Forty to fifty grand later, when you thought you were paying that to an easy transition into business world, your boat is rocked by folks telling you "MBA is not valued that much these days - you need to prove yourself". Indeed, it was being told to you all along by mentors, network channels and the school's course work that you need to prove yourself -- but that coursework, the newborn at home, the "keep the job" defensive life during an MBA, the long commute, the spouse's challenges at job, the new house with high mortgage payment (for a low interest rate opportunity), etc., kept you away from even attempting what you thought they were saying. Searching for that new job, or preparing for it (in as many ways as sending out resumes, following up, screening offers, studying for interviews, get phone/travel time to get interviewed, getting screened on prospective jobs, remorse/mourning upon losing that "would-have-been-cool-job" also while regretting the time/effort spent hunting for it, threat of your company guessing you were looking for one, risk of losing a grade/attendance/team-favorability in MBA, etc.), was such a remote possibility then -- but now it strikes you in the full color of how stuck/screwed/fucked you are! No matter how right your priorities were then, they strike you as wrong now.

From the market standpoint, getting the MBA degree will not transform your valuable-ness overnight. They'll still link it up to what you've been doing at work. They might give you an opportunity, but they'll consider that risky and they'll consider that they are giving you an opportunity while they can just as well have hired a professional who has been-there-done-that.

Tips for recent techie MBAs:

Here are some thoughts that may work in battling this situation:

• In the resume, write about what "you did" in terms of the role you played, even if your position itself was a developer/architect.


• Tell your company, "I lack these customer/marketing/managerial skills you mention that are needed for this job, and without you giving me an opportunity, how'll I get them? All I am asking for is to give me a chance."


• Question at each point "What's the money I am making for the company?" and "What's the value I am adding for the customer?" before you pity/challenge "Why am I being paid what I am being paid?". Know that there's a link between your job-retention/salary and the performance/role you provide for the company. They grow, then you grow. It is difficult to ask that they pay before they grow due to you. The latter would be gambling and few businesses like that - unless you show you are promising in some other way.


• Find those managers/executives that have a soft-corner, favorability or obligation to you over a period that you stayed at the company. Encash those favors (aka., "network equity") now.


• Promise something that is beneficial to the folks that hold the power to create/fill the job of your dreams -- and, of course, work on delivering it. Otherwise it'll not hold their attention/interest/motivation.


• Don't give too much weightage to the short-term incidents -- concentrate on year long growth patterns, and invest lot of effort in the job by getting out of comfort zone where there's money to be saved/made for your organization.


• Seek opportunities outside the company to know what the rest of the world values. If the rest of the world holds better jobs or growth opportunities than current job, or vice versa -- you will get a better answer to what you should be focusing your time/effort on doing and negotiating.

Book on the topic:

The former CEO of a company that was acquired in Web 2.0 space and an MBA alumnus from Carnegie Mellon university gave this book as a gift to me recently, and recommends it in making the job transition at various levels:
http://www.ritesite.com/Main/aboutBook.cfm

I am still reading it, and so far I think it is useful to read. It always helps if we know how positions are opened at those levels, and what are the basic motivations recruiters and recruiting managers have at the time of hiring.

My advice: You ultimately need 1 job, so build up the resistance to being demotivated by the 99 others! Finding a job is like finding your place in this world, and it is not supposed to be easy.

School's career center:

Can a school's career center be of help in this matter? I think, anything seemingly simple can be a huge help! Even advice that tells you what you'll be faced with when you step out of the MBA program. Network discussions on this topic between alumni and students are immensely valuable in shaping the community going forward.

When the school helps its recent alumni, it helps itself when it needs donations from a "richer" and more successful alumni. I think even in this matter we should seek the MBA way -- to "plug any inefficiency in the markets". Finding fault with our system (without denying our strengths) shouldn't be construed as lack of patriotism/loyalty towards the school -- but instead must be seen as a desire for improvement. While the thought is right, I think the approach to solve the issue must be improvised to where it guarantees results.

My take: Work with the school on issues/feedback you have. Fill their surveys that seek feedback, as that's the surest way of giving your school your collective input. What can work better than telling the school when the school itself asks for it? On the other hand, a few of our own fuming on the side doesn't create the same confidence in a solution that "collective data" on our preferences does.

Before interfacing with the school, generate (through brainstorming) ideas that will work for everyone, as against those that suit a few of us. Again networks can help setup focussed discussions, or better still propagation of polls to address the preferences on this topic without all the e-mails back-and-forth.

With respect to taking ownership of issues, consider the next point as one way.

GSAC:

Related to making a difference, if you want to lead change while still on SCU's school campus for next year, consider joining GSAC. Contact either myself of any other GSAC member with your interest, as school is honoring recommendations by current GSAC members.

Approaching the school as a GSAC member that represents other students may work better -- than trying to create consensus among diverse students and then petitioning the school for change. I suppose that's because, through GSAC, you are speaking directly to school's administration that welcomes ideas for change.

- Kaleem Aziz.