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Chief
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Chief
Some version of the “credentials vs experience” debate comes up once a week. Either that or “state schools vs ivies.” It’s exhausting and wish folks would give it a rest.
Name brand schools and companies matter to an extent and always will. That includes MBAs. Even lesser ranked schools will give you network and learnings and other valuable assets.
That doesn’t mean you’re somehow lesser if you don’t have them on your resume. In the long run, experience does matter more. But let’s not diminish achievements of folks who do those things or call them irrelevant. They’re not.
Chief
Lmao i went to a top 10 program and my experience says it’s not a waste. Lots of folks here are telling you that from experience as well. Both in comments and ratios.
What you seem to want to be true, or is maybe true in your particular experience, isn’t true at large. You’re not winning here.
You didn’t even answer my answer of substance further up or anyone else’s here - just engaged in stupid ad hominem attacks on BCG and others. You’ve lost basically all credibility at this point and your argument can be dismissed.
They're only useful for career switchers. It's easy for the lucky few who got into consulting or IB right of UG to find jobs without getting an MBA, but for those who didn't, they need that MBA to switch. I know a school teacher who made it to MBB, but an MBA is what made it possible. The pipelines should change, but they're institutional.
Hilarious. What a clown 🤡. Future RIF candidate for sure.
Smells like cope
Exactly MC3
I have a MBA, I’ve found that they don’t put you ahead like they used to. But they certainly check a box for a lot of companies that require them for higher level management roles. It opens doors, just doesn’t propel you through them.
That being said, the US in general is starting to slow down the emphasis it puts on a college degree. Masters or bachelors. A lot more companies are removing the degree requirements. Over time it seems like we will trend away for over valuing degrees.
VP: I started my own data engineering firm, co founded with a Wharton grad I met in one of tech conferences, I am booth grad.. it was easier a bit for us to raise funds when needed ( the network of both schools and our combo helped to clear the check list of VCs faster ) .. when it came to setup our own delivery center in South America, we just reached into our respective school networks and get it done via other alumni in those countries .. the degree helped in that way for me so far .. I am sure it will help in other ways in the future
Pro
MBA grad here.
It’s useful if you want to career switch and/or have the means to go on a two-year “holiday” to network and have fun. The tuition fee is prohibitively expensive & the opportunities aren’t as abundant as before, however.
The most successful people I know don’t need it to get ahead in life.
Pro
@OP, this is my Top 3:
- Acquaintance joined HelloFresh straight out of undergrad as an early employee. Is now very senior.
- High school friend got into real estate development as a trainee straight out of HS. Today he owns 100+ gas stations.
-College friend got into SEO and data right after undergrad and made a name for himself. Runs his agency out of Dubai and pays no tax.
They became irrelevant in the U.K. about 15 years ago to be honest.
Yeah. It’s a sorry state of affairs for the UK.
Read the book Pedigree: MBAs still matter for the highest paying or ‘prestigious’ jobs
If one attends a top 10 program, it does have specific effects as long as one is a go getter and uses the frameworks taught reasonably .. it continues to be the golden path for those in the middle of the road in their careers to pivot or even start their own firms
The people or the degree?
Direct MBA hires tend to be some of the weakest but there are some good career switchers which rise above. Firms need the pipeline of talent so will keep hiring them.
The degree is increasingly irrelevant in that there are more high paying jobs that don't require them (eg, software development), but the "traditional" MBA exits (consulting, banking, brand mgmt) still look to that pool. Top 15 MBA is still as relevant as ever.
Yes and for one to venture on their own, the degree helps in their entrepreneurial journey ( when one had industry or consulting work experience prior to MBA ) for raising funds, deal sheets, proper partnerships, co founding and what not
We make the joke at my company (no longer work at EY), that an MBA is a “must be average” degree
- Anyone who is truly exceptional, does not need an MBA to get where they want to go
- Anyone who leads with credentials over experience is a low performer
Does the ROI make sense for some? Of course (e.g., career pivots, fully sponsored, etc.) but for the vast majority of people if you committed a similar amount of effort to network, learn on the side, etc. you could get there without spending $250k+ and forgoing two years of income
SVP1 - I also went to a top MBA program, and I can tell you my peers and those I run into from targets, are far from exceptional. Degree doesn’t maketh the person. A lot of these folks also put strong emphasis on the degree, ala “when I went to Columbia”, no one cares. In hindsight, I could’ve got where I am without the MBA, because I’m that confident not only my knowledge, but my abilities. EY1 is on the money here, MBA doesn’t mean anything.
Agreed
How?
The answer is it depends .. my MBA from booth helped me cross some road bumps faster to secure series A funds faster and close near shore Dev center setup easier in South America .. the network effect of attending a top 10 program still exists
It’s still helpful as an option to pivot
Rising Star
I have quadrupled (4x) my pre-MBA earnings in less than four (4) years. Many of my classmates have as well. You can knock it all you want. ROI is beautiful.
SVP1 and D1 do you both work in consulting? Just curious. Also, are you hiring?!
It’s increasingly irrelevant if you do not have a clear reason for getting an MBA. You are paying for the network and access to pivot into consulting/IB/rotational programs, so you should go to one of the top global programs, or the best program in your city assuming that you are spending the rest of your career there.
I personally have found my MBA quite valuable. It’s made me much more employable as someone with a non-business undergrad major, and I’m earning a much higher salary and have jumped titles. It’s allowed me to make my career international, and I have an MBA network in my new country. I also happened to meet my spouse during my MBA.
It’s definitely not a panacea anymore, but if you choose the right MBA program for your goals, it still is a springboard.
Maybe in terms of the skills taught. But you can still triple your pre-MBA salary if you pivot to IB or consulting.
A top 10 MBA ( booth in my case ) helped me exit painful and garbage consulting life, start my own firm, get funded and get acquired in 5 years .. now I am semi retired and do Independent work .. cheers
Only professionally useful for hard career pivots or “checking the box” into executive ranks of dinosaur F500s who don’t update their HR policies
Lol this whole thread can be summed up by “supply and demand”