Value Of An MBA | Harvard Business School Graduate Perspective

When I grow up I’m going to play in the MBA

Ironically, I think the problem with MBAs is that they are over confidently walking into every room thinking they are qualified to be there.

As a career switcher, my MBA helped me successfully get roles in two of the top 3 tech companies in the world without significant experience in any of the roles. It really is a valuable tool in my toolbox

Companies love you to have an MBA because having a highly educated management team makes the company look far better to potential investors. I had maxed out my potential in sales so I came to get my MBA so I can take on a leadership role with confidence. It will feel funny though the first time I am interviewed by someone I am clearly more qualified then.

Great video and David’s sound is so soothing

MBA is worth it if your undergrad was free.

I've met many MBA's working the same jobs and making the same amount of money as individuals with only a bachelors degree. Unless you get an MBA from a prestigious university, an MBA may not be the best option since they are too common and easy to get these days. However, you can try to supplement an MBA with a certificate or additional degree in Information Systems to stand out from the crowd. A dual degree in Business and Info Systems will also help you look more well-rounded and twch savvy.

thank you for sharing this video! super helpful!

Great informational video. I am a graduating senior and have been thinking about go straight to a MBA project. What are your thoughts on going directly into an MBA program after graduation vs going out to the job market and going back to school later in life?

In love the tone of your voice. I got a question, if you do not follow a MBA HBS, is it worth it? like for example MBA in Latin America?

You sir have a wonderful podcast voice. Lol

what do you think about doing management and leadership certificates with job ?

Thanks Menlo Coaching for creating this video. I am wondering If I can get your thoughts on this: - I have been working for over 10 years and have been feeling stuck in my career. - During coffee chats, I was suggested to consider MBA or MS Computer Science (I don't have an undergrad in CS but saw there are some bridging programs out there for those who don't). Wondering what do you think about MBA vs MS Computer Science? - I think MS if usually for those who usually have around 2 years of work experience but may not be appropriate for those with more work experience. - I think with MS CS one tends to become a software developer writing code. Pays well but just writing code. - With MBA people usually tend to go into 3 buckets (consulting, IB/financial services & tech). My perception is that the work life balance of consulting/financial services isn't great and also getting there in mid 30s is tough but tech (product management seems to be the most popular role in tech post MBA, though the current tech economy isn't great with layoffs) seems more open with better work life balance. Also, regarding MBA I hear a lot of buzz that some say it's worth it and some say it's not. There's this site/book the personal MBA that refutes that value of MBA: https://personalmba.com/. So don't what what to believe. Some quote this quote from the movie Goodwill hunting regarding MBA: "You wasted $150,000 on an education (MBA) you coulda got for $1.50 in late fees at the public library.” Would love to hear your thoughts.

The real value of a top MBA program which is mentioned slightly here is that it’s a massive networking opportunities: not just in your professional life but also in your personal life. It’s not just “career motivated” people who go to business school. At HBS I knew a group of friends in the real estate section where one guy’s family ran the largest CRE company in the US; his girlfriend’s family meanwhile ran the largest residential real estate company in the country. Another friend’s dad owned a huge hotel chain in India. Another friend’s family is one of the largest real estate developers in Mexico. Even a Bonaparte descendent went to HBS. For the personal and professional network you can develop, I would say the $250k is worth it, especially since most people go in their late 20s, early 30s. If you’re not going to a top MBA program, it’s correct to say the financial variables are most important to consider. I can’t say the education at any MBA is anything stellar or intellectually stimulating but I think the exposure therapy of being in these spaces, having these conversations, talking freely to both peers and superiors is healthy.

knocking my 15k mba out right now 😊

Hi. What University would you consider better between Boston University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to get the MBA Degree? I will appreciate any thought on this. Thank you.

MBAs are very good for niche careers limited to consulting, PE/IB in finance and general corporate strategy role. Maybe even tech these days, though tech cos. and their founders aren't brand oriented, being dropout themselves. But if one is looking at jobs other than these 3 roles then ivy MBA fails to provide it. It's best to become a founder in the field you like and dropout if it takes off. It could be that these 3 are the best paid jobs so they are the core focus of ivy leagues to justify high cost. Marketing, HR, operations are nowhere to be found. Which course/schools are marketing mavericks hired from? Where does Amazon/Google marketing, coca cola, PnG, Unilever go to?

The true test of the real value of an MBA is to conduct control groups in a longitudinal study. One random group has an MBA and the second also random group has not. And they both started at entry level positions, and pursue management careers over a period of, say, 20 years. And then you tally up their achievements according to objective criteria such as P/L achievements by size of company, size of workforce under management, personal earnings growth adjusted for company size, etc. Then and only then, one can say conclusively and scientifically whether an MBA adds value to the quality of management. So far not even universities have conducted such a study - the one and only scientifically convincing study. Instead, we get anecdotal evidence, non-inferential statistics and story telling that are largely selective, subjective and 100% unscientific.

I got into Uc Irvine mba program which is ranked 44th. Is this still good enough to get a 100k job?

But David, I do not want a job, I want a career. How can achieve that without the job in industry or the MBA