By Jong Eun Jung
Rob Schickler
Many prospective students understandably focus on the post-business school salary boost. But Rob Schickler, Associate Director of Recruiting and Admissions for the Vanderbilt Business MBA program, says that the reasons to get an MBA are more complex than that. “We encourage students to look at the return on investment, not just in the short-term of the immediate salary boost you can get, but to think about the long-term success that having an advanced degree will set them up for the workplace,” he said.
The MBA admissions team says that prospective students often see themselves in five different personas: the direction finder, the network builder, the career switcher, the promotion dreamer, and the jack of all trades. Each of the five has a different answer to “why should I get an MBA?” Read on below to find out which one resonates with you.
Direction Finder
If you’re early in your career and haven’t been exposed to the breadth of the business world, an MBA program can help you find your calling by introducing you to numerous opportunities in various different industries. “(Students are) not limited to just one path… they really have the ability to sample from the buffet and take classes in a lot of different areas,” Schickler said. “And a lot of times students will find that there are other things that they are passionate about. They’ll come in saying they want to study subject X, but then they’ll have an internship or freelance work experience or take a class in a different subject and decide that they want to pursue Y professionally.”
Network Builder
Bailey McChesney
One of the most beneficial reasons to get an MBA is the networking opportunities. B-school introduces you to people from different backgrounds who offer different perspectives. Furthermore, at Vanderbilt Business School most of the projects are done in teams, so the collaborative culture allows students to get to know their classmates more closely. This helps you build a solid network for life after graduation. “At a school like Vanderbilt, you’re not only building your network with your classmates — the students that are in the same class that you’re in — but also the year ahead of you and the year behind you, plus alumni, faculty, and staff,” said Bailey McChesney, Senior Associate Director of MBA Admissions.
Career Switcher
If you’re a career switcher, the answer to “why get an MBA?” is “I want to make a change.” And not just from one employer to another: You’re contemplating a switch to a totally new career or industry, or perhaps even both. In this case, an MBA can be the bridge for switching careers, since it’s difficult to apply to a job in a field that you have little-to-no experience in. “A lot of students who are looking to make career transitions find that getting an MBA (is) the best way to facilitate (a switch) versus just trying to cold apply for a job,” Schickler said.
Promotion Dreamer
You might not be progressing as far as you want to in your career, but getting an MBA can speed up the promotion timeline. That’s because an MBA can help you gain the skills to level up to a new position faster than you would otherwise. “After a lot of entry level candidates get that first or maybe second promotion, there’s really not a lot of continued upward opportunities for them without an MBA,” Schickler explained. “Having an MBA may allow them to leapfrog other over colleagues or other employees who don’t have the same level of experience and training.”
Jack of All Trades
If you want to build multiple competencies, an MBA can help you develop a well-rounded skillset. You won’t be limited to one area of interest since you can take lots of electives to gain skills in different functions. “In Mod I, students are taking finance, accounting, statistics, Leading Teams and Organizations, and communication,” McChesney pointed out. “In the first seven weeks of class, you’re taking five courses that you can use in any career that you have. That in and of itself really displays the versatility of an MBA.”
