Bankers in the 90s, consultants in the 2000s, tech companies in the 2010s, Cryptofiles and TikTok artists in the 2020s?!? The careers that attract the smartest and most ambitious is often a never ending cycle of trends and infatuations. Like moths on a porch light, they flock to the brightest glow. As an early thirty year old who took a rather non-traditional, nor all that celebrated, path in my early career, I’m often fascinated by those that jockey for positioning to get into highly selective and highly celebrated jobs. When I was graduating from Penn State’s Smeal Business school I didn’t have a shot at all to join the ranks of the investment banking elite that many of my Ivy league friends sought. I could have busted my bum and tried to jump into the rushing waters but even then I would have likely been relegated to a second or third tier bank. I never really envisioned myself as the winner of a gladiator style bake off anyway but rather a creative thinker who could maneuver quite effectively to build a meaningful career. Back then, post financial crisis and well into the economic rebound, investment banking was the golden step - seen as the career move that gave you both the highest near term earnings and the greatest post two year stint optionality. Those two attributes (earnings + optionality) tend to lead the way for ambitious but often confused recent graduates. Many of us desirously infallible, attempted to make the career decisions based on the loud voices of industry pundits, peer influence and social confirmation. Ironically, however, many of the in vogue paths are often in their 11th hour of glory - when the juice has already been squeezed and the secret is out. So the question becomes, do you go by way of the consensus or do you take the path less traveled and more unknown?
Where The Brightest Flow
Where The Brightest Flow
Where The Brightest Flow
Bankers in the 90s, consultants in the 2000s, tech companies in the 2010s, Cryptofiles and TikTok artists in the 2020s?!? The careers that attract the smartest and most ambitious is often a never ending cycle of trends and infatuations. Like moths on a porch light, they flock to the brightest glow. As an early thirty year old who took a rather non-traditional, nor all that celebrated, path in my early career, I’m often fascinated by those that jockey for positioning to get into highly selective and highly celebrated jobs. When I was graduating from Penn State’s Smeal Business school I didn’t have a shot at all to join the ranks of the investment banking elite that many of my Ivy league friends sought. I could have busted my bum and tried to jump into the rushing waters but even then I would have likely been relegated to a second or third tier bank. I never really envisioned myself as the winner of a gladiator style bake off anyway but rather a creative thinker who could maneuver quite effectively to build a meaningful career. Back then, post financial crisis and well into the economic rebound, investment banking was the golden step - seen as the career move that gave you both the highest near term earnings and the greatest post two year stint optionality. Those two attributes (earnings + optionality) tend to lead the way for ambitious but often confused recent graduates. Many of us desirously infallible, attempted to make the career decisions based on the loud voices of industry pundits, peer influence and social confirmation. Ironically, however, many of the in vogue paths are often in their 11th hour of glory - when the juice has already been squeezed and the secret is out. So the question becomes, do you go by way of the consensus or do you take the path less traveled and more unknown?