Most MBA aspirants face this question. Not all professionals have a smooth study path without breaks due to various reasons. Some of them may be:

1. Financial requirements: Pressure to prefer job above higher education

2. Thought over decision to gather some (1-2 Yr) experience and them do MBA

3. No thought of MBA while finishing study but realize the need after a few years

4. Treating MBA Degree as a mid-career progression catalyst

5. Treating MBA Degree as a mid-career function change catalyst

All of them don’t face this dilemma.

Typically category 1 or 2 above may land up in situation under category 4 and 5 above if they don’t realize the need early enough. Eventually they become too old for regular MBA and they have no option left but to do an Executive MBA.

Its category 1, 2 and 3 who have a early realization after a few years in job and they face this dilemma.

Now, what the dilemma is all about?

Scenarios

A. Regular MBAs have a campus recruitment (Generally – unless it was hard hit like last one) but I have to leave the job – is it worth it?

B. I have not accumulated enough confidence that I can get job after my Executive MBA – but not sure if campus would be good in the particular institute even after a regular MBA.

C. I can’t get into top notch institute in regular MBA (MAT Score etc.) but can into their Executive MBA courses.

There can be many others.

BTW I am of category 4 and 5 on first paragraph and was old enough for regular MBA when I decided to do one. All above are from my batch mates’ opinions and views during my Executive MBA at XIMB where many young student were in my batch.

The answer to all these is it all depends! (Questions are inevitable but answers are not)

Now, let’s come back to the topic.

What I feel is commonsensical and I don’t claim an IP over it.

· Young executive MBAs have a better chance over regular MBAs if they are having just a few (1-2) years experience; they get laterally placed in higher roles than freshmen of same batch.

· Not so young executive MBAs are NOT-COMPARED or should NOT BE COMPARED to regular MBAs – So people over 25 or 30 should not expect a substantial change in their career unless they deserve it otherwise. Merely an MBA does not ensure you a great career unless it is already so.

· Such old (25 or 30+ depending on various industry specific needs) MBAs should be sure of WHY they want to do this MBA (May be category 4 or 5 as in paragraph 1).

· Only if they want to enhance their overall view about business for taking up higher responsibility which is otherwise not possible without the MBA they should generally consider doing it. For example a General Manager in a real estate firm may already be having lots of business acumen from his experience, domain knowledge and various trainings so far during the career. An MBA may give him a birds eye view of business and not necessarily the MBA will fetch him a great offer.

· If they aspire to change function mid-career due to the degree it might be difficult. Even 5 years experienced people from my batch faced problem when changing industry or function (Say Selling Steel to Selling Mobiles or Making Steel to Selling Coffee).

· The problem is while you approach a company for changing industry or function they company is skeptical paying you enough money securing your current CTC since 1) They are not sure if you’d deliver and 2) They get a fresher at a cheaper rate.

· The scenario above is more predominant if the economy is like the present one. A few years earlier the scene was not the same. In a booming economy organizations also experiment with experience people in new function or industry.

So, it was just free flow of thoughts. Take as much from it as much is acceptable to you. Ultimately its your money, your career and your future that you are deciding about. I just shared my way of approaching it.