How to break the cycle of weak brands on resume
Currently working in corp dev / strategy at a mid-size company after burning out from IB ~ 2 years ago. As I approach my late 20s, I’ve started reflecting on my career trajectory and realizing I’ve fallen short of where I’d hoped to be by this point and have been feeling a bit stuck.
Context: started my career at a weaker IB after graduating from UT Austin. Coming from a lower middle class background, I didn’t have the $ to attend the private schools I was accepted to out of state, and while UT was a great choice financially, I felt that it was really challenging to get looks for top jobs unless i) you did WSFM, or ii) you exclusively targeted Dallas/Houston offices (did not want to stay in TX for personal reasons, so did not recruit there).
From what I’ve observed, a lot of people gain early momentum by attending a top undergraduate program or landing one of the highly competitive roles right out of school (BB/EB IB, MBB, FAANG, etc.). Without that launchpad, it feels much harder to transition later into the kinds of opportunities I’d like to pursue (ultimately looking to transition to FAANG corporate development). I've been trying to recruit for the brand name corp dev roles outside of that pipeline, but haven't been getting much traction to date.
My question: is a top business school really the only way to reset and break out of this cycle of smaller, less desirable companies? I often see people who made the leap into corporate from a strong investment banking or consulting background, and I’m not sure if I can bridge that gap without taking a step like an MBA.
Would love to hear from others who have managed to find career momentum later on, or who didn’t start with the “classic” top undergrad -> IB/MBB path. Maybe the answer is MBA but just curious to get perspectives on trying to lateral your way up vs. heading back to school to gain immediate access to selective recruiting pipelines.
The grass isn't always greener - you can see on LinkedIn that a LOT of those FAANG corp dev people leave after fairly short stints. It's banking 2.0 with lower cash comp and a lot of money tied up in RSUs
Othwewise though, yes MBA is probably your best bet in the current market. You can try and climb up the ladder by upgrading corp dev roles slowly or hoping a large cap takes a shot on you, but sounds like that has not been working for you - and in this market where firms can be extremely picky, it's likely not anything you're doing wrong
Why is corp dev at a large cap desirable? Are you trying to coast or just trying to be a prestige whore? The best CD/CS jobs are typically at smid caps since you wear all hats and do a bit of everything with startup culture and have more equity upside than you would at a large cap company. Of course you could end up being in a total shitco and bust out, but that’s the name of the game. Doing corp dev at FAANG is the opposite of an exciting job or career. Doing an expensive MBA with this as the target exit would not be a NPV+ move for you imo
Thanks for the response. From my perspective, I just want to be in an actual corp dev role where my primary function is deal execution - not fp&a, not strategy, not ops - just solely reviewing new investment opportunities for a large corporate. FAANG/large cap tech roles seem to be the best place to do this due to maturity level (huge balance sheets, capability to handle integrations, etc), and leadership's receptiveness to pursuing adjacent verticals as part of their growth strategy.
I'm currently in a role that's a bit like what you described (hybrid strategy and CD at a high growth / small company), minus the benefits of equity upside. I spend 99% of my time doing random strategy "business cases" (ie product leader wants to release a new feature and wants a couple sensitivity tables in PPT showing huge revenue uplift driven by releasing said feature) and investor relations work (playing project manager for board decks, doing random competitive benchmarking analyses for activists, etc.). I hate these other "hats" and am tired of the lack of formalized roles/responsibilities that I've experienced working at a smaller org.
Ultimately I'm really only interested in working on deals and don't want to deal with the other bs that gets thrown at you in small, high growth companies that aren't in a position to prioritize m&a, so that's what's driving my thinking.
Uh yeah sounds like you should do an MBA and get back into M&A banking then cuz the ideal role you describe is rare with that exact job description. It’s not pedigree that’s not getting you in; you don’t seem like you have enough execution experience to be qualified for a pure play internal corp dev role. Couple years as a modeling monkey then two years doing the smid cap random assortment of tasks doesn’t place you anywhere in the desirability scale for these jobs.
Breaking the cycle of weaker brands on your resume is a challenge, but it's not insurmountable. Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some actionable insights:
MBA as a Reset Button:
A top MBA program is often the most effective way to rebrand yourself and gain access to selective recruiting pipelines. Many professionals in similar situations have used an MBA to transition into FAANG corporate development or other high-profile roles. Top business schools provide:
If you decide to pursue this route, focus on crafting a compelling story that highlights your unique background, resilience, and career aspirations. Top schools value unconventional candidates who can "walk the walk."
Lateral Moves Without an MBA:
While an MBA is a powerful tool, it's not the only path. You can still lateral your way up by:
Rebranding Through Strategic Roles:
If you're not getting traction with FAANG directly, consider roles that can act as a bridge:
Mindset Shift:
It's easy to feel stuck when comparing yourself to peers who followed the "classic" path, but remember that career trajectories are rarely linear. Many successful professionals have taken unconventional routes to reach their goals. Focus on what you can control—your skills, network, and story.
Ultimately, while an MBA is a proven way to reset and gain access to top opportunities, it's not the only option. If you choose to lateral your way up, be prepared for a longer journey, but know that persistence and strategic moves can pay off.
Sources: Corporate Development Manager - Q&A, What I've learned so far after 1 yr at a top MBA program (If I could do it over):, Am I Thinking About an MBA Wrong?, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/corporate/breaking-into-corporate-development-from-non-traditional-backgrounds?customgpt=1, Q&A: Non-Target School to Portfolio Manager at a Top Hedge Fund – 6 Years Out of Undergrad
Not directly relevant to your question but based on your other comment, I’d recommend looking into roll-up M&A roles at sponsor-backed portcos.
It’s far from the “sexy” work you do at even the small-to-mid cap corporate development roles, but in my experience, this is the only CD role I’ve worked where my job was 100% pure M&A execution. We had a dedicated business development team to source proprietary deals, and we had a dedicated integration team for post-close integration work. My job was everything in between those two teams, and I never once touched investor relations, FP&A or anything of the sort. My comp was pretty damn good (and all cash) but not quite matching what I was being offered doing CD at your typical strategic, but the comp potential at the senior level is far higher.
At your typical strategic, you’ll top out at VP of CD where you’re stuck at that company’s VP-level comp scale, and a lot of your comp is tied up in equity if you’re at a public co. At roll-ups, the sponsor knows that M&A is their primary growth driver, and so you’re treated and comped accordingly - you’ll often see senior titles like “chief development officer” that reflect that. You’ll also have the opportunity to negotiate significant equity at the senior level for a shot at a right-tail outcome. My first CDO out of college had an eight-figure exit upon our sale to a large public strategic when he was only ~30 years old.
Just food for thought. My hours were ~50 hours per week (could ratchet up to banking hours during deal sprints), fully remote living in a LCOL area in a no income tax state. Life was good. I ended up leaving to join a LMM bank that often brought us deals after the sale, because I personally enjoyed advising clients and running processes more than being a buyer.
After IB, I'm aiming for FAANG in corp dev. Do I need an MBA to get started, or has anyone advanced without one?
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