How hard is it for a 30 year old to get a top managing position with a good company?

Answer 1

Extremely. First, it takes time to get a good reputation. Second, there are (usually) a lot of good people eyeing the job (unless it's an industry with few older people such as dot-coms). Third, you'd need more experience to achieve a more mature business and personal life.

Answer 2

Unless you're a Warren Buffet or Bill Gates, it's very tough! Regardless of what type of company you're working for, it takes time to do your own job well enough to move up to lower and middle management. It will take much longer to move into a more senior / executive level managerial position.

Generally speaking, a 30 something will tend to be on the lower end of the managerial totem pole because you're just too new and inexperienced. A 40 something will tend to be towards the middle management level, while a 50 something will make it to the executive level.

Again, this isn't always the case because there are some 30 somethings who are "superstars," but most likely you'll have to wait about another 10 years or more to rise to the top of the management ladder.

Answer 3

Not hard at all if this is your own company. Google is a living example. And not hard at all if you have extra ordinary skills of money management, people management, client management and deal negotiations.

But you are just one of other billions of 30 year olds dreaming to be on the top, I would say, its quite far fetched. You are better off working within norms and stay happy. At the end of the day, its not being on top position that leads to happiness...:-)