Real Estate or Consulting???

[juyau800]

Dear Consultant,

I am struggling between getting a job in real estate or management consulting. (plan to apply to MBA 2-3 years later)
In general, is a job in consulting better in MBA admission?

Why are there so few people in real estate who would go for an MBA?

I have got offers from two companies.
One is a very very prominent and well established property developer in China (but less known in the US of course)
One is IBM Consulting (international)

I am personally more interested in property development,
but I was worried that it would hurt my chance to go for an MBA,
because IBM is definitely known by the admission people...and consulting seems a better fit?

But in general, how do MBA Admissions view candidates with background in real estate????

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear juyau800,

There is no preferred work experience for MBA admissions in terms of industry or function. What matters is what you have done in your career tenure--have you progressed? have you added value to your company? what are your accomplishments? have you gained a depth/breadth of knowledge? Depending on your long-term career goals and interests, you should evaluate which opportunity makes the most sense for you relative to the knowledge, skills and experience you will gain for the future. If you are planning to apply to business schools as an international student, there might be a slight advantage to IBM Consulting as it is evidence of your ability to work in a US-based company. However, how much of an advantage is debatable and definitely would not outweigh meaningful accomplishments with the property developer. Think about what you really want to do, not just now but 10 years from now, and determine which opportunity makes the most sense for your career path.

In regards to your question about the number of real estate folks in business school, I can only answer for why that is in the US. It is a small percentage compared to other industries at US business schools. The reason being that you don't need an MBA to be successful or advance in real estate in the States, although it might be helpful for many. There are some firms that value the degree, but it is not generally viewed as necessary. Likewise, for those who are already successful in the industry, they might be making enough money that going back to school is viewed as too high of an opportunity cost.

Good luck,
Lisa