I’m about six months into an MBB firm (pre-MBA) and would appreciate perspectives from others who’ve been in a similar position or have seen strong exits firsthand.
- What I’ve enjoyed:
I’ve really enjoyed the interesting, intellectually stimulating problems, the exposure to high-quality work and rapid learning, and the strong perks and brand that come with MBB. - What I haven’t enjoyed:
The work-life balance and travel have been tough—especially being away from family and not being able to have a consistent evening routine/unwind. On top of that, there’s constant pressure to deliver very high-quality analysis on completely new topics or models in hours rather than days, with the feeling that every aspect of your work is under a microscope and the margin for honest mistakes is very small.
Because of this, I’ve started thinking more seriously about exit opportunities. Ideally, I’d stay until around the two-year mark, but realistically I could see myself leaving closer to one year. I view the exit decision as highly consequential—it sets the trajectory for years to come by opening some doors while closing others, especially in a landscape where AI adds an extra layer of uncertainty.
My background: I studied Finance in Undergrad and have strong finance-related internships (IB / PE / M&A), but I don’t have tech or coding experience to leverage.
Based on your experience and the paths you’ve seen others take, I’d love input on how you would tier MBB exit opps. What you have seen to be the best exit opportunities – the ones which have led to happy lives, strong compensation, and sustainable trajectories.
Here are my current thoughts on potential exits:
- MBA: I’d prefer to hold off and keep this as a future option if I truly need to pivot. I’m hesitant to take on the significant foregone salary and opportunity cost without a clear strategic reason to do so.
- Private Equity: Very strong compensation, a powerful resume signal with MBB + PE, and clear progression—but potentially even worse work-life balance and cultural concerns. That said, certain growth equity or middle-market PE shops may offer a more sustainable lifestyle and healthier culture.
- Corporate Development: Seems like a strong option with good pay, interesting deal exposure, and the ability to keep doors open to investing roles down the line. Work-life balance appears better than PE, and my finance background could help. However, alongside PE, breaking in from consulting rather than IB can be more of an uphill battle.
- Corporate Strategy / Internal Consulting: Feels much more ambiguous, as this category seems to cover a wide range of roles. Which specific strategy teams, functions, or departments tend to be the strongest landing spots?
- BizOps: Potentially interesting and fulfilling with better work-life balance, but possibly more limiting in terms of long-term progression and optionality. This seems highly dependent on the company and the specific role.
- Choosing a Specific Finance Path: Corporate banking, wealth management, private banking, or real estate offer strong pay with healthier lifestyles. I’ve seen many people build solid careers in these paths, but exiting from MBB into these roles could limit optionality and lock me into a narrower finance track.
- Consulting-Adjacent (Boutique / Tier-2 Consulting): Could preserve some consulting benefits with lower pressure and improved work-life balance.
- Product Strategy / Product Management: Often described as an excellent long-term career path, though I’m unsure how attainable it is without a coding or technical background.
- Tech Sales / Business Development: A bit of a wild card—exiting MBB for a role with highly variable compensation may be risky. That said, people I know in these roles enjoy strong flexibility and overall quality of life.
- Airline Strategy / BizOps: A more unique option I’ve considered due to my passion for traveling the world. Roles in airline strategy or BizOps could offer better work-life balance and meaningful travel perks, though I’m unsure how competitive these roles are or what the day-to-day quality truly looks like.
Appreciate any perspectives or experiences you’re willing to share.
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TL;DR: Six months into MBB, with a finance background and no coding experience, I’m starting to think seriously about exits (ideally at 2 years, possibly closer to 1) and would appreciate perspectives on which MBB exit paths truly lead to strong compensation, sustainable careers, and long-term happiness.
