Hi all,I am interested in starting up my own business in the future (either in the retail or online industry) and would like to know what offer you think I should choose that will best prepare me for this.I have the following offers:- mckinsey business analyst- bain business analyst- google associate product manager- procter and gamble brand manager- goldman sachs investment banker- a private equity analyst at a private equity firm

For more background...What is the retail or online industry? To me sounds like selling anything in a shop or online (not much to go on).

If this post is not a joke...I would go to McK/Bain depending on where do you feel more comfortable working for a few years. Some of the other options might be ok also depending on your background...

Is this post hypothetical? Amber, I would genuinely love to know how you've received offers from Bain and McK before they've even started interviewing for this year (as I'm one of the mugs who hasn't figured out how to bypass the whole deadline, interviews, offer process....)

I'd go for P&G if I were you.Starting and running a business requires management experience, which you don't get in consulting (esp. at MBB) until several years into your career.GS and PE will get you some good contacts for raising finance, but you'll miss out on learning how to run a business, innovate, etc. If you've all those offers, you probably have sufficient networking skills to raise finance without working in the finance industry yourself.Google fits the bill for getting hands-on experience. However, exposure to the real decision-making is by all accounts very limited outside of a small clique in Mountain View. If (like most forum members here) you're looking at UK positions, I don't think you'll get much out of the job apart from an interesting CV - if you're looking at starting out on your own, that's an irrelevant consideration.P&G will at least get you good exposure to how to be successful in retail and consumer goods.

The original post is most probably either bovine excrement or a hypothetical question. It does not hang together for a number of reasons:1) In order to get a product manager role at Google, a computer science degree is almost a prerequisite; however other of the positions would not even consider someone with this background without an MBA. The implication of the post seems to be someone who has just graduated or is about to graduate from a first degree.2) The levels talked about in the post are not equivalent. Some would require 3+ years of experience and/or an MBA, whereas others are entry-level.3) I have friends who are tabs or scum and have MBAs from top business schools and none of them got an offer list this good, so it fails the laugh test.That said, it is an interesting question. Here's my take on a few of the firms...McK & Bain - MBB could be a great choice or a dreadful one depending on the person in question. If you know what you're getting in to and can live with the lifestyle it's great. If you don't, then it's hell. Both look good on the CV and the exit opportunities are generally excellent.P&G - ZB's point is well made. They are a very well run company.Google - "Don't be evil" my ar5e! Look at my moniker; I know evil when I see it.EC

EC what are tabs or scum?

Tabs - People who went to Cambridge. Derives from the degree notation "canTABridgiensis" meaning "from Cambridge." Very old pejorative.Scum - People who went to Oxford. Not as common as "tab".EC

Business analyst at McK is an entry position for undergraduates.There is no such position as business analyst at Bain - the equivalent is Associate Consultant.I vote very arrogant hyopthetical - get the offers first (which you won't get unless you know what positions to apply to!) and THEN make the choice about which one to go for!

Amber - accept them all, and let us know how it goes.As someone who actually worked for P&G for 5 years I can say that the majority are highly principled, hard working lifers. The unfortunate (10%) minority are B-school second stringers who ease into a Band 2/3 role without proper appreciation for things such as Respect for the Individual; they are more common the closer you get to Cincinnati.

Market research into what attracts "entrepreneurial" candidates to a company?

Thank you all for the feedback.Also this is not hypothetical. I have a dual degree in business and computer science from an Ivy league school in the U.S. I have previously worked in financing and starting up an online retail business, which explains the variety of offers I have received.Also I must apologize for some of the position titles... bain is indeed a associate consultant position and pg is assistant brand manager. These are all entry level positions, including google where their associate product managers are seen as more junior product managers that are hired after graduation.PG seems like a good option to me because of the retail aspect, but I am actually leaning more towards joining google at the moment (the location is in mountain view, cali). I think I would get better hands on experience at what it takes to conceive and launch web products and the online industry is experiencing tremendous growth and opportunities for innovation. Also im not too sure if an MBB firm would give me any online or retail experience... and if so I hear that the experience isn't that great at the analyst level (its supposedly pretty administrative - crunching numbers, preparing power point decks, etc)Does anyone see any counter-arguments to this that I have not taken into consideration?

Amber - I still don't believe you.

If the GS offer were real, you wouldn't be describing the job as "investment banker".

Or the Bain position as business analyst....

hi bainee im very much interested in workin for bain have 10 yrs experience & am fin consultant i'd appreciate ur help here or ar aasimo@yahoo.com thanks

I was a good student always handing in my homework and never cheating on exams, v much appreciate ur help in getting into uni.

I was a good student always handing in my homework and never cheating on exams, v much appreciate ur help in getting into uni.