What is an acceptable answer to the question of what you see yourself doing in "X" years or what your career plan looks like? Is it okay to say that you hope to be working in PE (maybe not anymore)/hedge fund or do interviewers expect to hear that you plan to be a lifer in IB?
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In my past interviews, I have always kinda rode the fence on that one. I usually say that I plan on doing the IB two/three year track and then going back to business school and seeing where that takes me. However, if I did really well in a firm, loved my group and was successful, and they asked me to stay on as an associate without MBA I wouldn't rule out staying with the firm and continuing to try and grow internally.
Anyone else's thoughts?
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Well this is only my opinion from interviewing a lot of people and talking with fellow interviewers.
When someone asks you that question they are trying to find out more about you the individual. Therefore, saying that you want to be there for 5 years if it all works out is a very cookie cutter bland answer.
What you want to do is a mixture of what they expect you to say and your own personality. Therefore, if you are asked this in a banking interview you went to say you are looking forward to staying there for 2-3 years (however long the program is) and then going to B-School. Now let the personality kick in because when they say 5 years they usually mean 5 years after the program so instead of having to field a question like: "How about after that?" or "What is your ten year plan?" just go out a few years from B-School.
Sample answers:
"I would like to see the buyside for a few years and then leverage that knowledge back on the sell side."
"I would like to take my business knowledge and help out the family business"
"I always wanted to own my own real estate development company"
"Bang hot chicks"
Etc
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what about non-profit/charity? would an interviewer believe me?
Haha, sad...moreso because there exists a possiblity that they wouldn't. I think it's how you spin it. It's very weird, alot of top dogs at fantastic non-profits and social enterprises have executives with previous banking experience. I think if you sold it they would buy it, but you've gotta sell it honestly (ie: that has to be what you want, or are pretty sure you want something like it). That way you don't have to BS in your interview and you can be straight up with them.
Best answer would be something like "I plan to work hard as an analyst, earn a direct promotion to associate, so that to continue with this bank in a new role"
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