You have 30 seconds to speak to your 20 year old self: would you still advise yourself go into consulting?

likefunny
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No.

I’d tell him some winning lottery numbers, then tell him to invest the winnings in FAANG, and then unload, and short the market in prep for 2008.

Oh and to quietly work with a few people from NJ to “get rid” of a certain NYC property-developing “celebrity”.

likefunnyupliftinghelpfulsmart

Im sensing a major case of TDS.

likesmartfunnyhelpful

I came in as an experienced hire, a bit later in life. To this specific question, I’d tell myself to do what I did- get the specialized skills from industry and join a firm later. For me, consulting has been a great experience. Not easy, but truly something I am thankful to be experiencing.

Much like when someone gets an MBA right after undergrad, I think people don’t get the most of it when they do it too early. Or maybe it seems like they don’t appreciate it. Being able to reflect on industry experience has been great. I notice the people who come up in consulting seem to have a an almost naive consulting-centric view. It takes all types and a career journey is very personal, so this is just my opinion.

My true advice to self would be about having confidence and not taking advice from people who aren’t successful. I would have had faster success if I followed my own interests/curiosity, rather than try to do what other people thought was “right.”

likehelpfulsmart

I joined consulting straight out of college, and I totally feel like I should’ve gotten some industry specific experience. I feel lost most of the times

Recent IconRecent

No, be an investment banker and make way more money.

likefunnyupliftinghelpful

If you have a strong enough “why” for doing 2 years and moving on to something “better” (I.e PE or entrepreneurship) then I think it makes sense. But if you plan to just leave for industry, i think it makes more sense to do MBB post mba for 2-3 years: less working hours, same quality experience and branding, same exit opp. If you exit to M&A consulting from banking after 2 years, you typically come in at the post mba level for a year or 2, so you’re taking a pay cut plus a step backwards in career

Banking really makes financial sense if you plan to stay atleast VP. The first 2 years, the compensation is fairly comparable to MBB and tech PM. In addition, you’d just be paying off your student loans if you were aggressive about it around the 2 year mark. By year 3 you’re better at your job so your hours are getting better, by year 4 your compensation is much greater than your classmates, and you’re delighting more work giving you even more time. You work lifestyle and comp in year 5 compared to a Jr partner/SEnior manager in consulting is, is much better

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Screw consulting. Buy bitcoin. Sell Dec 2017. Peace.

likefunny

Think we’ll cross 10k in this month and 20k in 2020?

I’d tell myself to get in there sooner rather when I did

likesmart

I️ feel like jumping in too soon is a bad thing! I’ve felt like I️’ve had a huge disadvantage going straight into consulting from college. I️ guess the grass is always greener, but I’ve felt like I’ve been judged for getting into consulting too soon

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I’d say “man, chill the fuck out - you literally get praised for doing nothing and keep getting raises for no reason” so yes

likefunny

hahaha EY1 “just get a little communist in you and you’ll feel better”

Do the Harvard 2+2 or Yale silver scholar program. Take applying to it VERY seriously
I say this as a 30 yr old

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At that your young age you already chart at a part for yourself.
There's more time to pay it off if you loan

My 20 year old self didn’t know what consulting was and would’ve probably assumed I was a hallucination

likefunnysmart

Haha same here. Although I would tell me as soon as I hear about this consulting thing, to prepare for it and jump it. Way easier than what you are doing now and way more money.

Id tell myself to stay for 3 years, make manager then leave.

Pretty close actually to reality, although i stuck around as M for a couple extra

likesmart

Ahhh at Microsoft. Where were you before?

Continue to build discipline - work doesn’t have to be an energy draining enterprise. The focus, the challenge, the people, they are all things that bring a fullness to your life you’ll be grateful for.

Have multiple marshmallows in the fire - don’t let work be the only avenue to be productive and spark creativity. Find a hobby, it can be something serious like running marathons or more passive like collecting post stamps. Anything that makes you have an “ah ha...oh...I like this I want to learn more” sparks diversity in your life. If one of your marshmallows of life gets roasted in the flames, you have another marshmallow to lean on.

Go home to visit family more - now more than ever, cherish time with more. It’s easy to see now how squabbling in the inconveniences to actually visiting them was never a real obstacle

Formulate ideas - as silly as they are, as meaningless you’ll think they will be seen, write them down, talk about them with friends, and build upon them. You’ll be surprised how quickly a squirrel gathering nuts can build a fortune

Oh. After writing this I now realize I didn’t answer the question at all....darn. Ok squad I’m posting anyway

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Pls fix

likefunny

Yes. Buy ACN stocks. Avoid solutions. Pickup salesforce as soon as it gets introduced.

likesmart

I regret not maxing the contribution for the stock program 😭

I actually regret a lot of things and am in a position where I hate my life and the choices I’ve made. I wish so much that I could backtrack to being 20 again and I hope anyone reading this takes their career seriously.

likefunny

I joined as an analyst at 27, made manager in 4 years and managed to catch up to some of my peers. It’s never too late! However, I’d definitely recommend to think about whether consulting is suitable for you as it’s a job that literally sucks out every ounce of a someone’s energy (at least it was for me).

like

Absolutely not, I’d say try harder in Chem and go to med school. Do something useful with your life other than moving shapes for 15-16 hours a day and getting yelled at by shit head managers

likefunnyhelpful

Spot on! I should have tried harder in Chem and continued my journey to Med school.

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I’d advise the 20yr old to skip the MS in engineering at age 24, get a job right away, and then go do a MBA in my late 20s/early 30s full time before getting a management or consulting job post MBA in my 30s, instead of 20 years of engineering with EMBA and entering consulting at 42.

likesmart

LA1, thanks! Sounds like the program was well with it!

It doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t listen to a word I say.

likefunnysmart

ABSOLUTELY 😊

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I think I would too!

No, study CS + econ + psychology

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@D10 it actually is, anything complex technology related I can pick up and understand super fast especially the super abstract stuff - the hardest part is how to properly word emails to client and soft skills - which is great cause that’s what I needed to improve

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There will be a world wide pandemic starting January 2020. Short everything airlines, hotels, cruise-lines, and oil (basically everything). The ruling powers in the post-apocalyptic world will be Netflix and Amazon....

Edit: Yes

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No. I started industry, went to consulting, and just left (yesterday) to go back to industry. Wasn’t a good fit for me and saw a lot of corruption, didn’t fit my lifestyle either.

likesmart

Yup. I got into consulting fairly late (age 30). I jumped around from job to job (teacher, non profits, journalist), city to city, and even country to country through my 20s. I got paid much less compared to those who went straight to consulting. But I still ended up making 6 figures today (tripled my salary). I wouldn’t trade away my 20s for any of this consulting stuff, tho I really do appreciate my job now, at this stage of my life

likeuplifting

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