MBA advice for software engineer with 6 yrs exp... 2

[stefanSWDev]

Hi...
Just wanted some opinions here. I have 6 years of work exp in software development after obtaining my CS degree. I make a decent salary, have been constantly employed (I have been a .NET developer for the last 2 years.), but never held any managerial positions. I am thinking seriously about whether it will be worth it to pursue an MBA degree for the future. I am 30 and my wife and I will have kids one of these years. I feel that if I should go for it, I should do it now, and not wait till I have them.
Thing is, I will be paying for it myself. I am thinking of getting it at DBU. All opinions welcome. Is is smart for a software engineer with my background to go for this extra degree... or should I focus my energy elsewhere.....

 

[baltman]

MBA <> software development per se.

If you want to move on to another (possible related) profession, a MBA is a great launchpad.

Brian

 

[RichardMoran]

Hi Stefan,

I would say that you would have to look at what you could gain from getting an MBA.

Yes, in certain companies it will open doors to higher paid positions. Although with more and more people considering studying for MBAs, it may be that in few years it won't have the same value that it does now.

You need to weigh up the cost of doing it now, both in time and money, and then compare it to the future gains. I know some developers who earn a lot more than the salaries being offered for the sort of jobs that ask for an MBA.

I think an important thing to consider is what type of jobs will become available to you if you get an MBA. More importantly, would you want to do them? I've worked in IT for about 20 years in different areas (development, support, database, IT Management ), and as my career has progressed I've noticed that I get to do less of the work that I really enjoy, as I get more involved with contracts, budgets etc. I am a techie at heart. I have a fascination with the way things work, and I enjoy coming up with solutions to technical problems. This is who I am.

I think that you need to assess what makes you happy. Many senior positions will require you to spend more time at work (possibly working in an area that you don't enjoy as much as development). That's more time away from your family. Is the potential increase in earnings worth it?

You say that you have no managerial experience. You may be better served by taking some management courses. People with good technical skills, who also have good management skills are not that common in my experience.

Improving yourself is always a good thing, and I think having an MBA would definitely be of benefit when looking for work in the future. Just be certain that you are comfortable with where it may take you.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Rik

 

[kHz]

If you want to be a manager someday, higher than a first line supervisor or manager, then an MBA would be a great asset considering you already have a BSCS degree with a few years of work experience.

What school is DBU?

 

[stefanSWDev]

RichardMoran, thank you very much for your in-depth advice. You certainly bring up some very valid points. No, I don't think that I will enjoy management more than the pure technical work that I do now. At the same time, I feel that the work I do now is not meant to last forever, I feel that at some point a software developer probably needs to shift to other positions, as I believe it will be hard for me, at 45-50 to compete with fresh, cheaper new-graduates, especially if they are in India, and I am only trying to look long term.
If I felt that I could do what I currently do till the day I die, I probably would.
As far as time with my family goes, I have yet to have a manager who spends more hours at work than I do. Because of intense deadlines with projects and the nature of the work, I dont recall working 40 hours a week, hardly ever.

In all this is definitely a difficult decision for me, since I will be paying for the MBA myself and yes, of course I would like to believe that my time and financial investment will pay off, if only to ensure that I can work till I retire.

kHz , DBU stands for Dallas Baptist University. I was thinking about pursuing the MBA either there or at UTD (University of Texas at Dallas).

 

[kHz]

There was an article in the paper yesterday about the current hiring practices of MBAs. According to the article, this year has been the best in the past 3 years. Companies are again hiring MBAs for general managers, with starting salaries of $50,000 to $90,000 depending on experience, with accounting, investment banking and consulting being the leading areas of employment for MBAs.

I am sorry that I cannot remember the title of the article or the author, although it was distributed by Cox News Service.

 

[rosieb]

stefanSWDev

So much depends on what you want to do, an MBA is a route not a destination.

You'll be studying Finance, Marketing, Economics, Human Resources, Corporate Culture, Strategy, MIS and the like - are these topics that will interest you? It's a lot of work, especially if you are also holding down a demanding job.

Whatever the hype, an MBA doesn't teach you to be a manager - it tends to be fairly academic, a lot of the practical skills you still have to learn by experience.

I don't know about the US, but in the UK you can do an MBA in stages: CMS (Certificate in Management Studies), DMS (Diploma in Management Studies) then MBA (in total - 3 years part time) or jump right in and do a full MBA (usually 2 years part time). The advantage of the former is that you have a recognised qualification after 1 year even if you don't decide to go the full 3 years, or you can put it down then pick it up a year or two later.

That said, an MBA is a valuable qualification which will stand you in good stead whatever you do. But I think you should seriously think about where you want to get to first.

Rosie
"Never express yourself more clearly than you think" (Niels Bohr)

 

[Corran007]

Im not sure if they have them in your area. but you may want to look int an executive MBA. they are vasty different than a regular one. First of all everyone going is working, usually at a high level. They have many years of work experience (most min starts at 5 years exp) The courses you get tend to be much more real world oriented than academic. The students know that things and academia and buisness world are vastly different and the classes reflect this. Only thingi s that the classes are chosen for you so you dont get to choose.