Articles

Does Having an MBA Make an Individual a More Valuable Employee?

2009-10-08

For most people, earning a bachelor's degree is a seminal achievement in their lives. After sixteen long years of schooling, most are ready to make the leap into the working world and begin their lives. Dreams of bigger paychecks and increased responsibilities in the work place lure most into entry level working positions. However, nearly everyone asks themselves the question of whether or not to seek a graduate level degree. The hard truth of the matter is that the cost of attaining such a degree, and the additional years of school, deter most from taking the plunge. Is this the right move to make? Does an advanced degree really make a difference?

In order to explore this question in further depth, we will examine what an MBA, or Master of Business Administration, will mean for you upon attaining it. We will examine the MBA pros and cons. Here are just a few reasons why getting an MBA makes sense. For one, it gives you more credibility among your business peers. Your degree sets you apart from bachelor's holders as their degree sets them apart from a high school diploma. It shows that you are able to commit to a goal and see it through to the end. It also shows that you have the intellectual capacity to take a seat at the inner table and that you understand and have been formally trained in business theory and strategy. An MBA also gives you the tools you need to understand and implement fundamental organizational and management techniques in order to most efficiently administer a business. An MBA taps into years of applied business techniques that have proven to be effective. By learning these methods, you gain a fundamental advantage over those who do not.

What are some of the cons to attaining an MBA? There are few cons in higher education, but the two that most frequently stand out are time and money. School is not free, nor is it fast. To earn your MBA, you must commit to at least several thousand dollars in tuition, and book fees, and to at least one to two (or more) years to complete the program. These are serious considerations to weigh. However, ten years down the road when a younger employee with an MBA passes up senior employees for a promotion, those few years and tuition fees will seem like a small concession to years spent trying to overcome the disadvantage of not having the MBA. The bottom line is that you will earn more money with an MBA and have an advantage over those you compete with in the workplace.