If you don't make partner in MC and know that you won't make C-level in industry, what other options are there for those 40+?

I'd imagine working at a level junior to C-level would be a pretty common outcome...Or you could buy a sub post office, join a monastic order, turn to farming, crime or busking...

Use all the airmiles/hotel/train points you've accumulated for the past 20 years to travel the world - live fast, die young!

The joys of middle management. Reasonable pay, reasonable stress, you get to see your family every night.

This is an interesting one - Coolio and BEP should be able to talk this one through extensively, considering their grandad status. HahahahaTo those of us who are below this ancient age...If you are not going to reach Partner or Senior Mangt at 40+, then I do hope this is a conscious choice you made. Be truthful with yourself, most Partners will have given up a lot of time with the kids, sacrified a lot of personal stuff, if you haven't, then your heart wasn't in it to get there in the first place.To me not getting to the peak of your career should mean that you have a plan of what you will do instead at 40+. For example, you are content at the middle management role (still well paid at the low 6 figure mark), as you are going to focus on your hobbies, or your charity work, or your family, or your dream startup etc etcIf you haven't reached Exec and haven't got a plan of what you will be doing and wondering what to do at 40+... that may explain why you haven't made Exec level in the first place.

I blame a lack of planning. I knew I wouldn't ever make Partner in MC or C level in industry (the fact Ive never worked in either was the cornerstone of my analysis) so prepared myself for mediocrity by following another career path. I am very content being 40 and in this grey wasteland of the never got theres. Or you could look at this way - being Partner of an MC, or C level in some FTSE250 isn't really the pinnacle it used to be, in the age of multibillionaire start up entrepreneurs.

@Anon MCsYou talk a lot, but don't say much. Useful skill. You must be a good consultant :)

Wow,I must have touched a raw nerve. Apologies Georgie but you need to be fairly thick skinned in our industry. Not my fault if you didn't make it to the status you deem you deserve.I won't bother to give you a full response. Suffice to say that when it was required of me, I have gone quite far to help guys on this forum.If you didn't cut it as anything but mid to low level management, I don't think Coolio or BEP have a magic bullet for you.Use your energies positively Georgie, there's plenty of non work related things you can get involved in apart from work if you haven't quite made it.Any advice on "use your network" etc is obvious and something that no doubt you are already on top of.

[quote]If you don't make partner in MC and know that you won't make C-level in industry, what other options are there for those 40+?[/quote]An increasing number of consulting firms offer a way out in the form of a dead end. Granted, they call it a "specialist career path" but it is specifically designed to keep knowledgeable people in who will not make it / don't want to rise to partner level.Alternatively, plenty of people land a job in the industry, not at C-level but a few levels lower, still well paid and with far less workload, responsibility and stress.Another big group becomes self employed, frequently raking in equally big cash as those who made it to partner level.

[quote]Wow,I must have touched a raw nerve. Apologies Georgie but you need to be fairly thick skinned in our industry. Not my fault if you didn't make it to the status you deem you deserve.I won't bother to give you a full response. Suffice to say that when it was required of me, I have gone quite far to help guys on this forum.If you didn't cut it as anything but mid to low level management, I don't think Coolio or BEP have a magic bullet for you.Use your energies positively Georgie, there's plenty of non work related things you can get involved in apart from work if you haven't quite made it.Any advice on "use your network" etc is obvious and something that no doubt you are already on top of.[/quote]Wow! I think I "touched a raw nerve" :)

The question is completely ridiculous and the sarcastic replies you got were entirely deserved...If you count maximum of 5 C-levels per FTSE250 - that means 1,250 C-Levels in any credible firm of the "industry". Compare that to 5,000+ "partners" at just ONE typical large Consulting firm and you can see that in reality the "C-level in industry" option is actually not really an option at all - but rather far harder to attain. The typical C-Levels have spent all or most of their career in industry - the main issue you will find in moving at 40+ from Consulting is that are "too" Consulting focused.There is absolutely no shame in ending your career comfortably in senior management within industry - VP, Director, Senior Manager - all the same. There is similarly no shame in contracting for yourself, starting your own business or even being a house husband. The options you have at any time in your life are dictated only by your own drive, self belief and - if I'm honest - a little bit of luck. There are myriad options - and honestly you don't need to ask such a question on this forum - use your common sense. Arby

Sarcastic? More like stupid :)

Your wit alone will get you to partner - don't worry my friend!

Thanks :)

[quote]The question is completely ridiculous and the sarcastic replies you got were entirely deserved...If you count maximum of 5 C-levels per FTSE250 - that means 1,250 C-Levels in any credible firm of the "industry". Compare that to 5,000+ "partners" at just ONE typical large Consulting firm and you can see that in reality the "C-level in industry" option is actually not really an option at all - but rather far harder to attain. The typical C-Levels have spent all or most of their career in industry - the main issue you will find in moving at 40+ from Consulting is that are "too" Consulting focused.There is absolutely no shame in ending your career comfortably in senior management within industry - VP, Director, Senior Manager - all the same. There is similarly no shame in contracting for yourself, starting your own business or even being a house husband. The options you have at any time in your life are dictated only by your own drive, self belief and - if I'm honest - a little bit of luck. There are myriad options - and honestly you don't need to ask such a question on this forum - use your common sense. Arby[/quote]You forgot to take that figure down a few orders of magnitude for women :)

[quote]The question is completely ridiculous and the sarcastic replies you got were entirely deserved...If you count maximum of 5 C-levels per FTSE250 - that means 1,250 C-Levels in any credible firm of the "industry". Compare that to 5,000+ "partners" at just ONE typical large Consulting firm and you can see that in reality the "C-level in industry" option is actually not really an option at all - but rather far harder to attain. The typical C-Levels have spent all or most of their career in industry - the main issue you will find in moving at 40+ from Consulting is that are "too" Consulting focused.There is absolutely no shame in ending your career comfortably in senior management within industry - VP, Director, Senior Manager - all the same. There is similarly no shame in contracting for yourself, starting your own business or even being a house husband. The options you have at any time in your life are dictated only by your own drive, self belief and - if I'm honest - a little bit of luck. There are myriad options - and honestly you don't need to ask such a question on this forum - use your common sense. Arby[/quote]Not to be pedantic, but do the FTSE 100 not count as credible companies as well? Can't quite get why you chose to multiply by 250... surely 100 or 350 should be your multiple here? 5k partners at one typical consulting firm? SAY WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT? Serious?

Because if you take the FTSE 100, you're looking at 500 positions - the creme de la creme - which is not a like for like comparison with the broad partnership levels at a typical large consultancy firm like IBM or Accenture (100-200k employees). If I mentioned FTSE 100 then I would be roughly equating this to the very top echelons of the partnerships - which is probably just as difficult to get too. However point taken and feel free to re-post my comment with your corrections....

[quote]Because if you take the FTSE 100, you're looking at 500 positions - the creme de la creme - which is not a like for like comparison with the broad partnership levels at a typical large consultancy firm like IBM or Accenture (100-200k employees). If I mentioned FTSE 100 then I would be roughly equating this to the very top echelons of the partnerships - which is probably just as difficult to get too. However point taken and feel free to re-post my comment with your corrections....[/quote]Do IBM or Accenture have partners?

Is this a serious question?You're really asking us 'what you should do with your life'?wtf?

[quote]Is this a serious question?You're really asking us 'what you should do with your life'?wtf?[/quote]Are you THAT stupid? Is that your takeaway from the original post? Seriously, how stupid are you? WTF!

(Inbetweeners)... feisty one you are