Question

Topic: Career/Training

To Mba Or Not? Either Way, I Love Marketing

Posted by Anonymous on 1/22/2011 at 12:04 PM ET 250 Points
To start off, I love marketing. I have 5 years experience in marketing coordinator roles, at small organizations. I like seeing the big picture and developing strategies and tactics to meet business objectives, as well as adding value to the brand and products. As you can see, I have taken the initiative to go a little beyond the coordinator position, but that is just who I am.

Due to the fact that I have been in small companies with one supervisor and no subordinates, I have no managerial experience. I would really like to move to a larger corporation where I can move up the ladder and learn more, as well as have a more direct impact on the big picture. Ideally, Marketing Manager, Brand Manger and finally CMO are my career aspirations.

My questions are, with 5 years marketing experience and no managerial experience would getting an MBA drastically help me move up the ladder? Since I am making a salary that is mid-career level, does spending $100,000 (U of I, full time) on getting that MBA make financial sense, if I were to move to a larger corporation? I have the savings to do it, but I am still leery on what type of payback I would see. I have looked at the salary for a brand manger and it is not that drastically more than what I am currently making, given what I would spend to get the MBA.

A second option to not getting the MBA would be leaving the marketing field and getting a managerial position. Again this would be at a small company for the experience, then moving to a larger corporation in the marketing field.

Another reason that I want to get an MBA, my 2 sentences of venting. Why do people with no marketing passion, get marketing positions simply because they know the market (engineers) and got an MBA in marketing. But they really don’t understand fundamental marketing or how to implement a strategy?

Sorry for the vent, I thank all the people on this board and those who write the articles and blogs. I really enjoy reading and learning from all of you.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 1/22/2011 at 1:10 PM Accepted
    From my perspective, the reason to get an MBA is NOT because you think it will increase your value to an employer. It's because you might learn stuff that will make you a better businessperson and manager.

    If you're convinced you have the business and management skills you need, then the MBA is probably not going to be a good investment. If you think you're lacking in those areas, then it probably will be a good investment.

    It sounds like you understand Marketing pretty well, so it's not so much your technical skills that need attention. It's your managerial and general business exposure that need a boost. And the MBA is a kind of symbol that you take BUSINESS seriously.

    My gut reaction: I'd get the MBA, but not because you're making a calculated investment in your earning potential. It's because you really want to expand your knowledge and understanding of business.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 1/22/2011 at 7:10 PM Member
    Do some informational interviews at companies in your area that you might hope to work at. What do THEY look for? Is an MBA a ticket "in" or can you accumulate equivalent experience/knowledge through independent learning, volunteering, or workshops?
  • Posted on 1/25/2011 at 10:04 PM Author
    How much does an MBA make up for no managerial expirience?
  • Posted on 1/26/2011 at 3:14 AM Accepted
    The two are only loosely related. An MBA does a lot more than prepare you for a managerial role. And managerial experience is not something that can be replaced by a formal education.

    If you get an MBA because you want to understand business more broadly, then you'll probably be a better manager when the time comes. But don't confuse leadership training with getting an MBA. They are quite different things.

    It's a little like asking whether getting a degree in psychology will help you be more productive in business meetings.
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