From tech burnout to MBB - how?

I'm a software architect for a technology startup that you've never heard of, in a city you don't care about. I make $100k at 27. My pedigree is non-existent because I spent most of my life failing at being a rock star, so while I have a CS degree, it's barely worth mentioning.

I'm bored, and I feel like maybe it's time to grow up. MBB seems interesting, but how to get there? Going direct seems impossible. I could go for a second or third tier firm, but then I'd take a pay cut. So then there's b-school... well, I feel like my odds of getting into a top-16 are the same as my odds of getting into MBB at this point (i.e., no odds).

I think there needs to be an intermediate step. I'm looking at sales engineering, which is fairly lucrative (typically $120k base with 30-70k bonus) and provides "business experience." Then if I get a solid extracurricular ("founder of the foundation to save the unborn gay baby whales"), do I have a shot at a top-16, and then MBB?

 

need a 700+ gmat and other outside factors that strengthen your case. Right now you're just another sheep in the herd, why should they pick you, why would you stand out against another CS guy? Y don't you jump to a more lucrative startup that has growth potential or one with at least some brand that they'd recognize. Getting into b-school is a marketing effort not an intelligence one, you need to sell them your brand and absent strong pedigree from school and company name, you are showing them crap.

 
Best Response

So you want to be a reverse John Legend (BCG associate --> rockstar )...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Legend#1978.E2.80.932009:Early_life

Intelligence is irrelevant to MBA admissions, it's all about how you sell yourself - rockstar story could be interesting, you have a real job... all the material is there. The toughest part is getting a high GMAT to draw some attention, and even that's relative; for a CS major the math should be pretty easy.

Intelligence is also irrelevant to MBB recruiting - you have formulaic case interviews which are incredibly easy if you have read the Wetfeet (or something like that) guides and practiced a bit. The tough part is getting your foot in the door coming from a non target, no recruiting, etc.

 

i wouldn't say cases are incredibly easy, they get easier after you do them more but there's no cookie cutter approach to a case, much like in real life, despite how MBB try to cultivate responses to their clients' challenges.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys.

melvvvar, when you say LT upside is greater in what I'm doing now, do you mean if I stick with engineering (which tops out at e.g. $250k at Google) or if I go down this sales path? Or something else?

Regarding GMAT, I already got a 730. I think I could do better, but I'm under the impression that would be time ill spent. Right now, I am indeed shopping around for a better opportunity.

 

yeah, hitting 200s in MBB is harder and entails a much worse lifestyle than you can imagine. what they lack in real skills (which is what you have) they have to make up in sweat. anyone in MBB who tries to tell me otherwise, please. even if you don't go the management/sales route at a goog, you have the startup option where you can take equity. you're better positioned as a techie (assuming you have actual skills) than as a management drone at MBB. the MBB guys who hit startup gold are OUTLIERS. far more of them come from the pure tech side, even big 5 tech, than MC ranks.

 

You won't make much more than USD250k in consulting anyway. Unless you despise programming, continue what you are doing. Or if it is really all about the money ,then do investment banking.

 

Are you asking whether you can get into a top consulting firm after an MBA from a top program? If so, the answer is definitely Yes. The top MBA programs have plenty of people who come from the big tech firms, and MBA programs are a great place to make a career transition. There are a number of great consulting firms who have big IT Consulting practices, which I would think recruit from your CMU masters program and there are the classic strategy consulting firms (e.g. McKinsey, Booz, Bain) that do very little IT consulting. You can go either way from a top MBA program. If Accenture et al recruit at CMU, you should look at them because they also have strategy consulting groups.

CMU has a great reputation. The key for you and anyone else trying to make a transition is to sell the transferrable skills. If analytical problem solving and teamwork are key for the job you want, you need to highlight your experiences that demonstrate that in your cover letter, resume, and interviews. It seems as if you'll still need to do some aggressive networking to try to get interviews.

Management Consulting example cover letter - http://bit.ly/R7x8U Elevator Pitch Examples - Management Consulting - http://bit.ly/4EPgQb (requires registration which is free) The Email Introductions Most Likely to Open Doors - http://bit.ly/wjaEp

Good luck!

Gotta Mentor www.GottaMentor.com Connect to the Advice & People You Need to Achieve Your Career Goals

Gotta Mentor Connect to the Advice & People You Need to Achieve Your Career Goals
 

To answer your broad question - yes I think M/B/B style management consulting firms look highly upon Program Manager style experience at top tech firms. My Program Manager internship with a top tech firm definitely helped me land a M/B/B internship, and a lot of the people I worked with came from places like Intel, Microsoft, and the like.

One thing to keep in mind - a lot of M/B/B folks are looking for exit opportunities into top tech firms! You might be able to head to a place like Google, Microsoft or Apple and make the jump from the tech side of things to the business on your own (or after b-school) without ever doing the 2-3 years of consulting.

PM me if you have any more questions or would like the details of my experience.

 

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