Is an MBA Necessary For Success

I’ve always wondered why people feel they need an MBA to get a good job in the business world, especially if they go from getting a bachelor’s right into graduate school. To me an MBA implies that you have the time, money and discipline to undertake graduate business courses. I agree that there are some job positions that require an MBA. And in some cases, an MBA is an advantage over people who don’t have it. But for most jobs in business, experience will win out every time.

It doesn't make you more ethical, diligent, creative, collaborative or enthusiastic. It doesn’t put you in a real world situation where you have to solve problems and deal with issues. It doesn’t expose you to the consequences of making both good and bad business decisions.

What makes me qualified to comment on an MBA? Well I have an executive one from Harvard. But I didn’t go to Harvard until my business was thriving and I needed both more knowledge and support to keep growing. The professors were constantly telling us that an MBA wasn’t worth anything to a company until a person had "two quits and a pink-slip" on their resume. They were implying that to succeed in business, the young MBA's had to figure out what they needed to unlearn.

A business degree gives you the foundation and framework for either working for a company or starting your own business. But it isn’t a substitute for getting in there and rolling up your sleeves and making something happen. I’m a big proponent of continuing education. Just make sure your getting that education at the right time for the right reasons.

- barney