Three years out of MBB and now in tech PM, I’ve watched peers take wildly different exits. Corporate strategy folks complain about PowerPoints 2.0 but better hours. Startup friends burn out but love the equity lottery. Tech PM gives ownership but requires translating ‘synergy’ to ‘user stories.’ Those considering PE miss the consulting problem-solving diet. For those eyeing 2024 exits – what’s swinging your decision: learning curve, exit ops, or cold hard comp? And does anyone actually crack the ‘culture fit’ code early?
corp strategy is just consultancy with worse slides. startups will take your mba and replace it with stock options that’ll vest never. tech pm? enjoy babysitting engineers who laugh at your gantt charts. pick your poison and dont expect consulting-level polish anywhere.
pls help – how do u even compare equity offers vs base salary? got a startup offer ‘competitive stock’ but idk how to value that vs FAANG’s RSUs?? thx!!
Focus on three dimensions: skill transferability, growth runway, and lifestyle. Tech PM leverages client management into roadmap leadership but requires technical upskilling. Corporate strategy offers faster promotion tracks if you tolerate governance work. Startups demand operational grit – negotiate equity carefully. Always map decisions to 5-year goals, not just title bumps.
My buddy took the startup route – 2 years in, they’re already leading product. But man, the stories… once coded a temp solution himself when eng team was swamped. Consulting prep paid off in weird ways!
2023 exit data shows 68% of ex-consultants choosing tech PM received median $165k base vs 22% in startups at $142k + 0.5% equity. Corporate strategy roles average 15% slower title progression but 20% higher bonus potential. Weigh against your risk tolerance.