Opinions: mbb v. tech?

Hi all,

Looking for your opinions re: two offers, one at MBB and one at a tech company. MBB would be at one of the major offices (SF/Chicago/Boston/NYC), tech in the Bay Area. Coming out of undergrad, so the consulting gig is the standard BA/AC/A, tech is in a data science capacity. Tech comp is slightly higher than post-MBA roles at MBB, i.e roughly double the undergrad consulting offer. Some of that gets eaten by taxes of course, plus lack of MBA sponsorship if I were to go down that route (unlikely conditional on taking the tech offer). The company is post-IPO, so the equity component of comp is liquid. It's also not a huge part of comp, >70% is cash.

Obviously, I'm comparing apples to oranges. I'm leaning towards the data science job, but want to hear what you think. I think I would enjoy both jobs equally well, minus the WLB which I gather is substantially worse in consulting. I'm not looking to be a data scientist forever, so exit opps are something to think about. MBB definitely has a more structured path in that regard, though I think a sophisticated data skillset will also open lots of doors in the next ~5 years. As I said, I'm leaning towards tech -- what's holding me back is a concern that perhaps I'm undervaluing the long-term opportunities that come with consulting.

What do you think, and which one would you take?

 

Tech because the exit opps are better. Some of the best exits out of mbb are to FAANG and you’re better set to end up there starting in the industry. I suppose if you hate coding and love the consulting lifestyle go for it but other than that no brainer.

"Truth is like poetry. And most people fucking hate poetry."
 

Tech sounds appealing, especially since you will be in a good position to apply for MBA or even re-apply for MBB after ~2 years. Tech roles also make for a good MBA story, more differentiated than the average consultant.

 
Most Helpful

Does your value increase as time passes in tech?

I hear a lot of stories about how older engineers with many years of experience are passed over in favor of younger engineers who are (perhaps rightfully) perceived to be more flexible and picking up things more easily.

The young engineers are on track to do really well at the moment, but wasn't the same said about older engineers? Of course, the industry has grown immensely since, but many engineers' careers/comp plateau - ask yourself if you see that happening at an MBB.

Array
 

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