Mba

[baumancl]

Anyone out there that could give me some advice on the following would be great.

I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering back in 2006 and since have been working for a small Electrical Engineering Consulting firm in which there is not much room for advancement. I plan on taking the PE test in a little over a year when I am eligible. Here is the question:

I always planned on the possiblity of going back to school for a graduate program to get a Master's degree. I am considering of going back and getting my Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with the thinking that it would give me better criteria for a management position at a different larger consulting firm down the road. Would the MBA put me in a position to fill a management roll faster or do those positions usually go to individuals with the most consulting experience? I am trying to determine if indeed the MBA will give me the advantage I am hoping for in speeding up the process down the road of obtaining a management position or if pure experience and having my PE will do the same thing?

Comment, Suggestions, advice....

 

[charlie b]

I went through the same debate myself. I won't say how long ago, but I still have, in my office desk, the slide rule I bought my freshman year in college. :wink: I decided to get the MS degree in EE instead. It has worked out well for me. But much depends on circumstances, and yours and mine will be different. I will always recommend continuation of education and training. But the choice of programs is too personal a choice for me to give any advice.

 

[jim dungar]

In my undergrad studies, I only took macro- and micro-economics. So I went for my MBA instead of an MS. My business background was so limited, I had to take 6 courses of undergrad prerequisites including, statistics, finance, and accounting just to get into the MBA program.

 

[baumancl]

Jim,

What I am looking at sounds pretty much what you went through. I think I would have upto (9) credits of business courses just to get into the MBA program. Did having your MBA help you out in more easily obtaining a higher/better paying position?

 

[jim dungar]

Jim,

What I am looking at sounds pretty much what you went through. I think I would have upto (9) credits of business courses just to get into the MBA program. Did having your MBA help you out in more easily obtaining a higher/better paying position?

IMO, unless you are going into Finance most people do not care that you have an MBA. Unless you are in research/development most people do not care if you have an MS. What counts is the act of self improvement.

 

[shamsdebout]

Anyone out there that could give me some advice on the following would be great.

I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering back in 2006 and since have been working for a small Electrical Engineering Consulting firm in which there is not much room for advancement. I plan on taking the PE test in a little over a year when I am eligible. Here is the question:

I always planned on the possiblity of going back to school for a graduate program to get a Master's degree. I am considering of going back and getting my Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with the thinking that it would give me better criteria for a management position at a different larger consulting firm down the road. Would the MBA put me in a position to fill a management roll faster or do those positions usually go to individuals with the most consulting experience? I am trying to determine if indeed the MBA will give me the advantage I am hoping for in speeding up the process down the road of obtaining a management position or if pure experience and having my PE will do the same thing?

Comment, Suggestions, advice....

Wow we almost have similar circumstances, the good thing for you though you are near to getting your PE, I worked in Telecommunications for close to two years, now working for a small MEP firm. I would post-pone any graduate course-work and see how far the PE takes you, at the minimum it should increase your pay. I concur with Jim though, self-improvement is so beneficial. All the best, keep us in informed as your quest unravels.

 

[Besoeker]

In my undergrad studies, I only took macro- and micro-economics. So I went for my MBA instead of an MS. My business background was so limited, I had to take 6 courses of undergrad prerequisites including, statistics, finance, and accounting just to get into the MBA program.

I did the MBA too.

This was in the hope that it would make me better at doing my job, get me up to speed on contractual, legal, employment, and financial issues and how to deal with them.
I don't believe it did. At that point in my career, I had already been running the business for a number of years. The tutors had, in the main, little drect business experience. I got very little out of that I hadn't already learnt from the school of hard knocks.

That said, it is probably another good thing to have on your CV if you are seeking new employment.

 

[gar]

090227-1937 EST

baumancl:

Do what you are interested in, what motivates you. What do you really like to do? Do you like to create things, or push papers, solve people problems, or teach?

Following is one person's career:

Joseph A. Boyd. A former boss and teacher of mine. He was assistant director of the Electronics Defense Group, and later director. In this capacity he was my boss. Also taught the course I had in industrial electronics.

While in these positions he got his Phd in electrical engineering. No business school. But lots of experience in military contracting from his jobs at EDG. When he left EDG and the U of M he went to Radiation Corp. Shortly he became its president. Here he expanded the company thru R&D, and later merged it with the Harris Corporation and became its CEO. This was the industrial military complex.

Some limited reading about him can be found here:
http://www.engr.uky.edu/alumni/hod/boyd_jo.html
http://www.hbs.edu/leadership/database/leaders/joseph_a_boyd.html

There are many successful companies run and created by people without an MBA. It is possible that many of our economic problems are a result of MBAs running companies and really knowing nothing about their product. A good technical background and an MBA may be useful, but has to be contrasted with more technical knowledge and what are your real interests.

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