Software Development to MBA ... Does it worth it ?

[x509]

Hey guys,

I am a software developer working in one of the biggest companies of Canada. In total, I have worked for 5 years. 3 years in my home country and 2 years here in Canada. When i was in my country, Software Development was a crazy field. Lots of potential. Since it is hub of "Out-Source" industry. Then i moved to Canada to do Masters. After working here for 2 years, I have realized that this field isn't that good compared to my home country.

To reach a position of TL/Architect, I have to have an experience of 8-15 years. Even at that time, My maximum salary wouldn't be mroe than $120,000 (if i get lucky). On top of that, I would still be coding.

I am thinking to do an MBA to polish my management/leadership skills so that i can move to management (top management). I want to see my self at a designation of CTO (My knowledge is more wider than deeper) or some other management field. But the problem is, that i am not even sure if It would be a good risk or not.

Is there any one who can guide me here ?

Please, don't be bias towards MBA. I am looking for some real honest stories/advices.

Thanks,

[Jim@StratusPrep]

Honest advice is use your coding skills to build a company. A business education will always help with this...

[x509]

I know. I am struggling for it but since i am new here in Canada, I don't have enough PR to get some projects. I can manage the off-shore coding camps but i need projects for that. So for, I am unable to find any project which can help me.

But this would be a plan B (though my foremost importance would be to implement it) but i don't want to rely on only this plan.

[Jon@Admissionado]

Well.. play towards your strengths. You know what you are great at. If you are great at the tech thing, a real visionary of coding, than maybe an MBA is not right for you. If you want to leave that behind and opt for the more general broader, strategy negotiations, management, then it's the MBA.

[x509]

Well thats the thing. The definition of "visionary coding" differs from company to company. I work in enterprise level application where most of the stuff is done by frameworks. Though we code a lot, but this coding doesn't involve high-fi-tech-geek computer science concepts. The thing which companies like Google, Microsoft cares about. Its not that I can't go for them but i would have to go through lots of preparation (write software, build a profile etc) to even able to get selected there.

Even if i get selected, I will work as a code for 10-15-20 years and still my salary cap wouldn't be more than 110K.

Secondly, I don't plan to stay in North America for long. I plan to go to Middle east and there is no "Software Development" scope there. Getting a management degree and having a technical experience might help me get a good management job there and believe me, Middle east pays you a lot if you are citizen of US/Canada.

[Jon@Admissionado]

Very good point. But once again it depends on what you want to do. I mean if you look at today's tech companies VERY FEW founders of Tech companies have MBAs. Why? Because they were the Tech geniuses with the ideas. But on the other hand, in very big, well-established companies, positions of power often DO go to MBAs, maybe because they need less "VISIONARY" people and more "Good managers to keep the house running" (so think Tim Cook here).

On the other hand, if your thinking of "jobbing" your way up in large companies, yes maybe an MBA is better than a tech degree, because you will hit a ceiling at some point (unless once again, you branch off, fly solo, and take your risks...)