back in 2002. So I waited for 8 years.
Graduating with a MBA in 2010 in the midst of the financial crisis left me at a startup consultancy where I was grossly underpaid. 2010 was when I started my consulting career.
Don't go chasing waterfalls
Just stick to the rivers and lakes that are in the woods
Rising Star
what do you do to keep resilience?
sport?
where you get energy to go on?
I do team sports 2-3X week to stay sane & fit (beach volleyball) , great topic here
What I am doing is taking the skills I have and starting my own agency. Once the rates start going down, a LOT of small businesses will be ready to hit the gas and they are not hiring McKinsey. With the MBA you got:
- marketing
- operations
- finance/accounting
- strategy
That’s all you need! Time to spread those wings and FLY!! Pick a niche, something that you won’t shut up about, and run with it!!
You have a “masters in business administration”, so it’s time to administer a business!! Right? It’s not a masters in consulting.
I say this from the perspective of doing the same thing, sans MBA, just a lot of experience and getting laid off one too many times. Good luck!!
How are you paying the bills? Look for a pivot into industry or be open to relocation. Consulting is not easy for us old ppl.
What school?
Remove experience from your resume.
I joined Accenture two years ago at age 49, so it is possible , but I really don’t recommend it. On the one hand there is no respect for all the experience, knowledge and skills you have built up, which is demoralising and erodes your confidence and self-esteem. On the other, you have a huge gap in size of network, consulting skills and a different mindset to home-grown consultants which holds you back from success. I wish every day that I hadn’t gone down this route.
For those who would ask, prior to the MBA had a very successful career in Tech and given the knowledge gap I cannot go back to either.