Top fields to get into and how to do it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MBA from a top 10.

$150k first year, double that in 5.

In what field?

Consulting with McKinsey Bain or BCG. Even PWC or Deloitte to an extent, maybe just a wee bit behind in comp.
high Finance certainly - private equity, hedge funds, Ibanking, funds of funds, sales and trading, etc

I'm at about $200k 4 years out and behind my friends (who are pushing $250-$300)

Somewhere I've got a chart of average salaries post MBA. I'll look for the paper (it was something on gender Econ) and post.

I work at Deloitte, have an MBA from a top 3 school, and the average grad is certainly not making $150k out of school. Closer to $90k.

Something is way off for you. Base salaries at Deloitte the year I graduated were $115k. Sign on was $40k. Then of course you have end of year bonus.

[Anonymous]

That report was published in 2009. I wonder how applicable those numbers are today.

[Anonymous]

Case in point:

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/career_employer/~/media/Files/CMC/Employment%20Report/EmploymentReport2012.ashx

Consulting median was $133K. That would exclude any end of year bonus.

Look at booth Harvard Stanford Wharton etc, the numbers are all similar. $90k post MBA is way below market.

[Anonymous]

Here's Wharton. $135k median base

http://mbacareers.wharton.upenn.edu/statistics/files/WhartonCareerReport2012_final.pdf

Plus sign on plus end of year bonus...

[Anonymous]

How does someone get into IT cybersecurity without a prior background in it? I have an international relations BA and have been doing admin work since I graduated in 2010 since (all of the international relations jobs I considered wanted at least a master's degree).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does someone get into IT cybersecurity without a prior background in it? I have an international relations BA and have been doing admin work since I graduated in 2010 since (all of the international relations jobs I considered wanted at least a master's degree).

Look at Hopkins EPP (engineering program for professionals). My DH switched careers to cyber security by doing an MS in engineering there. He had to take some math prerequisites, but it was a good path overall and he makes a lot more $ now in his new career.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'd also consider family-friendliness when looking at fields. Big consulting might pay a lot, but if there is travel or late nights it probably won't work out that well with kids.

I'm in public health - definitely not a "top field" in terms of pay, but if I had to do it over again, I'd think about data science/big data/data visualization. I tried to do a coursera class on data analysis, but the week it started my kid got strep throat and my cat geriatric cat started declining and even those minor setbacks were enough to throw off my life (work/life balance is not my strong suit). A long winded way of saying I second the suggestion on trying some free online classes- both to test your interest in a topic and to test your interest in online education.

Also- my husband is an IT consultant at a big federal contractor. He's honestly not on the path to make partner (hates selling work) and wants to switch careers if he can figure out what to do. In the meantime he gets paid way more than me, rarely works more than 40 hours, and had had lots if flexibility on his last few clients. It's not a bad life for a working parent. Since you have IT skills, that something you might consider, potentially without a second masters.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

I would look at geriatric nursing and farming.

[Anonymous]

I worked for big 4 and I would like an accounting degree or IT degree helps. Information assurance is also in high demand. Unless you make partner, you probably won't make a lot of money. But usually big 4 firms have great benefits. The federal sector also usually has better work life balance.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure how all these postings about big 4 consulting are going to be to the OP. Unfortunately, those firms almost exclusively recruit grads straight out of the same 4-5 schools. Not saying that OP wouldn't be great at the gig, just that the recruiting process is not really designed for someone in her situation.

[Anonymous]

this reminds of a leveraged sellout post, esp the 'how to do it part'.

HADES -> HYP -> GS IB/ST -> HBS -> HF/PE/VC -> GREATNESS

[Anonymous]

Accounting. Become a taxCPA.

[DS63]

Is the goal to make money or to have fun? I enjoy my job. I make good, but not great money. But, I do not hate my life for 8-10 hrs/day (maybe 4 hours per week).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. looking at UMUC's online offerings in IT and cybersecurity looks like you can go on to earn an MBA after if you want. Their IT school is a NSA approved center of excellence.

Anyone gone through these programs or can speak to whether the degrees there are worth it? I will be looking for entry level IT/security gigs if I go this route and pursuing compTia certification on the side.

If someone is in VA, GMU has a great program and is cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Become a speech language pathologist