/biz/ - Business & Finance

>>55492073
i did a shitty state school MBA and it did jack shit for my career but I learned a lot and it was fun

If you can get an MBA through Georgetown, then you should be good for an entry level business role. I currently have one and a JD, but I found that it along was not enough to make me stand out among my peers.

So, I took some certification courses for scrum and project management. With the JD, those helped considerably by inflating my bargaining power during employment negotiations.

All in all, you have to consider the market you want to work in. DC, San Diego, NYC, etc. Your military background and MSc should help you stand out more than I did in the DC market if you plant to stick around.

>>55492116
I've heard from the state school side that unless there are regional businesses you're interested in, the results can be pretty hit and miss, yeah.

>>55492150
Yeah honestly I'm looking to stay in DC, but would entertain NYC/Boston/Chicago if the work was right. I would like to do private equity but I know that is a stretch. I feel like my technical background makes unique, and as silly as it sounds, a secure "200k a year Deloitte fed consulting position" sounds a little on the boring side because I'm tired of dealing with clearances and the government. Where did you pick up the MBA from?

>>55492073
I'm doing a PhD so not an expert, but I heard that there is a big difference between "good" schools and the long tail of (also expensive) bad ones. Especially if you want to get into PE.

Also in my school's (M7) MBA program there were some military people, so I think that's a relevant recruiting factor. I'm also somewhat considering doing one for entrepreneurship, but we'll see once I get closer to finishing my degree.

>>55492217
I stayed local since I am from the DMV. Took the MBA online from George Mason. It was $52K when everything was said and done. Not the best school but with the JD I didn't need the "brand" power that you get from Georgetown or GW.

Your technical background will be helpful but remember there's a lot of talented people in the DMV. You have to be creative to stand out.

I have a police/investigative background that I leveraged to get into my current role. Do the same with your military experience. Especially if you carried a higher rank.

>>55492150
what certs did you get for project management, and what do you do now?

>>55492073
I did an MS from a top ranked university and it tripled my salary within 2 years. YMMV

Also, I echo the sentiment from posters stating that masters degrees from regional/state universities won't help your career. I have another master's from a local university and it literally did nothing for me.

>>55492570
PMP is all that matters (forgot to mention in my previous post that I also earned that after the MS from a prestigious school).

>>55492570
Just a PMP. I currently work as a C-level executive in construction.

>>55492073
Op please drop some UFO alpha

>>55492801
Nice. What's your TC?

I'm USAFA 14, former O3, BS/MS compsci, considered MBA, have CISSP/PMP, worked for a name brand contactor and private sector, I trade full time for a couple years now, I considered MBA, have friends that did that, idk MBA might be useless, and you won't get paid $200K at Deloitte for having an MBA lol, maybe $150K if they like you

>>55492943
>USAFA 14
nobody outside of your milBubble knows what that even means

>>55492554
Gotcha understood. Yeah I have an offensive cyber warfare/SWE background. I think that is pretty common (the SWE part) among top b-school attendees; a lot of engineers are tired of deal with BS all day. Georgetown is completely free for me if I go. I have 26k/yr from post 9/11, 20k through the yellow ribbon program, and 20k matched again through that agreement from the VA. Also a 2500 dollar/month housing stipend... that doesn't go far in the DMV but will essentially make this a risk-free endeavor. Would that change your calculus on go-or-no-go?

>>55492290
My GRE scores were rather poor as I took the test after studying for about 5 days due to application timeline constraints on my original MSc. 163V and 156Q (not math-tarded, I just hadn't done basic geometry and tricky question solving since High school - it is what it is). Ironically my verbal is right at the median for HBS/Yale, obviously Quant is not great but I do feel like the math Heavy CS-degrees make up for that to some degree. I am not sure if being a military officer from a non-service academy can offset that or not. If it's free to apply to HBS/Yale, I may just shoot my shot.

>>55492951
It's a higher ranked school than your top ranked school, also PMP is useless

>>55492943
I meant after a few years. Yeah sounds like we are very similar. Any advice?

>>55492951
He's an academy grad

>>55492943
***Avg '22 Georgetown Mgmt. consulting results were... I think ~170k all in first year? That's probably for boutique and T1 firms, could be a little different here and there, who knows.

>>55492963
I struggled with the MBA question, still might get it, but I guess a take away is I saw a lot of people do it, and it wasn't compelling

>>55492982
Were any of those T20s or above? Or state or more regional schools? (Or online - dreadful)

>>55492979
That seems high to me for new MBA grads, I worked in Boston, so high salary area, imho you'd really have to impress your boss that you're worth way more than you actually are to get close to $170, possible though

>>55493004
https://issuu.com/georgetownmcdonough/docs/gtwn_mbaemploymentreport2022_final

Median was 170, mean was ~160 so may be in-between our suggestions it seems.

>>55493019
* Although Tech was mean @170 so that's something to consider.

>>55492999
No, I have no experience with someone going to a top 20, the go to was usually like a generic but name brand D1 school, online typical

>>55492958
Sounds like you will make out like a bandit. I would go for it. I have a higher than normal tolerance for risk, but with what you shared this is essentially a risk-free ride to a very comfortable livelihood.

Go for it. If anything, you will walk away with a stellar education.

>>55493019
Second page is $138K, that is what I would expect

>>55492073
Aye aye Captain Faggot, sir.

>>55492073
MBAs are only necessary for companies where HR has it as a universal checkbox for management roles. Going to a "target school" only benefits you if you're going to be in-person and, therefore, out of the workforce so that you can properly network. I did a AS + BS + MS in mechanical engineering, did an online MBA at a state school, and it opened up plenty of doors for advancement. LinkedIn roastie recruiters will never leave you alone about new roles because of how rare a double Masters is.

If you care about educational prestige, then you're overthinking it.

>>55493049
Thank you for your time (and free) advice! I think I am leaning towards it.

>>55493061
Stop breathing through your mouth.

>>55493065
My one preference for a "target" or top-ish school was to ensure a smooth transition to industry, though. I'm not coming from a business background or anything, that was something I was a little bit concerned about.

>>55493057
You also need to consider, you make possibly the equivalent of $130K now idk, your BAH isn't taxed and your health insurance is free

I think the main takeaway from this thread is that OP should do it, as long as it's a top ranked school

>>55493090
Ah that is a factor. I am entertaining 150k offers from NGA truth be told. I think a driving factor in this is that 1) I am not sure if I want to write meme spaghetti code for the rest of my life and 2) It seems like the "ceiling" of a business/finance adjacent MBA is so much higher than a run of the mill SWE. The tradeoff for maybe a few 10's of thousands of lost salary on the frontend is maybe a small giveaway for a better career track overall?

>>55493098
I would agree, it seems that way.

>>55493098
I think that's the easy answer, if OP can get into a top school, just do it, going to a top 100 school, and changing career isn't going to change your life, a top 20 might

>>55492073
damn there's so many of you with your shit together with masters degrees, JDs, PhDs...
i just wanna be like you all, but i can't even get a min. wage job and dropped out of college, in my mid 20s.

but OP, would you recommend joining the military now? thinking of going back to college to be an officer but i feel like i'll be too old for that by the time i graduate. just want to have a stable career/income by the time im in my 30s.

>>55493084
No worries. Wish you the best of luck.

>>55493084
>I'm not coming from a business background or anything, that was something I was a little bit concerned about.
Neither did I. Learning business theory from an MBA could help, but really you'll learn everything in the first 6 months on the job. IMO, if this is all you want an MBA for then you're better off skipping it and just applying for work. Then circle back to it if it turns out that you need it to advance in your role.

>>55493121
in my humble experience, if you purse "Silicon Valley" type companies, it doesn't matter if you're engineer or management, do what you like, that will make you the most money, ehh yeah in the more government contracting roles management gets paid more, but not really in California based companies

Friend has her MBA. She went from middle management to consulting using her MBA, six figure bump in salary at a top firm. That said she went to a state school for undergrad. Top 20 or top 10 business school for undergrad even though it was a state school, then went to a top 10 for her MBA.

The consulting thing gets you a compensation package of around 250k total counting your salary, bonuses, and stock options based on what my friend gets. Private equity I don't know anything about.

>>55493130
I was an enlisted Psyop at 18 y/o in the army. I was a SWE/Cyber warfare officer in the AF. If you are destitute, it is not a bad path. Pick a sellable job w/ a clearance and go AF or Space force. Those will plop you out in a good place with options.

>>55493156
This is valid, I'm 27 though so the age is a bit of a concern.

>>55493168
I'd probably stray away from big tech unless it was an incredible package.

>>55493192
That sounds about right. It sounds like it turned out very well for her.

>>55493130
I am very far from having my shit together. The letters that follow your name are pointless if you can't network well.

Learn to network, be personable, then leverage that. The guy who owns the company I work at is a multimillionaire. He dropped out and started a construction company in high school. Granted he learned a host of skills along the way, but he did the "thing" without all the bullshit of school.

There is always more than one path to success, what counts is being consistent with what you're doing. Start with small things. Apply to jobs and show up. 90% of the workforce sucks and gives 30% effort. You just need to give 31% to stand out and accel.

>>55493192
I believe you, but you're missing highlighting the important parts. First how old is she? She did basically Ivy League twice and has middle management experience, then jumps $100K in salary, ok fine, that's not OP though. But also right that salary is not compensation, some companies give you a lot of stock, which may be worth a lot or nothing by the time you are allowed to sell.

>>55492073
Ivy and semi-ivy MBAs will always stand out amongst the sea of MBAs, but in reality you're buying the network. I've had an MBA since the mid 00's and when that market wasn't overly saturated with MBAs, getting a job was easy as sin, I even ended working/managing at Temasek for a few years. Money was great, hours were long, maintaining relationships was hard, I ended up hating every moment of it. My best advice would be to find balance early and power through until you're comfortable with who you are and what you do. In my current career, I rarely have to stress about numbers, and I can project manage the hell out of anything and find loopholes through red tape.

>>55493202
It did, yes.

>>55493237
Early 30s. OP is on a Captain's salary with a Captain's BAH, 250k in total compensation beats the shit out of what he's probably making as an O-3 even with his bonuses and COLA.

His time as an officer is probably roughly equivalent to her time in middle management in terms of how it looks on a resume.

>>55493272
You check out lol, I have no doubt you can make that money, just was emphasizing you need to be on top of your game to get it. Also, interesting pint, I know zero officers that make above $200K in the private sector after 10 years, sure it's possible, but I personally know no one

>>55493258
Would you say that Georgetown is a semi-Ivy? Is that worth the time and effort? They seem to bounce around 20th or so....

>management consulting
do you really want to live out of a suitcase and wageslave 60 hours a week? yeah, they make $200k/year at top firms, but you have 0 fucking life until you quit and get a more reasonable job at a corporation.

>>55493202
>was an enlisted Psyop at 18 y/o in the army. I was a SWE/Cyber warfare officer in the AF
damn i should've just jumped the gun and enlisted right off of hs because i was thinking of following a career that like that but instead of psyops id do intel, but still a similar field.
>If you are destitute, it is not a bad path
yeah, im 25 however and i dont think i want to start off at being on the enlisted side at this age then again im broke af with not a lot of options other than to get back into coding and putting out projects for my resume. I dropped out of college right after I left ROTC for the air force.
>>55493220
>but he did the "thing" without all the bullshit of school.
yeah it seems like the only viable path to being a millionaire without going into debt.
but i definitely need to get better at networking and stop being a shut-in autist. i was hoping on the market being forced to settle with the habits of my fellow zoomers... but it seems like its not working.

>>55493385
Yes, I would consider it a semi-Ivy. They produce a ton of white collar lawyers and seat a lot of individuals within government ranks. I saw that you were looking to get into PE; do you currently have any experience in it? Do you understand what that industry/world entails? If yes to both, ask yourself why you need an MBA, but if you said yes to both, you'll realize that you may not need one, just keep networking and building your skill set and knowledge base.

>>55493497
I have a rough idea (from reading wikipedia and doing a bit of research), but no not really. I think that's why I would need the degree, in order to facilitate the career change from SWE/Military to something more finance related (IB/PE).

>>55493410
Don't lose hope. Get into some outside hobbies and learn to people. It took me a while to get my act together and I'm 33 and still working at it.

Just keep trying and never settle. Being content with your situation will kill you. What I do when I start to feel complacent is assess what I am doing and to see if anything can be done to make it better. Then I start working towards that end.

>>55493544
I would say that most that go into PE or PWM are either born and raised in it or have interned early in their undergrad studies. Could you be a person that goes into the industry without a general understanding and thrive? Sure it's possible, with your nose to the grindstone you could show promise, but understand that a name, network, upbringing play a bigger part in promotions (especially in this world) then most will have you believe. I don't want you to believe that I am discouraging you in the path you want to take, I just want to provide you with the reality of things, especially if you're willing to commit time, money (and possibly relationships). Know what you're willing to sacrifice, and be accepting of what you lose.

>>55493652
Oh yeah that's absolutely my expectation. When I was 18 years old, I spent everyday of my life laying (and shitting) in a dirt hole in 105 degree sun with a gun and pack. Everything else is gravy and so is all this, since that moment in my life. Thank you for your advice and well thought out responses.

>>55493940
I'm wishing you the best of luck bro. Use your training to maintain situational awareness, make people earn your trust and when you get to the point of comfortability, pay your knowledge forward to others no matter where you end up.

>>55493940
why not stay at your current job? is being an officer for 20 years not worth the retirement?
t. enlisted considering officer

>>55492958
Can you build botnets on various social networks that can implement digital influence operations with measurable efficacy? Or is your compsci/ cyber experience in a different niche?

>>55493049
agree, if its paid for. Good journey to.

>>55492073
I was just considering doing the officer -> mba pipeline myself.

c. Destitute B.S. compsci newly grad

>>55494174
why are all you compsci grads destitute?

>>55494185
They lied to us and told us there were tons of SWE jobs. Even if you do get one you're gonna wanna rope unless you're genuinely autistic.

>>55494076
Nope, not even close. Also have to move every 36 months and on a 120k a year that's no longer financially viable.

>>55494122
General Software dev with some real-time systems experience. Embedded.

>>55494174
It's been a trip, I'm not sure I would do it again, maybe there were better alternatives, but overall my life has turned out pretty good.

>>55494204
this.
i didn't go to college, but instead finnished a coding bootcamp with direct connections to tech companies... and didn't get a job considering how i graduated at the start of the pandemic.
some classmates did find jobs but that was like a year+ after the pandemic. i just gave up on the job search

>>55492073

NYU-Stern MBA alum here. 8 years in Consulting, now work in Tech.

Having a quant or eng background is great. The most valuable part of the MBA is the brand (school) and the alumni network. Georgetown is great if you can get in; they have like a 5% admin rate when I checked. For PE or Big4, I'd go for M7 if you want access to the best, and you need to be top 25% in your class or know someone. This isn't just a meme, its the reality. It's super fucking competitive for a reason, you will work 80-100 hour weeks, and most likely your boss and client(s) will be total assholes. I will say that, to your benefit, having security clearance is also a huge plus; it will open up options to engagements that have that as a requirement.