Getting MBA worth?
 

Hi

I thinking of getting a MBA and hopefully do a mid-life career switch. I'm (guy) currently 30, earnings of 5k a month.

I'm currently doing IT Projects Management, and i want to go into more business management role. However since i do not have any prior experience, i conclude that i would have to go for a school with better career services.

I'm currently considering Insead and SMU. I know the cost is vastly different, however SMU offer internship during their MBA program. which will definitely prepare me.

Insead on the other hand, (i heard) have excellent career services.

Oh another point, i'm looking to do the MBA full time, so preferably due to financial constraints, i'm looking at 1 year MBAs.

However i'm still weighing on it as
1) It does not guarantee me a business management position,
2) worse, because of my non-existence experience, i will not be considered for a business role.

I would like to ask, whether how possible is it for an IT grad, taking MBA and switching over to a more business like portfolio (example Business strategic planning etc) .

Any other MBA program to recommend?

Thanks

Choose Insead!! You won't go wrong with the school's excellent branding anywhere in the world .... If you choose the cheaper but more "ulu" SMU, no different from burning your money and dumping it into the ocean...

Honestly, I am not sure if an MBA is worth it. Sorry but I am speaking from my personal experience.

I got my MBA from a local uni 4 years ago. My pay has since doubled. However, my pay doubled not because I got an MBA (my company is not interested if you got an MBA) but more from my job performance.

Maybe somewhere out there, there will be someone/some company that might appreciate my MBA. So far, I have yet to find it.

did your MBA help you to improve your performance?

many people say schooling is useless, but maybe the training you received help to re-wire certain parts of your brain and that helps in becoming a better working professional?

Doubling pay in 4 years in the same company... what's your secret?

Possessing a MBA definitely changes the management's outlook on an employee.. It's a fact that in Singapore, that more highly educated you are, the more well regarded you will be by Singapore employers... It will put you at some advantage when they are look to raise up a leader for management role...

taking a MBA for a career switch is rather difficult. and the brandname of SMU is not as good as overseas big uni.

I suggest a few things you can do;
-explore within your company if you can take on projects or opportunity to move to the area you want to
-start looking and talking to headhunters/recruiters about what you want to do and get some advice. Dont just rely on 1 headhunter, get a few and get different perspective
-is there a role model or someone you aspire to be? If so, have a chat with that person and ask for advice on how to get where he got to

You will be surprised that many are very happy to talk about themselves and give advice if you go with sincerity and humility.

It is a big decision to undertake MBA as it costs money and also opportunity costs. One word of advice is before you do any course, check out RECRUIT on ST, or websites to see if there are any jobs you can take and what are the requirements to get a sense of reality. Otherwise, you are just wasting money, getting frustrated and in the end back to square one.

Good luck bro

$1000 become $2000?

Thanks for all the advice. Bro i do understand where you are coming from. Most of us have somewhere we would want to end up in life. For myself, i know that i can do better than what i'm currently handling.

However it's sometime frustrating that no one would offer you a chance. I thought of giving up, just continue on my course of work. But i would be letting myself down. I'm not a scholar, but i believe i can perform as well as some of them.

Therefore i decided to give myself one more chance with the MBA. Hopefully, i can then earn myself that opportunity that i have always wanted...

I know that MBA might not be the solution, but it's one of the better options for me now...

Thanks to all the Bros..

I totally understand how you feel and where you are coming from; I was at a similar cross-road 10years ago.

I think all the previous posts raised very pertinent issues. Just a few more thoughts:

1) Outside of financial institutions (IB, S&T) and consulting firms, it's generally the MNCs and the big local companies (even then, less so) who will compensate you for the MBA.

2) Therefore, have you considered doing your MBA outside of Singapore - where the market for such talent is broader and to be near the MNCs/ companies who will value your MBA. Also, they will recruit you to come back to Asia (if that is where you want to work)

3) However, given the current economic climate, getting a job in US/Europe/HK might be challenging. So you might want to consider delaying your MBA for 1/2 years

4) I will urged you to think of this as a "5-yr project". Beyond the 1/2 years that you will spend geting your degree, the remaining 3/4 years are when you "reap" the benefits and/or get the jump from getting the MBA. From speaking with people who had gone through this route, you will find the biggest delta you will get is the first few years. After which, its again down to how you perform. This is not to say performance/working hard is not important in the first few years, but just that that's when the degree is most useful in helping you open doors etc

5) As you are thinking of doing a mid-career switch, doing an MBA will be trememdously helpful as it acts as a "re-set button". However, be prepared for many rejections and have a good story to tell.

6) Network, network, network. Jobs rarely come to you. But you will be surprised what is out there/who is hiring once you start talking to people.

7) When the chips are down and things are rough, always remember - you only need one person to see your talent, one person who believes in you, and one person who will give you an opportunity.....ONE job (though it will be nice to be armed with nth number of offers). So do not be despair (and I assure you there will be many moments during this journey when you will question why you went down this path@!)

Lastly. Be clear headed. Be very sure why you are doing this and what you want to get out of this. Have a plan, do not look back, and GO. good luck.