Is an MBA Essential for a Successful Management/Executive Career?

The short answer to this is “No, it depends”. Definitely, not everyone needs to have an MBA but some people will need an MBA for their career.

After posting the MBA Class 2022 post last weekend, I received so many questions about MBAs which I will address across the months (yes they were a lot, I do value sharing knowledge so will make sure to answer all questions ??)

The very common question was “Do I need an MBA?” Do I have to have an MBA?”. Below are some thoughts on when an MBA can be useful:

1.?????Shifting careers: If you want to shift careers from engineering to marketing, marketing to Finance or Finance to Technology. The MBA gives you the opportunity to understand how organisations operate at a high level and see if this is an area of interest. For me, my MBA was a pivotal moment as I shifted from business to a management career in Engineering. If career shifting is on your mind, pick the right MBA programme for you as they don’t all offer the same.

2.?????Getting into management: If you have some experience but want to have a management mindset, some MBA programmes do that. It opens your mind to strategy, executive thinking and senior leadership.

3.?????Studying abroad: If you fancy living in a different country and gaining international experience, this can be to see if you can settle there, just to explore or even to have a career break where you can still be adding to your career then an MBA can be the right programme for you.

But, are all MBA programmes the same?

Just to make it clear for those who are assessing programmes, not all MBA programmes are designed the same. Some are more academic, those are great if you are planning for a PhD after or your mind operates this way. Others are more consulting-based, you do projects and they link theory to practice. This is similar to the one I did at The University of Manchester. Others focus on management, others have majors and much more.

So, what is my advice to MBA applicants?

• MBA Recruitment teams: Reach out to the MBA recruitment teams in universities, they will offer the first taste of this university culture.
• Alumni: Reach out to alumni of the programme and ask them about their experience, and what did the MBA add to them.
• Career Services: Speak to the career teams to understand how they can support you.

My MBA experience was worth all the investments I put into it from time, money and effort, this is why I make sure to support others and pass on this experience. As I started this article, the MBA is not an answer to all questions and is not for everyone. It has been the perfect opportunity for me to shift from Finance to Engineering. It also changed my prospects on things and changed me both personally and professionally. Part of it was the programme in Manchester which is awesome but part of it was me wanting to learn and change.

Always remember, you are the catalyst of your life. The MBA will give you as many opportunities as you are willing to take and invest in before, during and after the MBA.

Please let me know your thoughts and what other questions you want me to cover. Education is really important, it gears us up for the future so looking forward to answering your education questions ??