Chemical Engineer, MBA 6

[365che]

What are your thoughts/feelings about CHEs going for an MBA. Should the engineer get experience through working for some amount of time prior to starting an MBA? Should the MBA be done concurrent with working a full time job? What are the Pros and Cons for a CH E specifically getting an MBA? Is it worth it? How well will an MBA launch your career? Is it higher stress in positions which would come from a CH E getting an MBA?

 

[IRstuff]

The question should be "What do you want to your career to look like"

MBA stands for Masters of BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, so if you think you want to be doing engineering, then it's likely not what you'll wind up with.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[SWComposites]

If you wish to be near useless as an engineer, get an MBA.

 

[EnergyProfessional]

If you want to do it, don't wait too long. Many people do it without experience, so you can do it while starting work. The older and more settled you get, the harder school will be. More time conflicts etc.

You should consider your reasons. Love for learning? Career? then decide what type of graduate degree you want.

 

[ctopher]

Discuss with college counselor?

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '20
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[CWB1]

JMO but MBAs are the “General Studies” of advanced degrees. Usually folks pursue them bc their employer is paying and it’s an easy courseload, not bc they’re useful. If you’re looking for an alternative to an engineering degree I would recommend a JD.

 

[365che]

IRstuff- What do you want your career to look like it too vague of an answer. I'm specifically asking about engineers with an MBA and whether its useful or worth the time investment and energy. What are the pros/cons? Based on that discussion I can decide for myself how I would like my career to look.

SWComposites- Maybe that is true for an aerospace engineer? My coworker (electrical) just got his MBA and got hired to a management position at his previous employer. It's a significant salary boost, he gets to lead a group of engineers rather than his ideas being denied by upper management, and he can focus on more direct engineering and process improvement given the scope of the job rather than acting as a firefighter on the daily. Also many plant managers or director level engineering positions are held by people with an MBA or post grad engineering degree. Does that sound useless to you?

EnergyProfessional- Thanks for not giving a snarky comment. I think you made some good points. I have some friends who never went to college but said they would eventually. I've seen that the longer time has passed, the harder it has been for them to even be motivated to go to College. I'm a CH E with 3 years experience in the field (Process, Project, and Reliability). I would one day like to be in a position of management and make a significant increase in pay, while still actively participating in engineering/projects. From what I've seen, it's much easier to get into those types of positions as an engineer with an MBA.

Ctopher- I already graduated years ago?

CWB1- What is a JD? Yes my employer would pay for the MBA. I think the stipulation is that you must receive at minimum a b+ in any particular class in order for that credit to count and be paid for by my employer. Are the career path potentials not worth it?

 

[SwinnyGG]

whether its useful or worth the time investment and energy. What are the pros/cons? Based on that discussion I can decide for myself how I would like my career to look.

What IR is saying, precisely, is that whether or not 'its useful or worth the time investment and energy' depends on
'how I would like my career to look'.

Want to push paper and have 'manager' on your business card someday? Probably useful to you.

Want to stay in the field and become a technical expert doing real engineering for the rest of your career? Probably not useful to you.

Maybe that is true for ..........................sound useless to you?

Sounds like you just answered your own question

 

[SuperSalad]

365che, if money and managerial prospects are what you are aiming for, a ChemE with an MBA lights up the eyes of upper management in my experience. My experience also tends to be that those ChemE's that take that route end up not doing any engineering and become more sales or management oriented.

I don't know about your organization's culture, but in my experience with other engineers, getting an MBA will do you no favors for garnering respect from working engineers. As you can see in some posts in this thread, MBAs are seen as kind of a joke to some. I've seen good MBAs in my career that are very effective, but I've also seen plenty of the stereotypical types that elicit the kinds of jokes you often see about how useless people with MBAs are.

- Andrew

 

[ctopher]

The way I read your question was it seemed like you are looking into getting an MBA, and looking into other's opinions about doing so.
If you're only looking for a salary boost, and are management type, the MBA may help.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '20
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[TheTick]

Might as well get the MBA. You already seem to have MBA disease. Much better if it runs the full course.

More money to be made trafficking problems than solving them.

 

[LittleInch]

What are your thoughts/feelings about CHEs going for an MBA.
Should the engineer get experience through working for some amount of time prior to starting an MBA?
Yes I believe it is very useful so that you can relate what is being said / taught /provided to you to something real and meaningful

Should the MBA be done concurrent with working a full time job?
Only you can answer that question. If you don't have much of a social life / other pastimes / things to spend time on (wife/ partner / child), then try it whilst still working as you won't have anything more than a few hours a week when you are not working either being paid or doing the MBA. Only people I knoew who did it with any of those had a VERY understanding partner.

What are the Pros and Cons for a CH E specifically getting an MBA?
You get to understand why the managers above you keep making really poor decisions, but you might reverse the trend...

Is it worth it?
Again only you can really know. It could drive your career in a different non technical direction, but could be an expensive waste of time. All depends on your personal situation, the job offers available to you and how you pitch yourself in an interview / real life work environment

How well will an MBA launch your career?
Well you've already launched, but it could easily open other doors currently not avialable. There's nothing like one person with an MBA looking for someone who understands what he/she is going on about.

Is it higher stress in positions which would come from a CH E getting an MBA?
Again - depends on you. There is a reason why management positions get paid a bit more and that's to do with responsibility and the stress that comes from that. Always be aware that you could go into stress spiral if you're not careful, especially between 35 to 45. Too young to say F@£$ it and retire and old enough for other to start shoveling on tasks and responsibilities without being given the power to actually do anything meaningful.



Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Latexman]

What would SNORGY say (WWSS)?



Good Luck,
Latexman

 

[365che]

SwinnyGG- How I would like my career to look is dependent on knowing how those different pathways would look with an MBA vs without an MBA, that was the whole point of asking the question... Your second comment: That is just the experience of my one co-worker, not my own belief or answer... I was playing devils advocate.

SuperSalad- Thanks for the response. I am not interested in the judgement or acceptance of others regarding my engineering capabilities. I think that people who compare themselves to others for gratification are typically miserable and unhappy people. The type you don't want to be around. Maybe a lot of engineers, and some of those who have commented on this thread, are like that. This is why engineers are seen as introverted, arrogant, and cocky people to stay away from outside of work. I don't carry myself like that. I'm friendly and enjoyable to be around. Have many friends I like to hang with outside of work and value that work/life balance highly. If I can make more money, have less stress, have a great work/life balance, and enjoy the work I do than I'd gladly take that position over something that earns me brownie points with the engineer hounds. It may be to the surprise of some others who have commented on this thread but I don't actually work for engineering respect, I work because I need money to support myself and family and to live the standard of living I desire. It's for the money not the clout. Of course I highly value work/life balance, work stress, etc. I wanted a gauge on those parameters from someone who has an MBA. If those things are worse in higher management positions, than maybe that will convince me to stay at the lower engineering level. Regardless of how I proceed, I will give it my 100%.

ctopher- I'm looking into the pros/cons for getting one. I haven't made my mind or leaned one way or the other yet as I don't believe I have enough information or research on this topic. Salary is only one aspect. I'm also looking for a reduction in stress, greater work/life balance, etc. I'm not sure if an MBA helps or hinders those areas. Hence why I'm asking for the opinion of others who may have some more insight.

TheTick- I haven't even looked into MBA schools and your judgement is 10/10. Thanks for your productive comment towards the discussion!

Littleinch- Another actual good answer without passive aggressive judgement and projecting of ones own insecurities. Thanks mate. I do have a very understanding partner. We don't have any children yet. I don't have any other large time commitments outside of work besides the gym.

 

[365che]

Latexman- maybe there is a generational gap between the two of us, but I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[ctopher]

Good advise here.
I only suggested a college counselor because they may have for info.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '20
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[365che]

Ctopher- That may be true. I could reach out to an old college advisor of mine.

 

[Latexman]

365che, I didn't think you would, but most others in this thread probably do.

Good Luck,
Latexman

 

[IRstuff]

SwinnyGG- How I would like my career to look is dependent on knowing how those different pathways would look with an MBA vs without an MBA, that was the whole point of asking the question...

You seem to be missing both our points. Do you want to have a career that's mostly engineering or do you want to be a manager? Degrees are the means by which you achieve those objectives, not the other way around. If you hate dealing with and directing other people, hate laying people off, etc., that would answer your question one way. If you love designing processes and playing with math/hardware/processes, that would answer your question in a different direction. In either case, I would wait until you have at least 6 months of job experience before embarking on an MBA; it took less than 6 months for me to realize that I had an extreme disdain for management people, which was repeatedly reinforced each time I had to deal with that later on in my career. Part of the reason is that engineering is relatively pure, with no worse than probabilistic outcomes, based on your knowledge and your ability to create/control solutions. People are much more unknown and far less controllable.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[phamENG]

You seem to be missing both our points.

Could it be that you're also missing the OP's point? It sounds like the OP doesn't especially care what job they're doing...so long as they can maximize their benefit while minimizing their inputs. To many that sounds like laziness, but to me it sounds like the purest form of capitalism. So I think the OP is looking for insights into whether or not jobs that become available with an MBA will be better by that metric than their current role as a ChemE. Unfortunately for the OP, that's going to vary a lot based on personal preference and aptitude, and so anonymous strangers on the internet probably won't be able to give you the best advice. Do you have professional mentors you can discuss this with?

I've considered getting an MBA, but my career has taken me in a direction where it's all but useless. I'll be focusing on advanced technical degrees if I ever get back to school. I also work in an entirely different sector. So I'm really no help at all - sorry.