1. What do I need?



Before investing over 100,000 in a lengthy and time consuming education, your current situation could be improve using other means, and you might want to evaluate all the other possibilities before committing to the MBA journey.

A Masters in Business Administration opens many doors to an advanced management position and many other great career opportunities. However, is not necessary to have an MBA to have a successful career, and the process is definitely not for everyone.



How do you determine if you need an MBA?

  • Jobs that require an MBA: Some careers require an MBA after a couple of years of working experience, including investment banking, private equity, hedge fund management, and high end management consulting.
  • Jobs that don’t require an MBA: There are also many great jobs that do not require an MBA. In fact, a recent Business Week article, Is the MBA Overrated?, stated an interesting fact concerning the CEOs of the companies that comprise the S&P 500: Only 146 of the 500 executives reported having MBAs.
  • Quicker Advancement/Greater opportunity: An MBA opens doors that otherwise may not have been open to you, or at least, the door would not have been open to you as quickly. Many times an MBA can also raise your career ceiling. An MBA can similarly, give you a better chance at getting hired quickly if you are between positions or if you relocate, being consider as atruly international passport on a resume.
  • Changing careers: An MBA is a great way to enhance your marketability and make an easier transition from your current line of work into management consulting, banking/financial, general management or another business related field. Often people with different backgrounds are highly sought after by top MBA programs because their experiences are highly valued in the marketplace.
Some of the below links could help you to answer the main question of this section:
What do I need in my career to achieve my goals?

Links
  • You can go through different workshops and online games at CareerGames.com to evaluate your career development.
  • 16Type.com is good virtual source to find out what your MBTI type. You might what to do an online test, or you could prefer doing the Keirsey.com test. You also might want to have a final explanation of what does it really means at PersonalityPathways.com.
  • "Personality Type in Leaders: What Works" is an interesting article about what Leader-Type is more common in the business world.
  • The Princeton Review also proposes a career quiz, which in 24 questions, gives you details about your interests and work style and, after a free registration, a list of careers that match.
  • The online game, based on Dr. John Holland's theory, proposed by the University of Missouri Career Center, help to classified yourself in one of the six groups.
  • Personal DNA is a new kind of personality test which is free, fun, fast and accurate. The test has been designed by a team of professional psychologists. It employs innovative answering techniques, allowing for increased accuracy and an enjoyable process.
  • Leadership-basics.com gives you a very quick overview of the different steps in your career and helps you in your career development.
  • Management Articles by Lyndsay Swinton, summarized in his management articles, tips, techniques and skills on everything from stress management to business fun and games, all in the straight-to-the-point style you've come to expect from “Management for the rest of us”
  • Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, Alderfer’s ERG theory, Maslow's hierarchy, David McClelland’s theory, or Theory X and Theory Y can help you to understand and then define what is important to you in your lifestyle and career.
  • About.com has some writings on career self-assessment worth been checked out.
  • The Social Style Model is a tool for understanding your basic behaviors and the impact you can have on others.
  • The WSJ has a full section on Career Planning Guide.
  • Wetfeet.com is great for researching career opportunities. It has company and industry profiles, insider guides and all sorts of career search tips.

Career Counseling

  • The American NCDA (National Career Development Association) has a complete section for Graduate Student
  • The Australian Association of Career Counselors has a couple of white paper online for your review, but nothing mind blowing I have to say.
  • MBA.com can help you to follow Pre-MBA Self-Assessment Checklist
  • Science's Next Wave is the oldest science career magazine on the web, and has an entire section on career development

Book Recommendation

Questions to answer

  • What skills and experience do I possess right now?
  • What field would I like to work in the future?
  • What lifestyle do I want in my life?
  • Where do I want to live my life?
  • What salary fits my desire lifestyle?
  • What career progression exists in order to achieve my goals?
  • How will I progress in order to achieve my goals?