June 21, 2021

“Was your MBA worth it?” – We’re asking our past clients!

We’re reaching out to past MBA clients and posing 3 questions:
1. Was your MBA worth it?
2. What was your biggest surprise in earning an MBA?
3. Any advice for your younger self about business or career decisions?

Here are the answers from 2 clients, who are now 20 years out from their top-15 MBAs (we did say we are experienced):

1. “Yes, my MBA has been worth it.”
2. “It gives you a new level of confidence that the world of business is not too difficult and you can learn anything. It also opens doors. Having said that, only Stanford and Harvard really excel at a strong alumni network.”
3. “Get this [the MBA] done early [in your career], the earlier the better. If I had to do it again, I would have pursued an MBA after just 3 years of work experience. Strongly consider which schools have the best alumni networks. This could be massively valuable over the course of your career. Also consider which companies have the strongest alumni networks. I know McKinsey & Co has been very good for some of my friends and colleagues over the years even if you aren’t interested in consulting. If you are headed to tech, look at the careers of people that went the startup route like myself. While the [tech startup] work has a level of decision making and freedom you are unlikely to find elsewhere, when I look at colleagues that went for big firms and stayed big, they have had very nice careers with good pay and top benefits. Choose wisely and if you go startup, bounce back and forth with big tech over your career.”

Here’s the second response:
“My advice to anyone in their career is become an expert at what you do and get to know people in your field. I’m a Senior VP in biotech now and didn’t need an MBA to get where I am. Being a legitimate Subject Matter Expert and being recognized as such defines your value – a sexy diploma on your wall can never be a substitute.”

Excellent, honest feedback. More to come. Contact Admitify today to connect with an expert coach today!