HI guys,
I saw quite a few threads in here about this topic. But I do believe my case is a lil bit different.
Right, a bit of background and why i think my case is different.
I'm brazilian born and I spent 3 years in a University in Brazil and then transfer back to the UK where I'm currently on my last year.
During my time in Brazil I worked in 3 different jobs (1year long each).
1: Worked for the University Junior Enterprise as Financial Analyst and then was elected Finance Director (if anyone doesn't know the concept of JE please let me know and I'll further explain). In essence it was a part-time non-paid job - as per JE legislation.
2: I left the JE to accept an Internship program with Citibank. Full time position
3: I got hired (not an internship) to be a financial assistant in a regional investment/property development group. Within 2 months I got hired the manager quit and we started a recruitment process but the Directors didn't like any of the candidates and asked me to fill the position. So I spent 4 months as financial assistant and 8months as Financial Manager. Full time position
I also did work before going to uni (still in Brazil) for a british multinational company but it was some sort of internship/apprenticeship for young people, still though i think it might still counts, as I have clear understanding of procedures and the market of international trade (import/export company).
What makes it different is that all these jobs were full-time (except the one before uni, of course) and was done DURING my university studies (which was also full time). What many don't know/understand is that Brazil's market works a bit different from the American and European. In Brazil undergrads (especially law and business) study at NIGHT time ( 6.30pm till 10.30pm) so they can have the entire day free to work and gain hands on experience so that when they graduate they will either have already secured a job (because they were already working there) or will have 4-5years of hands on experience. So in Brazil, doing an MBA/Master degree straight after undergrad isn't a problem coz you already have some sort of experience.
But in my case I don't live in Brazil anymore and do not intend to do my MBA/Masters there and the problem is that because of the differences in the way the markets work there and here/north America are different, I'm afraid that Universities/Employers in Canada (where i'm thinking of doing my MBA/Master) won't consider or give the right "points" for my little but deffo important hands-on experience. Besides that as I'll be new to Canada and I won't have many network there (the main purpose of an MBA) but I deffo believe that my "international education" will most deffo be a plus, after all I do have some perspective and knowledge of Brazil's (emerging country) market/economy/point of view of the World and I do have the British/European view of the World/Economy.
So I would most deffo appreciate your opinions of what I should do. If the MBA would be a good thing for me? (I'm thinking about Wilfrid Laurier Co-Op - as I do think the Co-op would be really good to give me Canadian work experience and insight of its market/economy. Would love to go to the top ones, but as I'm considered international student in Canada, tuitions are extremely high for me and I just can't afford to pay 100k just of tuition!!!)
Or if I did a Master in Finance or International Business would be more beneficial?
Just to clarify, by doing an MBA i do not expect to have a 80-100K job when i graduate. I do have my feet on the ground and my expectation would be around 50K or something top.
Reasons why I want to do a master/MBA? I don't believe that just undergrad education is/will be enough to get a mid-high position within any company but I do believe that If I (talking about me!!) leave uni now and get a job I would not be able to go back to uni to do a master after few years. That's way i want to get all my schooling done as soon as possible. (As mentioned, I do not intend to have a high position/pay when I graduate, but as time goes by I do want to have this kind of pay/positions so I would already have had done my masters and therefore would not need to go back to uni again after I get the experience needed to get that kind of senior job.!!)
Sorry for the long post and if I should have posted it in another section, please let me know and I'll remove and post in the right place!
Thanks everyone for the comments
I saw quite a few threads in here about this topic. But I do believe my case is a lil bit different.
Right, a bit of background and why i think my case is different.
I'm brazilian born and I spent 3 years in a University in Brazil and then transfer back to the UK where I'm currently on my last year.
During my time in Brazil I worked in 3 different jobs (1year long each).
1: Worked for the University Junior Enterprise as Financial Analyst and then was elected Finance Director (if anyone doesn't know the concept of JE please let me know and I'll further explain). In essence it was a part-time non-paid job - as per JE legislation.
2: I left the JE to accept an Internship program with Citibank. Full time position
3: I got hired (not an internship) to be a financial assistant in a regional investment/property development group. Within 2 months I got hired the manager quit and we started a recruitment process but the Directors didn't like any of the candidates and asked me to fill the position. So I spent 4 months as financial assistant and 8months as Financial Manager. Full time position
I also did work before going to uni (still in Brazil) for a british multinational company but it was some sort of internship/apprenticeship for young people, still though i think it might still counts, as I have clear understanding of procedures and the market of international trade (import/export company).
What makes it different is that all these jobs were full-time (except the one before uni, of course) and was done DURING my university studies (which was also full time). What many don't know/understand is that Brazil's market works a bit different from the American and European. In Brazil undergrads (especially law and business) study at NIGHT time ( 6.30pm till 10.30pm) so they can have the entire day free to work and gain hands on experience so that when they graduate they will either have already secured a job (because they were already working there) or will have 4-5years of hands on experience. So in Brazil, doing an MBA/Master degree straight after undergrad isn't a problem coz you already have some sort of experience.
But in my case I don't live in Brazil anymore and do not intend to do my MBA/Masters there and the problem is that because of the differences in the way the markets work there and here/north America are different, I'm afraid that Universities/Employers in Canada (where i'm thinking of doing my MBA/Master) won't consider or give the right "points" for my little but deffo important hands-on experience. Besides that as I'll be new to Canada and I won't have many network there (the main purpose of an MBA) but I deffo believe that my "international education" will most deffo be a plus, after all I do have some perspective and knowledge of Brazil's (emerging country) market/economy/point of view of the World and I do have the British/European view of the World/Economy.
So I would most deffo appreciate your opinions of what I should do. If the MBA would be a good thing for me? (I'm thinking about Wilfrid Laurier Co-Op - as I do think the Co-op would be really good to give me Canadian work experience and insight of its market/economy. Would love to go to the top ones, but as I'm considered international student in Canada, tuitions are extremely high for me and I just can't afford to pay 100k just of tuition!!!)
Or if I did a Master in Finance or International Business would be more beneficial?
Just to clarify, by doing an MBA i do not expect to have a 80-100K job when i graduate. I do have my feet on the ground and my expectation would be around 50K or something top.
Reasons why I want to do a master/MBA? I don't believe that just undergrad education is/will be enough to get a mid-high position within any company but I do believe that If I (talking about me!!) leave uni now and get a job I would not be able to go back to uni to do a master after few years. That's way i want to get all my schooling done as soon as possible. (As mentioned, I do not intend to have a high position/pay when I graduate, but as time goes by I do want to have this kind of pay/positions so I would already have had done my masters and therefore would not need to go back to uni again after I get the experience needed to get that kind of senior job.!!)
Sorry for the long post and if I should have posted it in another section, please let me know and I'll remove and post in the right place!
Thanks everyone for the comments
