Is an MBA Overrated?
Pretty interesting article in Business Week regarding the subject. One passage in particular caught my eye:
Zwiener's experience points to a little-realized fact about the MBA: It only gets you so far. In fact, for those seeking a job at the very top of the corporate hierarchy, it's not even a requirement. BusinessWeek research has found that fewer than one out of three executives who reach those lofty heights do so with the help of an MBA. And if you think a sheepskin from a top school is a necessity, think again. Only half of the executives with MBAs went to the top 10 schools in the 2004 BusinessWeek ranking.
Admittedly, the reference here is at the high executive level. But they seem to draw some conclusions on the MBA in general that may or may not be fair:
Headhunters say that while an MBA may help land a first job after graduation, the career benefits from that moment on are almost nonexistent. "In the pure Darwinian world we live in, pedigrees mean nothing," says Peter D. Crist, chairman of Crist Associates, a Hinsdale (Ill.) executive search firm. "It's instinct, it's hard work, and it's raw intelligence."
To my friends who have MBA's, I certainly don't agree with the article that the time wasn't well spent. Only you can decide how much value it provided for you (I've heard personal experiences that cross the spectrum in that regard). However, for myself, some of the article does resonate quite a bit. I've contemplated returning to school on several occasions, either for an MBA or another advanced degree (CS or Communications). Every time I get close to doing so, the reality sets in that the value gained vs. the time and cost may be imbalanced. Particularly in IT, the value of the MBA is unclear. I've seen some job postings (outside of my company) that require it, but more often than not, experience is the biggest factor in their requirements.
I do know that I could potentially benefit from some MBA coursework. One of the biggest thing IT professionals usually lack is an understanding of the business of IT. But that's a far cry from paying over $20,000 or more for a full MBA curriculum.
So would a MS in Computer Science be better? I'm not so sure. While I do think there is more to be gained technically in doing so (vs. an MBA), I think that technical gain would be better achieved by focusing on specific technical training and perhaps a certification to follow it.
I wouldn't mind getting an advanced degree, but right now my focus outside of work is elsewhere. If I do go down that path, I will have to really want it to have the focus and the drive to complete it and right now the motivation just isn't there. I'd get more out of spending that time training my horse :)
Zwiener's experience points to a little-realized fact about the MBA: It only gets you so far. In fact, for those seeking a job at the very top of the corporate hierarchy, it's not even a requirement. BusinessWeek research has found that fewer than one out of three executives who reach those lofty heights do so with the help of an MBA. And if you think a sheepskin from a top school is a necessity, think again. Only half of the executives with MBAs went to the top 10 schools in the 2004 BusinessWeek ranking.
Admittedly, the reference here is at the high executive level. But they seem to draw some conclusions on the MBA in general that may or may not be fair:
Headhunters say that while an MBA may help land a first job after graduation, the career benefits from that moment on are almost nonexistent. "In the pure Darwinian world we live in, pedigrees mean nothing," says Peter D. Crist, chairman of Crist Associates, a Hinsdale (Ill.) executive search firm. "It's instinct, it's hard work, and it's raw intelligence."
To my friends who have MBA's, I certainly don't agree with the article that the time wasn't well spent. Only you can decide how much value it provided for you (I've heard personal experiences that cross the spectrum in that regard). However, for myself, some of the article does resonate quite a bit. I've contemplated returning to school on several occasions, either for an MBA or another advanced degree (CS or Communications). Every time I get close to doing so, the reality sets in that the value gained vs. the time and cost may be imbalanced. Particularly in IT, the value of the MBA is unclear. I've seen some job postings (outside of my company) that require it, but more often than not, experience is the biggest factor in their requirements.
I do know that I could potentially benefit from some MBA coursework. One of the biggest thing IT professionals usually lack is an understanding of the business of IT. But that's a far cry from paying over $20,000 or more for a full MBA curriculum.
So would a MS in Computer Science be better? I'm not so sure. While I do think there is more to be gained technically in doing so (vs. an MBA), I think that technical gain would be better achieved by focusing on specific technical training and perhaps a certification to follow it.
I wouldn't mind getting an advanced degree, but right now my focus outside of work is elsewhere. If I do go down that path, I will have to really want it to have the focus and the drive to complete it and right now the motivation just isn't there. I'd get more out of spending that time training my horse :)