Thinking about a MBA?
When am I ready for a MBA?
Most crucial point for the ones who desire to walk through the MBA path is when to do it. To a new graduate comes almost natural to think "now, or I'll never do it". But it is very wrong to think to a MBA as a simple continuing of your studying path, because it's not. It is rather a launch pad into the high management environment that requires strong personal skills, high level education, and previous work experience.
If you don't undertake the MBA with a few previous years of work experience, you will simply not make the most from it, and employers know it.
If you did your MBA straight after a first degree and don't have any substantial work experience to offer, you are most likely to be looking at a ordinary entry-level graduate recruitment programmes. An MBA is often not much added value to a degree in the UK unless you have some management experience. For international students the situation varies in other countries where there is a different labor market structure and it may be possible for you to use your degree for management level positions.
On the other hand, if you have followed the traditional path of building up a few years work experience (a couple of years at least) before beginning the MBA, you will be able to use this experience in your job seeking. Many large graduate employers, especially in finance and consultancy, have a specialist MBA recruitment programme. Alternatively you may be able to use contacts made in your previous employment to network in search of new opportunities.
Give the proper value to the right MBA
We have assisted in recent years to a rise in Europe of business institutions that award MBA's, and even more in the UK where there is now a choice of over 100 MBA programmes. The MBA looks like becoming a prerequisite to aspiring managers, and indeed one commentator went so far as to say that there are only two types of manager, those with an MBA, and those who plan to get one.
Certainly there is a demand for MBA's.. But all MBA's are not equal, and there remains a relatively small group of schools whose MBA is in real demand. And employers well know which those are.
If you are thinking about a MBA, remember, school matters! Well considered programmes might be more expensive, but since the MBA is an investment for your career (in money and time) you'd better consider the return of this investment. You might pay 10 and get 50 afterwards, or pay 5 and get 10 back, or even nothing. Up to you the choice, but it is common to hear of holders of MBA's from certain schools who are rather dazed to find out that top firms will not even consider them. Many candidates complete a course unaware of where their school is ranked in the hierarchy.
Remember:
university - work experience - ranked MBA
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