Are You There, M.B.A.? It's Me, Industry

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Sure, some of my students would still end up in consulting and banking and tech, but if I taught the class right, others would have their eyes and minds open to—dare I say it—jobs in industry. That’s right, in companies decidedly not selling advice, professional services or shipping software and devices conceived by engineers—but making and doing real stuff.

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A job at McKinsey, or Goldman, Amazon or Bain, JPMorgan or Google offers money and security, they told me. It’s a sure thing. It makes your parents happy. It impresses your friends. It looks good all around. You’re set. There’s one more dynamic I observed. For my students, and I’m sure for top M.B.A.s elsewhere, banking, consulting and tech companies are there—on campus. They’re in your face, in your inbox, on your social media making their case. They’re everywhere, all the time, with fun internships and bold promises of how much you’ll learn and grow with them.

Also important, they have a narrative. I heard it repeatedly, because my students parroted it back to me: Even if you don’t stay long-term, with our credential on your résumé and professional development programs, we’ll set you up for your career! The big three are so persuasive and make it so convenient to get a job that it ends up feeling inevitable. Bright, shiny college grads and M.B.A.s are funneled toward the big three because the big three make it their business to funnel them. Even my “Becoming You” students, all of them self-selected to be thinking about intentional careers, were constantly taking interviews with them. After all, they were there.

And so I came to class one day with Industry Bingo cards. They looked like regular bingo cards, except each square contained one of the other industries in the universe—aviation, mining, hospitality, daycare, publishing, forestry. The list goes on—alternative proteins are an industry now, for goodness’ sake. Fitness is an industry. Renewable energy is an industry. Waste management, aerospace, nursing, arts management, chemical manufacturing, trucking, construction, home decor.

All of these industries (and many more) are composed of companies with smart, inspired leaders and open jobs in human resources, finance, marketing, strategy and product development. Many, if not all, have as much opportunity for personal and professional growth as consulting, banking and tech do.

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