Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

Dear nidhijolly27,

The degree of value one affords any particular thing or qualification depends on who's doing the valuing. If you can afford the time and the money, by all means go for a second MBA.

But if the only person it's going to add value to is you (in terms of self esteem), ask yourself why you're doing it. With five years under your belt and one MBA, you're probably a sound investment for any business.

But of greater concern here are your notions of business schools that are either "decent", or "OK".

To certain people, this could be a bit of a red flag, and to my ear, it sounds as if you might ... just might ... feel that your first bite of the cherry wasn't quite sweet enough, and that you need a second, sweeter bite from a sweeter, more prestigious school, so that you can essentially tell the branding world "Look! I have THIS accolade, from THIS school".

This thinking (and I'm not saying YOU are thinking this), but this thinking on the part of a potential employer, could signal another kind of red flag: "Does this person think they"re better than everyone else?"

Does this make sense?

By obtaining a second MBA, you MIGHT give the impression that you have a lot to prove. In truth, the greatest value you can add, both to yourself, and to your clients and customers, is to create brands that are the best of everything in terms of a solution FOR THE PEOPLE BUYING THEM.

Will a second MBA add to your career prospects? Possibly. But can you get over what, to certain people, might be a self-imposed wall of "I must do better by getting into this top school"?

What's your plan if you are rejected by the top schools you'll be applying to? Which tangent do you go off on then, and will that possibility reinforce or undermine your career and education to date?

I cannot tell you what to do, what to think, or how to act. All I will say is that I've been through similar thoughts and feelings regarding a masters in advertising and it's a course that eventually, I decided against.

There are no good or bad choices, but for me, the choice I made set me on the path I'm on now. So here I am approaching the Top 20 spot on the MarketingProfs Know-How Exchange Top 25 Experts listing after just five months of contributing.

We go to school to be schooled. But we gain our education from what we give and from what we learn about the world around us, and about ourselves.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA
Follow me on www.twitter.com/GaryBloomer

I really can't see a 2nd MBA providing much added value to you. You might want to consider pursuing some classes in a niche area of marketing that is of interest to you, or look into online certifications in various areas.

If I was hiring someone, I wouldn't see any value in a second MBA. Actually, seeing 2 MBA degrees on the resume would raise flags as something strange, causing me to look twice (in not a good way) at the candidate.

I think it might look strange on the resume to have two MBA's on your resume unless they are in different disciplines.

For example, if you have an MBA with an focus in marketing and then went back for Finance or vice-a-versa.

I think its great that you have completed your MBA but in all truth the value you bring to the team is more than a degree which is important. There are intangibles such as leadership, creativity, teamwork, experience, and competence that in the long run make the real difference. There are many more attributes but these are just a few examples that will add value in addition to your MBA.

Best Regards,
Josue'
www.facebook.com/hawaiirecruiter