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23 Dec 2021, 04:18
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Hello,
I would really welcome your view on my situation and profile.
I am a 28yo with a background in business economics and Finance, and 4y work experience as strategy consultant at a Tier-2 firm in Europe.
Being stuck with my job I realized I want to move more into entrepreneurship (either startup, VC or start my own business), and decided to pursue an MBA. I’ve been preparing for a couple of months for applications for top European schools now, and am working towards R2/3 deadlines in January.
I now received though a very interesting job offer from a rapidly growing scale-up in its strategy & operations team. Furthermore, I am in the late stages of the application process for a local VC firm. Now my big question is: MBA or new job (and thereafter MBA).
On the MBA side, I am really sure that is something I want to do and that I would truly enjoy, allowing me to meet incredible people, immerse myself in a new environment and open doors to pursue an entrepreneurial role (potentially abroad) in the future.
On the job side: although not planned, the scale-up might be a great opportunity to immerse myself in the start/scale-up world and form an opinion as to whether I’d like to continue my career in this field. Also, I feel that, were I to pursue an MBA later down the road, this experience would allow to me have an even better view of what I want to get out of it in a professional matter, hence optimizing the value add of the program. With regards to the VC: Although I am very interested in the company and domain, I have noticed that oftentimes VC’s value operational experience in a start-up before joining the fund. Hence I feel this might be a better step later in my career.
My idea in the ‘take the job’ scenario would be to spend a couple of years at the job and then apply for an MBA. Two concerns I have with this option are yrs of experience & age at time of application (I’ll be 30-31 by the time I pursue the MBA, with 6y of work experience), and the extent to which this intermediate experience would strengthen/weaken my overall application. I feel that I might have a better view in 2 yrs as to the main reason for the MBA (either to continue in startup domain, transition to VC or draw experiences to help start a business rather than either one of them). Also, I think I can further boost the quality of my application by delivering a better GMAT and applying to R1 instead of R2/3. However, besides age, Adcoms might not like the more scattered experience pre-MBA.
Thanks in advance for any kind of advice you can provide!
Posted from my mobile device
I would really welcome your view on my situation and profile.
I am a 28yo with a background in business economics and Finance, and 4y work experience as strategy consultant at a Tier-2 firm in Europe.
Being stuck with my job I realized I want to move more into entrepreneurship (either startup, VC or start my own business), and decided to pursue an MBA. I’ve been preparing for a couple of months for applications for top European schools now, and am working towards R2/3 deadlines in January.
I now received though a very interesting job offer from a rapidly growing scale-up in its strategy & operations team. Furthermore, I am in the late stages of the application process for a local VC firm. Now my big question is: MBA or new job (and thereafter MBA).
On the MBA side, I am really sure that is something I want to do and that I would truly enjoy, allowing me to meet incredible people, immerse myself in a new environment and open doors to pursue an entrepreneurial role (potentially abroad) in the future.
On the job side: although not planned, the scale-up might be a great opportunity to immerse myself in the start/scale-up world and form an opinion as to whether I’d like to continue my career in this field. Also, I feel that, were I to pursue an MBA later down the road, this experience would allow to me have an even better view of what I want to get out of it in a professional matter, hence optimizing the value add of the program. With regards to the VC: Although I am very interested in the company and domain, I have noticed that oftentimes VC’s value operational experience in a start-up before joining the fund. Hence I feel this might be a better step later in my career.
My idea in the ‘take the job’ scenario would be to spend a couple of years at the job and then apply for an MBA. Two concerns I have with this option are yrs of experience & age at time of application (I’ll be 30-31 by the time I pursue the MBA, with 6y of work experience), and the extent to which this intermediate experience would strengthen/weaken my overall application. I feel that I might have a better view in 2 yrs as to the main reason for the MBA (either to continue in startup domain, transition to VC or draw experiences to help start a business rather than either one of them). Also, I think I can further boost the quality of my application by delivering a better GMAT and applying to R1 instead of R2/3. However, besides age, Adcoms might not like the more scattered experience pre-MBA.
Thanks in advance for any kind of advice you can provide!
Posted from my mobile device
26 Dec 2021, 13:05
Kudos
Bookmarks
I would recommend that you pursue a startup secondment at work. Seems like an easier way to explore the space and keep your seat safe. I think you have valid concerns about age, which would not be a big concern for European schools but it might be a little bit for US schools.
Age is more of a problem if you’re planning to go into consulting or finance but if your goal is startup ops it’s a little bit less of a concern but still I think average age for Harvard and Stanford is quite low.
And I have to say I feel like LBS and INSEAD are not as great with entrepreneurship as US schools, If you look at the career outcomes. If you do go to to LBS I would recommend you do a semester abroad to US.
Posted from my mobile device
Age is more of a problem if you’re planning to go into consulting or finance but if your goal is startup ops it’s a little bit less of a concern but still I think average age for Harvard and Stanford is quite low.
And I have to say I feel like LBS and INSEAD are not as great with entrepreneurship as US schools, If you look at the career outcomes. If you do go to to LBS I would recommend you do a semester abroad to US.
Posted from my mobile device
26 Dec 2021, 13:51
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi. Happy Holidays!
You are asking good questions!
First of all, The age is not as important as your career position in work experience. It seems like you have started working at 24 as opposed to 22 or in some places even younger. While age is often equated to work experience, since you have started working later, technically you’re not a senior somebody having 8 years of work experience at 31 versus you having 6. so your age is not going to be as big of an issue as long as you don’t go past six or seven years. That is calculated at the point of matriculation. This would especially be true in Europe where much older candidates are welcome.
A few pointers about your goals and your career plans. Business schools can be a challenge when you’re trying to start your own business. The main challenge comes in the form of financing and funding and not working for a few years. Usually everyone is starved and poor after they graduate and they can’t wait to get a job with the signing bonus so they can buy some new clothes. Starting your own business after graduating, is very tough unless you can find funding. Many people who actually work on their own business during business school which presents a great opportunity to use it in classes and as a group project.
If you are planning to play now or later, it’s good to tell admissions what your real application plans are. It’s good when your goals and what you write a new application essays match but there are some pitfalls you want to avoid. Some people try to be very aggressive with their goals with the hope that if they aim for Mars, they can at least make it to the moon. That’s a great business strategy and approach to set aggressive goals but it backfires in business school. Admissions committees want very safe candidates who are making easy transitions and will be easily recruited and will be bright shining stars who can be invited to panels and who talk how wonderful the experience was. They don’t want people who are aiming to cry because they will fall short and ultimately will be frustrated because the expectations are too high. Therefore, whatever you put in the application, it needs to be something that is very achievable and very logical for someone with your background and something that hopefully shows that you have done research into how to transition to the next steps. I hope it helps.
PS. As to your dilemma. It sounds like a pretty cool opportunity from what I’m hearing. A great job offer or experience can help boost your application and take you further. However, does it make sense to do both? Are you certain this job is going to work out and you’re not going to lose a year? I don’t know how strong or weak your application is at the moment and you should not apply if you’re not ready because then you get into the category of re-applicants and that is annoying. Some schools give you fewer opportunities to showcase yourself if you are a re-applicant . I don’t know if you target schools do that. I can’t remember on top of my head sorry. However, if the job is pretty likely to work out and that you do end up getting it, I think it will fit very well into your application story and also will help with boosting your chances even if your GMAT score stays the same .
Posted from my mobile device
You are asking good questions!
First of all, The age is not as important as your career position in work experience. It seems like you have started working at 24 as opposed to 22 or in some places even younger. While age is often equated to work experience, since you have started working later, technically you’re not a senior somebody having 8 years of work experience at 31 versus you having 6. so your age is not going to be as big of an issue as long as you don’t go past six or seven years. That is calculated at the point of matriculation. This would especially be true in Europe where much older candidates are welcome.
A few pointers about your goals and your career plans. Business schools can be a challenge when you’re trying to start your own business. The main challenge comes in the form of financing and funding and not working for a few years. Usually everyone is starved and poor after they graduate and they can’t wait to get a job with the signing bonus so they can buy some new clothes. Starting your own business after graduating, is very tough unless you can find funding. Many people who actually work on their own business during business school which presents a great opportunity to use it in classes and as a group project.
If you are planning to play now or later, it’s good to tell admissions what your real application plans are. It’s good when your goals and what you write a new application essays match but there are some pitfalls you want to avoid. Some people try to be very aggressive with their goals with the hope that if they aim for Mars, they can at least make it to the moon. That’s a great business strategy and approach to set aggressive goals but it backfires in business school. Admissions committees want very safe candidates who are making easy transitions and will be easily recruited and will be bright shining stars who can be invited to panels and who talk how wonderful the experience was. They don’t want people who are aiming to cry because they will fall short and ultimately will be frustrated because the expectations are too high. Therefore, whatever you put in the application, it needs to be something that is very achievable and very logical for someone with your background and something that hopefully shows that you have done research into how to transition to the next steps. I hope it helps.
PS. As to your dilemma. It sounds like a pretty cool opportunity from what I’m hearing. A great job offer or experience can help boost your application and take you further. However, does it make sense to do both? Are you certain this job is going to work out and you’re not going to lose a year? I don’t know how strong or weak your application is at the moment and you should not apply if you’re not ready because then you get into the category of re-applicants and that is annoying. Some schools give you fewer opportunities to showcase yourself if you are a re-applicant . I don’t know if you target schools do that. I can’t remember on top of my head sorry. However, if the job is pretty likely to work out and that you do end up getting it, I think it will fit very well into your application story and also will help with boosting your chances even if your GMAT score stays the same .
Posted from my mobile device
