Why shouldn't you get an MBA?

Every year more than 150 000 students in the United States receive a traditional or online education in MBA programs. Without a doubt, preparing for a promising professional career becomes a significant event in their lives. Imagine if all students had clear and meaningful reasons for pursuing this master's degree. But in reality, how many graduates will actually be able to realize their career aspirations? And is there a hundred percent guarantee that a master's degree in administration is a happy ticket to the world of entrepreneurship?

 Certainly, one cannot question the benefits of an MBA, as well as other master's programs: you improve your skills and prepare yourself for your chosen profession. Therefore, the most important question is how and where you are going to use the acquired knowledge. What are your reasons for getting an MBA? And isn't it misleading?

Serious reasons for getting an MBA

We present a few examples from the lives of people whose reasons for getting an MBA can be considered pretty solid.

After a brief stint as a systems analyst, Mary wanted to move up the career ladder by taking a management position. Being communicative and thorough in all things has already helped her make some significant career moves. However, in the future the girl sees herself as a leader of a large team and also dreams of going into stock trading. She's now absolutely sure which direction to take her career and is looking to implement her ambitious plan with an MBA.

After some deliberation, Mary decided on an online program in financial operations which would allow her to take on a product manager or technical manager role in a few years and then become a general manager in a company.

Managing operations requires special attention to detail, excellent negotiation skills, and the ability to lead staff in any Mary knows exactly what she can do, and hopes to teach her how to handle any challenge.

• Alan works in human resources, a field in which he is particularly attracted to the managerial aspects. Going forward, the young man plans to expand his knowledge and experience in the human resources field, so after a year with his company, he decided to pursue an MBA in that area in order to become a human resources manager for a larger organization later.

• Jose works as an auto-parts supplier in Fort Worth, Texas. His business is already booming, but he wants to expand by opening new locations around the state. In order to realize his ambitions, Jose has assembled a great team-the only problem is that he lacks the forward-thinking ideas and strategies to move forward. Jose deals with a lot of experienced people in his work, but none of them graduated from business school, and our hero, by contrast, is eager to bring young and talented people into the industry.

The desire to learn more about cutting-edge technology in the automotive sector, and to find an innovative way to do business was the reason for getting . Jose chose a program that combines technology and entrepreneurship and is designed specifically for those who already have significant business experience.

He begins his training not so much to gain business skills, but so much for the opportunity to network and collaborate with bright minds who can spark new ideas. Mary, Alan and Jose have solid reasons for pursuing a master's degree in administration. They have figured out what they want to get out of their professional lives, and how exactly will contribute to their future success.

When shouldn't you get an MBA?

1. You're not quite sure this is what you should be doing.

Some people join an MBA because:

• A lot of people do it, so I need it too!

• There are positive rumors about this program

• Think they can study first and then figure out where to apply that knowledge

And in fact, it's pretty stupid to spend your time and effort on an activity you have only a remote idea of the purpose of.

What are the risks of getting an MBA without a clear purpose?

• Imagine you start studying and suddenly realize it's not what you want at all, and it's not what you're interested in.

• Halfway through your MBA in finance, you begin to wish you had chosen marketing, for example, because that field is more compatible with your skills.

If you feel you don't have a particular goal, try the following:

• Make a list of your skills and hobbies. That will be the starting point.

• Determine how an MBA can contribute to your goal. Also, look for other, more cost-effective ways to achieve it.

• Study the curriculum and specializations of the business schools that interest you.

• Host discussion forums to identify the pros and cons of your decision.

2. A high salary is your only argument.

MBA is a tool you can use throughout your career. To give an idea of the possibilities of an MBA, we will cite a statistic from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). It shows that the salaries of MBA graduates have increased by 90%.

The return on such an investment in one's knowledge is indeed enormous, and anyone who is going to get a master's degree in administration is thinking in some way about increased income, but if that is your only reason, you should think about another education. Here are five reasons why:

• The salary may not necessarily be a direct consequence of an MBA. According to Salary.com, factors such as years of experience as well as an employee's degree of responsibility have an important impact on income.

• The GMAC report supports Salary.com's findings, adding that salaries also depend on the industry chosen, and most interestingly, gender. The report says the highest earnings are among MBA graduates working at the same companies where they did their summer internships.

• As a general rule, you can't expect a good salary if you had no professional experience before your degree.

• Ask yourself if you would be happy in a job that pays well but is completely unexciting. Remember, activity satisfaction creates the motivation to improve yourself, which has a direct impact on productivity.

• Finally, it all depends on where you study. Today, there are thousands of business schools offering a huge variety of courses, which of course differ in quality. Not only your salary, but also the rest of your life will depend on how well you choose your school.

3. You think this is the best way to start an entrepreneurial journey.

What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur? A great product or service, passion and tenacity, a great team, experience and capital, and some luck. If you don't have any of the above, the MBA program will give you the opportunity to meet talented people, come up with different ideas, thereby taking small steps toward entrepreneurship. The program will prepare you for future activities in a short period of time, but let's try to weigh this fact: in two years of an MBA you will learn the same things you learn in five or seven years of work. However, in case you have already found a business activity that suits you, that you love and that you can easily immerse yourself in, then an MBA becomes unnecessary for you.

So, to the question whether entrepreneurs really need to have an MBA, you can answer no, but it is also worth adding that the final decision depends on personal aspirations. Consider the following points to make a final decision:

• Can I achieve my goals sooner rather than later without an MBA?

• What are the chances of success with/without an MBA?

• Which do I value more: an MBA education or an MBA degree?

Questions to help find a promising program:

• Can the program I choose develop the management skills so necessary for success in entrepreneurship?

• What do graduates themselves have to say about this education and how have they benefited from this training?

• Are there alternatives to hone basic business skills?

4. You feel like it's absolutely necessary to move up the career ladder.

There really isn't a single career for which an MBA is absolutely necessary. Plenty of successful businessmen and people in leadership positions get along just fine without an MBA. So, as stated earlier, education alone cannot dictate the outcome of a career. Still, you should analyze the value of an MBA in achieving your goals. That analysis should also include both a comprehensive understanding of today's industry and its opportunities.

There are a few more questions you should consider:

• Which industry sector will I choose?

• What is the reputation of the program you choose?

MBA is a milestone in any student's life, a significant event that launches a career. That's why it's so necessary to take the choice of the program seriously, in order to take full advantage of it.