I have been accepted at HBS/GSB for fall entry, and I want to figure out how to best position myself for the post-MBA job that I want, which is one of the two below:
- Working at a PE or VC firm on the operational side (something like KKR Capstone would be an example)
- Getting on the general management track in an industry job (P&L responsibility)
My background:
- Non-target undergrad state school; engineering degree
- 2 years of management consulting at a non-MBB
- 3 years of corporate strategy and "M&A" at a household name F500 (1.5 years in US headquarters, 1.5 years as an expat in a BRIC market)
The drawback that I see myself having for PE/VC is that I have never worked in investment banking or private equity. My experience in "M&A" at the F500 is 100% focused on the strategic and operational side of M&A (evaluating potential operational synergies, developing roadmaps for integration, due diligence of capabilities, etc.), not the investment side and modeling. Additionally, my company is not very acquisitive, so I've only really worked on 3 "deals" (2 joint ventures and one merger - only 1 of the joint ventures actually happened). Since I am not interested in the investment side of PE/VC, is my experience truly a big drawback?
As for general management, I have no idea where to even start. One path I see is starting in PE/VC and transitioning to a role at a portfolio company. If I don't start in PE/VC, how do I head towards a general management job? The general managers at my current company basically stuck around in functionally-focused roles until a general management spot opened up, or came up through the sales organization.
My questions are:
1. Am I overreaching?
2. What can I do during my MBA to best position myself?
3. What should I target for my summer internship?
4. What kind of companies should I look at for my summer internship and full-time recruiting?
Thank you all for your help!
Nothing, guys?
It's totally possible. My friend worked with me at a BB for two years in M&A then went onto corp dev at a big tech firm such as Google/Apple/Intel before attending GSB. He busted his ass networking every day with PE/VC funds and now is an Operating Advisor at one of the largest technology PE funds with no PE experience before business school. It took him several months after graduation before he landed an internship with this fund which turned into a job 6 months later, but it was well worth it for him.
Anyone else have anything on this topic?
The general management track will be much easier and is a pretty straightforward process at many F500 companies. Not sure what exactly you mean by general management but there are a ton of F500's with leadership development programs that expose you to various areas of the business and end with you owning a small P&L. From there you continue to get moved to bigger businesses if you do well. The critical piece is to recognize what the lead function is (is it a manufacturing company, a marketing company, a sales company, etc.) so that 15 years from now you're on track to be the business leader not the right hand.
If you are thinking you want to come out of b-school on the executive team of a company anywhere near F1000 you're kidding yourself, that will take 20 years. Startup land is where that's possible.
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