I am currently in my second year as analyst at a respected tier 2 consulting firm (think OW, LEK, or Deloitte S&O). I am considering taking a Corporate Strategy position at a department store retailer, and am trying to think through how this would affect my b-school chances. Below is how I am currently thinking about it, and I welcome any thoughts or advice. Also happy to provide further details if there are questions.
Background:
1) The bulk of analysts from my current firm go to lower tier MBA business schools">M7 schools, with smaller numbers making the cut at H/S/W or falling to schools like top 10 or top 15 schools.
2) I have gotten consistently high performance ratings, and would likely be offered sponsorship for an MBA
3) 750 GMAT, 3.95 GPA in econ from top 15 undergrad, decent but not outstanding extracurriculars (club leadership in college, some volunteering, leadership positions at work)
PROS (of taking the new job):
1) Retailer is doing well right now, has outperformed its competition over the last several years
2) Retail is an industry I am very interested in, I think I will learn a ton in a short period in the new job
3) There are some things I really don't like about my current job, primarily having to do with being forced into some crappy projects where I am not learning much
4) Taking a corporate strategy job BEFORE b-school allows me a safety net, if I decide I want to go back into consulting or try something else afterwards
5) There is some potential that I love the job/company, don't need or want an MBA, and never look back
CONS:
1) Although I would be leaving by choice, the timing might make it look like I was counseled out
2) Retailer would not financially support an MBA (but would provide recs etc.)
3) I would likely burn my bridges at the consulting firm (with regard to recommendations and/or future employment)
4) My firm offers me good structured opportunities to demonstrate leadership (i.e. committees etc.) , not clear that such opportunities exist at the retailer, due to the small size of the corporate strategy group
5) Retailer is in a much more expensive city than I currently live in
bump
You bumped something someone else posted less than an hour ago, weirdo.
I think you pretty much laid out the choices here. You can definitely make this part of your BSchool story if you want/need to. That said, passing up on sponsorship if you're doing well in your current role (which you are) would be tough for me personally.
bump
Do you contemplate going back to your current firm? If so, then stay, get sponsored, and explore with the MBA summer internship.
If you don't want to be a consultant anymore, go for it. You have a good enough profile that you can get $$$ from an M7 (including HSW, they are good at giving $).
I know that some firms will let you apply to their tuition assistance program, and then let you go work somewhere else with the knowledge that you can still be sponsored for b-school if you are willing to come back. I would see if that is part of your firm's sponsorship program.
^ makes a good point. Check that out and see - depends on the firm.
What are your post-MBA goals though? I think it, quite simply, comes down to that. Do you want to go back into consulting after? If so, I'd bite the bullet and stay at your job, get sponsored, and go to a great business school with no recruiting pressure. If you're goals are more to work in F500 in retail, or even something somewhat similar (CPG), then I'd take it and see how it goes. You're more than qualified enough to get in to a good school with either job, so I don't think you should worry about it affecting your overall chances of admission.
I wouldn't do it just to take a break from consulting before school. It wouldn't be worth it to go all the way through recruiting again. If it's in line with your longer term goals, though, I would jump at it. As you said, you may not even need b-school if it goes well.
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