Readers always ask me if it’s worth their time and energy to go back to school and get their MBA degrees. Here’s what I think.
- Not every job requires a MBA.
- You might not earn more money with your MBA degree.
- You definitely won’t be promoted just because you earned a graduate degree.
It’s always smart to invest in yourself if you are motivated, smart, and savvy.
- Are you lazy?
- Do you just want to earn more money?
- Do you feel insecure when you talk to friends and colleagues who have MBA degrees?
There are easier and more effective ways to inflate your ego—and your paycheck—beyond a graduate degree.
What do you think?
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I tend not to like the employers who will only promote people with master’s degrees anyway. Sometimes people come out of those programs smarter, and sometimes they don’t. I like employers who actually look at which one applies to each promotion candidate.
I’m considering going back for a master’s in another field when my kids are in school (one that requires a master’s at a minimum to get a job at all). I’m psyched about the school part, but the student loan part…ugh.
On my flight home last night I met two 2008 MBA grads.. neither have been able to find a jobs. They’re starting their own biz.
I think it depends on where you are planning to go with your career. I am looking at, in the future, going down the MBA path, but I have ambitions of becoming a high level exec in a large multinational… without an MBA at that level it becomes limiting. At other career levels it has a lot less impact on a successful hire or promotion.
You can always just lie. Who is gonna check? I mean, besides me ’cause I am totally suspicious.
I made more money my last year before going to grad school than I did the two (paid) years after getting my MBA. Throw in inflation and the fact that my two paid years followed two years in the Peace Corps and then a year finding a job because I guess recruiters thought I was going to be all kum-bay-yahy which I most assuredly am not (and I had solid business results in my PC time) and it took me longer than two corporate years just to catch up again.
Fortunately, I went to UT-Austin as a Texas resident, so I just paid $35/hour tuition. I think total payments to UT and books were about $5,000, so it’s not like I was out $100,000 like my co-worker who had gone to Wharton.
Oh yeah. You do have to consider opportunity costs, so I was out a couple years’ salary as well. But I’m still glad I did it.
An MBA? I guess two years of having the mantra of “Shareholder Value” banged into your head couldn’t hurt, could it?
I think MBAs and some graduate degrees are beneficial, more like essential, for career changers. My boyfriend has been a mechanical engineer for the past 5 or so years but chose to get his MBA at Fuqua (Duke). If he hadn’t gone back to school, he really never could have broken out of the industry he was in since getting his undergraduate degree.
BINGO!!!
To me, an MBA is an extension of learning that you are willing to go. The only problem is with blogging and all the information is out there, an MBA is kind of obsolete. If you’re a doctor, lawyer, or architect, then it is required since there’s an added skill. However, any business position is expendable and if you want to promote within, look at their KSAs, the chemistry of their co-workers, their expertise in the industry, and how they approach work (attitude, blogging, etc.)
So If I were these people looking for jobs…start blogging and go to a library and contact your networks. MBA won’t teach that.
I chose to get my MBA because my BA is in Public Policy and I wanted to go into a different field. I think my MBA helped me to get my current and last 2 positions. Could I perform all these positions just as well without my MBA? absolutely. One of my classmates recently referred to our time in B school as advanced arts and crafts with excel and powerpoint. That is a pretty apt description. None of us except maybe the top 3 performers had higher salaries when we gratuated so I wouldn’t recommend anyone get an MBA because they think they will make more money. I also see classmates who are now unemployed and can’t find work.
On the other hand I am constantly encouraging my husband to get his MBA. His employer will pay for it and we also live next to a University with an excellent pro-MBA program. My husband is an engineer and the next step in his career will be as a department manager. An MBA is an excellent way for someone in a non-business field to get broad management skills like communication, statistics, budgeting, etc. I see it all the time where non-management workers (lawyers, engineers, social workers, etc) who are stellar get promoted to managers based on their performance. The problem is because they are good at their actual job does not make them good managers, in fact sometimes they are the worst. I would recommend anyone in a position like this get an MBA to help develop their skills in general management areas.
Tracy, agreed. You learn a few good tools in B-school, but I don’t think I learned anything grand that I didn’t already get. That is, if you have run a lemonade stand, you understand the general principles of business. An MBA just gives you the language.
That said, I had done a lot of research about the kind of career I wanted (working abroad or with foreign customers) and had learned I needed that credential.
I think my BA in English has made me a better employee (ability to analyze qualitative information, look for hidden meanings, compare and contrast, and to WRITE) than my MBA did, but it was the MBA that got me my three jobs after grad school.
I think there are a few reasons to get an MBA:
1. Your careerpath demands it.
2. You love education and believe it is going to advance you personally.
3. You are going to start your own business and believe the principles learned are going to assist you.
Any other reason is silly. Obtaining an advanced degree while in a careerpath that clearly doesn’t require one and expecting more money is bordering on retarded and I would question your intelligence.
I couldn’t agree more, Laurie!
There is nothing more obnoxious than a recent MBA graduate that thinks they’re now entitled to CEO status, especially those with little-to-no work experience to back them up. It’s unfortunate, but many of the MBA programs in the St. Louis area require any prior work experience to get into their program, nor do they provide students with realistic expectations of what will happen upon earning this coveted MBA.
Case and point:
A good friend of mine is looking for a new job- one with a significant pay increase (we’re talking 50%). She’s applying for positions that she doesn’t come close to qualifying. Her argument? “But I’m getting my MBA in a year”. She’s not interested in learning more, she just sees her friends making more $$ and thinks that’s what she deserves. This is the same person that wasn’t aware of the current unemployment rate in Missouri, has worked at the same corporation since being recruited out of a job fair in 2004, has never volunteered or given her time to others…but she’ll have that MBA in a year or so. Not what I would consider an A+ player.
I was hoping that the current financial crisis would have an effect on MBA programs, both in their subject matter and how they help prepare students for graduation. Wouldn’t it be great to have smart people learn how to give back to their communities, rather than teach them that it’s OK to be greedy bastards?
Keep in mind that I earned my M.A. in 2005…and it’s still in the manila folder from the USPS. I quickly figured out that many employers don’t care if you have an advanced degree if you don’t have anything else to bring to the table.
“Wouldn’t it be great to have smart people learn how to give back to their communities, rather than teach them that it’s OK to be greedy bastards?”
There is nothing wrong with making money and it is the people who create wealth that make it possible to “give back.” Anyone who pays taxes is contributing. Working for a company that makes a good or service that improves the lives of its customers, either through enhanced productivity (would you prefer to wash your clothes by hand? make your own soap? never get to drink Coke? do your calculations by hand instead of on a spreadsheet?) or sheer entertainment (don’t you love the internet? what about watching a movie?) is “giving back.” If there were no value in what for-profit companies do, they would cease to exist.
I have been apart of companies who promote within and send their employees to received MBA’s. In my experience not many of those people are with the company and had minimal impact on the business. While education is important I would like to see individuals evaluated by their impact on the business not just a piece of paper.
I personally have come across many individuals who do not have a MBA who are more successful and business aware than those who have an MBA…
@class factotum – I would agree with you a few years ago that a MBA would be nice, but with the information that is available in the public, anyone can get MBA-type learning for free or at a discount.
While an MBA is great in all, but what anyone cares about is results and if a person with an MBA cannot bring results, they’ll be gone. You can practice golf swings to perfect it, but it’s the actual shot that matters.
My dad actually had a terrible time looking for a lateral job within Boeing after his project was completed. He has worked there for about 23 years, now, but because he does not have a Master’s Degree he was getting doors closed! That was infuriating, the man is obviously talented and committed!
He eventually did, but the search was long and disappointing and eventually required a move to CO, away from the small nucleus of family still remaining in MO.
I definitely think those thinking about it should get it when/if they can because in this time it’s good to have all of your bases covered. I, personally, am considering a graduate degree just for future security with the intention of continuing to work in small business and eventually start my own. You just never know!
Tracy, absolutely. There were losers in grad school whom I quickly learned to avoid for group projects. I think an MBA is overrated, but if that is what a company is recruiting for, it is useful to have one.
I met a P&G recruiter years ago. He said they didn’t think an MBA in itself was valuable, but that B-schools served as good screening mechanisms and narrowed the pool of candidates for P&G.
I can certainly see an MBA as a stepping stone. I mean there are ridiculous degrees out there, Policy Studies, Political Science, to name a few, that all you can actually do with is teach those subjects…if you spent 4 more years and get a Bachelor of Education. So, if you did get a nothing degree, absolutely upgrade to your personal growth with an MBA.
BUT…The MBA is so readily available and online, provided by so many institutions, shady ones too, that it is a 7-11 convenience degree.
In my mind, A healthy balance of experience has way more weight behind it than the “trust fund kid Degree.”
OK, I am not trying to dominate this discussion, but Jenn said something good. I worked with a woman at International Paper who was really bright and excellent at her job. But she didn’t have a college degree (had worked from high school, gotten pregnant, got married, continued to work during the day while her husband took the night shift so someone could be home with the kids) and wasn’t eligible for promotion. It made me nuts that although she had 20+ excellent years with the company, she was being held back that way.
It was this bad: we were on an SAP project together with about six other guys (all advanced degrees except her) and my boss put all of us in an office except her. She was in a cubicle. When I argued with my boss about it, he just shrugged — her level wasn’t high enough for an office, even though she was a peer in the project.
Lots of really good points. I was thinking about the question last week about going into HR. I would recommend advanced degree if you had a passion for the subject matter and had already shown you know how to convert your learning into value for others. Degree holders are not endowed with better skills overall.
I’ll put my years of field experience up against a degree, and the degree may be the deciding factor many times. I’m OK with that. Its an employers choice. And it was my choice to not pursue advanced (formal) education. But I have found work and employment that values my learning regardless of the source of my degree.
I have a lot of friends who have gone on to get their masters (not necessarily MBA, but in a few cases). I have not. The only reason that I am jealous is because these people are focused and could figure out (AGAIN!) what they wanted to study. I went through 3 majors before graduating with my BS in Sociology (heh, pun not necessarily intended). Also, thanks to actual, bonafide diagnosed ADD, my attention span does not lend itself well to 3+ hour lectures.
I swore I would only go back to school if I was 100% sure what I wanted to study. No sense in putting myself even FURTHER in debt if I am not certain about it. So far, that certainty has not come along. I’m not stressing.
As one with an MBA, I feel I got to put my $.02 in. I have very mixed feelings about this. I don’t think everyone should go out and get their MBA (or graduate degree) unless they are willing to put forth the time and commitment and not everyone needs one for their career path.
However, there is the stereo-type of MBAs of the type-A greedy, investment banker personality that graduated from Wharton or HBS and that is actually a very small minority of people who have an MBA.
Statistically, like it or not, over your life time, you will probably earn more money with MBA than without, but you will also earn more with a college degree than without, it is just how our society values people.
Let’s face it, in the current economic climate no one’s jobs is completely safe, with or without an MBA, as I am currently underemployed with many other smart motivated people.
As one with an MBA, I feel I got to put my $.02 in. I have very mixed feelings about this. I don’t think everyone should go out and get their MBA (or graduate degree) unless they are willing to put forth the time and commitment and not everyone needs one for their career path.
However, there is the stereo-type of MBAs of the type-A greedy, investment banker personality that graduated from Wharton or HBS and that is actually a very small minority of people who have an MBA.
Statistically, like it or not, over your life time, you will probably earn more money with MBA than without, but you will also earn more with a college degree than without, it is just how our society values people. Is it fair? Probably not, but that’s reality right now. As HR people, you can influence these decisions.
Let’s face it, in the current economic climate no one’s jobs is completely safe, with or without an MBA, as I am currently underemployed with many other smart motivated people.
Right now my advice to graduating college students is go ahead and go to grad school. The job market may be better when your done and more education can’t hurt.
In good times, I think taking a job for two years first is the way to go. Those MBA programs that don’t have a real world component produce students who aren’t ready to actually work. If you have a little work experience before you go to grad school. You’ll make a better decision about what you want to learn next.
Ultimately as I tell everyone, it’s not the degree as much as it is what you do with it. Having a grad degree just keeps more doors open, but if you do nothing with it, more doors shut.
Oh, wait, you mean for someone who just got their bachelor’s degree? Oh, no WAY would I tell that person to get a master’s right away (unless they’re going to be a librarian or a shrink or a lawyer or something else that absolutely requires it). The most valuable candidates are the ones who get some work experience before they get MORE schooling. Otherwise, the transition from student to entry-level work means years of pain for both the employer and the employee (usually).
The stuff you learn in grad school will be much more meaningful if you can apply it to previous real-world experience. Grad school is not meant to be a place to hide out until the economy is better.
“The stuff you learn in grad school will be much more meaningful if you can apply it to previous real-world experience. Grad school is not meant to be a place to hide out until the economy is better.”
I have to agree with Kerry.
If MBA is required to advance my career, I’d do it. But in my industry (insurance), a lot of us can get away with a bachelors and be successful.
Not only am I an MBA, I am an MBA admissions consultant and help people get into MBA programs. Prior to my MBA, I was a social worker and Peace Corps Volunteer. I actually tried to get a Masters in Social Work with my MBA but dropped the Social Work program because I saw no value and the social work staff was a complete pain in the @ss.
In other words take your MBA stereotypes and stick them with the stereotypes of HR staff.
To answer the question of why get an MBA:
1. It depends. Getting a graduate degree depends on any individual situation so Laurie, boiling it down to your talking point really misses the discussion.
2. Get one if you are a career switcher Good luck convincing a bank or consulting firm to hire you if you only have an engineering background. Yes, I know that you mother’s brother’s cousin switched from farming into Venture Capital but let’s look at 99% of the population. An MBA gives you the time to learn a new business, network, and get into that field.
3. You want to learn how to make a business case for something. Ideas that are articulated in terms of cost, market size, market potential, and revenue are more likely to get funded than just ideas.
4. You get really cool opportunities to learn real world stuff. I consulted for 2 non-profits and for the public health department in Capetown, South Africa. I did a class project with a local hospital and then there’s the summer internship where you try out a new career.
5. Networking which is what everyone career expert preaches.
Now should you got part-time, full-time, start your own business, or just get a job? It depends but there are 4 pretty solid reasons for why someone should get an MBA other than money, promotion, or job requirement.
Sorry to be so snarky but come one! Most of the comments are anecdotes or just pulled out of the old stereotype bag. At least be creative if you’re going to insult MBA’s.
You can do #3, #4, and #5 without getting an MBA. In fact, you can actually draw a salary while doing them, instead of paying tuition. I’ve made business cases, learned cool real-world things, and networked a whole bunch. Savvy employees can find opportunities to do those things at work, not just in school.
I agree on #2. Master’s degrees in general are helpful if you’re switching careers. That’s my primary reason for considering them.
As for the bit about the stereotypes…well, here’s the thing. The people who are commenting here are people who hire for a living. Now, maybe we’re all full of crap…but I think it’s helpful for someone considering an MBA to know that a whole bunch of people who hire for a living have these opinions. It’s okay to think we’re full of crap, but it’s important to be informed about that fact.
With all due respect (and I mean that sincerely, not snarkily), the background you describe doesn’t include any for-profit business experience. It’s great to have the perspective of someone who has an MBA and counsels people who are considering a program, but I think those folks also need to hear from business people how they’ll be received once they graduate. That’s what we’re trying to do here.
I wanted to correct my statement earlier: Most MBA programs in the St. Louis area DO NOT require work experience in their admissions process. Therefore, they graduate a lot of students who have never worked who also think they should be paid $$$$ at their first job.
When I spoke of “greedy bastards”, I was referring to the fact that most recent MBA grads with very little work experience that I’ve run into (both personally and through placing candidates), are the “me me me” people. They are often unrealistic with their salary expectations and have never volunteered a day in their life. And I’m surprised that during an MBA program, students do not have to fulfill some sort of community service requirement.
I TOTALLY agree that an MBA or some other higher degree is great for someone who’s currently employed and can provide added value to their organization. Grad school was a great experience that has changed my life (even keep my favorite textbooks up at the office). If someone was genuinely curious about an area of study, I would encourage them to pursue it…but not to make more money. Do it because you want to learn and grow as a working professional.
Hi Kerry,
I had to deal with MBA’s every day for 2 years so I completely agree that we can be schmucks. However, I wasn’t really hearing the informing of how to deal with MBA’s and hiring in the posts but mostly unoriginal complaining.
With regards to what can and can’t be done without an MBA, that’s true you don’t need an MBA. But being in an MBA program allows your learn and do those things a lot quicker and easier than not. With the international consulting opportunities, I would argue that an MBA program sets those up fairly easily while it would be quite difficult without the institutional resources for the averager person.
As far as the for profit business experience, I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. If you’re asking about my personal experience, I’ve worked in the health insurance field for 3 years. If you’re asking about activities at business school, my interests translate over if someone is interested in traditional business fields.
Since the MBA is a non-licensed trade degree, it’s in a tricky middle ground because it markets itself as professional training but you don’t need it to do any profession necessarily. Questioning its value is healthy for those reasons. Personally, I think that the MBA field needs to pursue a licensing process. If MBA’s could get a license revoked that could change behavior.
Hi Abby,
Most of the top 50 MBA programs expect work experience and most applicants need community service to differentiate themselves with their applications. When I think of the applicants that I worked with who did better than I expected, they have community service experience. The applicants who did not were often denied at schools where I thought they would admitted.
I would not have high expectations for anyone in their early 20’s fresh out of graduate school. I’m sure you have good stories and lessons from your experience dealing with these young MBA’s that would be more revealing than kind of the standard MBA Fed Ex commercial fodder.
There are several interesting perspectives here – let me add one more.
An MBA is not likely to “teach” anyone much they don’t already know if they have a business undergrad, or if they have a solid grasp on business practice in general. What it will do is give you application experience.
Most MBA programs today use the case study method, where HBS, Kellogg, Wharton, or KFBS produced cases of real world scenarios are set out for analysis. This method requires more than a mechanical application of the tools you have, but a deeper understanding of why you should apply these tools and, in some cases, why you shouldn’t. This is valuable. This provides a safe environment for students to make decisions and debate results. In the real world, this type of education comes rarely, and when it does it carries some heavy weight with it.
The application experience is an education, but the confidence the student walks away with – the knowledge that they can do this; they can run a department; they can take a leadership role at their firm; they can start their own business – this confidence is really what an MBA is about. You might say, “Well I know I can do that anyway without an MBA” and that may be true, but your perspective employer doesn’t; nor does your HR Director necessarily. And if you’re true to yourself it’s likely you don’t know this for sure either, until you’ve done it.
For my part, I would always recommend an MBA if the resources are available and the ability is present. With the right school it can be, and usually is, a life changing experience.
All IMHO,
Sid.
The economics of getting an MBA stop making sense once you’re outside of the top 20 programs nationally. After that point, you’re getting the degree for personal reasons.
The main problem is that many people are jealous of/aggressive towards MBA holders. People will always like to give flak to those thought to be “above” them, be it MBA holders, the government, or senior management. This is shown by the comments along the lines of “well I know this one guy with an MBA; he’s dumb and was unemployed for ten months”.
Top MBA programs aren’t necessarily great because of the classwork, but rather it’s a way for top companies to externalize the burden of recruiting/screening candidates. Getting an MBA from a top program is a valuable rubber stamp on the resume that you belong in the same pool as some very smart business leaders. So ultimately, that networking tool can be the most valuable part of your program.
Is it a good idea to get your MBA? Well, that depends. It’s a personal preference. Some people choose to drop out of high school, learn a valuable skill and make okay money. Some go on to college, graduate and do the same… some like me decide to continue further with their education.
I decided to get my MBA for several reasons:
1. As a son and step-son of two business owners, I genuinely enjoy learning about business.
2. I’m not sure I know what I want to do with my life. I love HR, but what happens if I make it to the VP level and hate it? One more tool in my back pocket if I decide to switch career paths, industries, etc.
3. My employer is picking up a portion of the tab, and I can continue to work while taking evening classes. Opportunity costs? Not much happens on Monday and Wednesday nights.
4. It’s a top 20 program, and I’ll end up paying about 20k by the time I finish; well worth it IMO.
5. Networking – The MBA is more of a marketing/branding tool than anything. Not to say I won’t pick up some knowledge along the way, but it’s more about my future than anything. Upon graduation, I’ve added thousands of potential employers to my network, and set myself apart from thousands of other candidates. Maybe MBA’s are a dime a dozen where you’re from, but not in the midwest.
Stereotypes are fun, but I don’t expect to be the CEO when I graduate. I don’t even expect a promotion or pay increase. At my job, you’re paid based on your experience and the functions you perform, not the degree you posses. At the same rate, I won’t be looking for someone to hire me “because I have an MBA”. Anyone who hires MBA’s for the sake of the degree didn’t learn a damn thing in business school.
Reasoning aside, 29 year old Allen Wilson, MBA, SPHR with 6 years of progressive HR experience is going to look better than a lot of the candidates I’ll be up against… and hey, we only care about ourselves anyways, right!
Laurie,
You have to answer this question for me! I’ve been applying to many public sector, local and federal government jobs. From what I hear they take forever and day to get back to you. What’s the etiquette and inside info on their hiring process?
Don’t do it just to have one. Do it for yourself first or not at all. It’s too much effort and money without guarantees to do otherwise.
To me, it depends on where do you want to go. If the position you are after requires more specialist knowledge, then perhaps you do need to look into programmes that would give you that.
A master might cost a lot of money and effort, however, with one on hand, it immediately tells the employer what are your basic knowledge without having to explain much. It sort of makes you more eligible for the position that you are after. (Provided you have the right qualification)
It just boost your chance. Of course, you have to have the substance in your head too, otherwise it is just a piece of paper.
@Kerry I like it when an applicant has her MA in Art History and is applying for a job in Human Resources. I’m like, yup, I feel your pain.
@Amanda I’m not sure Donald Trump could get a job, right now.
@Matt I know plenty of execs who don’t have MBAs and work in high levels in multi-national organizations. They do have expertise earned in other ways, though. The MBA will certainly help, though.
@HRU I think 50% of people do lie. I never check. We outsourced that shiz and I’m not sure the background company checked, either. Everyone passed.
@Class I would get my MBA in a heartbeat if it weren’t for the cost and the focus on group work. What the hell ever happened to individual contributions? Everyone I know does group projects. It’s lame.
@Puf I like to learn about how we can incentivize employers in the free market. Barf.
@Tracy I love how you go right for the bingo. I’m an advocate of lifelong learning, too. I just wonder how much we really learn in school.
@Scarlet I think your husband could get his MBA and he would do well in his career. The good part about your story? Employer-funded educational programs. Those are the best.
@Michael Totally appropriate use of the word retarded. Agreed.
@Abby That’s a good case study in entitlement and inflated expectations!!
@Elissa I think you’re right — it’s the person, not the education, that determines success.
@Jenn Wow, that’s a sad story about your dad but a reminder that education does open doors.
@S-Dizzle Wait, political science isn’t a real subject? I disagree on that one.
@TimG I’m with you that years of experience can be more valuable than a degree. Sounds like you made the right decision.
@MeredithElaine Just because you get a masters degree doesn’t mean you are focused or committed to a pathway in life. My husband has a PhD and still dreams of different careers!
@Allison You are right — all jobs are temp jobs and most of us are underemployed.
@Nelking That’s so well said and simple. Dang it, you make me want to be a better writer!
@Kerry(2) I meant in general.
@Mari I know your industry and an advanced degree is fine for specialists but a bachelor’s is fine for most everyone else.
@Deadhedge I try to keep these posts under 300 words. Your comment is exactly what I’m looking for — dissenting opinions are awesome. Thank you.
@Sid Interesting perspective. We tried to replicate this experience at Pfizer by creating a leadership program for emerging colleagues. We immersed them in a real problem and asked them to solve it. The focus was on the process and the interaction — and the goal was character development, leadership development, and gaining institutional savvy. So you’re right — there’s much more to the MBA than a basic education.
@Matt I never thought of the MBA as a networking tool. Good catch.
@Allen You’re hired. You do look good.
@Hannah I don’t have insight on the federal hiring process. Let me see if I know anyone who does.
@HR Minion Spoken like a woman who knows the ins & outs of graduate school.
An MBA is really good for entering corporate life when you’ve been a wee bit artsy prior to the degree. But for actually things that are useful once you get there? In my experience, not so much.
MBA = Mediocre But Arrogant
*chuckles
I went back for my master’s for two reasons:
1. My employer had a kick-ass tuition reimbursement policy
2. I love learning
Not only did it NOT advance my career, I am now unemployed. However, I’m proud of the fact that I have it, and it makes me feel better about my potential employability. Getting it was really more for self-esteem than furthering my career.
In my experience as a recruiter, the best time to get an MBA is right out of your first four-five+ years in college. There’s differing minimum pay scales (contract or direct positions) and a Master’s degree minimum is much more than a Bachelors degree. Going back to get a Master’s totally depends on your industry’s needs, and/or your desperate need to stroke your ego at cocktail parties. Nothing makes up for experience in the field.
I recently got my Masters in HR Management in the Fall of 2008, it took me 4 years as I was also working full time and taking care of my daughter, husband and home. Thank goodness for on-line courses. I got the degree for my personal satisfaction and because I thought that it will give me better job options and open doors for me whenever I had to go on a job search. I thought that it might give me the edge over someone who did not have a Master’s degree. I also have 15 years of HR experience to back me up too. Having real life experience helped me put the education in perspective. I can drawn from the experience when learning about a particular subject, for example “Employee Relations Module”. The students that did not have real life experience sometimes did not have a clue (not everything is by the book or black and white). So I felt my real life experience was a BIG PLUS…..The other good thing about getting my Master’s is that I was the only Manager in my company to get a raise this year and ONLY because I got my degree!!! so, it’s already starting to pay off……
@LPC I think those of us who are wee bit artsy feel insecure about our business background. We should stop doubting our abilities!
@Rampancy Good grief, you’re going to get yourself in trouble around here!
@JoyofHR Well at least you are smarter and your ego has been stroked. Sorry about your job status, though.
@MattyMat I like cocktails but not cocktail parties, so I am not getting my MBA.
@Latina HR Whoa, that’s an awesome story. Finally, some good news. Congrats and thanks for sharing!
I forgot to mention one thing:
It’s my understanding that you might actually do yourself more harm than good if you complete an MBA through one of the several Online Only universities.
Even though these schools might be accredited (or in some cases not), some hiring managers will actually file12.5 a resume just for having the school’s name appear.
I’m not 100% sure why this is, but the comment came from someone I respect a great deal in HR education.
Best,
Sid.
Thank Laurie! You make me want to be bolder with what I say.
I’m sure there’s many good reasons to get an MBA… personally everyone I know who has gotten one has been a schmuck, but my sample size (i.e. friends) might have an over-representation of schmucks.
Personally, I’m going back to undergrad to get a BS in Accounting… it’s something I find interesting, it’s super useful and I’m paying a lot less than I would for a Masters program. Will it help me get a job? I don’t know but it is already helping me understand aspects of my work environment I was never comfortable with.
@Sid I think some online universities can be valid and credible. It’s kind of a wild west situation, right now. This is why Jack Welch is swooping in and trying to make some money out of the chaos.
@Nelking I mean it.
@Lexy Wow, I really admire you. Sometimes I think about taking a refresher math course, but it makes my brain hurt.
Laurie, I failed Accounting twice the first time I went to school, and Statistics. This time I’m getting A’s… I think the primary reason is that I stepped out of the mindset that I had from childhood that math=something I can’t do. I don’t know how I did that… if I did I could probably write a motivational book and make lot’s of money, but I did and it’s made a world of difference.
wow, nicely, succinctly said. That really sums it up. I don’t have an MBA but I’d be interested in talking to people more in-depth who do (please email me!) for an article I’m writing. It seems to me the MBA is all about networking. I wrote a similar article on grad school in general. Basically I don’t think it’s worth it to “go back to school” just because you think (from the media) that the economy will be bad for another 2 years. That’s an extremely derivative reason and you might be in for a shock.
@
@money will do!
I don’t think everyone *has* to obtain an MBA or even an undergrad degree – different strokes for different folks, right? If you are an electrician, what good is an advanced degree going to do for you? Personally, I waited 6 years after graduating from undergrad to obtain my MBA and I’m glad I had applicable experience. I have friends who are successful entrepreneurs, make more money than both me and my husband put together, and they just attended the “school of hard knocks.” When they found out I was graduating, they did sass me a lot, by saying things like I would, “single-handedly fix the economy.” But they tend snub anyone who has a degree. Honestly, though, I did it for several reasons:
- It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Even when I was in high school, I always envisioned myself getting a Masters.
- I’ve always heard that if you do what you love, the money will come. If you saw my current salary, you’d know that I’m underemployed and *so* not chasing the money.
- I did this for ME. I haven’t been married for 2 years yet, so if I were to get widowed or even divorced tomorrow, I have to be able to support myself. Experience helps, but it makes *me* feel better knowing I have an MBA to back up my experience.
- I completed all my electives for my MBA, with the exception of 2 classes, in HR. Which means that because I have 18 hours in my “core concentration” I can teach HR at the collegiate level. Just another door for me.
- I went from working in Healthcare Administration and Medical Insurance to HR Outsourcing, so the MBA has assisted in solidifying my HR and global outsourcing knowledge.
- I attended an MBA program that offered online classes (though, I did the majority of my classes on-site because I hate online classes.) And yes, I absolutely agree that there are people who obtain their MBAs from these “degree mills” and do not at all deserve them. But it really boils down to the individual and how that person approaches learning. I was more focused on learning than I ever was in undergrad; I worked 40+ hours a week, maintained a household, was a newlywed, and earned a 3.8 GPA.
- My department just went through a round of layoffs (17 to 9 people). I recently learned that the people who remain all have degrees. So at least for me, the undergrad and MBA saved my job.
Again, not for everyone… but I know for me, it was really hard, but I’ve enjoyed (most) every minute of the ride. I don’t expect to be CEO or be promoted tomorrow. But for me it’s just another check marked off of my life’s “to do” list.
If you do go back to get any graduate degree, I think it has to be with a traditional state school (or better) that specializes in undergraduate -in person- degrees.
I graduated from a California State University with my BA, and I returned to that same school to get my MS online.
The fact that I’m getting this degree online needn’t ever be known. It’s driving distance from where I live.
I just couldn’t attend class and work–it was just too difficult. Half the time I couldn’t even take classes I needed as a traditional MS candidate. So I selected a different MS online and am completing it now.
I’m half-way through.
What I would do first when browsing schools is type the name of the school +”diploma mill” into google. If too many hits come up, I would scratch it, because if I were looking over a resume, that’s the first thing I’d do with the final candidates.
I’m not getting an MBA. Instead, I’m purusing an MS in Engineering Management which is similar, I guess, but obviously more geared toward the sciences.
I earned my MBA immediately after finishing my BA in English. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do for a few reasons.
#1) I had graduated a year early having just ditched my second major and was at a loss for a “plan.”
#2) It was basically free through a luckily landed GA in the school’s marketing department. (I think I ended up breaking even with tuition remission and a yearly stipend)
I really enjoyed both the experience I had working in the university’s marketing department and in my class work in general. I had hoped that future employers would see my graduate degree as a sound business decision and not an attempt to prolong the real world.
Now I count myself lucky just to have a job, but it’s not within my field or well paid. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t have just entered the job market as an English major. I don’t know if I’d be in any better shape, especially with the way the economy went.
At least I have a little piece of paper and letters after my name that might one day be of some use.
i am an MBA. i have got job right upon completion of MBA. thank god i am doing well. MBA is an excellent course about planning, communication, managing the problems and much more. i totally disagree that MBA is useless. it entirely depends upon what you learnt during your MBA and its right application in practical environment. MBA is best courseline teaches you about managment. there is none other than managment sciences carrying so much vastness ‘everone on earth wherever, whoever is managing the things moving around him/her in various ways…. ‘corrctly managing the things around you is the only key to success’