Move into management consulting -Part-time MBA?

Question

I am a 30 year old woman with 9 years of experience as an engineer in the silicon valley. Is it possible for me at 31 to enter into a PT MBA program and move into management consulting? What is the age barrier to move into management Consulting type roles? Am I too late?

What Part-time programs are good for moving into Management consulting?

Thank you

What Part-time programs are good for moving into Management consulting?

Thank you

essaysnark · Answer

Hey deepagmat82 - those are really good questions. EssaySnark says, it's never too late for anything! But at the same time, certain things are easier at certain ages, so we understand your concerns. It's traditionally been much harder to make a big career change through any part-time program - in fact, used to be that many schools wouldn't even accept a P/T applicant who wanted to switch careers like this. Today though, a lot of the schools are becoming more flexible and more accommodating of different paths. This is a great question for you to ask of the schools themselves. Contact their part-time admissions office and see what they say. They will be able to give you some insights into how feasible it is, and how welcoming they are in particular for career-changers. The biggest hiccup really is in terms of the post-MBA transition, and this often boils down to one area: Salary. If you've been working in Silicon Valley for a long time then you're probably raking in some dough. :-)

Many consulting firms would be interested in you as a potential hire due to your experience (we presume) but at the same time, you're not going to be in the standard post-MBA job bracket when it comes to compensation. So that's the biggest wrinkle. The other part of course is the nature of your current job and past experiences. If you've been solely an engineer all these years, it may be more difficult to make the pitch - you will need to show the adcoms how you're ready to tackle this new challenge based on what you bring to the table today. In terms of programs: Typically a P/T candidate is limited by geography since they're holding down a full-time job. Berkeley has a great P/T program (called the EWMBA for Evenings & Weekend MBA) and we know of folks who've switched careers through that. UCLA has even more options for part-timers including a new hybrid / online option called the Flex MBA. These are both viable for you. If you're saying you would relocate for a P/T program (and somehow be transferred by your job?) then Chicago Booth is one to consider. Hope this helps as you tackle your research for the right school and right program. tl;dr: Yes you can change from engineering -> mgmt consulting through a P/T MBA but it's got some challenges, both in landing the job, and even in initially getting into a good school. EssaySnark

dave785 · Answer

highly unlikely. Management consulting is the toughest type of consulting to break into. You could possibly switch to a technical consulting gig based on your job experience, but there would be very little overlap with your current job and traditional management consulting. youd have a better shot at VC firms.

EDIT: To elaborate, management consultants spend most of their time on the road, flying around to different cities to consult. This is a serious commitment - you'd get to spend 2-3 days a week max with your family, friends, pets, and even your own bed. If you wouldn't be willing to commit to a full time program, I doubt the MC companies would look twice at you. Or even once, really... I don't know of any that recruit for MC positions from part time programs. (keep in mind that part timers do NOT have access to the full timers job placement services... )

I'm not in MC, but my roommate is... which makes him an awesome roommate because he's never around haha.

CriticalSquare · Answer

I agree with Dave - he makes a great point. Keep in mind, management consulting companies only have so many post-MBA entry positions every year and it is in their best interest to pursue FT programs. The recruiting process ties in well with their operations, the candidates are more fully dedicated to the search, and the applicants' involvements in extracurriculars serve as a good indication of their fit with firm culture.

One thing to consider - if you're looking to go into niche consulting, then PT programs may give your resume something that will help it stand out but you will be applying into the experienced hiring pile. Prestigious and name brand consulting firms get hundreds of thousands resumes every year into this stack. Therefore, they'd be hiring you into a specific thing. Experienced hires do not have access to general management positions and if that is what you are looking for, you have to go FT.

Bhavik

claudiapvitale · Answer

Age is not a barrier for anything.If you are that interested in management consulting, you can excel irrespective of your age.However its a good decision to do part-time programs on management consulting.I started my career as a management consultant at the age of 28 and currently working in KPMG,leading MNC is consulting business.So now you don't doubt on anything just follow your will and be a management consultant at the earliest.All the very best!

asimov · Answer

Consulting companies do not discriminate based on age  de jure ; however, I strongly believe that is taken into consideration during recruiting, and age/gender make it more difficult  de facto .

Here are things to consider before you decide on the path. 
1) If you enter PT MBA at 31, you will have your MBA at 32-34. What is your end goal after MC? Consulting has an “up or out” policy, your chance of making partner is 40 at the earliest. 
2) If you have or planning to have a family, this means you will be away from home weekly working 60-100 hours per week until you are 40 at the earliest. Is that something you are prepared to do?
3) Does the PT MBA program provide access to MC? Every PT program is different, some program do not provide equal access to FT recruiting.
4) If you do have access to FT recruiting, does your current work/school situation allow you to spend an additional 20-40 hours/week during recruiting season for networking and case preparation?

That said, some of my female classmates went into consulting at that age; however, their plan was to exit after 2 years. Speaking with them now, the exit opportunities were not what they had imagined/”promised” 1.5 year in, coming out of M/B/B.

AustinClarke · Answer

Ok.. wow.. there is a load of great info here. Thanks to all for all of your input. I definitely have a much clearer pic of whats involved.  Sales training consultants

bmgindia · Answer

There is no age barrier to switch over the profile; in fact, scope in management consulting trade is much better than searching the opportunities in business management. Specialization or certification course in Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) or Design for Lean may lead you towards the heights; these are new prospects with less competition level. Medium and large scale units are applying both these methodologies.

Move into management consulting -Part-time MBA?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards