Finding employment can be hard at the best of times. 2020 saw a global pandemic that sadly forced many businesses to shutter themselves down and close for good. High unemployment rates were seen all over the world and it is unclear when normality will truly resume.
You have always known that qualifications and education matter when seeking a good career possibility and know it seems it may be even more important.
The problem is, education doesn’t always seem exciting, does it? If someone said accounting was a great prospect it might get you as fired up as someone telling you that they were making a movie. Sometimes options that don’t seem too thrilling are actually full of potential for the future. You might find an MBA is one of them.
Why should you get an MBA?
An MBA or Master of Business Administration is a degree awarded on graduation from learning about the business including finances, marketing, and other required areas. There are many ways you can harm your career prospects but gaining an MBA is not one of them.
The reason you want to consider applying and studying for an MBA is that more employers these days are expecting applicants to hold one. For mid-level jobs and higher positions, it is more than likely to be a prerequisite, and now more often employers look for MBAs for entry-level positions too.
How long will it take to complete an MBA?
It depends. That is the answer you will receive most often when asking how long is the commitment for an MBA. This is because the way a school delivers its course can vary from one to another. The requirements to graduate may differ as can the academic calendar.
It will, however, depend on how you plan to take the course as well. There are accelerated learning programs and there are online courses. Some students take MBAs on a full-time basis and others, manage work or other commitments, and study part-time.
Generally speaking, you may be looking at 18 months to 2 years for completion of your MBA.
Are there different types of MBAs?
While the degree is a Master of Business Administration there are many options to choose from with different emphasis. For example, you might take an MBA in Cybersecurity, or decide to study in a sporting field instead.
So what are the available career options?
The options are far too varied and wide-ranging to include here but some of the options would be the following:
- Marketing Manager
- Financial Manager
- Portfolio Manager
- Medial Director
- Human Resources Director
- Chief Technology Officer
What about something more exciting?
It is not the positions themselves that may seem exciting to someone looking at an MBA but what you can do with it. An MBA opens up opportunities all around the globe. You will be likely to reach positions and salaries unavailable to most people without a graduate’s degree.
You can implement your MBA to work in some exciting areas and industries. Consider the following:
- Sports
Become a sports manager or agent. Work in marketing for a sports team or brand.
- Media and Entertainment
Big media companies like Disney or Warner need graduates.
- Technology
An MBA gives you the ability to work in finance, human resources, and other areas that a tech company needs.
- Healthcare
One of the biggest growing career areas as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Energy
Use your MBA to work in the field of creating sustainable, eco-friendly energy for the future.
- Consulting
This could be the area to work for a truly global company and will be rewarding financially and experience-wise.
Startup your own business
The point of an MBA is not just so you have a degree to put on your resume or a certificate to the frame. It is to give you the tools to go into the workplace and understand all the areas of a business.
You will come away knowing about operations management, finances, human resources, accounting, economics, and organizational performance to list just some areas. You will also learn how to build your business image through marketing.
What you learn on an MBA can be transferred into other industries and job positions including setting yourself up as a future entrepreneur.
Changing career paths
As previously mentioned MBAs can be taken part-time and online. This is useful for someone looking to switch careers or change fields in their current employment. Say you have a job now that is not fulfilling or the salary is not at a level where you want to be. In fact, it might just be that there is no chance of promotion. By enrolling in an MBA you can continue working for now and providing an income to yourself and your family, and some companies pay for your studies too. During this period, you are preparing yourself for a future move and better prospects.
Summary
An MBA can be studied at home, online, and at school so it can fit around anyone’s lifestyle. One other thing about an MBA is that it is possible to study for one abroad, giving a new experience along with the degree. Future employers are likely to want to see MBAs more often from applicants and luckily these courses are quite accessible.
