1. When you live, eat, sleep, breathe, recruit, and travel with the same people, it is very hard not to make amazing friends in the process.
2. Management consulting is generally regarded as excellent preparation for executive roles.
3. See below for my comments. These are some approximation of median numbers.
Private Equity: $250k* for 100 hrs/week - Varies wildly ($100k-$250k based) and largely dependent on whether you have previous PE experience.
Hedge Funds: $250k for 80 hrs/week - simlar to PE
Investment Banking: $200k for 100 hrs/week - 1st year salaries for IB and MC are very similar. Typical package for IB might be $130k base + $40k signing + 10-40% bonus
Management Consulting: $180k for 80 hrs/week - 60-70 hours/week + travel. $140k base + $25k signing + $10-40k bonus
Product Management: $150k for 60 hrs/week - $135k + 20k signing + ??? year end
Brand Management: $100k for 50 hrs/week - similar to product management
Accounting: no idea - not many MBA accountants that I know
Supply Chain Management: no idea - $120k + 20k signing + ??? year end
Other jobs I'm missing?