Hey everyone,
I've been doing a lot of research regarding post-grad jobs, but my career goals are to one day run my own company. What kind of job/specific job would be best to prepare myself for that kind of endeavor (other than starting your own business/start-up)? I've heard management consulting but also the GE FMP program for instance, but I just wanted to hear what you all had to say.
Thanks
I don't think anything prepares you well for entrepreneurship. If, on the other hand, your goal is to run someone else's company (i.e. F500 CXO), management consulting at MBB is by far your best bet.
Most execs will tell you to start in sales (in whatever industry you aspire to work in). You get to know the product/company/industry starting at ground level. More importantly, you learn how to sell yourself effectively to clients and bosses.
As others have said, do you want to run your own or someone elses company. I actually am doing it the unconvetional way with the plan of running my own business. I currently work in supply chain to understand how things work. In 2 years I plan on transferring back to finance (although I used to work in EY TAS GROUP) and then in year 6. Start my business. I am constantly doing market research as well so I can adjust my strategy to accomadate changing needs and demands.
I think ideally I'd run my own company. Your plan sounds pretty great -- trying to get a different perspective from a "ground level" and working your way up with that acquired knowledge and understanding.
Let me take a stab at it (correct me if I'm wrong):
Leaderships gigs like GE FMP is a great program for this type of work. I'm planning on going down that route.
CEOs these days come from the strangest backgrounds. There is not really any straight path.
Do what you like to do.
I'm sure I am over simplifying, but if you had to bucket all the fortune 500 companies into where there CEO's come from surely the mode is entrepreneurship (they founded the company that is now a fortune 500 company) i.e. Steve Jobs, Larry Page, Michael Dell
If you don't think you can found a company that is going to be a fortune 500 company I assume your best bet is strategy consulting so m/b/b and then probably elite boutiques or places like GS/MS/JPM.
Thanks for the feedback. I would respond that ideally I'd like to get some experience first doing tasks that would not necessarily be glamorous but is a great way to gain insight into the deeper levels of running a business and how one operates. I've heard GE FMP is great for that, for instance.
Their is no set path. That's the point of running your own business. The same goes for climbing the corporate ladder. Certain paths are better than others, but I'd say not a single first job in the world has any statistical significance over any other first job for you to be able to one day run your own company.
I'm curious if anyone has a thought not on the best path to becoming a C-suiter, but what is the best way to learn how an industry works. Is the common theme starting at the bottom and learning from the grunt work? (Banking= Analyst; Retail= Salesmen; McDonalds= Fry Cook) Or consulting for that industry? Or running the financials for a company in that industry?
Ut provident eligendi quia eos doloribus vitae provident. Harum earum sequi aliquid labore voluptas mollitia. Perferendis repudiandae labore maxime alias.
Accusamus animi et commodi sit ut eos. Cumque rerum et deleniti ea sapiente id fuga. Et ex animi accusamus. Unde saepe molestiae reprehenderit tempora. Accusamus magni qui placeat quasi.
Quia ipsum asperiores molestiae ab qui aut. Nemo qui nostrum vero ut omnis placeat nisi.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...