MBA Jobs

Author
Discussion

XJ75

Original Poster:

436 posts

139 months

Monday 20th March 2017
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My wife did an MBA about 12 years ago. She ended up working in IT in a job she hated and is now due to leave at the end of May with nothing else lined up. She never really used her MBA to "open any doors" as such. She always just got jobs that realistically she could have got without the MBA.

Now she is looking for a career change, I wonder if it's too late to use the MBA to "open doors"? I know there are MBA graduate schemes, but I suspect most require you to be in your final year of an MBA, or at least only recently graduated.

Does anyone have any experience in this area? She has no idea what she wants to do, so is very much open to suggestions.

Gargamel

14,958 posts

260 months

Monday 20th March 2017
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After 12 years it is difficult, as the question is always - why did you do an MBA, what was the change you thought it would give

Plus for most bigger schools they spend a lot of time making sure the people find a role.

(I hire MBA's as interns during their summer breaks and as permanent hires)

So yes - I do think that ship sailed a while ago.

rog007

5,748 posts

223 months

Monday 20th March 2017
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It's part of her 'offer', so employers who may value MBAs (and not all do) will be more interested in her.

johnfm

13,668 posts

249 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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Gargamel said:
After 12 years it is difficult, as the question is always - why did you do an MBA, what was the change you thought it would give

Plus for most bigger schools they spend a lot of time making sure the people find a role.

(I hire MBA's as interns during their summer breaks and as permanent hires)

So yes - I do think that ship sailed a while ago.
Wow - do an MBA and get an internship! How devalued has the MBA become?

Gargamel

14,958 posts

260 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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johnfm said:
Wow - do an MBA and get an internship! How devalued has the MBA become?
This is for people on a two year MBA programme, in the summer break between yr 1 and 2 they come and do a (paid) internship.

UK profile of MBA students vs North America is quite different. Most of the MBA students will be doing this prior to really commencing their career, as opposed to UK where it is seen as a way to fix your terrible academics from school smile


jjlynn27

7,935 posts

108 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Gargamel said:
johnfm said:
Wow - do an MBA and get an internship! How devalued has the MBA become?
This is for people on a two year MBA programme, in the summer break between yr 1 and 2 they come and do a (paid) internship.

UK profile of MBA students vs North America is quite different. Most of the MBA students will be doing this prior to really commencing their career, as opposed to UK where it is seen as a way to fix your terrible academics from school smile
You understand less about MBA than you do about healthcare. It doesn't stop you making up things on either subject. Only you know why you do this.

Gargamel

14,958 posts

260 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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jjlynn27 said:
You understand less about MBA than you do about healthcare. It doesn't stop you making up things on either subject. Only you know why you do this.
not sure what you are getting at here?

Flippantly made, but my point was most US MBA candidates are starting careers, I tend to see in the UK most MBAs have more work experience, or a first career behind them before they undertake MBAs. Not exclusively of course, but based on my experience that's what I see.

http://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2013/05/16/aver...

Edited by Gargamel on Wednesday 22 March 23:19

Lostprophet

2,549 posts

168 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
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I have just submitted my dissertation for my MBA. I'm 36, a qualified accountant with a masters.

I think the mba can be used in two ways.

1. To change career
2. Advance your current career.

I think if you are looking to change career it should be done immediately after getting the mba. I think your wife might have missed the boat.

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
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Before she does anything "with" the MBA she needs to sit down and think about what she really wants to do for her next job and career wise over the next year. Then she can start to think about having done the MBA will help her. 12 years down the line though it should be more focused on how she has used the learning and kept it up to date. A good exercise to do would be to sit down and bullet point what was learnt and then try and change each into a positive in the current job market.

In terms of how much impact can it make well that is down to the individual and their motivation. However, a great deal of doing an MBA is not about the learning it's about the networking and the connections you make which is what she should be leveraging now. As this is very important it also brings into focus the institution in which she studies as an MBA in the UK from Warwick Business School, Manchester or London City will open far more doors from quality networking than an MBA from Cardiff Metropolitan which is why one costs 45 grand and the other 8.

Lostprophet

2,549 posts

168 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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craigjm said:
Before she does anything "with" the MBA she needs to sit down and think about what she really wants to do for her next job and career wise over the next year. Then she can start to think about having done the MBA will help her. 12 years down the line though it should be more focused on how she has used the learning and kept it up to date. A good exercise to do would be to sit down and bullet point what was learnt and then try and change each into a positive in the current job market.

In terms of how much impact can it make well that is down to the individual and their motivation. However, a great deal of doing an MBA is not about the learning it's about the networking and the connections you make which is what she should be leveraging now. As this is very important it also brings into focus the institution in which she studies as an MBA in the UK from Warwick Business School, Manchester or London City will open far more doors from quality networking than an MBA from Cardiff Metropolitan which is why one costs 45 grand and the other 8.
My MBA is from Warwick. I have to say the brand is highly regarded. Most people react by 'wow'. I personally don't think it's worth doing it from anywhere other than the top 5 in the UK.

I am also now in a position where I need to decide what I want to do with my MBA. I would like to up my salary for sure!

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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Lostprophet said:
My MBA is from Warwick. I have to say the brand is highly regarded. Most people react by 'wow'. I personally don't think it's worth doing it from anywhere other than the top 5 in the UK.
Entirely agree. Mine is also from Warwick.

Lostprophet

2,549 posts

168 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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craigjm said:
Entirely agree. Mine is also from Warwick.
Excellent! What year did you finish the MBA?

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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Lostprophet said:
craigjm said:
Entirely agree. Mine is also from Warwick.
Excellent! What year did you finish the MBA?
Last year, you?

Lostprophet

2,549 posts

168 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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Just handed my dissertation in last month!

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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Lostprophet said:
Just handed my dissertation in last month!
Full time, distance or exec?
Good luck!

Yipper

5,964 posts

89 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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The relative success of an MBA is heavily correlated to the university and city where it is done. They all mostly copy the Harvard syllabus and case-study model, so it all comes down to perceived college brand to stand apart in a crowded job market. The best UK MBAs are from London, Oxford, Cambridge or perhaps Warwick. She should redo her MBA at somewhere like the LSE or Oxford and that should enable her to switch tracks fairly easily. Nothing to stop someone doing a second MBA.

Lostprophet

2,549 posts

168 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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craigjm said:
Full time, distance or exec?
Good luck!
Started on the executive path and moved over to DL for the flexibility.

How about you?

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
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Yipper said:
The relative success of an MBA is heavily correlated to the university and city where it is done. They all mostly copy the Harvard syllabus and case-study model, so it all comes down to perceived college brand to stand apart in a crowded job market. The best UK MBAs are from London, Oxford, Cambridge or perhaps Warwick. She should redo her MBA at somewhere like the LSE or Oxford and that should enable her to switch tracks fairly easily. Nothing to stop someone doing a second MBA.
Why would you do a second MBA? Going over the same ground. If you want to top it up then do a DBA

Lostprophet

2,549 posts

168 months

Thursday 30th March 2017
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The DBA is £60k from Warwick. Jesus. What the heck? Is it even worth that? It's researched focus in one particular field.

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Thursday 30th March 2017
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Lostprophet said:
The DBA is £60k from Warwick. Jesus. What the heck? Is it even worth that? It's researched focus in one particular field.
No its not worth it but still makes more sense than redoing an MBA