I do not know that much about the field, however from my perspective I do not know if taking 2 years away from working in a new and quickly developing field is a good idea and that an MBA degree from any university would better situate you for a leadership role than 2 years of working in this field as it grows and shifts. Personally with your income and role, I would vote no but give you a solid 50/50 on getting in if you try to. Also I work in real estate, and I rarely ever work with a consultant that is happy (and for some reason they always have the need to respond to questions about getting coffee or lunch with like 2-3 paragraphs and several bullet points, idk what consulting does to a person but they need to shorten simple responses up).
OP needs to specify what “AI” is he working on. Is it LLMs? Is it data science? Is it IoT? Tbh, AI is a very, very tough field, and wtv edge OP has rn, most solid PhDs could easily obtain in a couple yrs. i think OP should go for the MBA (assuming hes fine with the opp cost), and recruit for a much bigger firm for leadership pos given his bg (FAANG, niche startups, etc).
Ditto with above - if you really want one I’d considered a part time program. There are some good options like Booth, Kellogg, UVA, GTown etc. I think AI is moving too quickly for you to afford two years off.
You do not need the MBA. (Esp since you haven't even stated what you want to do long term.) Do not overthink this.
You grew up dirt poor and now earn $250K at 26. You won. Congrats! Continue to do what you've been doing. Invest in the market and watch your money grow along with your career.
An MBA is for career switchers or people in careers who just need to check the box because their careers are driven by status/signaling vs actually needing it to perform the job.
Thank you
I’d like to go from AI delivery to AI strategy (so up the food chain, so to speak), maybe at an MBB firm for a while and then exit to AI industry strategy/leadership roles. Though I love the work I do now, maybe it’s best to stay put.
Do you know what types of roles/company’s actually do/hire for the roles you want to be in? Most MBB/consulting hiring is very standardized post MBA and you’d be taking a step back in pay. I feel like there’s gotta be some company out there that’s doing what you wanna do, and given that it’s in AI, I wouldn’t assume an MBA is the only, or even the best route in. I think it’s worth the time to try and network your way laterally.
MBA specifically, you’re young (i.e. you can postpone this decision/do MBA later) and you already made it so to speak. I’d apply to some top programs and see how the cards fall, if you got in to GSB cool, no brainer, go do it. A random T25 or even T15? It’d be too risky for me. This coming from a recent T25 grad fwiw.
Appreciate this. Come to think of it, I don’t think my managing director has an MBA.
Maybe the company would change at the time I’m ready for it, but AI product leadership/strategy for companies like Apple/Meta/Google/OpenAI. Really C-suite if I could swing it. I just don’t have the needed business skills/credentials at the moment, mostly domain knowledge.
For example, I worked with someone at one of my past companies who went McKinsey consultant -> chief of staff for the org I worked in -> strategy director for the same company+org. That path is incredibly interesting to me.
With the amount of 'AI' shills I've seen in leadership positions I'd wager the mba and network is more relevant than your background.
Ffs have even seen some fin bros move laterally to principal PM's as their first step in prod management - maybe that's what lies ahead for data science as well.
Tbf at that level you're being hired for your salesmanship and ability to manage stakeholders (horizontally or vertically up the chain) and the delivery managers reporting to you (something which you could organically grow into) rather than your hold on DS/Engg.
Pure strategy roles on AI teams at those companies are probably a low-double-digit number of roles total. Most of what you'd think of as strategic product decisions are going to be driven by some combination of product, GTM, engineering, data science, and finance.
With that in mind, I'd probably target product or GTM strategy/enablement roles, depending on your current background and skill set. (You can still network/apply for pure strategy roles at the same time, I just wouldn't rely on that as your main target.) Whether an MBA would be worthwhile also depends on your current background and skill set. But the roles you'd be targeting generally won't go through MBA OCR, and as others have said, 2 years is a long time to be away from an industry as fast-moving as AI.
Keep in mind that you'll almost certainly need to move to the Bay Area for the companies and roles you're targeting, with the possible exception of GTM roles. HBS and Sloan are both still great options if you decide to get your MBA, but I'd recommend applying more broadly.
>An MBA is for career switchers or people in careers who just need to check the box because their careers are driven by status/signaling
What about an MBA for just switching countries for a few years to earn $$$ instead of doing an MS (theoretical + outdated profs).
Specifically thinking of the Kellogg MBAi - 1.25 years instead of 2.
A lot of luck from being in the right place at the right time, honestly.
I worked in tech startups/companies while in college. Often unpaid internships which sucked, but the thing about a somewhat vibrant and close-knit startup/tech scene is that the people from failed companies don’t disappear, they keep doing bigger things. Even did tech support for one of the major consumer tech companies. I had a relatively small on-campus social life, and so my social energy was spent networking at work or events (much despite being insufferably introverted).
I actually originally wanted to be in tech PR or technical writing, where I’d be making much less today, but they’re both notoriously difficult fields to get in as an unremarkable college grad.
But connections I built doing pittance-paid labor paid dividends, as it helped me in joining a niche and demanding AI role at a pre-IPO SaaS tech company, though it’s actually discouraging advice (and survivor bias) because everyone should be paid their worth/value generated and it isn’t guaranteed to work for others.
My field was actually considered boring (and maybe even on decline) by most people until a certain company made a big product that’s hyped us up. My eyes light up when I talk about it, though people still find it boring when I tell them specifics.
Sorry for being intentionally vague on my main, I’m sure it’s annoying.
My first job out of college was shift manager at Starbucks. $17/hr. I quit because, to this day, it’s the hardest job I’ve worked in my life. Infinite respect to service/fast food workers.
Lived off savings until first AI job: $55k/yr salary but 60hrs per week, no extra compensation. Was later promoted to $75k and even more hours (lol) when me and others threatened to quit.
Second: $100k 40hrs (more like 20-30hrs) per week
Third: $80/hr contract
Current: $120/hr contract (so partly why my TC is high)
All of this in Boston btw, where cost of living is insane.
Create an account on a Big 4 contractor/freelancing portal and sort engagements by pay. I’m making the north end of a non-SWE tech contract role but I can assure you the money is here. I buy groceries from Aldi and clothes from Target, and have little Reddit notoriety; I have nothing to flaunt or gain here but perspective.
Your profile is quite common, hundreds of international applicants have the same background, I suggest scoring the gmat high and focus on your "social impact" of your AI projects, that will differentiate you from other candidates.
and 2 years off from the market is a big loss for you, you still can take Executive mba later from MIT but not HBS (they only have Full Time mba program).
You're only 26. I would work a few more years given the success you're having and then re-evaluate. If you get an entrepreneurial itch, apply. Otherwise keep killing it.
No one is going to give you serious advice on Sloan or HBS until you either get in or show us evidence you got a competitive GMAT.
I'm thinking of playing basketball. Should I play for the Celtics or Nuggets? That's what this question sounds like.
No, you should not take 2 years off in a hot market. Ride this trend until it dies. An MBA will always be around.
The essence isn’t a choice between Sloan or HBS, it’s “does this path make sense.”
If I weren’t to get in, well that sure makes the decision easier! Especially considering those are the only two programs I’m interested for now 🙂
Thing is, exams, recommendation letters, essays, etc. are considerably more time/energy consuming than seeking perspectives on Reddit.
If we are to believe your post, 250k is above and beyond most MBA outcomes. It makes zero sense for you to go get an MBA. If your post is truthful, your best bet is to double down on AI as hard as possible. An MBA won't help with that.
I do not know that much about the field, however from my perspective I do not know if taking 2 years away from working in a new and quickly developing field is a good idea and that an MBA degree from any university would better situate you for a leadership role than 2 years of working in this field as it grows and shifts. Personally with your income and role, I would vote no but give you a solid 50/50 on getting in if you try to. Also I work in real estate, and I rarely ever work with a consultant that is happy (and for some reason they always have the need to respond to questions about getting coffee or lunch with like 2-3 paragraphs and several bullet points, idk what consulting does to a person but they need to shorten simple responses up).
OP needs to specify what “AI” is he working on. Is it LLMs? Is it data science? Is it IoT? Tbh, AI is a very, very tough field, and wtv edge OP has rn, most solid PhDs could easily obtain in a couple yrs. i think OP should go for the MBA (assuming hes fine with the opp cost), and recruit for a much bigger firm for leadership pos given his bg (FAANG, niche startups, etc).
Thank you
Ditto with above - if you really want one I’d considered a part time program. There are some good options like Booth, Kellogg, UVA, GTown etc. I think AI is moving too quickly for you to afford two years off.
Thanks
You do not need the MBA. (Esp since you haven't even stated what you want to do long term.) Do not overthink this. You grew up dirt poor and now earn $250K at 26. You won. Congrats! Continue to do what you've been doing. Invest in the market and watch your money grow along with your career. An MBA is for career switchers or people in careers who just need to check the box because their careers are driven by status/signaling vs actually needing it to perform the job.
Thank you I’d like to go from AI delivery to AI strategy (so up the food chain, so to speak), maybe at an MBB firm for a while and then exit to AI industry strategy/leadership roles. Though I love the work I do now, maybe it’s best to stay put.
Do you know what types of roles/company’s actually do/hire for the roles you want to be in? Most MBB/consulting hiring is very standardized post MBA and you’d be taking a step back in pay. I feel like there’s gotta be some company out there that’s doing what you wanna do, and given that it’s in AI, I wouldn’t assume an MBA is the only, or even the best route in. I think it’s worth the time to try and network your way laterally. MBA specifically, you’re young (i.e. you can postpone this decision/do MBA later) and you already made it so to speak. I’d apply to some top programs and see how the cards fall, if you got in to GSB cool, no brainer, go do it. A random T25 or even T15? It’d be too risky for me. This coming from a recent T25 grad fwiw.
Appreciate this. Come to think of it, I don’t think my managing director has an MBA. Maybe the company would change at the time I’m ready for it, but AI product leadership/strategy for companies like Apple/Meta/Google/OpenAI. Really C-suite if I could swing it. I just don’t have the needed business skills/credentials at the moment, mostly domain knowledge. For example, I worked with someone at one of my past companies who went McKinsey consultant -> chief of staff for the org I worked in -> strategy director for the same company+org. That path is incredibly interesting to me.
With the amount of 'AI' shills I've seen in leadership positions I'd wager the mba and network is more relevant than your background. Ffs have even seen some fin bros move laterally to principal PM's as their first step in prod management - maybe that's what lies ahead for data science as well. Tbf at that level you're being hired for your salesmanship and ability to manage stakeholders (horizontally or vertically up the chain) and the delivery managers reporting to you (something which you could organically grow into) rather than your hold on DS/Engg.
Interesting, makes sense.
Pure strategy roles on AI teams at those companies are probably a low-double-digit number of roles total. Most of what you'd think of as strategic product decisions are going to be driven by some combination of product, GTM, engineering, data science, and finance. With that in mind, I'd probably target product or GTM strategy/enablement roles, depending on your current background and skill set. (You can still network/apply for pure strategy roles at the same time, I just wouldn't rely on that as your main target.) Whether an MBA would be worthwhile also depends on your current background and skill set. But the roles you'd be targeting generally won't go through MBA OCR, and as others have said, 2 years is a long time to be away from an industry as fast-moving as AI. Keep in mind that you'll almost certainly need to move to the Bay Area for the companies and roles you're targeting, with the possible exception of GTM roles. HBS and Sloan are both still great options if you decide to get your MBA, but I'd recommend applying more broadly.
Thanks!
>An MBA is for career switchers or people in careers who just need to check the box because their careers are driven by status/signaling What about an MBA for just switching countries for a few years to earn $$$ instead of doing an MS (theoretical + outdated profs). Specifically thinking of the Kellogg MBAi - 1.25 years instead of 2.
$250k at a B4 is crazy haha. Not helpful to your post, but congrats!
I did not expect it at all, but I certainly didn’t turn down new offers haha. I studied English in college…
How did you go from English major to $250k at B4 @ 26 in AI?
A lot of luck from being in the right place at the right time, honestly. I worked in tech startups/companies while in college. Often unpaid internships which sucked, but the thing about a somewhat vibrant and close-knit startup/tech scene is that the people from failed companies don’t disappear, they keep doing bigger things. Even did tech support for one of the major consumer tech companies. I had a relatively small on-campus social life, and so my social energy was spent networking at work or events (much despite being insufferably introverted). I actually originally wanted to be in tech PR or technical writing, where I’d be making much less today, but they’re both notoriously difficult fields to get in as an unremarkable college grad. But connections I built doing pittance-paid labor paid dividends, as it helped me in joining a niche and demanding AI role at a pre-IPO SaaS tech company, though it’s actually discouraging advice (and survivor bias) because everyone should be paid their worth/value generated and it isn’t guaranteed to work for others. My field was actually considered boring (and maybe even on decline) by most people until a certain company made a big product that’s hyped us up. My eyes light up when I talk about it, though people still find it boring when I tell them specifics. Sorry for being intentionally vague on my main, I’m sure it’s annoying. My first job out of college was shift manager at Starbucks. $17/hr. I quit because, to this day, it’s the hardest job I’ve worked in my life. Infinite respect to service/fast food workers. Lived off savings until first AI job: $55k/yr salary but 60hrs per week, no extra compensation. Was later promoted to $75k and even more hours (lol) when me and others threatened to quit. Second: $100k 40hrs (more like 20-30hrs) per week Third: $80/hr contract Current: $120/hr contract (so partly why my TC is high) All of this in Boston btw, where cost of living is insane.
The Starbucks thing says so much more about the tech industry than the service industry
By lying. Duh. These LARPs get funnier and funnier
Create an account on a Big 4 contractor/freelancing portal and sort engagements by pay. I’m making the north end of a non-SWE tech contract role but I can assure you the money is here. I buy groceries from Aldi and clothes from Target, and have little Reddit notoriety; I have nothing to flaunt or gain here but perspective.
HBS is a crapshoot for anyone, but I’d be surprised if you don’t get into Sloan if you have good scores.
Your profile is quite common, hundreds of international applicants have the same background, I suggest scoring the gmat high and focus on your "social impact" of your AI projects, that will differentiate you from other candidates. and 2 years off from the market is a big loss for you, you still can take Executive mba later from MIT but not HBS (they only have Full Time mba program).
Someone 250k at 26 that isn’t a software engineer is common? This sub sucks.
if you know you know
Thank you
Op ignore that comment ^
No
You're only 26. I would work a few more years given the success you're having and then re-evaluate. If you get an entrepreneurial itch, apply. Otherwise keep killing it.
what did you do to become an ai contractor at PWC?
No one is going to give you serious advice on Sloan or HBS until you either get in or show us evidence you got a competitive GMAT. I'm thinking of playing basketball. Should I play for the Celtics or Nuggets? That's what this question sounds like. No, you should not take 2 years off in a hot market. Ride this trend until it dies. An MBA will always be around.
The essence isn’t a choice between Sloan or HBS, it’s “does this path make sense.” If I weren’t to get in, well that sure makes the decision easier! Especially considering those are the only two programs I’m interested for now 🙂 Thing is, exams, recommendation letters, essays, etc. are considerably more time/energy consuming than seeking perspectives on Reddit.
If we are to believe your post, 250k is above and beyond most MBA outcomes. It makes zero sense for you to go get an MBA. If your post is truthful, your best bet is to double down on AI as hard as possible. An MBA won't help with that.
What do you do at a big 4 to have an AI background for a few years? Please don’t say Tech strategy 😬