“Do I really need an MBA after graduating from the university or polytechnic?” This is one question that has raised quite as many questions as the one raised in George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm,’ “Are all animals equal?”
While we might not have a simple answer for the latter, the answer to the former is quite straightforward.
The Access MBA Tour; an event that gives thousands of business professionals the chance to meet representatives from some of the world’s best international business schools on a one-on-one basis is just around the corner and the conversations have been centred on the things an MBA degree can do for your career.
To join the conversation and have your profile carefully matched and selected for individual meetings with the business schools that correspond to your needs and expectations, click here.
Before we proceed, let’s break it down… What exactly is an MBA?
An MBA is an acronym for Master of Business Administration; a graduate degree received from a college or university that delivers both practical and theoretical training to graduates to aid them in acquiring a deeper understanding of general business management functions.
Now that we know what an MBA is, let us move into 5 things an MBA will do for you as well as 5 things it will not do for you.
5 Things an MBA Will Do For You
- Opens up more career paths for you
- Shoots up your self-esteem
- Makes your CV and credentials stand out
- Improves networking opportunities
- An opportunity to travel abroad
5 Things an MBA Will Not Do For You
- It will not necessarily get you a job
- Not a substitute for insufficient work experience
- It will not make you wealthier
- Getting one does make guarantee immediate success as an entrepreneur
- It is not automatic magnet of respect from people
5 Things an MBA Will Do For You
Opens up more career paths for you
There will be companies that really value you for your talent and qualifications and this is where an MBA would help you tap into those talents and trigger a catalyst that opens up more career paths for you.
Shoots up your self-esteem
An MBA is more than just a degree you file in with the rest of your credentials. According to a study, having an MBA had a direct correlation with a higher degree of self-confidence, self-efficacy and self-esteem.
In essence, all candidates with MBAs demonstrated antecedents to an improved level of performance as and tilted strongly towards a more successful career compared to individuals without MBAs.
Makes your CV and credentials stand out
We all agree that an MBA is a higher qualification when compared to a university degree. This is precisely one of the reasons it makes your CV look better especially when we consider the fact that job openings remain very competitive and hiring companies have a natural soft spot for candidates with better qualifications and experience.
Let’s also point out that graduates armed with an MBA stand a better chance of landing jobs within management positions.
Improves networking opportunities
In the course of pursuing an MBA programme, you are bound to interact with colleagues and teaching staff. These is one sure way of building a solid foundation of networking opportunities and better still, you will also have a chance to enjoy a strong alumni network. This will do your career a lot of good in the long run and make the best of opportunities as they present themselves.
An opportunity to travel abroad
There are tonnes of MBA programmes all around the world and this has served as an opportunity for graduates to travel and study while there.
5 Things an MBA Will Not Do For You
It will not necessarily get you a job
A Masters Degree is not an automatic ticket to get a job. Anyone who tries to sell that notion to you is not being realistic with you. What an MBA does is to increase your chances of landing a job. In other words, it gives you an edge over other candidates who might be competing for the same jobs you have applied for.
Not a substitute for insufficient work experience
Work experience and an MBA are two different things. While the latter is a degree that shows that you are qualified for a job, the former is an experience you accumulate over the years. In truth, you cannot use an MBA to cover up for lack of work experience. It’s just like trying to get a plumbing job in vallejo with an MBA but no experience in plumbing. However, like we mentioned earlier, an MBA puts you in a prime position to latch onto better career opportunities.
It will not make you wealthier
You must understand that an MBA is not a get rich quick scheme that will increase you account balance over time as it is not a job or a business venture.
Getting one does make guarantee immediate success as an entrepreneur
An MBA will broaden your knowledge base and reward you with a very rich perspective on a whole lot of issues including the business world as well as your ability to solve problems but it is not an automatic guarantee for success as an entrepreneur.
However, bear in mind that an MBA takes you out of your comfort zone with the sheer volume of information and data you would be exposed to in the course of taking the programme. Without mincing words, it is an amazing opportunity for self-improvement and knowledge acquisition.
It is not automatic magnet of respect from people
Having a Masters Degree comes with a lot of prestige for graduates but it does not compel people to respect you. People will respect only if you deserve to be respected especially if they gleam a peek of your intelligence or if they are impressed with abilities to solve problems or something you did.
Conclusion
As the discussion around an MBA rages on, we believe a Masters Degree is surely worth the time, energy and resources. For us here, we would rather have an MBA than not have it. However, we want to know what you think. Would you rather have an MBA or not have it?
