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Excellent advice! You made me read the OP's initial response again, and you nailed it.
I'm particularly interested in the non-business world of DC - the gov't jobs, the NGO's, the contractors.
I hadn't noticed the OP's theme of 'fortune 500 company', 'future business school', 'later MBA program', etc.
Yeah, with those in mind, I'd take Minneapolis as well. Those are pretty much THE jobs in cities like Minneapolis, and for that matter, most of the world. Plus the OP would get paid more, and have a lower cost of living.
I'm now reversing my DC personal bias, in favor for the Minneapolis obvious choice, considering the interests.
DC is additionally quite low on my list if I think of 'MBA', 'business school', 'Fortune 500'. Not that they wouldn't be in DC, but they'd be a distant second fiddle to what DC offers...where almost any other city, they are the cream.
Thanks for being unbiased!
Do you mind telling me more about why you think a fortune 500 company experience is more helpful than a reputable consulting company experience, for my future MBA (to be more precise, my career after MBA) please?
Also, do you think 50+k is enough for me to live in dc with a car and without student loans? The company is in metro dc and I was told arlington/shirlington area is a good place to live with 1-2 roommates. The lifestyle I envision is I work hard, but still have a social life (dinner, happy hour, theater, museum, etc.) after work, without worrying too much money wise. Will 50+k be enough for a young professional in dc?
Well, the OP got TWO job offers: one in Minnesota and the other in DC. She is indecisive about the offers. It really depends on her area of expertise and preference in the business world (i.e. Finance, Marketing, Product Development, Supply Chain Management etc.) But if this person is looking to start a career in business management, Washington would be a poor choice.
Recommendations from executives at a Fortune 500 corporation in Minnesota (3M, Cargill, Best Buy etc.) earn currency with a business school. I don't think a recommendation from a Principal Consultant with the Beltway Bandit Consulting Group would have the same impact if I were an admissions director at Wharton or University of Chicago.
In the end, the OP is getting more money in Minnesota and her salary will go much farther in the Twin Cities than DC. I think the choice is simple here even if you consider the harsh winters and less cultural diversity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by brooklynborndad
OP HAS a job offer already. The metro DC area in fact has quite a few consulting firms with extensive private sector client bases. Also consultants often deal with clients in other cities. If OP has an offer that makes sense, with a good client base that matches their interests, I don't think they need to worry that their neighbors will in other fields.
Well, the OP got TWO job offers: one in Minnesota and the other in DC. She is indecisive about the offers. It really depends on her area of expertise and preference in the business world (i.e. Finance, Marketing, Product Development, Supply Chain Management etc.) But if this person is looking to start a career in business management, Washington would be a poor choice.
Recommendations from executives at a Fortune 500 corporation in Minnesota (3M, Cargill, Best Buy etc.) earn currency with a business school. I don't think a recommendation from a Principal Consultant with the Beltway Bandit Consulting Group would have the same impact if I were an admissions director at Wharton or University of Chicago.
In the end, the OP is getting more money in Minnesota and her salary will go much farther in the Twin Cities than DC. I think the choice is simple here even if you consider the harsh winters and less cultural diversity.
Thank you for understanding my situation so clearly!! I think recommendations from both company executives will be somewhat equally helpful for my MBA application. But do you think I will be able to meet more industry leaders in dc and inspired by them during my work experience at dc, which eventually help me with my career after MBA?
Sorry for thinking too far down the road (i realize things may not always go as planed..) and making the problem more complicated. But I just really want to or at least try to make a decision that I won't regret. >.<
Go where your heart & gut tells you. I don't know your area of expertise so it's hard to say what is the best fit for you. I just know that business school grads gravitate to where there are dynamic entrepreneurship opportunities. DC is not a top destination for these ambitious people.
If you are interested in working in the information technology or telecommunications business, Northern Virginia has many smaller firms that develop products for the consumer and government markets. Although since 2001, many private enterprise firms have switched their strategic direction away from consumer and B2B markets to securing federal government contracts. If you are interested in pharmaceuticals or bio-technology, then you can build many contacts in Montgomery County, MD.
You might want to contact a business school admissions officer in the DC area. Georgetown, George Washington University, George Mason University and University of Maryland have solid business school programs and the admissions staff might have a good understanding of the DC job market and what it means for your professional growth.
There are also several entrepreneurial groups for young professionals in the DC area. Worth checking them out too. Maybe get in touch with local Chamber of Commerce officers since they have a real pulse on business trends and career trajectories in the Washington, DC market.
In the end, I would still pick the Twin Cities over DC. But that's my 2 cent opinion. Some other posters in this forum can give informative advice that supports DC. That's all I got.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aiyoweii
Thank you so much for your reply!! The reason I kinda like the DC job more in spite of its lower pay is because after living in atlanta for 4 year (the 2nd tier city in my mind), it makes me very much want to live in a bigger city that has more young, ambitious people around. In other words, I think my job at the big fortune 500 corp in minneapolis will be rewarding, but slow, whereas the dc consulting job will be underpaid and stressful, (even makes my life miserable time to time), but fulfilling and exciting.
Since my dream business school is in neither dc nor minneapolis, do you mind helping me compare the 2 cities, in terms of:
- top 30 consulting firm vs. top 30 fortune 500 firm for pre-MBA
- make the right connections/networks
- be motivated by the similar minds
- future job opportunities
To be honest, the 10k pay difference/cost of living difference is not the most important factor for me, making the decision. The real question is if the dc experience is worth me giving up a better paid job?
I look forward to your further advice. Thanks again!!!
Well, the OP got TWO job offers: one in Minnesota and the other in DC. She is indecisive about the offers. It really depends on her area of expertise and preference in the business world (i.e. Finance, Marketing, Product Development, Supply Chain Management etc.) But if this person is looking to start a career in business management, Washington would be a poor choice.
Recommendations from executives at a Fortune 500 corporation in Minnesota (3M, Cargill, Best Buy etc.) earn currency with a business school. I don't think a recommendation from a Principal Consultant with the Beltway Bandit Consulting Group would have the same impact if I were an admissions director at Wharton or University of Chicago.
OP specifically said a top 30 consulting firm - even if its say, a federal office of a firm like Booze, thats a pretty decent recommendation. And Booze and many other firms have offices here that serve private sector clients - sometimes the same consultants do so, since some specialties are in demand in both sectors.
Well, the OP got TWO job offers: one in Minnesota and the other in DC. She is indecisive about the offers. It really depends on her area of expertise and preference in the business world (i.e. Finance, Marketing, Product Development, Supply Chain Management etc.) But if this person is looking to start a career in business management, Washington would be a poor choice.
Recommendations from executives at a Fortune 500 corporation in Minnesota (3M, Cargill, Best Buy etc.) earn currency with a business school. I don't think a recommendation from a Principal Consultant with the Beltway Bandit Consulting Group would have the same impact if I were an admissions director at Wharton or University of Chicago.
In the end, the OP is getting more money in Minnesota and her salary will go much farther in the Twin Cities than DC. I think the choice is simple here even if you consider the harsh winters and less cultural diversity.
Whoa! On the right track but taking it a bit too far. 'Beltway Bandits' have great reps on the business front (IBM, Booz Allen, Deloitte, Accenture) and an PARTNER recommendation (apples to apples) would be greatly respected. Like you are saying some areas of business have a greater impact by DC but some by Minnesota. Most importantly, you have to evaluate if you want to live in DC enough to sacrifice a significant pay and COL decrease. I would use the offer to negotiate for a higher salary in DC and let the company determine if they want you enough to increase pay even slightly. If the negotiation falls apart, you have an excellent opportunity either way.
McKinsey
Bain
BCG
Deloitte
Booz
PRTM
Diamond (now PWC)
KPMG
E&Y
AT Kearney
And arguably some of the other top ones
Take the consulting gig. You will make good money fast and you will be much better off long term entering corporate life with 5 or 6 years under your belt. Dont sweat the $10K now, its meaningless.
As to the issue of recommendations, my advice: ( Credentials: I used to be an MBA admissions consultant, previously worked in undergraduate admissions) the level of your recommendation means nothing. A well written recommendation from a "manager" will be a thousand times more impactful than a hastily worded recommendation from some executive that has had a grand total of 5 hours of interaction with you. People always try to reach to the most senior person they can; in truth they would be better served with a less-senior but more meaningful rec. There's a reason almost all MBA recommendations have some form of the question "in what capacity do you know the applicant?"....
Hm, between two cities that I really like... but are very different in a lot of ways. For one, Minneapolis has much more to offer than it's typically given credit for; it's one of my favorite cities, and that says a lot.
If networking and future career growth is a priority, I'd echo coldbliss: consider the industry, if that's something you care about. (I've never quite understood people who can jump between industries and fields, but that's me.) For fields like IT, telecom, international affairs, hospitality, and environment, DC has better networks. For retailing, consumer products, advertising, manufacturing, finance, and natural resources (agriculture, mining, forestry) you'd be better off in Minneapolis.
McKinsey
Bain
BCG
Deloitte
Booz
PRTM
Diamond (now PWC)
KPMG
E&Y
AT Kearney
And arguably some of the other top ones
Take the consulting gig. You will make good money fast and you will be much better off long term entering corporate life with 5 or 6 years under your belt. Dont sweat the $10K now, its meaningless.
As to the issue of recommendations, my advice: ( Credentials: I used to be an MBA admissions consultant, previously worked in undergraduate admissions) the level of your recommendation means nothing. A well written recommendation from a "manager" will be a thousand times more impactful than a hastily worded recommendation from some executive that has had a grand total of 5 hours of interaction with you. People always try to reach to the most senior person they can; in truth they would be better served with a less-senior but more meaningful rec. There's a reason almost all MBA recommendations have some form of the question "in what capacity do you know the applicant?"....
My 2 cents.
I would say the consulting firm is not one of the top tiers, but very well known in its respective industry. I personally agree with your opinion that consulting company experience is more valuable than big corporation experience. Could you share with me more of your advice on if top business schools would value consulting firm experience or fortune 500 experience please?
Hm, between two cities that I really like... but are very different in a lot of ways. For one, Minneapolis has much more to offer than it's typically given credit for; it's one of my favorite cities, and that says a lot.
If networking and future career growth is a priority, I'd echo coldbliss: consider the industry, if that's something you care about. (I've never quite understood people who can jump between industries and fields, but that's me.) For fields like IT, telecom, international affairs, hospitality, and environment, DC has better networks. For retailing, consumer products, advertising, manufacturing, finance, and natural resources (agriculture, mining, forestry) you'd be better off in Minneapolis.
My problem is that I have only started working for a year and I honestly don't have an industry that I want to work in long term. I'm hoping I will find my expertise after another 2 years of work experience and MBA program. To my understanding, it's easier for people to change industries in consulting, so I'm afraid that if I choose the fortune 500 corporation, my future job opportunities will all be within that particular industry.
Could you share more of your wisdom please? Thanks!
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