Post MBA

[rajc007]

Just wondering what everyone did post MBA. I am close to finishing up my MBA and am not really sure what I should be looking for. To fill you in on my background a little, I did my MBA part-time while working for a major Computer Services/Outsourcing company. Most of my work is technical and I am looking to make a leap into a more of a management type position. I have discussed this with my manager but I feel like things are moving a little slow.

If I do decide to look for a new job...what are my chances of moving into a management position at another company with no mgmt experience? I feel like the way to start would be a project manager position but have had trouble getting call backs from jobs applied for through the internet.

I have also tried OCI and job fair....but the available jobs seem to be tailored for undergrads seeking entry-level positions. To them I am overqualified for the entry-level positions and under-qualified for the management positions.

Any suggestions or anyone going through the same dilemma?

Thanks
-Raj

[philipwhiteold]

Look for a job that offers something you like doing. I have my two business degrees and a computer background so working as a technology consultant fits in quite well. I do a little bit of everything from planning and product presentations to programming and hardware.

I think most companies will shy away from hiring employees as managers with no managerial experiance. I ran into this problem when I graduated. Interviewing for management positions when you lack experience is ungodly frustrating. Project management is a good start for getting into management positions. It shows your ability to lead.

The internet is a zoo and you have to be lucky to get an interview right now. There are just too many people looking for work. I interviewed with a small internet company last summer and they told me they got over 1000 apps for the position and just picked out a few to interview and deleted the rest. Things are a bit better now but I wouldn't rely on the Internet alone. If the economy was as good as prior to the internet bubble burst then it would be a decent way to go.

I think networking is probably the best way to go for finding a job and I dont mean networking clubs where everyone is unemployed trying to ask each other for work. Talk to people with jobs. I'm not sure but it might even fit in with what you do. You said you work outsourcing. Do go onsite and interact with employees form companies you work with. It might be beneficial to ask arround. If those companies aren't hiring they might know someone who is.

[dpetersam]

I have 2 pieces of advice:

1. Don't get discouraged. Unless you have an "in" and you custom tailor your resume and cover letter for that particular job, your chances of being hired are essentially zero. As president of AdmissionsConsultants and in my previous job where I hired analysts and new associates for a boutique consulting firm, I received *at least* 50 resumes for each job opening and often time the ratio was over 100:1. Hence, you may not be doing anything terribly wrong. If you have only applied to 20-30 Internet jobs, the expected number of offers would be zero.

This of course presumes you are qualified for the jobs you are targetting. It also leads me to my second point:

2. Humility is key. I don't have the luxury of reviewing your resume and interviewing you. However, you may not be qualified for a management position. If Fortune 500 management is your goal, you may need to take a slight step back and apply for an analyst level position to get your foot in the door. Once you show mastery of the technical material and you favorably impress management, you will have a much better chance at promotion.

Best of luck!

David Petersam

[worthless]

I wish I had gotten to you sooner, rajc007. I would have advised you SKIP THE MBA. I have been looking for meaningful work every since I graduated and was forced to take the only (lame) offer I had. All this despite getting a 760 on my GMATs, attending one of Europe's top schools and getting excellent grades there. Three years of severe underemployment later (making about 20% less than before I got my MBA) and countless resume submissions & rejections, I have had ZERO LUCK. In my experience, the MBA is a worthless title and opens NO DOORS. Employers don't want anything to do with this group and their lofty expectations. And looking back on my MBA classes, there was nothing there that a decent employer wouldn't train you to do.
But too late for this message. You are out there like me looking for work. Dig in and PACE YOURSELF. This is going to be painful and who knows how long it will take? Me, I'm still at it for three years and IT SUCKS.

Find yourself a rich girlfriend/boyfriend and get married. You'll need the income.

[philipwhiteold]

Its unfortunant you didnt get the job of your dreams. Most people don't. We all have different experiences and sometimes employers do overlook MBAs because they don't want to pay them. When the economy is bad companies often opt for cheaper labor. Have you tried consulting?


btw. If you would like to gripe about the mba or work we have a whole forum dedicated to it so feel free to let loose.

[jfslenes]

I tend to be the one whose nick name is "Brutally Frank". Hence, I apologize if anyone is offended. Having been self employed and in sales since 1968, I have to observe that the attitudes I'm hearing here might have something to do with the results being experienced. -:) At the same time, I too am frustrated with the massive abandonment of US employees by US firms.

But, neither of us are going to change that part of the equation. Here's my "shingle" opinion. Give your self a check up from the neck up (as Zig Zigler says). You got stinkin thinkin (Zig). That attitude telegraphs in your letters, maybe in your resume, your phone calls, the people you are around, etc.

I frankly agree with some of the classroom assessments offered. High rigor and low relevance comes to mind. So look for the silver lining in your clouds. Look outside the box for jobs, businesses, new experiences. Start a small biz that costs zip to start and run and build it over the years til you can tell the boss to screw off.

Believe me, as a self employed person, I've had good times and not so good. As a friend's old flyer says - It is hard to remember that the initial objective was to drain the swamp when you are up to your a.. in alligators.

Good Luck and Good Sales!

Maybe you should become a ski bum in Taos! Enjoy the driest snow in the USA. And 50 inches of it this past week. More due in next!

[philipwhiteold]

Great Advice John. I graduated just over a year ago so I came into a flat market as well. It took a long time to find a job. My friends with BS degrees weren't doing any better looking for work.

[dpetersam]

I agree with Phil. Great advice John!

[rajc007]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I actually work for a major Computer Services/Consulting firm now....although it looks good on your resume the career advancement is slower than what I would like. The office politics also bothers me and kills productivity. "Fortune 500 management" is not the way I have pictured myself going. I actually envisioned joining a small company and helping them develop and expand their business. I understand that its hard to substitute experience and there are plenty of MBA's with more experience and past accomplishments. In the few interviews that I have got, I have tried to stress that fact that not everyone matures in their career at the same rate but have not got much of a reaction.

Now that I've been thinking about it, I tend to agree with John in that starting a small/meduim biz is the way to go. I have spent a little more time on the SBA forum and have learned quite a bit.

Thanks again....

[philipwhiteold]

Raj,

You may want to stop by Peter Davis's Small Business Forum. The community is pretty active there and there are several people who know quite a bit about starting up small businesses. Small business isn't for everyone but there is no harm in doing a bit of research.

Here's the link
http://small-business-forum.com

[mbagrad]

Hi Raj,

I just recently graduated in March from a local state university with an MBA and a Masters degree in Engineering. Let me just tell you that without prior management experience it's almost impossible to get into a management position right after graduation. Companies these days would rather hire someone with x years of management experience than take the risk of hiring a new MBA graduate. I have 5 years of experience in the software industry and have been at the same company for 5 years. After graduation I interviewed around and received the same answer - "we're looking for someone with x years of experience in management". I did not want to look externally because I really like the company and my stock options were mostly vested. So I settled for an entry level position in project management (which I could have gotten into without an MBA degree). No pay raise - nothing. I sound bitter because I am. If anyone out there is having the same problem please let me know. I hope you have better luck after graduation than me!

[Bodee]

Thanks for the link.



As for anyone looking for a job, get a good book to read while you think. "How to Win Friend and Influence People" by Dale Carnage (sp) Should be require reading in High school.



I am looking for work in LA (Lower Arkansas) so I am over qualified for everything, and nothing pays. Humility goes a long ways

[philipwhite]

I lived in North Dakota for six years so I know what you mean. Sometimes its best to move.

[cemj99]

I've been working in corporate America most of my adult life and I realized before I even started my MBA program that employers in this arena can really care less about credentials. Sad but true. I say open your own business doing something you like. You have all of this education, relevant education I might add. You don't need an employer to validate your worthiness. I can relate to many of the posts on here, I graduated with Masters degree in Network and Communications Management, and I'm getting my MBA in about 3 months. About 40% of the people I work with don't even have college degrees. Even half the executives at my company don't have degrees, more less MBAs. I find personal satisfaction in using the skills I learned to run my own business. I'm not rich, but its good to know I can use my skills to independently make a difference in my own life. I think people in this situation where you feel you're under employed should find a niche to do some independent consulting. You may have an acquaintance who wants to open a business. You can help them develop a sales forecast, maketing demographics, devise a budget, assist with project plans, review HR laws, a host of things. You can even do some adjunct teaching at the college or grad school level. Sometimes you have to use non-traditional ways to get value out of your MBA.

[rajc007]

I have not visited the forum for awhile but since I started this thread over 1 year ago a lot has changed. I left my job after completing my MBA. I have since gotten into real estate management and investment and formed my own company (www.kriyamgmt.com). This was the best moved I could have made, and am able to use my education daily and could not be happier.

My only regret was that I did not take more entrepreneurial classes while in school.

[philipwhite]

Congrats on the step up. Good luck with the new company.

[cemj99]

Congratulations!!!!! That's what I'm talkin' about. An MBA can equip you with the skills to create your own destiny unlike other degrees. I hope others on the board read your post and take aggressive action in taking control of their own career satisfaction.





I have not visited the forum for awhile but since I started this thread over 1 year ago a lot has changed. I left my job after completing my MBA. I have since gotten into real estate management and investment and formed my own company (www.kriyamgmt.com (http://www.kriyamgmt.com/)). This was the best moved I could have made, and am able to use my education daily and could not be happier.

My only regret was that I did not take more entrepreneurial classes while in school.

[Marv]

I also went into Real Estate after getting my MBA working with an Retail Asset Manager (shopping centers). I'd really like his job but I don't think he's going anywhere soon! It's always something different and I rely on my MBA knowledge quite a lot every day.

In searching for other people who are MBA's in the real estate field, I stumbled on another discussion forum. It doesn't look like it has many people yet but if it gets busy, I think it will be a good place to network with post-MBA's who are doing real estate. The site is www.triplenetcentral.com (http://www.triplenetcentral.com/) - If it pans out, I'm going to use that site to try to shmooz some asset managers who can help me get into another company at a higher level!

[philipwhite]

Welcome to the forum Marv.