Question

Topic: Career/Training

Best Education

Posted by Anonymous on 5/1/2010 at 2:22 PM ET 125 Points
I've been involved in marketing and sales for nearly 10 years, all the while raising a family, working, and finishing a BBA in Marketing. I should be done with the BBA in May 2011 and am wondering if I should continue on to an MBA.
My career goals include working in the Marketing Department of a single business or for a marketing firm as a consultant to several firms in the areas of Branding, Marketing, Website and Internet, and advertising.
What advantages would the MBA bring me and what would some alternatives be to getting an MBA? (i.e. seminars, training, books)
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted on 5/1/2010 at 4:10 PM Accepted
    It's hard to say whether the MBA would be worth your time and money. It will certainly expose you to a broad range of business and management issues, and that will serve you well whether you're in your own business or consulting with others.

    On the other hand, if you really want to just focus on Marketing, it could be overkill. If you can find a company that will really give you a good exposure to marketing, and training to bring you up to speed quickly, that might be better than an MBA ... at least in terms of the ROI on your Marketing education.

    For reasons I can't exactly identify, an MBA still carries a kind of imprimatur for business folks. It could have to do with the fact that you only get an MBA if you make a commitment to business -- at least while you're in the MBA program -- and that suggests a long-term business orientation ... not a short-term, get-a-good-job preparation.

    Or it could just be that it indicates a holistic view of business, not a highly-specialized focus on just one discipline.
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 5/2/2010 at 2:04 AM Accepted
    I agree that if your focus is to work in a marketing department, an MBA would be overkill. MBA programs are trying to prepare students for management positions. So it may be useful at higher level marketing positions, but the vast majority don't require it. And many positions, like advertising, more require creative minds than any degree.

    ps - I have an MBA.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 5/2/2010 at 8:27 AM Accepted
    The best way to impress future employers is a portfolio of what you've done. Don't have one? Start by donating your time (or interning) to help businesses and learn on-the-job. The more you've done (and documented), the better employers can see your skills / ability and most importantly, your desire to work/succeed.
  • Posted on 5/2/2010 at 10:59 AM Moderator
    For Marketing or Branding consulting, I'd think you would want the MBA credential, to demonstrate that you are treating the issues holistically, with attention to the needs of all functional areas.

    It's not the skills you'll get from an MBA. It's the big-picture perspective.

    Again, I can't quite define the exact benefit, but I can tell you that clients notice your credentials even before they see the results you've achieved for others. If you've worked for a well-respected company, they'll notice that. But if you haven't, you should probably have an advanced degree -- like an MBA. And, of course, having both is the best of all worlds.

    If you're seriously thinking about a career in consulting, you may want to check out Rasputin For Hire : An inside look at management consulting between jobs or as a second career. The book is available through most bookstores in the United States, online booksellers, or at the website www.rasputinforhire.com .

BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Career/Training)