? about getting MBA

[DisneyRoys]

Would an MBA open up more doors for me even if I do not have a lot of work experience? I was a stay at home Mom going to school full-time and occasionally working part-time. I am considering a University that has a campus in town (although they are not originally from my region) and a national online program. Has anyone gone to this type of University? The MBA I am looking into has a concentration in Human Resources Management.

I have been looking for a job since May. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Education and I just can't get any job offers. Every interview I have gone on I have been told I needed more work experience. I did look for a teaching position even though I don't want to teach. I would like to get into human resources but I can't seem to be able to convince anyone I would be a good candidate. So I thought maybe the MBA could give me an advantage.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[LukenDC]

I'm a human resources director for a nonprofit social service agency. HR is a field where you need to have experience in order to be competitive for mid to senior level positions. So much of HR as it pertains to hiring and employee relations requires the ability to use discretion and independent judgement and you simply won't have that ability until you work in HR and encounter the legal and wacky people issues that come at you daily. Earlier this year I took and passed the senior HR certification exam. I entered the exam with a lot of classroom and book learning under my belt, but in retrospect it was my experience that gave me the edge.

A good graduate program should be able to give you practical experience through an internship. For people getting a professional degree at the graduate level, the internship is key to getting a good job after graduation.

As you look at MBA programs, make sure that they are accredited. If they are not accredited, the degrees are worthless. Do they have resources to help you get an internship? What kind of career counseling is available? What is the typical profile (academic background, age, prior work experience) of incoming students? Where do students get jobs after graduation?

You have been looking for a new job for four months; that is not a long time. Don't get discouraged. Finding a job requires time.

Good luck with everything. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[DisneyRoys]

Thank you for your reply. I guess I should have said I am just looking for an entry level HR position. (or really anything that will give me experience) I appreciate your encouragement. I am just ready to get out there and start working.

I will have to get in touch with the university to see if they offer internship placements or career counseling. I had not thought about that before. The average student at this university is 35 years old, a professional with several years of work experience, and trying to get a higher degree to advance in their current position. They are fully accredited. I like that they have really small classes and seem to cater to working students. That will be quite a difference from the large university I went to for my undergrad.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I'm going back for my Masters (organizational leadership) starting in January -- I've just been accepted and gotten the student loan to cover it. I'm getting pressure from our CEO -- I have a title but not the education behind it)

I would say that the recent masters to me as an employer (I'm the Executive Director of a certification organization) would make a difference because of the new knowledge you would have and what you've learned as part of your intership with the program would be a really important thing to articulate as you begin your job search.

An accredited program is really very important.

As they say....best of luck in your future professional endeavors.

 

[rigs32]

If you get the MBA without any relevant experience, you may be told you're too educated for an entry level job - especially if your boss would only have a BA.

 

[3DisneyKids]

As a university professor, I definitely say get your MBA. Yes, it will open more doors (though with less experience, you may not start at great pay levels), but the number one reason I am in favor of it is because job opportunities for working at home for those with an MBA are incredibly on the rise. (I am just mentioning this because you stated that you are a mom, and it is so wonderful to have the felxibility of an online job when you have kids. Can still make all of those soccer games, etc.)

I now work full time from home...completely make my own hours and schedule, and am even making far more money than I would have ever thought (though it took a few years of working online to get to this point). Granted, I have a Ph.D., so in that way I am more marketable, but DH has an MBA and has been turning away job offers where he would be able to telecommute from home. It is the not just the way of the future, it is the present, and if you get your MBA now, you can be getting in on the ground floor.

 

[SandraVB79]

I got a non-executive MBA, meaning you didn't need work experience to enroll (just lots of money, lol), and it did open doors for me.