Do you think people's capabilities are vastly different at your office? And thus exits are different

Hello!

First of all, and also reading other comments on the post, I challenge you to define what "smart" is for a person. 

I think that we are far too narrowed on our defitions, since it´s proven there are over 10 types of intelligence. 

This said, in consulting people are truly smart, driven, passionate... it´s a pleasure to work with them. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hi there,

Yes and no.

There is definitely a table stakes element to getting in. There wasn't a single person I met where I thought "wow, this person is dumb". Every single individual I met at BCG is smarter than the average person...and most are MUCH smarter.

That being said, of course some people are very successful after while others are not - that's as much a life choice as anything! Personally, I don't want to be a Partner, CEO  etc. It's not worth the sacrifice to me...and there were others like me as well :)

Hi, 

Most people I met in MBB were very smart and most people have very good exit opportunities. Now, who becomes a CEO is a function of so many factors besides capabilities - dedication, luck, connections, and individual priorities in life - e.g., some people will say, I want to have a more relaxed career so I can balance my family life, some people will say, I don't even see myself in a large organization anymore and become freelancers, writers, coaches, professors etc. You can define success in so many different ways than being a CEO.

Réka

Hi, 

Success in consulting firms depends on several things:

• The investment we wish to put in this profession
• The ability / willingness to learn all the time (sometimes it's exhausting for some people).
• A bit of luck too. I saw brilliant people who ended up with the wrong people and it backfired. It's rare, but sometimes there is a bit of injustice (like everywhere). 

Best

Although there is variation, I think pretty much everyone at MBB is smarter than average. Success in consulting and outside is going to depend also a lot on your ambition, people skills, and luck. 

Some people realize that there is more to life than working 70 hour weeks and want to do something else after consulting. They may not be successful in the traditional sense but hopefully doing what makes them happy!

-A

Hi, I confirm it is a tremendous boost both in terms of skills and personal brand, but they are still not enough for a CEO career :)

Best,
Antonello

Hello,

Of course people capabilities differ between people, even in a really selective place like MBB. More over, your future career does not depend only on your capabilities (unfortunately) but it's also a matter of timing and luck (once that you have the right capabilities, of course). 
I would say that consultancy is an assurance for a future in the management world, but it still depends on you if you are gonna be the CEO of an important company or "just" a middle manager.

Best,
Luca 

Hi Anonymous,

You are somewhat implying that a CEO position is something worthwile .. that might be true for some people, but when being on common business trips with C-level execs you start to understand their life better in a lot of informal conversations along the way, and at the end they are also just living from paycheck to paycheck (big one, but still).

So many people chose from their side different exit opportunities - it needs to match more areas of life (thinking about personal preferences, family topics, a grain of luck, .....). 

Whatever the exit opportunity is, it needs to be the right one for yourself, and not what is considered as successful from public perception.

Hope this helps - if so, please be so kind and give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Dear A,

From my side I would like to add, that every single person can measure success in his/her life very personaly. For some - it's being CEO/partner, for others - start their own business, write a book or medidate in Himalayas. 

We used to measure people's success according to accepted beliefs, that actually limit our perception of us and our internal freedom. 

So,  I would recommend you first to look at your own reflections and try to answer the question "What means being successful for you?"

And also,

if you need any further professional help or advice, feel free to reach out. 

Best,

André