MBA Boosts IT Career

by ACS Professional Staffing
October 16, 2024
Candidate

Does an MBA get you more money?

Yes, it does! But also, it might not. The truth is that everything, including post-graduate MBA programs, has pros and cons.

Whether being an MBA graduate is beneficial will be subject to a person’s circumstances, priorities, aptitude, and dedication. Before you embark on this journey, it’s best to equip yourself to make informed decisions.

In this blog, we’ll share a balanced review of whether you need to obtain a Master’s in Business Administration – or not.

How Can an MBA Degree Positively Impact Your Career?

Entering business schools and acquiring further knowledge, specifically in business administration, can boost your career and help you enter a company’s top management.

1. You learn strategic skills.

In preparation for senior management or executive roles, an MBA can teach you how to handle business operations and human resources while learning the necessary skills to remain an effective leader. It will broaden your knowledge on critical business competencies, widening your business perspective, leadership skills, and management skills.

While it’s possible to learn these skills through experience and mentoring programs, MBA programs will help you run the business as your own, managing budgets, marketing efforts, and necessary HR functions. Furthermore, you’ll learn how to effectively:

communicate with your colleagues.
negotiate with stakeholders and suppliers.
manage and anticipate risks.
conduct strategic analysis and planning.
understand organizational behaviors.

2. You’re more than just an IT expert.

There are many paths to learning, including work experience, education, self-teaching, mentoring, and observation. However, without proper education, certificates, or licenses, it becomes challenging for others to perceive your credibility and reliability.

MBA graduates automatically gain credibility from their degree. You’re not just a wise IT professional who rose through the ranks. Instead, you become a trustworthy colleague equipped with the right skill sets necessary to take up the role of a manager or an executive.

Also, finishing even an online MBA can quickly furnish you with the business vocabulary you need to succeed.

3. You can lead your teams with strategic insight.

As an IT leader, you must assess various technologies and avoid integrating the wrong product. Imagine purchasing the wrong software that crashes every Tuesday – or having people transfer to a complicated platform, only to realize a few months later that it’s not a viable solution because it can’t accommodate large volumes of data.

IT leaders need to have the right skills to make the right decisions. Besides the impact on your reputation, wrong decisions will negatively impact the business itself.

If there is an executive role you want to pursue, consider taking an MBA program that is designed for executives. Understanding IT is one thing, but leaders must also learn many functions and responsibilities to move to higher or executive positions. This includes budgeting, forecasting, business analytics, regulatory compliance, financial analysis, resource allocation, and performance metrics. Businesses are complex. While your skills as an IT professional are vital to the success of higher management roles, so is having business acumen.

There are many things to consider when you make changes in a business, and many of your actions will affect your co-workers, if not the entire organization.

4. You interact with your colleagues better.

You are a decision-maker. But not every decision falls to you. To obtain the buy-in of your workmates or fellow managers and executives, you need to bolster your communication skills.

Yes, you may understand the benefits of a specific strategy or program. However, can you explain it well to your colleagues? Can you align it with the organization’s goals? Does it benefit the entire company or just your department?

With the right knowledge, you’ll be able to lead digital transformations, enhance cybersecurity measures, and effectively communicate how crucial your initiatives are to non-technical professionals.

5. You may enjoy a potential salary increase.

Let’s face it. One of the reasons (if not the only reason) we go to grad school is to achieve the highest salary in our career. According to Research.com, the average salary for computer and information systems managers is $164,000, with the top professionals earning up to $239,000 in 2022.¹

This salary potential can be an attractive reason to take up the program. MBA salaries are far higher than a Bachelor’s. For example, the average MBA starting salary can reach $125,000, while new graduates with a Bachelor’s degree can expect around $75,000.¹ This may vary depending on the role, industry, and company. However, it’s worth noting that you’ll have a higher salary as an MBA graduate.

Why Don’t You Need an MBA Degree?

As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, pursuing an MBA is not for everyone. There are benefits, but also disadvantages to having an MBA. Let’s talk about the negative side of obtaining an MBA to help you decide whether to begin this journey.

1. You may have to step away from your personal life.

Acquiring an MBA isn’t easy, no matter the role. Whether you’re attending Harvard Business School or taking an MBA online course, achieving an MBA is demanding, time-consuming, and possibly stressful.

During this pursuit, you might have very little time to spend with your loved ones and start feeling isolated. If you have full-time work in addition to your studies, spending time outside could become draining. In the worst case, depression might even affect your professional life and risk your career.

Before you apply for an MBA, it’s best to check all the options: part-time, online, or full-time. Consider every possibility to give yourself the best chance of completing your master’s degree.

2. You may have already acquired the knowledge and experience through other means.

An MBA is only effective if the person receiving it has room for growth. If you already have enough professional background or specialized experience, you may not benefit much from an MBA program. Why allot time and resources to this if it becomes an endeavor meant only to sit on your resume?

As we have mentioned, there are other paths to advancing your career through career development, learning experiences, certifications, networking, and overall performance. You don’t necessarily need an MBA if you’ve already accomplished so much in your field.

3. Leadership is not for everybody.

It is possible that your best opportunities do not lie in this direction. This is not to discourage you, but to assure you that your unique skills and experience may be maximized elsewhere. If you are unwilling to dedicate the time, energy, and passion required to complete an MBA, or if you lack motivation to develop in this area, taking an MBA may not necessarily improve your career.

4. There are potential disappointments and limitations.

There’s no career guarantee with an MBA. It will still depend on your situation, aptitude, field, and experience in the industry. For example, you may finish a degree in business management and yet have no natural business skills.

On the other hand, your skills and performances will guide your career, not your MBA. Having an MBA won’t save you from constantly arguing with your boss or making bad decisions that affect the company. In the end, having the right attitude and soft skills are crucial to your success as an employee.

DO YOU NEED AN MBA TO SUCCEED?

Your professional path depends on your dedication to your field and profession, whether you are an MBA holder or not. An MBA is a great career boost, but it’s not always necessary.

ACS Professional Staffing values professionals according to their skills, experience, and potential. Of course, with an MBA, you’ll have a higher appeal to employers. However, this doesn’t mean non-MBA holders should feel less qualified.

At ACS Professional Staffing, we evaluate individuals carefully and place them in the right organizations, helping them succeed in their roles. This is why we have achieved an average tenure of 8 years.

If you’re looking for a career, contact us today and gain access to your dream job.

References

Bouchrika, Imed. “What Can You Do with an MBA in Information Technology? 2024 Costs & Job Opportunities,” Research.com, 8 Jul 2024, https://research.com/degrees/mba-in-information-technology
“Average MBA Starting Salary with No Experience,” Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, 6 Jun 2024, https://crummer.rollins.edu/resources/average-mba-starting-salary-with-no-experience/

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