Good to see that you're taking the long-term perspective in view. 

Honestly, I would just try to have a conversation with people who are doing that role already or who work on similar projects in that organisation. 

This way you can get a genuine, first-hand perspective of how things actually happen and what projects you can expect. 

Without this information it's difficult to make an informed decision. 

People tend to be quite helpful with these sorts of things and I'm sure you'll be able to find somebody for a 5-10 minute chat. 

Best,
Cristian

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It's great that you're thinking long-term about your career and trying to assess whether a corporate strategy role would be a good fit for you. It's also understandable that you're concerned about the possibility of being assigned to boring projects.

Assessing the suitability of a corporate strategy role for your long-term career involves several key considerations. Firstly, pinpoint your specific interests within corporate strategy, whether it's in a particular industry or strategic domain like M&A. Evaluate the company's culture to determine if it aligns with your desire for innovative and challenging projects. Investigate the staffing model within the corporate strategy team, as this can impact the variety of projects you'll encounter. Additionally, ask yourself whether you're willing to work on diverse projects, find ways to make them engaging, advocate for assignments aligned with your interests, and invest in self-improvement. 

If you affirmatively answer these questions, the corporate strategy role may be a good fit, even with occasional mundane tasks. 

Remember that flexibility exists, and if the role doesn't align with your goals, you can explore other opportunities down the road. Ultimately, the decision should reflect your career aspirations and personal preferences.

Hope this helps!

Hi there,

Remember, you're asking us about a generic/no-name corporate strategy role with a bunch of generic consulting categories - we have no idea what this will actually look like!

^I mean the above politely, of course.

I highly highly recommend that you speak to people at this exact firm. Get on the phone, meet for coffee, etc. and ask them questions about the day-to-day.

Networking is just as much about you evaluating them as it is about them evaluating you!

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your concerns regarding the project types at your potential new role.

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

• First of all, I understand your worries about the type of projects and how it may affect your long-term career goals. It's crucial to enjoy what you do, especially when thinking about a 10-year horizon.
• Moreover, the diversity in projects could be both a challenge and an opportunity. Even if some projects seem boring (whatever that entails for you) initially, they could offer you a different perspective or skill that may become invaluable later.
• Lastly, before making a decision, I would advise you to have in-depth discussions with current employees from the corporate strategy team. Their experiences, challenges, and insights can give you a clearer picture of what to expect.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi,

I understand your concern about the corporate strategy role. Indeed, from talking to peers who worked in such roles, corporate strategy can oftentimes be pretty monotonous and gravitate heavily towards research and producing reports with little to no impact. However, it varies pretty significantly from one firm to another. There are still companies with ambitious leadership and strong in-house teams that make for more exciting work.

But, keeping all that in mind, if you are so concerned about the job being boring, IMO, you just need to sit down and think if the corporate role is a good fit for you at all. Instead, you can consider other potentially more exciting options, such as:

1. Management consulting: although keep in mind that not all projects there are exciting and interesting. For example, I worked on public sector projects at Big4 and absolutely hated it as the work was heavily research-oriented and lacked any real impact;
 

2. Startups: I worked at an in-house operations unit at an e-commerce startup and loved it - the nature of the job was much more consulting like with real problem solving involved. So yes, operations work can be exciting;

3. Starting your own business: Certainly more exciting than the corporate role but has own drawbacks, the most significant one for me being the lack of stability. Although, you can consider starting a business on the side while keeping your job in order to mitigate risks.

Good luck!
Nick



 

Hi,

Your context is a little vague in terms of your current position, as well as whether the ‘exit reasons’ are referring to your current role in consulting or in the corporate itself

• I will assume for now that you are still in consulting
• I will assume your key concern is ‘boring’ projects in the potential corporate strategy role

Here are some of my thoughts having interviewed and considered for corporate strategy as well

1. There are 2 key reasons why people switch from consulting to industry (corporate strategy)
   • They want better worklife balance
     • Generally there is less travel, better hours, less last minute steerco deck turnarounds etc
   • They want more ‘skin-in-the-game’ and not stay on a pure advisory role forever
     • Depending on the corp/team, working in strategy for your own corporate is often different from being a pure external advisor
     • Your KPIs may no longer be generation of slides, but can be now tied to the actual impact within the company
     • This means there are more stakes around seeing initiatives through and ensuring they are successful
2. A big part of running a successful business involves doing ‘boring’ stuff
   • HR, IT, Finance, Ops etc. are actually important functions still to the company
   • If you ever want to do a startup, or run your own business, you will eventually have to deal with these ‘boring’ functions in some shape or form
3. In the long-run, some things don't matter
   • It's good to think ahead, but to a certain extent you cannot fully predict how your life will be to a project level specificity
   • Rather, I would suggest you focus on the skills and abilities and knowledge/network that you can gain from the role 

The answer on what you should do really depends on your goals and current context. Happy to chat more - just drop me a dm.

It's great that you're thinking about your long-term career aspirations and how this corporate strategy position aligns with them. Evaluating a role based on the types of projects and potential for career growth is a smart approach. Here are some hints to help you make a more informed decision:

1. Clarify the Nature of the "Boring" Projects:
  - Investigate further to understand what is meant by "boring" projects. It might be that these operational projects have unique challenges and opportunities that you haven't considered.

2. Speak with Current or Former Employees:
  - Try to network with current or former employees of the company or department to gain insights into their experiences. They can provide valuable information about the day-to-day work, career progression, and whether they find it fulfilling.

3. Assess the Potential for Learning and Growth:
  - Consider the potential for personal and professional development. Even in more operational roles, there may be opportunities to learn and grow, especially if the company values continuous improvement and invests in employee development.

4. Evaluate the Impact:
  - Assess the impact of the projects. Even if they seem less glamorous, they might be crucial to the company's overall success. You can find fulfillment in knowing that your work contributes to the organization's success.

5. Ask About Project Diversity:
  - Inquire about the variety of projects the department takes on. Are there occasional strategic projects or opportunities to work on cross-functional teams that tackle more exciting challenges?

6. Consider the Company's Values and Culture:
  - Evaluate whether the company's culture, values, and work environment align with your long-term goals and personal values. A supportive and innovative culture can make even routine projects more engaging.

7. Balance Short-Term vs. Long-Term Goals:
  - While thinking long-term is important, consider how this role might help you build a foundation for your future career. Sometimes, gaining experience in areas like PMO, HR, or IT can open doors to more strategic roles in the future.

8. Keep an Open Mind:
  - It's essential to approach the role with an open mind. Sometimes, the most fulfilling work can come from making a significant impact in areas that aren't initially exciting.

9. Set Clear Expectations:
  - If you decide to take the role, have a frank discussion with your new employer about your career goals and aspirations. They may be willing to help you find opportunities that align with your interests.

In conclusion, it's essential to gather as much information as possible before making your decision. Consider the potential for growth, the company culture, and your own adaptability and willingness to find meaning in various types of projects. A role that may seem "boring" on the surface can often be a stepping stone to more exciting opportunities if it's part of a larger, strategically-minded organization.

Hi there,

I would be careful to assume that a certain project is boring or interesting because of a certain label.

Here's my personal experience:

• 'BORING PROEJCTS´: I never much cared for ‘HR projects’ before working at McKinsey but the most exciting thing I worked on was related to organizational design for a new joint venture, which kind of falls into that category and was an amazing experience.
• ‘EXCITING PROJECTS´: Conversely, I was staffed on strategy projects with McKinsey that sounded awesome but turned out to be really quite ‘boring’ with poor leadership, terrible clients. More than once I was ’fooled' and only learnt through experience on how to avoid this.

Bottom line, forget about the labels and do your due diligence by talking to people who know what's going on and are going to be candid with you. This will be much more valuable in your decision making process.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!

Moritz

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(editiert)

Hi there,

Try to think long-term the other way around. First, define where you want to be in 10 years (industry, position, role, geography, etc.) and then decide the steps to go there. This would make easier to calibrate if this corporate strategy role leads you towards where you want to go.

Try also to network with people already holding the position where you want to be in 10 years to get some mentoring or least, some good advice.

Good luck!

Alberto

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