I am planning to Join MBA next year when I will be 34 will finish at 35 and my aim is to join MBB is 35 too old?

The answer to your question ultimately depends on your end goal. 

MBB helps if your end goal is the following

• Bulding your strategic toolkit to be able to leverage that for a more senior role
• To pivot to a different role that values MBB experience
• To change careers and try a new industry

MBB is unhelpful in the following instances

• If you want to continue down the path of Supply Chain - you already have the expertize here, MBB will not add any additional value. If anything you will have slowed down your growth trajectory
• You want to go into a career where MBB skills aren't explicitly valued (Banking, Digital Martketing, Entrepreneurship)
• You are bored and looking for a change - MBB is way too demanding for this

In terms of age - I have mentioned in the past that my mentor when I was at McKinsey started his career at 38 and quickly rose up the ranks. However he was also single and very career focused. There are a few things to keep in mind

• Are you genuinely willing to sacrifice your personal life at this point? I cannot begin to emphasize the depth of this sacrifice - you will be working 12-15 hour days EVERY day and you will be traveling post covid EVERY week. This is not a simple commitment. Everyone's situation is different make sure you are genuinely okay with this commitment
• There is a genuine toll on your health working these hours and sitting down all day, traveling, eating out all the time etc. You can control some of it but not all at the same time
• Do you have the energy and focus this job will demand? It is a lot of learning and constantly being challenged. Excellent if that is your goal and not so good if you are looking for a slower pace

All the best with your decision, you are in a great place right now! Feel free to reach out with any questions

Best,

Udayan

I know a few people who joined consulting only in their 30s also. 

It is not so much of a question about the age. It is more about:

(1) are you okay with the consulting life style, given that some people in mid 30s tend to have more family obligations etc. and thus it requires a lot more understanding from family if the path of consulting were to be choosen

(2) are you humble enough to be working with or even working for people who are younger than you but have been in consulting much longer than you. Would your ego get in the way?

If none of these 2 would be an issue for you, then I don't see a barrier why you shouldn't try. 

Best,

Emily

You're never too old! (If it's the path you want)

It really depends on your career trajectory. What have you done with this NGO? Have you reached a director level? Will you be joining a top/target MBA?

I knew plenty of people in their mid-30s during the MBA and they went on to MBB. 

However, you do need to be conscious of a potential downgrade (i.e. either Consultant or Project Lead), as well as the difficulty in adjusting to the MBB style (long hours, high-level strategic thinking) after NGO work

My favorite partner at McKinsey was a former Doctor who joined at 38 after an MBA from a top 5 Business School. Plenty of people join in their early to mid-30s you'll be totally fine from an age perspective.

Keep in mind it is likely that a lot of people you work with will be younger than you, your EM and your partner could also be younger. As long as you can personally not be affected by that (some people don't like that) you will have no issues at all. 

Your bigger issue as you pointed out is that you work for a local NGO with no brand recognition. In order for you to then pivot to consulting (I have seen this happen), the reality is you will have to go to a top 5 Business School or somewhere in the top 10 for sure. That will add the brand name to your resume. For example, McKinsey in New York recruits quite a bit from the MPA program at Harvard which has a lot of people with a background similar to yours

All the best,

Udayan

Hi there,

It depends on your goals. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?

• If you are looking for a career in Amazon and you have a clear promotion path in front of you --> Sticking to Amazon makes sense
• If you want to change industry, build your own company, aim to positions that you cannot reach now or that you want to reach faster for which consulting helps --> ​ MBB make sense

In terms of the age, it is definitely possible (although requiring), I helped a few people older than you to join MBB.

Please feel free to PM me for further questions.

Best,
Francesco

Hi there,

I will simplify the problem for you. Obviously, if you have a clear path of growth in Amazon and that's something that gets you up in the morning, you don't need to go to MBB.  You are correct, you likely "won't come out on top." 

But maybe you want to do consulting anyways!  You will learn a great deal of new skills and knowledge.  And open yourself up to new opportunities that you don't realize are out there.  Or maybe it's just something you always wanted to do!

However, if there isn't a compelling path for you at Amazon, you should be thinking down the road and MBB can definitely help you.  Again, it will expose you to areas you didn't know existed and it will give you new knowledge and skills to succeed there.

Finally, something to keep in mind: supply chain in Amazon is extremely respectable.  That can also help you go far.

Best,

Allen

Hi,

The major argument against this idea is that MBA will downgrade you since you will be mostly competing for the same roles as 25-year-old. The decision making will mostly depend on your end goal:

• If it is about switching the career path - MBA can be your last chance
• If it is about relocation - MBA can be a great option

I would consider doing an executive MBA in your case. The value and network will be much greater

Best

Hi there,

Getting into an MBB would definitely enable you acquire some valuable business skills. It will also expose you to numerous clients and industries. I feel like you will need to make a choice between the following:

1. Staying in your comfort zone, being recognized as expert in the field, getting into Senior positions, managing teams and working regular hours, etc.
2. Starting a new career, acquiring new skills & competing with colleagues who are much younger than you, working long hours, etc.

I think it all depends on your mid & long-term career plans (5-10 years). Staying in Amazon would help you get a niche expertise in Supply Chain, and going for MBB would expose you to how business is done in the top management and would prepare you for leadership roles in the future.

This is not an easy decision to make, but ultimately you will have to take many elements into consideration (intensity of work, seniority of the position, expertise, etc.)

Happy to discuss this further if needed.

All the best,

Mehdi

You're never too old! (If it's the path you want)

It really depends on your career trajectory. 

I knew plenty of people in their mid-30s during the MBA and they went on to MBB.

If you are making a pivot in your careeer (and you are really committed about it), the MBA program will allow you to achieve that, repositioning you on the job market. 

If you have many years of experience in NGOs, why not considering also working in the no profit consulting sector? I can't see in which country you are based, but if you live in the US, why not considering opportunities such as the Bridgespan Group? They started as a spin-off of Bain & Company, provide management consulting services to no profits and foundations and still work very closely with Bain & Company. 

Good luck!
Federico

Agree with most of the things shared already - you would probably need a good MBA/MPP to be considered for MBB in Africa (assuming you want to stay in Africa?). I currently live in Kenya, and, knowing the local environment, it's not just the top 5-10 schools that are competitive, though. Schools with strong social impact focus (e.g., Oxford, Duke) are considered strong brand names in Africa. Both of these programs can be done in 1 year, which could be a good fit for you. Check out the scholarship opportunities for these schools - I know Oxford has a strong focus on the continent and quite a lot of funding for Africans. 

Re development consultancies: check out Dalberg, too. 

Best,

Réka

Dear A,

It depends on your goals and your career vision. Ask yourself honestly where do you want to see yourself in 5 years, and how you experience and skills which you gained in consulting will help you in that? Does it fit to your vision?

In terms of age, it's not old, but you have twice about your possible intensity, position, work-life balance. 

Best,

André

I joined Bain post-MBA at 39. Age hang ups are other people's problem.

Hi there,

I agree with Udayan that you will need a top MBA and possibly a referral to be able to break into consulting with your background - that should compensate for the lack of brand.

35 is totally fine as age to join MBB in a post-MBA role – I helped quite a few people older than you in the process.

Best,

Francesco

Hello!

I don´t think you should worry, I also know quite some people who joined consulting in their 30s and did not only ok, but very good. 

Usually they will offer you a very advanced Associate position with quick promo to EM. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Dear A,

You know, honestly, your situation is not that easy. Most probably you will not be able to join MBB firm, but you could try your chance with tier1/tier2 companies like Strategy&, Roland Berger, Oliver Wyman, Kearney. It also very much depends on what business school you joined, if it's target school then your chances are way higher. But make sure that you will get the top grades or become top 10 person of the class, then your chances to land even the MBB offer will increase significantly. 

Wish you best of luck,

André

Hi,

Just from an age perspective, no you will not be ‘too old’. I personally knew people who started as a Consultant (post-MBA role normally) at the ages of 38-39, and they have done very well.

Nobody cares about your age in MBB, they only care about your ability to deliver on projects.