| Topic Name: |
Experienced Exec Switch to Consulting |
| Message Name: |
Reality-Based Advice |
| Date Posted: |
05/26/2007 |
| In Reply To: |
Thanks for your advice. Qhat I was hoping to achieve (thus far) from this post was someone providing me with their perspective that "Brand A" has a culture of seeking experienced execs more than "Brand B". Perhaps someone will chime in with that perspective.
There are no thinly veiled attempts here to land a job. My communication is simple - someone tell me which companies may look more favorably on seasoned execs! I've worked with too many management consulting firms (in collaboration) to know what type of candidates each primarily seeks and the reasons for their hiring strategy. However, I do feel that seasoned execs bring such a different (and needed) perspective to the profession, especially those who do have real mgmt consulting experience. Yet, from what I've seen and from what a couple of my colleagues have told me first hand, it didn't matter that they had 20 years and a ravingly positive career CV - they found themselves all too often taking direction from people that had only a few years of work experience, albeit maybe three - five at that given consultancy.
I'm not trying to delude myself or fool you and I appreciate your time for responding to my post. I believe in proving oneself and have no qualms about working my way the career ladder. However, I don't have any interest in working for a snotty nose MBA who is 20 years my junior (there, I said it). I've sold too much business in my life - hired, fired, cheered and cried over too many wins and loses in business and I'm lucky that in that respect. Hence, I'm trying to avoid spending time seeking opportunities "down the wrong avenue".
Yet, I realize that what I'm seeking at this stage in life may be challenging and that firms hire people (I've hired more than 250 people in my career)and I know what I look for in an employee. I know I'll take that an interview.
Your advice CareerKeysMan has been solid....I do have a few contacts in the industry and I do know some of the firms where I would be wasting my time as they only want the top 5% out of MBA school and seasoned people can be perceived as problematic, not the right training, etc., etc.
From my perspective the industry needs a blend of both types of talent - the raw that can be trained and will grow and the seasoned that can mentor and distinguish the company from its competition.
I'm at an interesting stage in my life - I'm 50 and a VP of a consulting firm that employs 150+ people. We provide lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and best practice solutions primarily to manufacturing industries. I'm responsible for BD and have developed/managed over $60 million of new business since 2002. Love my job - travel alot - get decent pay. However, it's a niche practice area which I believe in but it's not the area that affords me the diversity of problems and challenges I seek.
Thanks for all your advice. Keep reading this post - perhaps we'll both discover something new!
Cheers. |
| Message: |
With all of your experience (in consulting) and all of the contacts I assume you have made in the consulting world and all of the articles& books, magazines etc. about consulting firms that you surely have read, all of the recruiters that you've met over the years, you still don't know which firms might hire you. That's surprising, but I don't doubt you.
It's very common for job hunters to want someone to tell them which companies would probably want to hire them. It may not seem like it, but that is an unrealistic hope, in my opinion and experience.
At some point I believe you'll come to realize that what I said in my response to you is true. That is, that's it's unlikely that you'll find whatever it is you're looking for (someone who can tell you the names of consulting firms that would probably want to hire you) here.
Because of all the above, I tried to give you some general, but realistic advice on what you might do. I'm sorry that took my advice that as a job hunter you SHOULD try to be perceived at a hiring company as someone contacting them with an offer to be of service, rather than as someone who has contacted them
for the purpose of SELLING their services. No where did I say that YOU personally were guilty of the latter. I don't know you and it would be presumptuous (and foolish) to
give more than general advice to an anonymous poster on the Internet.
It might be different if this was a web site specifically devoted to consulting FIRMS, NOT the millions of people that would like to land a high-paying job AT a consulting firm. Maybe you'd have better luck in finding that magic shortcut ("here's who'd probably hire you if you send your resume to Mr. Dithers") if you posted your request on a different kind of web site.
|
|
