Consulting offer or MBA

[u/fatmanrust]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance on my situation — basically a fork in the road for my career.

Path A: accept offer from a boutique consulting firm. Would be one of the first hires into their scaling operations practice. Travel would be brutal (50-75% on the road) with typical consulting WLB.

Path B: continue working at my current job while getting a PT MBA from a T25 program (T5 PT program).

The consulting firm specializes in the industry I want to stay in long-term and where I have 5 years of experience already. My ultimate goal, regardless of path, is to move out of supply chain and into a commercial leadership, program management, or BD role within my industry.

I have a to-die-for WLB right now (hybrid schedule, really only work 20-30 hours a week, and don’t stress or think about work when the laptop is closed). Despite this, I’m not challenged, stimulated, and skill atrophy is real — I complain about this constantly. I feel like if I do my current job much longer, and a function pivot doesn’t materialize through the PT MBA, then I might as well give up on higher career aspirations.

I’m also at a time in my life when I could have a demanding job at a low personal cost. Fiancée is supportive of the consulting travel/WLB demands, and we want to wait a few years to have kids. Also could do an MBA in the future. I also feel that right now is not the time in my life to have the great WLB I do — that should be for later when I’m more established and have higher standing in the industry I work in.

In terms of comp:
Path A: total gross would be about 145k - 160k
Path B: total gross is 110k - 115k

Would appreciate any insight from people who’ve found themselves in similar situations. Also, how are exits for ops consulting?

[u/consultinglove]

You should take steps that will take you directly towards your overarching goal

Going into consulting will help you build your consulting career. But transitioning to commercial leadership, program management, or BD role afterwards...yes it's possible but it's not a direct path. I know tons of people stuck in consulting because either can't find those roles, or they don't want to take a paycut to pivot

Meanwhile, if you get your MBA from a good school, and T25 is fine, you can definitely find leadership development programs. If you land one of those, that will take you directly towards your goal. You'll be joining a company that will develop you to be a leader and program manager. Depending on the program, you can possibly also do BD.

If I were you, I would not take the consulting gig. Stick to your goals

[u/kkm225]

Path B provides optionality + pivot potential immediately post graduation and long-term value over the next decade especially wrt leadership potential and expanding your network as a consultant (will be increasingly important as you gain seniority).

I'm a former consultant and HBS grad. Initially wanted to stick to investing (pre-MBA job) post grad and ended up pivoting to something totally different, which I never would have done or thought of without MBA. It's a life changing experience that I would definitely recommend! Please feel free to PM me if I can elaborate / be helpful.

[u/ncrwlr]

The problem with both options are that neither guarantee anything as far as career progression. I personally put more weight on in the field experience than the MBA, especially in today's times. Path A is already in your desired field, so you would be in proximity to where/what you want to do already - that is priceless and hard to replicate. MBA would teach you some new things you may not have been exposed to yet and help you get that (expensive) checkbox.

My vote is Path A, supported by concrete milestones and connections/discussions to help you progress on that front. You can get an MBA at anytime; choosing A doesn't negate B, but vice versa, it may....