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"...Wow. Active hatred for Charlotte. Where did you go to school?..."
That's quite a leap you've made there. It's actually funny. I don't eat okra. Does it mean that I hate vegetables?
I did not attend UNCC. I didn't have to wait for my degree to "increase in value".
"...It [journalism] was one of the easiest majors to get into at schools like MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley. People with degrees from these prestigious schools couldn't find a job they wanted. Today, good luck getting into their comp sci programs..."
Thank you for your comment. I am extremely job oriented and Charlotte is one of my choice (I live in a small deep south town about one and half hour flight, my town only have flight to Atlanta). How UNCC degree can help me a job at big banks in Charlotte like BOA or Wells Fargo, or lower tier First Citizens/BB&T in a corporate position. Of course, I am looking for a good school, but time constraint and mediocre grade made me considering only second and third tier schools...
If you'll have any ideas about other schools outside of NC, I want to hear your two cents.
Sure I'll try to help. First off I am an architect not a business major but I do hire plenty of people in the field. I agree with what one of the previous individuals said, you are going to want to get experience in your desired line of work. You don't seem to really know what you want to do, which is fine but you should find out as soon as possible. If I were in your shoes I would visit Charlotte. Go uptown and get a feel for the "business life". The lifestyle can either inspire or steer away many people. Maybe even try and ask if there are any floors you are allowed to visit so you can see what the workplace is like. When I was in college I had no clue what I wanted to do, until one of my professors who was a freelance architect when he wasn't teaching showed me his house and studio. From that day on I knew what I wanted to be. That is what you want to find out, there are dozens of different corporate jobs, each having specific requirements academically.
If you still want to work here after your visit I would try to find a job in Charlotte that is similar to the one you currently have or at least something business related, it doesn't have to be but it would be preferred. You will probably spend quite a large amount of time searching for a job in one of the larger banks, so you will need a steady source of income.
You are going to have to work yourself up from the bottom, there is no way around that. This is why I would wait to get the MBA until I have a job in the company I want. Most of the banks will pay for you to get your MBA while working for them. This cuts your expense, but will most importantly allow you to not have to worry about getting a job after school because you already have one.
The last piece of advise I can give you is receive your degree in the region you would like to work in. The alumni basis can help you in so many ways. For instance, my firm is half located in San Francisco and half in Charlotte. It helps to have a presence on both coasts. When I go to hire new people I look at where they are from and what school they attended, not only to see the quality of education they received but to also to see if they will work well with my other employees. This might sound ridiculous but when people in the workplace get along and share interests they are much more productive. So to sum it up, move here, find a job, search for your desired line of work, and then get your MBA. You don't want to put yourself into anymore debt than you need to. I'm not an expert by any means, so if anyone wants to add anything or have a different opinion, feel free to correct me.
I'm not really sure that going to school in the same town as the bank's headquarters is going to help you with job placement. I think you're going to have to find what major is in demand right now and go with that. Again, I'd go the BS route vs. the MBA route at this point in your life. Companies want people with experience and lacking experience but having an MBA might not get your foot in the door when you are competing against MBA's with experience and from top tier MBA schools.
Save some money and get a concentration in something in demand or a certification in something in demand and then apply. While you're working on the certification/degree it would really help to get an internship (if they still have them) or find some way of connecting with a hiring manager at a bank to get recommendations on networking. College placement services vary and knowing someone at the bank is much more important.
How UNCC degree can help me a job at big banks in Charlotte like BOA or Wells Fargo, or lower tier First Citizens/BB&T in a corporate position. Of course, I am looking for a good school, but time constraint and mediocre grade made me considering only second and third tier schools...
I would suggest that you apply to the program to see if you can get in before making any life changing decisions.
If you get in and start in the Fall, you could start applying to jobs at BOA & Wells Fargo, and if you get an interview, you could mention that you are working on your MBA at UNCC. It may not help you land a job, but I don't see how it could hurt.
MBAs aren't worth what they used to be, so the money you invest in a degree may never payoff, but you have to make that decision for yourself.
He isn't wrong. A UNCC diploma will gain in value five to ten years from now.
No exactly my point. The general public thinks of UNC Charlotte as a satellite commuter school to UNC Chapel Hill and probably have spent minimal time visiting campus or talking to alums. Most don't even know its relationship as a single campus is no different to UNC Chapel Hill as NC State University or Appalachian State. There are some rich academic programs on campus that stand up to other top universities in engineering technology, architecture, healthcare and business. It takes time to build out that reputation. For instance, the Levine Scholars Program originated in 2010 will be graduating its first class soon. It is getting comparisons to the Morehead program of UNC Chapel Hill.
The university has some incredible resources. Those students that I knew who were involved with their studies and campus activities are quite successful today (most in the financial industry)... and even better I don't live in Charlotte area but I get to see many of those at football games every fall now.
Sure I'll try to help. First off I am an architect not a business major but I do hire plenty of people in the field. I agree with what one of the previous individuals said, you are going to want to get experience in your desired line of work. You don't seem to really know what you want to do, which is fine but you should find out as soon as possible. If I were in your shoes I would visit Charlotte. Go uptown and get a feel for the "business life". The lifestyle can either inspire or steer away many people. Maybe even try and ask if there are any floors you are allowed to visit so you can see what the workplace is like. When I was in college I had no clue what I wanted to do, until one of my professors who was a freelance architect when he wasn't teaching showed me his house and studio. From that day on I knew what I wanted to be. That is what you want to find out, there are dozens of different corporate jobs, each having specific requirements academically.
If you still want to work here after your visit I would try to find a job in Charlotte that is similar to the one you currently have or at least something business related, it doesn't have to be but it would be preferred. You will probably spend quite a large amount of time searching for a job in one of the larger banks, so you will need a steady source of income.
You are going to have to work yourself up from the bottom, there is no way around that. This is why I would wait to get the MBA until I have a job in the company I want. Most of the banks will pay for you to get your MBA while working for them. This cuts your expense, but will most importantly allow you to not have to worry about getting a job after school because you already have one.
The last piece of advise I can give you is receive your degree in the region you would like to work in. The alumni basis can help you in so many ways. For instance, my firm is half located in San Francisco and half in Charlotte. It helps to have a presence on both coasts. When I go to hire new people I look at where they are from and what school they attended, not only to see the quality of education they received but to also to see if they will work well with my other employees. This might sound ridiculous but when people in the workplace get along and share interests they are much more productive. So to sum it up, move here, find a job, search for your desired line of work, and then get your MBA. You don't want to put yourself into anymore debt than you need to. I'm not an expert by any means, so if anyone wants to add anything or have a different opinion, feel free to correct me.
My current job cannot turn into the permanent one, so I have to quit at the end of June. Because I am major in finance, so credit/operations department at a major bank is a sound option. However, it is almost impossible for my school recent graduates to get a corporate level job in BOA or somewhere. First Citizens or BB&T, maybe. So, I think great location maybe build a bridge for a corporate level job. Of course, I am comfortable with major cities and won't mind relocate to Charlotte.
If getting into the big banks at Charlotte is hard at the moment, then get a job at BB&T or First Citizens, like you say. After you get some experience (and contacts) down, you can apply again at the big banks.
You should put yourselves in the shoes of the interviews and think about why they'd want to hire you. Do you have the financial and business acumen that puts you apart from others? Do you have a good degree/grades? Do you have solid work experience? Not having one or the other isn't an issue necessarily, but not having any will hinder your career growth.
Any degree to further your qualifications will help. Depending on where you want to be in 5-10 years, you can look up which degrees or certificates help. Work towards getting them. Yes, rankings of institutions matter and the big banks in Charlotte do hire a LOT of graduates from UNCC.
Too bad your fancy school didn't teach you how to use the quote function.
Him and his fancy yankee degree. Bless his heart...
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