I am on grad scheme with blue chip but recently started to think about moving into consulting. One of the key motivators for this move was supposed to be future after MC (top spots, big projects, big money). The more I was reading this Forum, the more excited I get about the move (so hard to get in, so many smart people want to go there - hence must be something fantastic).This month it was announced in my firm that 2 guys joined: both from MBBB, one with INSEAD MBA, the second one with Kellogg. They'd been working with MBBB for some time in senior roles (above associate). And what? One joined as a Regional Project Manager, the other one as Business Devlopment Manager. What the f***!!!??? I'll get to this level in 2-3yrs time without MBA and MBBB experience. Having heard this, I got soooooooooooooo disappointed with all the 'glamorous' MC stories. I was foolish believing that MC is 'magic door'. I bet that if this is happening in my company, same must be the case with other blue-chips and ex-MBBBs. Where is the deal then??? Why all the fuzz about MBBB then? I reached the conclusion that one should move only if one wants to stay in MC (and get to the Partner level). Otherwise absolutely NOT as 1 in 10,000 will end up as some big CEO. The rest will follow the way these 2 guys did.

"1 in 10,000 will end up as some big CEO"?I think you underestimate the challenge in getting the "big CEO" job. There are 200K MBA graduates a year worldwide so probably at least 2.5m of them competing for the big CEO job....and then there are another 2.5m without MBAs competing. So if we take the top 1000 CEOs as being big....that is 1000 jobs and 5m people competing. 1 in 50,000 chance.Not a realistic ambition?

My maths is rubbish but it is still completely pointless to be aiming for the big CEO job. Bound to be disappointed.

Disappointed, the main point behind a stint in MBBB, or any top consultancy for that matter, aside of the challenges during your consulting career (not the money - you can make more in IB, and far far more in PE or Hedge Funds) it that it gives you something more important, magical and precious than any amount of cash, perks and toys: it gives you options.If MC is where you thought you wanted to be, go for it, try and see for yourself whether its for you. Remember there is a high rate of people not making the grade in MBBB, hence many will leave, many will be asked to leave, and many will have leaving thrust upon them.

I think the poster raises a valid point. MC is not some magic doorway to the top jobs - only your personal skills, magnitude and a lot of luck will get you that.What the poster forgets is that not everyone wants to be billy big potato CEO, and for every 100 that start their career thinking that this is what they want less than 10 probably maintain that thought throughout their 20's and 30's.What gets in the way is life, many many people change their priorities as their lives grow - few wish to be doing 70 hours a week when they have young children and a loving partner so they choose a job which will pay enough to sustain a suitable lifestyle whilst giving enough of a challenge to stave off boredom.Also, most people are simply not good enough to reach such hights, and will either be pushed or jump out of the race and into a slower lane. Only time can tell with this one, but it is neither wrong or less to choose an alternative lifestyle to the Gordon Gekko full throttle experience.On the flip side, if you're good enough you're good enough and this will become evident also - enjoy the race....but I will beat you to the line!

A Mars a Day... please tell me where I’m wrong (as I don’t have MC experience so might miss the point), but... what options? Say I’m in MBBB and get there till Associate (hence will get MBA as well). The options I see are:1) Industry (consumer goods, telco, IT, etc) - as described in my original post I’ll get business development / project management role. Very unlikely I’ll be offered any ‘serious’ job (finance/marketing). I mean ‘serious’ because in marketing driven companies you need to have marketing or finance background to get the MD spot.Therefore:Options/Chances to move: goodOptions/Chances to grow/make the career there: So-so2) IB / PE / HF – at the start I’m behind IB folks who also have MBA and x100 more knowledge about the finance than I. If I’m veeery lucky I’ll get the job (and not due to my MC experience but rather due to the fact that I did top MBA)Therefore:Options/Chances to move: weakOptions/Chances to grow/make the career there: good (but first I need to get in)3) Manufacturing – probably I’ll get there to improve/optimise processes, but is it really the place I wanna be? Doubt so.Therefore:Options/Chances to move: goodOptions/Chances to grow/make the career there: goodBut is it a place that ex MBBB with MBA from Harvard dreams about???4) Government – they have no clue what MBBB is and for them my MBBB experience is equal to being consultant in Great & Smart Consultancy Ltd. They hire more because of connections rather than experience. And pay sh**.Therefore:Options/Chances to move: weakOptions/Chances to grow/make the career there: weak5) Other consultancies – only strong point.Therefore:Options/Chances to move: strongOptions/Chances to grow/make the career there: strongWhat do you think?

To come back to your first message, you can image how glad I am to see that, after all, there is a justice in this world. It’s not enough to have great connection through, let’s say, dad or mum. If you want to get ahead in the corporate world not need to be fit for the job. Full stop.

Can any of the MBBB insiders and/or recruiters confirm/deny the 2nd post written by Disappointed... I'm having currently interviews with both MC and IB and my preference was towards MC but if Disappointed is right then I shall rethink my choices.

You will base the direction of your career on an internet chat site thread?!Crazy fool.

There is no magic door! Not MBBB, not PE, not hedge funds, nothing. MBBB gives you a generalist base from which you have options, IB funnells you so your options are limited. Either way if you like it in MBBB or IB its irrelevant, why look elsewhere? If you don't MBBB will make it relatively easy to go onto more or less anything else, IB dosent translate so easily and you would have a harder case to make. You could yet be behind the next Innocent Drinks )founded by ex Bain people if I am correct?) byt maybe not. Its not the options people have, its the choices you make that separate those who leave MBBB and go into the roles you mention and those that go onto something even better. If you want a magic door, magic bullett or whatever else, all I can suggest is magic mushrooms.