MBA overrated in future employment picture

I kind of think that an MBA will be a tough sell in today's job market. Especially, from a crappy school.

 

Based upon what, exactly?

 

based on the fact, that employers won't have the money to pay MBA's and There will have to be more worker bees than ever before, cause of the massive re-structuring going on now and into the future.

 

Being educated is never a liability. While competition for jobs is fiercer all around, I don't see how having an MBA is a "tough sell." And as in any market climate, the more prestigious (or prestigious-sounding) the degree, the better, but that's nothing new.

 

Even though this seems like a bait statement...

When restructuring does happen it is generally a full shift, not a certain sector left out. You see jobs which once required a HS diploma requesting associates, those for associates requesting bachelors, etc.

 

Sorry but can you expand more on this statement? are all MBA's inferior or only those from quality schools are worth pursuing? I'm just curious.

 

An MBA teaches you the business of business. It touches on each of the core areas: finance, accounting, marketing, economics, IT, ethics, and strategy.

In my company, I look for people that can see the whole picture (if not the big picture). We all work, so I do not know what a worker bee is in that context.

 

Do you have one? If you do, from where?

 

I am going to speculated here and assume this individual is a troll, but lately, there have been a bunch of trolls joining the forum.

 

As the market gets tougher, MBA qualifications become more like the minimum requirement rather than a differentiator. In few words, it looks like you are going to need one even for entry level positions. The reality is than more people are getting them than ever before and there is a reason for it, I agree that a low tier MBA is not going to give you a 100K a year entry position but for sure it opens the doors to decent paid jobs.

 

a small thought

I think it is more of an abundance in universities issuing MBA rather than the need for it. If everybody were to follow a certain path the path would lose its charm.

 

If the economy keeps sinking to new depths, those pieces of paper might become nothing more than wallpaper or something to get a fire going to keep warm. Finally, a good use for those fake diplomas.

 

Or become a requirement..

 

David is right. Recently I personally interviewed about 100 applicants for a dozen or so positions. Of those 100 applicants (job fair) only about 6 either had an MBA or were actively enrolled in a program. Another 3 had graduate degrees in Management, IT, etc. Guess which resumes made it to the top of the stack for first consideration?

Oh in case you're wondering, there were no Harvard grads in the pile. It was 1 Le Tourneau, 2 UofP grads, 1 Devry, 1 Dallas Baptist University, 1 University of Texas at Alrington, 1 Texas A&M Commerce, 1 Amberton University, 1 University of Texas Dallas.

Oh and I did interview a Penn State grad but he only had his BS at the time... But a sharp cookie nonetheless. He slid in there at #10, more because of his interview skills (and one nice suit) than his education, though that wasn't bad either.

Whether they got the job or not I have no idea... I was merely helping out our HR staff that day.

 

That has been my theory since turning 40. Be able to check the box. Check the box, Check the box, Check the box. Having a story why you are so good you don't need to check the box like everyone else, those days are over unless you can find a new niche market with little talent (don't worry, their coming, and they will be able to check the box, but maybe you can get established early). Then once that market becomes main stream guess what? To move around you are going to need to be able to check the box.

Peace out, down with haters.

DEL

 

A buddy of mine used to say an MBA was how good engineers ruin a career; that they take your brain out and hand you a diploma. I think that's an engineering-specific kind of thing, though.

 

You are quite wrong.

True Story 1:
I moved from CA to TN with all my stupid little computer repair certificates. I mean I had a handful of them. I was an average qualified computer tech in CA. I was high end qualified in TN. In 2000 I returned to CA for a visit and ran into a good and talented friend. He was working the counter at the car rental place. He did not get his when he could and could not find a job without it.

He lamented that everyone and their mom had a MCSE. That was the basic requirement to get a job. Now a MCSE for those jobs was a serious overkill. But it was the new requirement.

Story 2:
In the early 90s the recession was in full swing in CA. Everyone at my company was looking for work. The problem was people were taking step down jobs. So the people who were on the lower end computer jobs found themselves competing against far better (over) qualified people.

The moral: have the piece of paper. Better to say yes I have it, then well uhm, ya know, well, uhm uh, uhm (sound like Obama without a written speech in front of him). I would much rather sound like Obama with a written speech.

 

Don't count on it. More likely an MBA will be the new BA, just as the BA became the new high school diploma in its day.

BTW - Nobody in your firm is going to know or care where your MBA is from, except for the few people on your hiring committee, and they will have forgotten. You either "are" an MBA or you are not. When the CEO says to her VP: "We need a couple of MBAs on this" they'll come looking for the letters after your name, not what school the degree came from. Cheers..

 

I think University of Phoenix MBA's might still have an issue. I worked in some big name companies and they all were a little suspicious of the rigor of the UoP degree. It wasn't an automatic dis-qualifier but they had heard enough stories about how UoP was a pay your fees, get your B's (or A's) kind of place.

 

Unless the statistics change for those individuals with a graduate degree, and then further, the subsegment of those with an MBA, I cannot see the MBA devaluing anytime soon. Of course, the upper tier schools' graduates will still command the higher salaries or select positions. To those who scoff at obtaining the degree, thanks for making the competition easier.