Good Morning All,
I'm hoping some of you might be able to assist me in devising a potential career trajectory into consulting. I am a recent May '09 graduate from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Finance, solid GPA, and great extracurriculars. I currently work as an acquisitions and contracting specialist for the U.S. Air Force / Dept. of Defense in the DC Metro region; however, I am very interested in one day securing a consulting job at a top tier firm. I was accepted into a DoD "fast track program" that models itself after private sector rotational leadership jobs. In four years, I'll have secured 3 levels of professional contracting certifications, a secret security clearance, and risen 6 pay grades in the time that it would normally take about 10 years. I enjoy the learning experience as of yet, but my ultimate goal is to end up in management consulting at a respectable firm.
My question is how to go about conducting this career change and where a potential graduate degree should fit in. The government is willing to pay 100% tuition if I'm interested in seeking a business grad degree; however, they do require that I work for an extra 2 years or so to "pay back my time." Since I don't want to work for the govt. forever, a top-tier <abbr><abbr title="Masters in Business Administration">MBA</abbr></abbr> is out because of the need for multiple years of practical experience. Thus, I was considering applying for a part time <abbr><abbr title="Masters in Finance">MSF</abbr></abbr> degree in the metro area (i.e. Johns Hopkins, George Washington, American, U Maryland) that could provide me with a more structured finance background, showcase my initiative to work / go to school, and help recruiters see that I am not a complacent government employee.
If I eventually go for the <abbr><abbr title="Masters in Finance">MSF</abbr></abbr> and finish the degree while gaining about 5-6 years of practical work experience, am I in a good / competitive position for a major consultancy? Or, should I not even worry about the <abbr><abbr title="Masters in Finance">MSF</abbr></abbr>, work for the full 4 years, get an <abbr><abbr title="Masters in Business Administration">MBA</abbr></abbr>, and THEN seek out employment opportunities?
Thanks so much for your help and input.
Does anyone have any recommended guidance? Should I seek out and obtain an MSF while working to gain a more quantitative skill set..or should I work five years as a govt business advisor, get all the professional certifications I can, then apply for an MBA down the road before an eventual consulting gig?
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