WSJ- is an MBA really worth it?
Degrees today certainly aren't what they were 10 years ago. Or even 5 years ago. The linked article from the Wall Street Journal, was disheartening at best and crushing at worst. I am certainly hoping to make the most of my MBA but am also concerned that while I am working on my degree, so too is a large percentage of the workforce.
It used to be that a college degree was the ticket to a decent job and the beginning of a (hopefully) illustrious career. And then a graduate degree became the golden ticket to a better, higher paying job. Since 2008, however, so many people have gone back to school- some with great ambition of moving up the ladder but many with the idea that they would work on furthering their education while they waited for the economy to turn around.
As I am nearing the halfway point of my pursuit of an MBA, I worry that it will not take me where I want to go. I think for this reason it is especially important to pin point your niche in the business world, something that I am still trying to figure out. If nothing else, I would hope that higher education will help me find that niche that I'm looking for and hopefully, set me at least a half a notch higher than other interviewees when it comes time to seek my fortune in the job market.
If I were interviewing an applicant I would first look for someone very literate, well-spoken and personable who has enthusiasm for, and some knowledge of, the particular job they are seeking. Beyond that, I would most certainly consider the attainment of an MBA as an indication of one's ability to successfully understand difficult higher-level business concepts and also to be proficient in time management, especially for the applicant who has worked while studying.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! In the same vein, my post "a new kind of degree" talks about less traditional degrees... Would you give the same weight to traditional and non-traditional degrees? What is your opinion on this?
DeleteI would give more weight to traditional degrees. I would be concerned about the legitimacy of the grading and assessment of online learning, as well as the lack of peer interaction. Perhaps online learning would be suitable for certain types of courses that would be mechanical or 'black and white' in nature. But for the most part I believe there is a lot to be gained from group dynamics where varied backgrounds and perspectives can add to the classroom experience.
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