Comments on: Should You Get An MBA?

By: Dr. Jim Anderson

Dr. Jim Anderson — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 01:42:10 +0000

John: every person’s situation is different and I can’t say with 100% certainty what’s going on in your career, but my gut reaction is that no, additional education is not what it’s going to take in order to allow you to achieve your goal of becoming a Director. Most companies have very few Director positions and when one opens up, it’s almost a given who is going to get it — an internal candidate or an external candidate. If after 10 years you have not achieved this promotion, then it’s just not going to happen at the company that you are currently at. You need to be looking to outside companies that are hiring directors and start to apply. One key point for you to keep in mind is that there is some (or multiple) reasons why you haven’t been selected to become a Director at your current company. Take a long hard look at your situation and answer these questions: do I have the attention and respect of the senior management, have I managed successful products, do I work well with other companies, do I mange others (even those who don’t work for me) well, do I make problems go away? Your answer lies in these questions.

By: John Doe

John Doe — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:35:34 +0000

So my case is even more peculiar – I have a BS and a MS in comp science and I added a MBA part-time

I was in software development till I got my MBA. With an MBA it gave me an edge to move up to a Product manager

But since then it has been 10 years and I dont seem to get the attention of my executives or my superiors at work to move up to a Director position. I keep getting passed at in every reorg that happens

SHould I consider a executive leadership certificate course at a Top university ?

By: Product Managers With No Time Find A Quicker Way To Get An MBA

Product Managers With No Time Find A Quicker Way To Get An MBA — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 04:03:39 +0000

[...] yeah – I know what you are thinking. We’ve all been drinking the “get an MBA” Kool-Aid for so long that it’s hard to imagine doing anything else. However, depending on what you want to do with [...]

By: CTodd

CTodd — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:18:15 +0000

Hi,

I have been a product manager for about 7 years until recently I was quazi-promoted to manager of the marketing team (long story). There was a director position open, but I was completely passed over for it. The folks they have been considering have had advanced degrees (I have a BA and many years in graduate school for biomedical engineering but no actual degree – another long story).

I started considering an MBA about 3-4 years ago. Over the last two years I pretty much made up my mind to go for one. The biggest reasons were that I had never taken a marketing class, yet that was the functional role I was playing as a product manager. I also saw limitations on my progression up the proverbial corporate ladder. In addition, I had some ambition to perhaps start a company. An MBA certainly would help with networking to the right people so I could get the funding and resources I may need to make that happen. It also will give me, as you mention, a vocabulary, to speak at the level I will need to operate as a leader.

Sure, the cliche is that great leaders are born, but I feel otherwise.

Lastly, an MBA might give me a credential I can lean on should I desire to switch industries.

By: MM

MM — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:08:47 +0000

Thanks Jim.
if I don’t get into the right school, I won’t go. Will probably go the part time route in a few years then.

Keep up the good work, like your blog.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:14:00 +0000

MM: good comment. One thing that you said caught my eye “..2 year full time…” Hmm, this is one way to do it; however, this is the most expensive route to take. Not only will you have school tuition, book, and living expenses but you also have to factor in your lost paychecks!

In my case, I decided to go get an MBA at night. This allowed me to keep working my day job, getting a paycheck, and in my case the company paid for the tuition. What I didn’t get was (1) a top school MBA (I got a good state school MBA), and (2) I didn’t get that close bonding that two intense years of side-by-side schooling creates with classmates.

What I did get was the vocab, the resume item (“has MBA”), and I did finally learn what everyone else seemed to know about marketing! There were clearly some tradeoffs; however, in my case I was happy to make them.

If you’ve got the time do it – it’s easier earlier in your career. Life just seems to get more complicated as we move on! Good luck.

By: MM

MM — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:39:16 +0000

So I (along with a zillion others I’m sure) am in the same boat as your friend Carol. Wondering bout the need for b-school. And like you clearly mention its about knowing where you want to go and how school will help (if at all).

My reasons for an MBA (2 year full time)
1> Get into a high profile tech firm for product management. I’m a software developer and making that transition without an MBA will prove difficult. (They want me to code, not ask why we’re building a product)
2>Get the biz insight , Don’t know nothing about marketing (except common sense)
3> Network. long term,I don’t see myself working for a large company, I hope to meet interesting people, I would love to start my own thing with a bunch of like minded people from school.
4> Perception, perception, perception. A top school mba would open doors that I wouldnt even know existed,..
5> Travel while at school..
6> Get the vocab (demand curve, ‘opportunity cost’,') all that jazz (Appear smarter than I am)
7> Hope one of your classmates strikes it big and then can mulch of him/her
8>Drink beer on Tuesday mornings (or Wednesday afternoons)

There are several several trade-offs (biggest being cost for me)…
But oh well.