MBA or MBS or hold off altogether???

JDLK

I have a BBS and have worked in IT for the last few years as a net admin. Its driving me mad now and I really feel like a change. I find management consultancy (Accenture etc) interesting as career progression and was looking into doing an MBA for the last year to help me get there. I had done a little prep for the GMAT but not much when I saw an MBS in Management Consulting in UCD. I put my name down and have been accepted.

I am 28 in a few months and one of the things that put me off applying for the MBA was I spoke to a couple of MBA grads, who are in their mid - late 30's who suggested putting off the MBA until I was more sure of what I wanted to do with it rather than put myself through it all just to have it. That is, they did it in the full knowledge of where they were going in their careers and where the MBA fit in and as Im in a kind of transitionary phase of finding what I want to do now might not be the best time.

So now Im wondering if I should go for the MBS or the MBA, hold off on both until Im sure I know what I want or do the MBS, build a career and return to the MBA in a few years when it fits in.

Confusing I know but any suggestions/comments/advice is greatly appreciated.

randombar

I heard the same myself about the MBA, turning 27 in a couple o months myself and people are sayign I'm a bit young for it yet. That a big thing about the likes of smurfitt is the connections and networking and it all passes over your head a bit if you do it part time or are too young?

JDLK

GaryCocs wrote: »

I heard the same myself about the MBA, turning 27 in a couple o months myself and people are sayign I'm a bit young for it yet. That a big thing about the likes of smurfitt is the connections and networking and it all passes over your head a bit if you do it part time or are too young?

Yeh, Ive been hearing that alot. All the people I spoke to said the MBA was great but to get the most out of the practical elements you need to be either in senior management or on the cusp, to gain it while still feeling around for the career you want is a bit of a waste. Im leaning toward getting the MBS to just get me out of the rut Im in/kickstart my career and maybe revisiting the MBA in a few years when Im more focussed. Though I have read about people using the MBA to help them change careers so its still a bit confusing (ie if the MBA will do what the MBS does and more why do the MBS?)

graduate

The MBS has a number of specialist streams, which doesn't require experience. The MBA is a general management degree for people with experience.

cerebus

GaryCocs wrote: »

I heard the same myself about the MBA, turning 27 in a couple o months myself and people are sayign I'm a bit young for it yet. That a big thing about the likes of smurfitt is the connections and networking and it all passes over your head a bit if you do it part time or are too young?

Just a word of caution: I'm not sure where you are thinking of doing an MBA, but if you are considering going to the US a lot of the well-known schools tend to have the average age of their incoming MBA class somewhere between 26 and 28 years old.

European MBA programs seem to have an average age that is a little bit older.

May be something to think about if you want to go abroad.

ballooba

Why not ask Accenture? Or their employees if you know any.

Inuit

I was on an Accenture grad program in London. I’ve subsequently left and work for an investment bank now. I don’t think anyone in my start group had an MBA. MBAs tend to apply to strategy houses such as Bain, Boston Consulting or McKinsey. Their salaries are a lot higher plus there is a greater chance of you actually using what you learned on your MBA in there. Accenture is more geared towards fulfilment and delivery e.g. grunt work, than strategy and management consulting. They don’t tell you that before hand though and that’s why most people leave after 2 or 3 years.