An MBA Degree Ain't All It's Cracked Up to Be . . .
MBA degrees aren't all that special and don't impress me. My wife is impressed by the degree-- I told her don't get too excited they really aren't that special. All an MBA does for the holder of the degree is satisfy some unwritten qualification for certain jobs or careers.
MBAs are people who have spent additional time digging deeper into theories and concepts that they could have learned in college earning their undergraduate degrees, but they were probably too busy partying. They have also been taught some tricks and formulas that anyone could learn. Finally, they tend to be proficient with Excel spreadsheets and Powerpoint presentations.
Are you sensing my disdain? Most of the MBAs I meet try to impress me and others with the fact they have one-- believe me, I am really not impressed. We have a new "kid" at work that reads his resume off to everyone he meets-- oh boy! What this "genius" didn't know (and still doesn't know, because I kept my mouth shut) when he tried this with me was that I have an MBA and another advanced degree and that I used to adjunct teach (part-time) on both a graduate and undergraduate level (I'm not even impressed with my own). Needless to say, I filed him in my, "What a Bozo!" mental file.
This post is designed to lay the foundations for a series of upcoming posts that will share some of the finance "secrets" MBAs reportedly possess. I am planning some posts that should, in the simplest possible terms, explain some concepts so that the "average Joe" can understand and apply to their personal financial situation. It is really just plain, old common sense.
If you are thinking of an MBA, I would recommend you do three things:
- Get it part-time so you continue to build the truly valuable work experience and skills
- Get someone to pay for it-- like an employer
- Don't try to impress people with it-- you may not really know who you are talking to
By the way, I'm not all that impressed with many college graduates either, but that is another post . . .
Side Note: I know "ain't" isn't proper English, but I like to use it from time to time for dramatic emphasis of certain points.
Categories: careers, Frugality, Personal Finance, Self Improvement, Personal Philosophy
Tags: Self Improvement Frugality Personal Finance Frugal Careers Personal Philosophy
I agree with the college degree comments. Some degrees are over-rated, and serve mainly as a "punch" on your ticket. Having a resume is one thing. Having and demonstrating ability is quite another.
Besides, my experience shows that learning takes place by doing and working with other bright people, not by sitting in the classroom. I worked for 6 months and then studied for 6 months as part of a co-op program, and this added greatly to my ability to make sense out of what was being taught at the university.
I've been working in an engineering field as a non-engineer, doing things that engineers don't normally do, and always being told by engineers that what I do isn't taught in school, so don't go back to school to get an engineering degree.
It was good advice. I used the time instead to plow ahead in my career and then retire early to enjoy "more life and less work".
(Ain't can be frowned upon, but can be fun to use. Most often a contraction of "am not" but also "is not" and "are not". I ain't going say any more about it.)
Clair
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