Decision dilemma: staying in Milan or pursuing opportunities in Dubai?
Hi everyone,
I'm in a bit of a dilemma and could use some advice. I have already secured a job offer with Alixpartners (performance improvement) in Milan, but I am also being considered for positions at Kearney and Oliver Wyman in Dubai. I am also interested in applying to Bain and McK, but I am not sure if I should be applying to their Milan or Dubai offices. To complicate matters further, my girlfriend is currently living in Milan.
I know that ultimately this is a personal decision and it depends on my own values and priorities, but I would really appreciate some advice from those who have faced similar choices. Should I stick with the offer from Alixpartners, pursue the opportunities in Dubai, or try for Bain and McK in either Milan or Dubai? Any insights or personal experiences you can share would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Is Kearney and OW Dubai for the grad schemes?
Yes. I'm currently a master's degree student at Bocconi and I would start after graduation in October
Thank you, mind sharing the link for the OW programme as I can't seem to find it? Can PM if you want, cheers!
What is the question here? You mention your girlfriend but do not elaborate on how serious you guys are, her flexibility on relocation, etc. Milan vs Dubai is a very different debate. Italians are the second most represented nationality in the Dubai Consulting scene (distant 2nd after Lebanese), so I'm sure you can reach out to the plethora of Italian consultants who have worked at both Milan and Dubai offices to get their takes on the differences. The nature of the work you will be doing at AlixPartners will also be very different than what you'll do at ATK/OW Dubai.
Thanks for the reply and I know that the question may seem a little bit odd and not clear.
To be more specific I give a lot of importance to my relationship and I think she's "the one" (she cannot relocate because she is still studying and her future job won't permit that). The only problem is that in the past I have already gave up potential good options to remain with her (going to Bocconi instead of LSE) and I am scared that choosing once again the safe option (Alix Milan) instead of Dubai will potentially have the same effect.
Additionally, I'd want to add that I am aware of the distinctions between the work done at Alix and that done at MBB/ATK/OW. In fact, I completed an internship at Alix, and I am aware of how they are less strategic and more operational than the other management consulting firms (especially in turnaround situations). That internship was really enjoyable, and I was particularly intrigued by the pay structure they provided (quite significant bonuses).
On the other side, I am well aware that Dubai pays around 3x as much as Milan does and that the work may be more exciting due to the larger public clients and more growth/expansion initiatives. That's why I worry about missing out on a good opportunity.
So to wrap up I would like to have some opinions and advices from a personal point of view
Much clearer now. Definitely a tradeoff between personal and professional. If you do believe she is the one and you see yourself getting married within a handful of years, then I guess you should stay in Milan. You can always relocate to Dubai later on. That being said, many juniors at my firm (including Italin) do long-distance relationships. The gf/bf comes to visit every now and then, you go on summer vacations together, spend christmas and new years together, etc. UAE labor laws require 2 paid vacation days per month + 1 per year, so you have 25 vacation days per year in addition to ~10 you might get from Islamic and national holidays (depending on whether they fall to the weekdays or not). Not an easy decision given the complex nature but it’s by no means an “end all, be all” as well
Thank you very much for your response. So, aside from the relationship issue, do you think it was a significant mistake to refuse OW/ATK in Dubai and stick to AP in Milan? Because, on the one hand, I liked the type of job AP does, but I'm not sure if I'll regret my decision in the future (also from an exit opp standpoint). The other thing is that I don't see myself in Dubai in the long run (I see myself in Italy 99% of the time), so I'm not sure whether it makes sense to spend two years there and then return to Italy... What are your thoughts on this?
I believe it depends on how she is and what kind of person you are. If you are anxious/jealous, it could be a problem. Especially if she goes to clubs at night frequently. I was in the exact same situation as you (choose Bocconi over LSE) for the same identical reason. A choice that I regret everyday of my life. It did not turn well to say an euphemism. Overall, it depends on how you both are, in which time of your relationship you are, how much you trust her, how similar your lifestyles are. A good thing is to create some rules that both needs to respect and to be really open about your feelings. If she starts behaving against settled rules (not replying to messages when she goes out, going out with male friends that you do not know), try to talk openly (always trust your sensations). If she does not change her behaviour, you should close the relationship.
Overall, remember that probably in 5-10 years this choice will be absolutely irrelevant. You are the same person with incredible skills if you go to LSE or Bocconi, to Milan or to Dubai. You can always recover with determination and grit.
You know what I will do probably, but I am biased.
Take into considerations all these factors when deciding.
Hi, Bocconi student about to start the MSc Finance this year. Do you think LSE is significantly better than Bocconi in terms of opportunities in finance?
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