I know that the traditional schools hold recruiting events for the new graduates. What would you recommend for someone getting a DL degree to aid in the job search. I am considering a DL MBA and am wondering how to use it to change careers. thanks Jimmyd
Contrary to Han's post, most MBA schools with B&M programs only offer career services to full-time, on-campus students. The rationale behind this is that part time students already have jobs and are seeking an MBA to prepare themselves for a promotion or to round out their skills for a promotion they've already recieved. Now you know and I know that just as many part-time students want to change jobs, they just don't want to leave the safety and security of a full-time income behind. In recognition of this fact, many programs will allow part time students to use their career services office with a "note from home", a letter from their current employer allowing the student to seek new employment. UNC's Kenan Flagler School of Business has on its web site: "Since most Executive MBA students are fully employed, job placement services are not available, but the Program provides career-counseling services." UNC doesn't have a "part-time" MBA per se (all of its programs are lockstep and designed to be completed in roughly 2 years), but its policies are pretty much standard. (By the way, here's the link to the FAQ I quoted above. http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/programs/execMBA/FAQ/index.cfm )
Is this a joke, it can't be true, can it I could understand not providing services in general, but to exclude a certain set of student, I would say is discrimination. Do you have a school in mind that excludes certain groups of students? On the other, I can see some schools simply not providing the service.
On a side note, this was one area Tulsa did a great job. I was recuited to come out there several times, but being in Cali., I wasn't interested. (Not sure how they got my information, they said it was from the school).
I spoke with Duke University's Executive MBA admissions office about this when I was considering applying to their Cross Continent Program (still considering it, have just decided not to jump head first into grad school so soon after finishing up my undergrad degree), and what I was told is that the reason programs limit career services access to full time students is that employers make a commitment when a student enters an MBA program and continues to work full time. Many employers sponsor their MBA students by paying for their classes or by simply allowing time off to complete assignments and work with team members. (For example, the program at Duke I was looking at requires 8 1-week residencies and one 2-week residency over the 20 months of the program) Duke (and other schools) feel that fewer students would recieve this support if employers felt that their employees were going to bolt as soon as they recieved their MBA degrees. I don't think it's discrimination, so much as protecting a cash cow. If employers won't grant students time off to do an MBA, then the number of students willing to enter these programs would shrink dramatically.
I don't think attending school job fairs is still necessary these day and age. You can do most of your job search online. I don't know if you prefer private or government sectors of the economy. Most government departments now do not accept paper job applications for employment. All jobs MUST be applied for online and they provide free registration. Isn't this interesting especially those who still believe in the old ways of doing things? Many job announcements carry the warning that paper application will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate that you have no access to the internet and even then you have to call for assistance. Check out USAJOBS.COM for most federal employment opportunities. For private sector jobs, just "google" it or if you belong to a professional organization use their web site as well. I have found these much more helpful in the past than using school fairs. Remember the medium of delivery of your education is not important. It is the education itself that counts. Good luck.
US schools are putting out about 100,000 MBAs a year and growing. They are losing their utility for people wanting to change careers, especially with a DL program where students don't get as much of a chance to network with colleagues. I've known people who worked in investment banking making $40,000 a year, and were offered $100,000+ in international finance after finishing their MBA, and I've known people who were working as school teachers, artists, etc, who did an MBA and had absolutely no more of a chance to get a job outside their current profession than they did before they started. You get the "value-added" if you come with a marketable skill and then refine it.
