Is It Wrong to Want More in My Career?

Dear Yvonne,

For the past 2 years, I’ve dreamt of working with a consulting firm. I finally got the opportunity to work at one of the Big 4 firms as a back-office staff. Going 4 months into this, I feel like I could do much more than what I do currently. Sequel to this, I started applying to consultant roles at McKinsey and Bain to get Consultant/ Associate roles. Is there really a problem with being ambitious or desiring more in relation to your career goals?

Yvonne says,

Hi, it’s great to be ambitious and desire more for your career. However, your question sounds like you have been told otherwise. I would say it’s important to always break down what “more” means for you in your career. Landing a Big 4 job is no joke and for such a fast-paced organization, you’d need to take the time to develop the mastery you need and learn as much as you can. You’ve realized your goals and come this far, but when we fail to ground ourselves in a blessing, we start to look for the next big achievement and it becomes addictive.

Trust me, I’ve been there, it only robs you of joy and contentment. The feeling of needing to do more could be valid but does it have to be in another organization? You could ask for stretch assignments in your current role, take on an added educational or upskilling challenge, or a volunteering opportunity to improve your skills. Working in a large organization requires more than just being good at your job and there’s so much to gain from your current organization. I hope this helps.