So you want to do a MBA?

So you want to do a MBA? But is an MBA – rather than, say, a specialist Masters – the best means to reinvent yourself? Well, it depends, say business schools. Because MBAs don't look at candidates until they have several years of experience, students might appear less agile and more pigeon-holed within a particular sector. "A previous career can act as a millstone if you don't have anything else to offer," says Witt. "But the beauty of an MBA is that it transforms people from one-track backgrounds and gives them passion to talk and act in new ways."


Older candidates, often taking executive MBAs over two years or more and more likely than not sponsored by their company, are probably looking to accelerate rather than switch their career. In many ways the MBA came about in the first place for career changers. It remains a very effective way to change direction. If you come from a strong technical background, say, it will balance your portfolio.



Deciding

• Be sure an MBA is the best route to where you're going - don't embark on a trip until your destination is clear.
• Make your own decision, using a blend of logic and intuition.
• Be a discerning customer - ask hard questions about which programmes best meet your own specific needs.

Arriving

• Learn to market yourself - don't launch the campaign until you're ready.
• Be sure your support system is in order - at home and at work.
• Review your skills - technical, quantitative, written and oral. If you're not really ready to do well yet, take an extra year to polish those skills.
• Measure your confidence level - if it's weak, consider counseling to learn how to manage your anxieties and self-doubts.
• Get your life in good shape before you begin - paying attention to nutrition, exercise, relationships, and all the other things you'll need to sustain you.

Thriving

• Ascertain your own most effective learning style (from your own self-assessment or more formalised measurements, such as the Learning Styles Inventory or the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory) and design routines and study regimens that best fit your style.
• Find a group of friends/colleagues right away; collaboration is the key to succeeding and staying healthy through one of the most demanding experiences you'll ever have.