mkarthik1 wrote:
My career goals are still nascent and I am still researching the career paths, forming opinions and introspecting deeply. I felt this would be a right forum for me to open up my thoughts and find the right persons to guide me in these areas.
About me: I am Karthik from India, graduated in electronics engineering, became a programmer due to love for technology/problem solving and logical thinking. Now I am working for a big 4 firm as an analyst in knowledge management (essentially job shadowing - will explain later on.) totaling to about 3.5 years of work experience.
I have an immense love for problem-solving, strategy, innovation and making an impact. I am an engineer at heart and loathe accounting/bookkeeping/finance to the core. If I see a problem, my mind whips up a solution immediately to cater to it and I feel a bliss when the problem is solved. I love strategic real-life challenges that have a huge impact on everyone rather than technical issues.
Now I am torn apart by two career goals - Strategy consulting and Entrepreneurship in the technology sector.
I have a few business ideas of my own but feel I am not completely equipped to take up Entrepreneurship- My business acumen needs to hone, my confidence needs to soar and my instincts say so! I feel getting an MBA would somehow equip me to confidently launch my own firm, make me qualified to run a healthy business. I am not hell-bent on realizing my ideas though!
On the other hand, strategy consulting provides me with real-life problem-solving opportunities, helps me work on different business models of various industries, have an impactful career.
Initially, I thought this would be my approach -> 1. Get an MBA 2. Get into Strategy consulting 3. Work for a few years 4. Learn about best industrial practices and business models 5. Become an Entrepreneur and with the gained experience and business acumen, become successful.
After a little research, I got to know that most of the strategy consulting is focused on large caps and this experience becomes irrelevant if you wish to be an entrepreneur in the long run. Some even went on to say that the above-mentioned career path is simply pathetic. They said entrepreneurs do not require an MBA at all (quoting Zuckerberg and Bill Gates), that I am wasting my money paying up the school fee and that Strategy consulting is not very lucrative with a small job market
I am fine with taking up anything- Be it Strategy consulting, Entrepreneurship or any other career as long as my thirst for my passions- Strategy, Innovation, Impact is quenched. I request you to help me with my career/life journey and shed more light in these areas.
I am sort of in the same place as you in terms of whether to go the entrepreneurship route or, in my case, brand management. Like you said, a lot of people think it is a waste to get a MBA for entrepreneurship but i also believe it will increase my confidence and knowledge for when I do start my business so im kind of leaning on that but i want to make sure I am not missing anything. I hope someone with some experience in this could shed some light for the both of us....