Why Do People Dislike MBA's?

[RVD90277]

i have an undergrad degree in CS and an MBA. i don't think people dislike MBAs but i do think that many non MBAs are jealous sometimes because sometimes an MBA is required (or preferred) for some jobs and they see MBAs get them while they don't even get an interview.

i work in tech so i think my MBA only helps in one area...it gets me interviews. once it actually gets me an interview, it's all on me. my interviewers don't care about my MBA.

[kinkytoes]

Because the perception is that almost anyone can get an MBA. The other perception is that management is not a skill LOL sorry. There are a lot of bad MBA programs and TONS of ppl with MBAs. That makes your degree seem like crap by association.

That is not your fault. You just have to deal with it and do a stellar job at whatever it is you are doing right now. Also anybody in a technical field is going to look down on an MBA holder, no matter how much money they make. Ppl at on of my old companies called it "the stupid degree."

[Mr_250]

I have a BS and MBA. My field (construction) isn't filled with MBA's so I tend to stand out a bit more. When I applied for it I had to prove that I had a full time job for 3 years. I loved my program. It wasn't from the top schools (however, I did have classes taught by Ivy league Professors) but I learned a lot and apply it to work today.

I know people who say unless you can go to Yale or Harvard don't bother. I say as long as you have a good resume and can prove your work history, an MBA is not a bad thing to have.

[TheSunshineKid]

Originally Posted by the_grimace

All and all, I don't think the degree is bad at all, but people get it WAY to early usually, and in general business degrees have the unfortunate stereotype of being seen as a lazy man's degree. I know several people in their mid thirties and forties who went back to get an MBA and benefited immensely from it. Either allowing them to find a better position or receive a big pay raise. I had one friend who went from being a 80k a year manager to a 120k a year senior manager after he completed his MBA. Another the MBA helped him get a manager position after working at a senior level for 6 years with the company with no promotion in site. Overall, if you want to be a manager, get the degree after you have about 3-5 years of solid experience in your field.

Did their company pay for it - the executive track, or did they pursue the degree full-time? Also, do you know what programs they attended?

Originally Posted by Mr_250

I know people who say unless you can go to Yale or Harvard don't bother. I say as long as you have a good resume and can prove your work history, an MBA is not a bad thing to have.

They actually don't say that regarding MBA programs, at least for Yale. You may be thinking of undergraduate years.

Depending on the rankings, Yale SOM is currently #10 nationally (Poets & Quants). On others it fluctuates between the #10-15 range. What the MBA world says is "HSW or Bust." Some are more generous and caution that once you step outside of the M7's it becomes harder to justify the cost. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on what you want to do and how well you grab at the opportunities in front of you - even if they aren't your dream firms/businesses.

Originally Posted by Marie Joseph

Typical elitist attitudes coming from these Ivy League types who probably wouldn't know how to change a flat tire.

I don't have any grudge against those who are graduates or current students at the Ivy League, but I do want to share this. I was in a conversation with two second year Harvard students about men's fashion. Let's call them A and B. Student A brought up bow ties, telling us his experience wearing a bow tie every single day for a year as a personal challenge. Student B replied that Student A's approach to bow ties was all wrong, in that bow ties were only to be worn in formal occasions with a wing-tip shirt, not with point collars. Now, I never wore a bow tie as an everyday accessory until a few years ago and I knew that bow ties could be worn in a more casual manner as an alternative to the traditional necktie.

I won't comment on the Yale students I've met. Just - ugh. I can't.