Hey guys
I'm a computer science graduate (should explain a lot) who recently picked up some knowledge on business/finance careers. One that kept interesting me was management consulting. I'm a 25 year old software engineer working in silicon valley, and I want to switch into management consulting. I'm planning on going to a top 10 business school.
The problem is that I'm not very social. One thing I've noticed is that most people working in business/finance are naturally outgoing and social, which I'm not. I'm not bad at all when it comes to communicating thoughts and ideas and I don't mind talking to people, but I prefer being alone since that's how I get my energy.
Do people like me exist in consulting? Any advice would be appreciated.
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Yes, they exist. But I notice the outgoing ones are the most successful. Management consulting requires client facing at some point if not from the start, after all. This is why all firms and business schools require interviews.
My MBB has of course gone and dug up the data for this question (well, a more complex question but this is one part of it). The bad news for you is that extroverts are >80% of the intake. The good news is that the % of introverts increases through the grades and is significantly higher in the partner population.
One possible conclusion is that extroversion helps you get in, is great at building a network etc. early on, and can help in team / client settings. As you get more senior however there is increasing scope for the kind of insights that introverts are prone to having, and the high-energy bouncing off the walls extroversion is annoying more than anything for someone trying to be a mentor to a CEO.
It really depends. I am a introvert (meaning I get energized by spending time alone vs get energized through talking to people) but know how and when to be outgoing. At the analyst/consultant level, you primarily need to kick ass through building accurate models & improving your powerpoint / storyboarding. Yes, it's important to be able to socialize with partners/managers and your clients, but you don't need to be mr popular.
Extroverts win in the game of life. Just how it is.
You have to force yourself to be outgoing in spurts. I know that introverts get overstimulated more easily, so try to keep your "outgoing time" brief and meaningful, while using the rest of the time to recharge. You don't need to be outgoing all the time, or a basket case. Find some middle ground slightly outside your comfort zone.
Consulting is client facing so extroverts do much better. There are plenty of roles in finance that are not client facing - in the investment management business there isn't much extroversion needed period. The great HF guys aren't huge extroverts - David Einhorn especially. And in AM - the function is actually separated, you have standalone marketing guys that pitch the funds.
Why try to force extroversion in a client facing role? Play to your strengths - you can get rich and be successful no matter what your disposition.
At the core, I'm confused why you want to move into consulting and finance in the first place. Silicon Valley is roaring back - the internet of things, big data - unless Elon Musk's SpaceX venture takes off and ushers in a new age of exploration, we're going to see most of the growth from technology. It's the one sector that continues to perform well. Why not focus on making the transition to a product manager/product marketing role and rise to a management role within a large tech company/found your own startup? Your experience will be looked on as a positive (rather than a negative in finance/MBB) and it might be more lucrative.
From what I've heard from senior people in HR, E, N, T/J, P is the typical consultant profile
Introverts, especially those that test for the NT B/M type, tend to be very analytical and this helps with consulting work. I score on the far end of introversion, but I have roles in sales, marketing, and bartending. Personally, I need time alone or with someone I know very well to recharge, so I read in the morning and go to the gym. Yes, sometimes by the end of the day I'm exhausted from too much talking/chatter, but I tend to focus what I say and not need to ramble on as much as the others.
Interoverts can do just fine, it's just a matter of doing what you enjoy. The other thing is this: "people skills" isn't just having the gift of gab, it also means LISTENING. Introverts are much better listeners and pick up on a lot of subtle cues that motormouths tend to be oblivious to. So, it can be turned into a big advantage. Think about the last time some moron prattled on to a and they were rolling their eyes thinking "Oh for the love of god, shut the hell up already and pay attention".
Extroverts like to mouth off and say that they rule business and life, but being loud about something doesn't make your right. Look at people like Warren Buffet whose unassuming style and attention to detail has made them filthy rich. I'm sure he's sat through plenty of meetings with loud people who make far less money, and likely don't really know what they're talking about.
Both types can do well, you just have to find your personal style over time and the right job and coworkers. Also realize that time changes a person, and the LABEL of introversion is by no means an objective truth, just a person's attitude towards life at that point in time. My test results have changed over time, yours will as well.
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