-
Target Test Prep 20% Off Flash Sale is on! Code: FLASH20
Redeem
3 Bad Reasons to Get an MBA
There are many reasons why an MBA degree is a great way to turbocharge your career, andthis blog has covered several of them. But there are also bad reasons for going to business school. These three should not be your motives for contemplating getting anMBA.
1. You're unsurewhat else to do.
Perhapsyou arefeeling pressured to go for the degree by well-meaning family or friends. Or, maybe youre just a little too excited about the partying and social events that abound at business schools.
At the dawn of the financial crisis, many young professionals turned their thoughts toward business school as the job market grew increasingly unstable. This is an understandable rationale, but taking a two-year break as a placeholder activity doesnt make a lot of sense professionally or financially. A better bet would be totake time to travel the world and find yourself.
Its true that business school is a great time to hang out and let new ideas come and crystallize, but applicants to a top-ranked business school should have a clear idea of the field they plan to move into and how the degree will help.
As part of the admissions process, businessschool hopefuls should have a solid answerwhy they want to earn an MBA. The answer should show focus, direction and sufficient self-reflection. If you arent 100 percent sure that an MBA is what you need to succeed, the admissions committee isn't going to take a chance on you either.
2. You're planning to go into a career that doesn't requirean MBA.
The MBA is a super flexible degree, so some people who are transitioning careersthink that it can help with just about anything. But there are career paths that it will not benefit, such as arts management or certain careers in sports and entertainment management. Make sure youre committed to a career in business, not just earning the degreeas a way to supplement other interests.
MBAprograms emphasize practical application and will train candidates in the various functional skills related to running a business. Its possible to add a concentration to your MBA studies, but that is still just a few courses compared with a deep dive into a subject.
For folks who want to immerse themselves in one specific area, such as business analytics, accounting or supply chain management,and who plan to stay in the same industry and function long term, a specialized master'sdegree in an area like finance or technology would be a better choice.
3. Youthink the MBA credential will look good on your resume.
The decision to pursue an MBA should be based on how it would develop your core strengths. Merely to gain bragging rights or make your resume stand out are not good enough reasons.
Unlike a law or medical degree, an MBA is not an absolute requirement for any career path. But be aware that many companies treat the MBA degree as a pseudo-requirement for the applicant pool, and not having one could effectively lock you out of the leading companies in your industry.
The decision to go for an MBA is not a simple one, and many factors should be carefully weighed to make sure its the right course for you. Consider all of the alternatives, and ask yourself where you want to be in five to 10 years.
If going to business school will fast-track you to that midterm goal, wonderful. If not, invest your time and energy into whatever will.
This post originally appeared on Stacys Strictly Business MBA Blog on U.S.News.com.
***
If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more.
Recent Articles
Archive
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009