Is BE+MBA a better saleable combination today?

[mayurpathak]

Is BE+MBA a better saleable combination today?

This is one of the topics I have been debating around for more than 4 years now. Although if you ask me the current market trend, the combination is a super-hit with all the recruiters. But personally, I never felt that by being an engineer, you inherit some qualities of a succesful manager.

Before we go to that level, lets first talk about why an engineer tends to digress from a technical career to a managent career, although I'm myself an engineer and an MBA. But believe me, I did this simply to follow the trend. I never went into the nitty-gritties of the "BE+MBA advantages" story, and when asked in the interviews, i told them that I wanted to diversify my knowledge repository. Moreover, I audaciously told them that I believe BE+MBA is a better saleable product today. I managed to trick one of the many interviews I gave and finally became "The better saleable product."

I happened to put this question infront of my HR the other day and they gave me a fairly believable answer. They said that engineers have a analytical bend to their thinking. This is because they are taught to be solution oriented and not process oriented. Hence an engineer with good knowledge of management is more productive than a person with entirely management back ground. So this "BE+MBA" which was once touted as a rare species is fast becoming a generic profile.

I have some interesting experiences and answers to share with CEans, but let me have some views from you all before hand so that I can put them on platter.

So shoot back!

[Romeos_person]

In my experience, as you progress through your engineering career you have to choose between management and technical.

To go the technical route a masters degree or additional training can be very useful. Many engineers find this rewarding and the direction that they want to go. Experts are sought after in many arenas. I'd pursue these degrees rather than the MBA if this is the preferred career. Remember though, management is often still a part of even the technical route to some degree and an MBA isn't going to ruin the opportunities. Beware, your company might be the one to push you into the management track if you have an MBA.

I've ended up on the management track myself. And I've toyed with getting an MBA, because there are skills and information that I think I could get that would help me do my job. To some degree I enjoy management, although, I'm not as much a fan of supervising!

I would say that it really depends on the positions whether or not the degree combo is more marketable. It really depends on the type of work that you want to pursue. It probably isn't as marketable for the purely technical jobs as it is for management jobs.

[aashima]

Nice thread Mayur!
Well thats true that MBA+BE do form a superb combination for those seeking employment in an MNC. Thats because MBA gives a finishing to the knowledge acquired in the 4-year degree of BE/B.Tech.. In any company if we contemplate, after continuous promotions and spending quality time working there, an employee rests being a manager or a person whose basic job is left only to manage and supervise. Now when a person already has an MBA degree, interviewer would find him more appealing than the one with BE degree alone.
Though these days MS is comming into play and that I reckon is a more suitable pg for the science students like engineers!

[kidakaka]

Nice thread Mayur!!

I am one such a product myself! And you know what, sometime about 3-3.5 years back, I was convinced that an MBA would give me the Business Perspective of Technology, ... oh well, I wont say that an MBA didnt do me any good, yes it did. But you know what, surprisingly enough the interviewers bought that ... and as they say, the rest is history.

My point is that yes, BE+MBA is definitely a saleable product/combination but how much of your graduation knowledge are you using in your postgraduation profession? If the answer comes to zilch, then why bother to do a BE for 4 years when its not actually adding any value (except for those two letters on your CV!).

Frankly speaking, working some time before an MBA (especially for an engineer) would be great since you can apply some of your theoretical learnings taken from engineering in real life! Then you can apply your practical learning taken from the job in your MBA theory. It works, because I have seen it happen ... some concepts strike you very fast because ... you have been there done that! Its simpler to relate ... no need to mug things up.. just relate it to your work/life and boom.

If you are just looking at whether the corporate would pick up a BE+MBA, then a simple answer would be yes.

Before I finish up, heres why I said what I said ... I used to be a techie, did my MBA ... eagerly took up presales. Its fun and exciting and all that, but who am I kidding, give me an IDE anytime ... I just resigned from my job and joined a startup with my friends.

[The_Big_K]

Indeed a nice thread. I don't have a different opinion than this -

If you are just looking at whether the corporate would pick up a BE+MBA, then a simple answer would be yes.

The question one should ask is "How effective is BE+MBA?". There's a simple reason why people want to go for MBA. MBA opens the doors to job market. Tell the recruiters that you are MBA and you'll be offered better salary and a better status. I've seen this happening.

But then, how many of us really learned "marketing" or "selling" by reading Kotler? I know the previous line is a eyebrow raiser. I had been into many debates over the same topic. Once, a friend said "MBA Finance will teach you how to manage money and grow it" to which my reply was "If that is true, every MBA Finance chap would have been a multi- millionaire".

I'm not against MBA education. I just think it has to be more practical in order to make BE+MBA product a 'better & truly working' product.

In short, if the job demands, BE+MBA is always preferred.

-The Big K-

[integratdbrains]

Well Mayur,considering the current market scenario it is a well accepted fact that a B.E+M.B.A is undoubtedly offered a better pay package and is more preferred over others. But what i think is one should consider one's liking more than anything else. B.E+M.B.A is a Better saleable product but that doesn't mean that a B.E doesn't sell better! What is important is the cadre and caliber of the individual.And the strong belief in yourself
" just resigned from my job and joined a startup with my friends."
Now thats something kidakaka! great.

[desijays]

If you want to do something and you're pretty damn sure you wont quit then I suppose to such a person.........neither is necessary. ( and pardon, ive heard off, and seen people like that)

But to your question if just 'BE' or 'BE+MBA' is more saleable? ..... i choose the latter... the former, being 3 letters short