Post: #1

Gentlemen,

As I enter my final year of college, the next phase of my life is coming into view very quickly.

Currently, there are two paths I really want to take laying right in front of me, but they will take me to radically different places.

I could continue on with management consulting and move to Austin, which is my dream U.S. city because lifestyle has become so important to me since taking the redpill. I can find an apartment there for about $1400/mo that's within five minutes' walking distance from 6th street, 10 min. drive from my firm's Austin office, and has a great view of the river and easy access to downtown. The Austin datasheet and Sevens' SXSW thread have me super hyped at the possibilities as well. Consulting has always been my goal job, both for the work and the travel. It would allow me to rack up tons of miles to use to pursue a world traveler lifestyle when I follow 262's advice on living off passive income.

OR

I could go into education consulting in Shanghai. I've spoken to friends who are doing that now, and have interviews with several recruiters upcoming. It's not a teaching English job, it would be helping rich (and let's face it, most likely corrupt) Chinese get their kids into American universities and private schools. As a Chinese-American, I feel like there's a good hook for me to leverage, and I actually would enjoy doing it. I'm unsure of the precise bankroll, but friends tell me they're able to live in Shanghai comfortably, if not extravagantly. I'd also have relatives help me avoid Fortis' problem with landlords and generally getting ripped off. Again, the various China datasheets, and the fact that I utterly crush Tantan have me hyped that, while not white-god status, my overall "Westernness" will be a reasonable bump.

These are two completely different cities, two completely different jobs, and two completely different lifestyles, but they both appeal to me greatly. I'd really appreciate it if the older members and veteran travelers here could give me some insight, and possibly ask me some questions I hadn't yet considered that might sway me one way or the other.

Post: #2

(07-03-2015 04:07 PM)swuglyfe Wrote:  It would allow me to rack up tons of miles to use to pursue a world traveler lifestyle when I follow 262's advice on living off passive income.

Is the consulting job going to be a better way to build to location independence than the Shanghai job?

Shanghai is cool, but being able to go wherever the fuck you want is cooler, so I'd say Austin if that's what will get you there.

Post: #3

Shanghai.

There are corrupt rich people everywhere.
But help enough of their "studious little angels" get in to NYU, or where ever and they will become YOUR [network of] corrupt rich people. ...kinda

Game, is game is game.
In my mind that means find your market and leverage the heck out of it.
I've witnessed firsthand, the "white god" phenomenon of which you speak, and you are absolutely correct. Whilst nowhere near as powerful, western awe will still help you out heaps. In HK I would do alright-despite my "he must work in the fields" skin tone-once it was discoved that I was North American.

My personal bias leans me far far away from North American girls.
So if the job would provide you with even a descent standard of living, whilst allowing you to save, I would jump all over the SHA opportunity.

Post: #4

The thing about management consulting is that the companies demand your soul investment in them. You'll be forced into 60-80h work weeks as a junior with little to no control of where you're going the first few years.

They view their employees as expendable resources and apply an 'up or out' philosophy to them. You either rise in the organization or they get rid of you if you're not to their standard. This makes for very fierce internal competition and an atmosphere where everyone among the juniors are keeping tabs on each other to make sure they are putting in more hours.

Everyone who goes into consulting say that 'ok I'll just absorb those dog years and then when I'm a senior/partner' I'm going to live like a rock star! But by then they always manage to break you and you'll be the guy rushing to put in more hours than the other seniors in order to get a bigger bonus/partner share.

Some people love this life and it suits them, it will undoubtedly make you rich but you won't be spending that money on yourself in the best years of your life.

Post: #5

Thanks for the advice guys.

Firstly, I think MC will give me a slight advantage on lifestyle due to the large amount of travel I will be doing. That has two benefits. Firstly, it allows me to play SA game all over the place, pulling a nice girl wherever I go for more or less free because I can expense the hotel and food if I buy any. Secondly, it'll rack up a ton of miles, which, if I play it right with credit cards and committing to certain hotel chains can very quickly amass bankable points for a decent amount of free travel... to EE or SEA perhaps.

I know MC is a real rat race, and as an MC intern right now I can definitely feel that, but I'm hoping that the sheer power of logistics can help make it not so miserable. Right now I live a good 45 minutes from any decent nightlife and I'm sharing a place with 5 other guys. My game is reduced to online and daygaming every single opportunity I can while commuting. I'm aiming to get grad school paid for and then put in the obligatory two years after that, make consultant, then peace out for one of my clients or any other private work. From my conversations with higher ups, the poaching calls come in regularly at that level.

I'm reaching out to see whether any travel is involved in Shanghai, but I don't believe so. I also need to figure out what kind of hours it is, but it probably will be closer to 40 than the 60-80 for MC. It does give me much more time to game what should be a favored target demographic, but I don't know whether the latent Americanness advantage with these Chinese chicks overpowers the ability to pipeline SA game whenever I travel.

Post: #6

Just had the first round for the Shanghai opportunity yesterday. Got the written component today and just finished it, it looks like I'll probably make it to the final round, which is with the president of the company, who happens to be an alum of my school.

I want to really play hardball on this one, ask him about the vision he has for the company and why I should work for his company and not one of the dozens of others out there. The recruiter didn't really do a good job of selling me on it.

Should I get it, I will most likely double down on bargaining for pay. I have literally nothing to lose, since I have a standing offer from the management consulting company. Nothing insane; I understand the cost of living is different in the two cities and will account for that accordingly, but I refuse to be paid only marginally above an English teacher for the work I'd be doing. (all respect to the legions of ESL players this forum has out there)

As I understand it, most of these firms lump in housing stipends, conditional end of year bonuses, first year's raise, and visa and airline fees into the quoted "starting salary" to make it seem palatable to foreigners.

Here's hoping job abundance mentality can come in clutch.

Post: #7

If I were in your position I'd go for the Shanghai option, but go very hard. What I mean by that is set things up so that you offer, say, one week's instruction, but make it 12-14 hours per day one on one. If the Chinese students want to do MBA's and the like in America they will have to be able to live with that sort of intensity for a week. Work at this something like 4 weeks on/4 weeks off so that you keep your sanity. In your 4 weeks off set up future gigs and do what you want where you want.

Post: #8

When I read your title I thought you wanted to know where the best place to kill yourself...

Post: #9

Shanghai VS...Austin? Are you kidding me?
It's as no brainer as it's gets: Shanghai all the freaking way!

Post: #10

Chinese women care too much about men's wealth. And they even ask you for money to buy a takeaway when they are hungry, can be very common for a working class girl who is not rich.

Don't be suprise if they ask you to buy shoes and clothes on the first date, or even pay their rent and electricity bill. They think westerners are much richer and it is men's responsibilty to pay the bills.

Shanghai already has many rich Chinese men and women, and it is not uncommon for them to spend USD5000 on a single day on anything from shopping for themselves or to please the opposite sex. However, few rich women spend money on men as this is against the tradition in Asia.