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I’m currently at a crossroads in my career and would really appreciate some insights from this community, especially from those who’ve made similar transitions or have experience with the programs I’m considering.
Background:
I studied computer science at a well-known university in India (non-IIT) and have been living in the UK for the past 8 years. My career has been primarily technical - I worked in ML research initially and have spent the past 5 years in applied AI at a top bank. I’ve had one promotion at my current company, but the next step up to senior leadership feels quite far away. While I’ve been a tech lead on several projects, I don’t have formal leadership experience beyond that.
The Challenge:
Here’s my dilemma - I’m finding that I don’t particularly enjoy the technical work anymore, but pivoting seems incredibly difficult given the current market conditions in the UK. Any meaningful career change would likely mean taking a 50%+ pay cut, which isn’t really feasible for me right now (currently at around £200k).
Career Goals:
In the short term, I’m looking to transition into strategy roles within tech or banking. My longer-term vision is to move into AI leadership positions or public policy roles at top companies or think tanks (either government or private sector). This is why I’m considering business school - I need to develop strategy skills and soft skills, particularly in organizational behavior.
Schools In Consideration:
I’ve been looking at UK schools, but I’m not convinced the cohorts will have many people with similar backgrounds or career aspirations to mine. This has me thinking I might need to look beyond the UK for the right program.
Currently considering:
• Wharton EMBA
• Stanford MSx
• MIT EMBA/Sloan Fellowship
• INSEAD GEMBA
But I’m wondering if I’m overlooking some strong options closer to home - what’s the real story with LBS EMBA? The cohort seems underwhelming from what I’ve heard, but am I sleeping on Oxford EMBA, the LBS-Columbia Global EMBA, TRIUM EMBA, or Booth’s London campus EMBA program?
Specific questions I’m grappling with:
• What are my realistic chances at these top-tier programs?
• Which would be the best choices given my background and goals?
• How do the practical aspects work out - cost, travel, work-life balance?
• Company sponsorship seems unlikely in my situation
• What should I be doing in the next 3-5 years to set myself up better?
• Is there a “soft pivot” I could make now? I could handle a 10-20% pay cut but nothing beyond that
Would love to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar situation or has insights into these programs, particularly around career outcomes and whether they’re worth the investment for someone in my position.
PS: I’ve also been looking at Harvard Kennedy School’s MC/MPA programs (for mid-career professionals) which seem like they could be a good fit given my interest in both strategy and public policy. Has anyone here considered or done these programs?
yeah, an emba would be a huge gain for you and help you pivot if you want to do that. and not too much effort to get it. go for a top program though.