Is getting an MBA worth it and is management consulting as lucrative as it’s made out to be

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Zeinab Alliji, an ex-consultant and financial services professional who has worked in tech for the majority of her career. In this conversation, Zeinab discusses her journey of investing in education to acquire her MBA. She has also worked in the consulting space, one of the more lucrative fields that many professionals want to get into. This episode is to help you make an informed decision if you are thinking about getting your MBA, or if you’re thinking about getting into the consulting field. 

 

QUOTES

“I had 18 months where I worked on three different big, large programs. I had two head of mentors and a director who was also a mentor of mine, and they really helped me pick where I wanted to go and why I wanted to go there, as well as giving me a lot of opportunity because they have visibility at that level.” Zeinab Alliji
“I think a lot of the big firms now are getting a lot better at providing consultants with work life balance. But you generally do find, in consulting firms, it is younger people who don't necessarily have families. I think the type of people that go to consulting firms are the ones that do want to work hard.” – Zeinab Alliji
“On the other side, it was just a case of me figuring out what was important to me. And I think that's probably a key point around this is, regardless of what you want to do before you even think about kind of applying to places and trying to get that to land a job, you really need to know why you're doing it.” – Zeinab Alliji

 

TIMESTAMPS

Part 1 - Consulting

[2:46] Meet Zeinab and how she got into consulting
[6:45] Zeinab’s take on management consulting
[9:25] Work life balance in consulting
[12:28] Consulting compensation
[18:43] Interview process
[22:46] Time frame between interview and getting a job offer
[24:53] Pros and cons of consulting

Part 2 - MBA

[26:59] What made her decide to get an MBA
[31:17] MBA application process
[35:34] Advice on doing well in an MBA program
[39:18] Condensed vs. full MBA programs
[43:35] Life after getting her MBA
[48:57] Do MBA’s give you better skills
[51:49] What challenge have you faced in your career and what did you do to overcome it
[54:28] Connect with Zeinab

 

RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

Lattes with Leaders Podcast
Zeinab Alliji on Linkedin
Chan With A Plan
Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group