Tech/Tech Consulting to RE
Frequent reader, first post. Non-target undergrad (pol sci major). Have had success in the Boston area in vc tech space due to connections, work focused in strategic partnerships. Lot of global work and was a principal level at 24.
However, despise the industry and not a cultural fit either. Followed the herd out of school and had a lot of contacts. 3 years out and looking at an MBA focused in RE Finance or a MSRE with career landing in NYC. At the point where I want to pursue a passion/niche. Have known I wanted change, then took the CareerBuilder test they give at MBA and got a 99 in RE Dev and 91 in RE Finance.
Current outlook: short term is to identify a program, get in, build a foundation (RE Finance) with an internship and placement job, and then once experience/network grows, (years down the line) pivot into the development side. My true passion is in global development.
What would someone in the RE industry recommend for a full fledged career changer? Tech seems to have zero value (from the network I've spoken to). I am about to take the GMAT (projected at 680-700) and very unsure which direction to take.
ha, what did you despise about the culture? i ask because i have similar feelings.
unfortunately those people are probably right, junior-level jobs in this business are just so basic and simple that unless you want to continue to do something tech-related with a RE focus then you probably do need to just start over.
I could write a dissertation on this, but I will say that a lot of people DO like the culture, hence the rush to get into tech (even over finance). Just not for me. Between the "we have the best culture" to nerdiness and lack of professional etiquette, to each is own.
Your background would lend itself well to varying roles in Real Estate. I would recommend an MBA program located in a major metro (Kellogg, NYU, Columbia, DePaul).
Having worked in Chicago for over 10 years, I can tell you that students at Kellogg & DePaul had established more contacts and had more internship opportunities within the Chicago metro than any other candidates I've interviewed out of grad school. I'm confident the same applies for NYU/Columbia students. Every real estate shop in Chicago, large & small, are riddled with alumnus from these schools.
There are also development programs (UNC, Arizona State) however I'm not as familiar with their curriculum but ASU would be sweet for a couple of years.
Also... Wisconsin's Real Estate Program is highly respected and they have a wide-spread alumni base that are well connected. There are Wisconsin alumnus at every major shop at all levels. Some shops in Chicago specifically target them in hiring. Every couple of years they receive a book that looks like a bible, complete with all active real estate alumnus in the industry.
Glad to hear you mentioned Wisconsin. Outside of the NYC metro schools they are on my list as well and seem like a good target with great history and a renowned alumni network.
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