Disc Profile: 3-Year and 7-Year Plans Taking

¶ … DiSC Profile: 3-Year and 7-Year Plans

Taking the DiSC personality profile and revisiting my future plans in light of the results was an interesting and informative exercise. The results of my DiSC profile revealed some aspects of my personality that I was familiar with, and some that I did not know were so strong. The fact that I have a Conscientious-Steady management style focused on Objectivity and Reliability shapes my future trajectory within Strategic Consulting, leading me to focus on more technical fields like engineering, biotechnology, architecture, and risk management. I see myself using my MBA in one of these fields in a sustainable, long-term position that is an organizational keystone.

Over the next three years, I will earn my MBA and move to an entry-level position in Strategic Consulting. Although this industry will challenge my need for stability by providing near-constant change in terms of the projects and problems I am asked to work on, it will also provide immense opportunities for growth and networking. I hope to be able to work at one of the Big 5 firms in management consulting. Specifically, I would like my interview process to target the McKinsey Consulting Firm, whose technical specialization and organizational culture of objectivity and in-depth quantitative analysis appeals to me.

Earning my MBA will have several beneficial effects on my career in the short- and medium-term. In the next 3 years, I will gain a tremendous amount of knowledge about economics and organizational strategy. I will also be able to network with peers, alumni, and faculty. In the next seven years, the knowledge and connections made during my MBA will help me target a career in which I can do my best for my employer, my clients, and the world at large.

Talking to my peers -- both those who are currently in MBA programs and those who are post-MBA -- has given me a great deal of insight into the rigorous process of earning an MBA. Those who believe they got the most out of their MBA approached it strategically and knew ahead of time what they wanted to get out of it -- be that career advancement, career change, or formalized business knowledge. My own strategic future plan includes getting my MBA in part because of the positive impact others have had based on their own MBA experience.

Seven years from now, I hope to be either a Senior Consultant and frequent project leader at McKinsey, or to be a department head at a large firm in charge of projects that have a long view -- for example, space use planning, financial regulation, or quality control. My DiSC assessment indicates that my strengths tend towards emphasizing accuracy and precision, maintaining high standards, and creating efficient processes. Although I have no formal training in engineering, my passion for accuracy means that I will intuitively understand the engineering mindset and be able to create structures that efficiently coordinate the output of a team of precise, methodical, quantitative workers. Over the next seven years, if my career takes me in the direction of a specific field such as architecture or engineering, I will pursue supplemental education in this field in order to keep up with my peers and subordinates' knowledge.

I will succeed as a strategic management consultant because I strive for quality, accuracy, and fact-based results. In discussions with peers who have interned or worked at the Big 5 firms, it has become clear to me that clients of these firms want above all to understand where the consultant's decision is coming from. Consulting clients never want to feel that they are paying for someone's "mere opinion" -- backing up recommendations with facts and figures is an integral part of the consulting process, and one at which I excel.