Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

Hi, Sara,

I had a similar career path as you - BSEE, ended up playing in the power arena (semiconductors, not generation/distribution, but just as nichey). I started off in support functions and wanted to be in the design functions, so I thought. I moved into a leader role with 3 reports and took my first MSEE class - op amp design. Most of my career up to that point (about 8 years) I had heavy interfacing with customers and with the manufacturing personnel - I really enjoyed that part. I also enjoyed the "problem solving" part. One day, my GM asked me to put together a proposal to commercialize a product that was aimed at an internal company sister division application. I had to cold call engineering managers and visit them - I found a big fish, developed a business plan, and the GM approved it (even though my boss was hesitant). I loved that project and decided I wanted to go into the business roles. I went back to school and earned my MBA, came out of that as an engineering manager - but doing project management for new products - for about 7 years. Then, I switched to a marketing manager, marketing direction, and business director. My corporate life ended one day and with a broad background in just about all aspects of business under my belt, I became a business advisor, working with owners of small businesses to increase sales, improve profits, and raise and manage cash.

As an EE with an MBA, the path to marketing and business management is open in the technology world. You should have plenty of opportunity to fulfill your desire for more social interaction with customers, other engineers, and management.

I've worked with intellectual property attorneys. Many end up as corporate lawyers versus part of a law firm. They interact with engineering and marketing. Not so much with customers. I can honestly say that I wouldn't classify them as particularly skilled and policed in social interaction. It's a very different path than the MBA path.

Both paths are good ones and rewarding. I would think that the MBA gives you more flexibility and more opportunity for the social interaction you want. However, I'd recommend you discuss the various possible positions with people in those positions in your company, if possible. If you don't have access to the positions in your company, ask appropriate people in your company if they know someone in the positions in other companies that you could call and have a discussion. Or join LinkedIn and find some folks there to talk with about their job.

I hope this helps.

Wayde

Sara,

Look to larger companies that your company does business with - suppliers and customers. Most business professionals gladly will talk to you about their career and what got them there - as well as advise how you can get to that point too.

Good luck.

Wayde

I recently interviewed some business experts both of whom were in law school and dropped out because of the career focus. As a lawyer, you're looking to find fault. As an engineer, you're trained to find faults but also create solutions to address them. In marketing, you're looking for opportunities and creating strategies to achieve them. Therefore, figure out what part of engineering you love and find careers where these aspects are rewarded.

Also - if the problem you have is not being challenged in your job, then in your spare time, challenge yourself. Take a class. Volunteer. Do informational interviews. Go to conferences. Find a mentor.

You need to do what your gut tells you to do.

I'm also trained as an engineer (BSIE) with an MBA and some PhD-level studies in business/marketing. So it's easy for me to say that the MBA will probably be a better route to what you're seeking than law.

But I'm not you. And if patent law sounds more interesting to you, then perhaps that IS the right route. Several of my engineering friends from college became patent attorneys, and they seem satisfied with their careers and quite fulfilled.

What I strongly suggest is a series of information interviews with both MBAs who have technical undergraduate degrees, and patent attorneys -- perhaps a dozen interviews in total.

Once you've completed those, you'll almost certainly have a better feel for what's right for you.

Good Lord this world is filled with folks trained as Engineers. My journey was Music Major to Computer Engineer. After school I felt the need to do something that wouldn't waste my education. I was worried about becoming obsolete.

I decided to pursue the human side of engineering. I remembered all the geeks who were in my classes and felt I could earn a living as a translater "engineering to english".

I suggest you not get hung up on the educational titles. Instead decide what you want to do and chase after it.

Now back to your question --- In my opinion, unless your MBA is from one of a the top 10 programs in the country, its a waste of time. The MBA market is saturated. There are litterally hundreds of MBA mills in the country churning out new MBAs. Law and Engineering give you a background for a whole lot of cool things.

Sara,

As Frank said, IF you pursue an MBA, make it a GOOD one - top 10 school, not an online one!

Yes, there are MANY MBA's out there! However, an MBA with a degree behind it other than business, marketing, finance, or arts - those are the cream of the crop and are still being hired. If you get a "known" MBA and you pursue engineering driven companies and those companies are related to the industry segment your 5 yrs have been in (power sector, competitors, customers, or suppliers), then you will have a unique and marketable tool box and will be at the head of the list.

Wayde