Iviews and a hole in my career plan

Many important events happened in the last TWO weeks (long time not to write my blog!).

First on the job front: I gave two (that makes a total of four!) important interviews with my fav company (one with the company’s CEO and another with its COO) and they want me to come over to their head quarters in India for further interviews. This next interview is likely to take place in the next 3-4 days.

Next was a surprise interview with CEO of a company in my consideration set. I visited the company and chatted with a few of its senior guys and some ISB alumni. The interview with CEO proved to be particularly useful. He spent almost an hour with me explaining in detail what joining his company will be different (both positives and negatives) from joining other companies in competition. It felt like attending a strategy class. This company has a ‘firm’ (as in partnership firm) mentality partly because its CEO is an ex-Mckinsey guy.

Some insights he provided:
Working in a company like say a consulting firm will be different from working in a tech firm in the following ways:
Consulting firm will (mostly) have MBAs working for them. Hence work culture (right from independence at work, bossism etc to the kind of security checks and trust reposed in employees) will be very different in these two categories of employees.
“Growth” will be slower. Never will such companies recruit in thousands
Personal guidance and mentorship will be available in consulting company and will key in shaping one’s career
Training in soft skills will change you big time (and he gave me instances how he changed as a person (more mature etc) (this does not mean his company has all those training facilities tho)

The most important discussion is about training (in soft and other skills). While I have some vague training plans in mind, never did I realize that guys going to companies like Mckinsey will have a great comparative advantage in terms of availability and nature of training skills and mentorship. I have to figure out how I should overcome this hole in my career plan.

This interview was impactful because it was a surprise. I was more prepared to ask questions (on industry and company)… but not for an interview. I am glad that he spent his time. I am not yet sure whether I will join his company.. but am sure that he influenced my career plans. I will talk to guys in Mckinsey and in companies like HLL and Infosys to figure out the training facilities available to their employees and see how I can get similar training.