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kdizzles
07-13-2016, 11:20 PM
Hello guys,

If you may remember me, I had a question a year ago about whether or not I should transfer to U of C to complete my undergrad. I came from U of L and really wanted the Haskayne name recognition. However, I chose not to and finished my undergrad at U of L (finance) and have moved abroad to work for a small tech firm.

I went to inquire about the MBA program at Haskayne and was surprised that I was exempt from the GMAT test and 4 courses. I am now definately very interested in doing my MBA at some point, its only another 16 courses and the fees aren't too bad!

My question is, how long should I wait after undergrad to pursue my MBA? Because I have some job experience already (see below), I can choose to do it sooner rather than later since I'm older already. And for any of you guys that have done this program, what did you like or didn't like about it? Did it put you in a better position for work? Also which specialization did you pick?

Bit of background about me: I'm an older student, so my background is a bit varied: 4 years of auto sales, 1 year in O&G procurement, and now working for a tech firm (6 months), studied finance for my undergrad.

If any of you guys have any input, that would be excellent. Seeing as during these difficult times in the job market, going back to school and upgrading isn't such a bad idea!

kdizzles
07-13-2016, 11:22 PM
Also if anybody is wondering, I have contemplated about the CFA program, its cheaper and I can do it whenever, especially since I'm abroad now, it won't affect my job or travel. However, after doing my undergrad in finance, I'm not sure it's really my thing and I don't think I want to restrict myself to only finance related roles. That's why I thought the MBA might be better. Just some FYI.

kdizzles
07-13-2016, 11:30 PM
If anybody wanted to see my old thread, here ya go lol:

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/386110/transferring-to-u-of-c-worth-it/

Buster
07-14-2016, 12:37 AM
I would say that both an MBA and especially the CFA are over-rated unless you know how/when/why you will apply them. The CFA especially only benefits you in very specific circumstances, and generally you will know it if you need it.

I'm not sure I would put Haskayne in the "name recognition" category...

Team_Mclaren
07-14-2016, 01:24 AM
question is.... why? where would it get you with only 1 year of work exp?

RealJimmyJames
07-14-2016, 06:42 AM
Yeah, what goals do either of these programs propel you towards? if all you want is to "get ahead" then you are doomed. Assess yourself before assessing these programs.

Type_S1
07-14-2016, 07:41 AM
I don't think they would even accept you into an MBA program with 1 years work experience would they? One of the major benefits to these programs are the contacts you meet and I can guarantee you nobody there will be excited to be grouped with a recent finance grad who spent the majority of his career in auto sales (no offence meant but this are usually professionals). Wait a few years and reassess the situation in my opinion.

kdizzles
07-14-2016, 12:40 PM
Hmm, thank you guys for responding to my thread. I guess it doesn’t make sense to go back to school right away, I thought my auto experience would count but I guess not. What about the tech start-up? Isn’t that experience as well? (Although my role is mainly sales focused right now)

I guess why I wanted to do an MBA was because if I were to be a generalist, an MBA is a good option in business I’d think. I can go into many fields and roles, if I decide in the next few years that I want to be in marketing or entrepreneurship, then I can choose to specialize in this. Another part of me wants to do the MBA for pride! (Lol yes, I actually think Haskayne is somewhat a big deal).

I still feel though that I’m still searching for the dream career, as in I haven’t quite nailed down what I want to do exactly. Like you guys have said, I have limited professional work experience so it’s probably important to build that first…but I also think the payoff for an MBA should be reasonable. 16 courses and roughly $26k, done in 1.5 years, my ROI should be pretty good right?! Regardless if I am not 100% sure about my path…isn’t it? Or am I wasting my time again?

I’m just wondering but, you guys seem to know what your talking about. Do you guys have any experience similar to mine? Like were you at a point in your career where you thought you needed to upgrade to get to the next step?

Once again, I really appreciate your guys insight on this, I could really learn a lot on this. Thank you!

The_Rural_Juror
07-14-2016, 08:13 PM
The CFA isn't cheaper if you don't pass.

kdizzles
07-14-2016, 10:32 PM
Originally posted by The_Rural_Juror
The CFA isn't cheaper if you don't pass.

How many times would you have to fail it though??? hehe

austic
07-15-2016, 09:26 AM
Originally posted by kdizzles

I still feel though that I’m still searching for the dream career, as in I haven’t quite nailed down what I want to do exactly. Like you guys have said, I have limited professional work experience so it’s probably important to build that first…but I also think the payoff for an MBA should be reasonable. 16 courses and roughly $26k, done in 1.5 years, my ROI should be pretty good right?! Regardless if I am not 100% sure about my path…isn’t it? Or am I wasting my time again?


I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that an MBA without experience is just letters. You need a few years to develop some career skills and business experience to allow you to relate and take full advantage of what you are learning.

I would suggest getting some experience, finding a career your MBA can enhance instead of relying on school to find your dream job.

kdizzles
07-16-2016, 01:29 AM
Originally posted by austic


I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that an MBA without experience is just letters. You need a few years to develop some career skills and business experience to allow you to relate and take full advantage of what you are learning.

I would suggest getting some experience, finding a career your MBA can enhance instead of relying on school to find your dream job.

I appreciate your response, thank you kindly. I will hold off on that thought and focus on working and experience.

sexualbanana
07-26-2016, 09:55 PM
I'm unfamiliar with the application process, but why are you exempt from writing the GMAT?

Buster
07-26-2016, 10:35 PM
Originally posted by austic


I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that an MBA without experience is just letters. You need a few years to develop some career skills and business experience to allow you to relate and take full advantage of what you are learning.

I would suggest getting some experience, finding a career your MBA can enhance instead of relying on school to find your dream job.

This.

Although, if you want an MBA to springboard a new career somehow, you might be wise to pony up for a name brand school. (No offense to Haskayne, but it's not.)

Mitsu3000gt
07-27-2016, 09:12 AM
Just make sure that an MBA will actually advance your career. Most of the executives and managers I know don't have anything past a basic degree. After a few years in the industry (I assume O&G), in my experience very few companies care about your schooling and just look at your experience. I have not had one job interview in my life where they even mentioned my education (I don't have an MBA and I'm glad I don't because it wouldn't have ever helped me).

The other thing is that working in O&G means everything can change in an instant, and there will be huge ups and downs. Experience is paramount most of the time. If you get in with a company that cares about your MBA, you probably won't be there forever anyway. I'd much rather have several years of experience than less experience and an MBA unless I was absolutely certain I would be getting paid more for it throughout my career, which is a pretty tough thing to be certain about.

It can't hurt though, especially if you do it in evenings or whatever - or better yet get a company to pay for it for you. Just make sure it's worth the time, effort, and money otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Buster
07-27-2016, 09:26 AM
An MBA is pretty much required in many segments of he banking/finance industry.

A lot of commentary I hear about MBAs in Calgary put a pretty distinct spin on its value vis-a-vis O+G, which is in itself a pretty niche area.

Perceptionist
07-27-2016, 10:55 PM
I will chime in here since I have some experience with the program. The students that get the best value out of the Haskayne MBA are the ones that have specific goals or objectives on what they want to get out of the program. For example, if you are targeting management consulting as a career path and put in significant effort during the program towards getting into that field, there may be some good opportunities available. To get the opportunities you have to do more than just show up and get average grades, since campus recruitment in the current market environment in Calgary is quite limited. If you go in without an objective you may be disappointed to find out that there isn't a line up of companies looking to hire Haskayne MBAs with limited previous work experience or credentials. It is not the same as going to a top ranked US business school where graduates are actively recruited by major firms and fortune 500 companies. That being said, the cost is significantly less that those top ranked schools and Haskayne does have some decent ties to the local market in Calgary.

I have seen people make the most of the program and have seen others that have been somewhat disappointed. In your situation, having an undergraduate business degree might make the MBA slightly redundant. Think about where you are at now and how an MBA would change your career path or accelerate your trajectory. If you can make this connection and are committed to putting in the work, it could be a good move. If you can't make this connection then consider some other alternatives that might be less expensive and better suited to where you want to be.

kdizzles
07-29-2016, 11:52 AM
Originally posted by sexualbanana
I'm unfamiliar with the application process, but why are you exempt from writing the GMAT?

apparently because I had a GPA over 3.0 in my last 20 courses, i didn't have to do the GMAT test (just Haskayne though because I did my undergrad in Alberta). This came from the admissions office directly.

kdizzles
07-29-2016, 11:57 AM
Thank you Perceptionist and everyone else offering their insights on this, its actually great talking to people in around Calgary and what they know about the industries and careers out there.

I'm actually taking the time to do some online MOOC right now to further my understanding of computer programming and technology. I actually really like the tech side of business and I'm fascinated with tech firms like Amazon and Google. I even found a technology MBA from Simon Fraser that bridges the gap between both.

I won't be doing my MBA anytime soon, as I will take the next few years to develop my skills and find out where I am headed, thanks everyone =)

finboy
08-13-2016, 07:19 AM
Originally posted by kdizzles
Thank you Perceptionist and everyone else offering their insights on this, its actually great talking to people in around Calgary and what they know about the industries and careers out there.

I'm actually taking the time to do some online MOOC right now to further my understanding of computer programming and technology. I actually really like the tech side of business and I'm fascinated with tech firms like Amazon and Google. I even found a technology MBA from Simon Fraser that bridges the gap between both.

I won't be doing my MBA anytime soon, as I will take the next few years to develop my skills and find out where I am headed, thanks everyone =)

I am just finishing the business intelligence and datawarehousing fast track program at sait (4 months). My background is business, but I found it a really good balance between technical knowledge and business application. It covered project management methodologies, analytics and architecture, I definitely won't be using all of it in my career going forward but can utilize quite a few of the skills in various business analyst roles. Food for thought

kdizzles
08-18-2016, 10:14 PM
Originally posted by finboy


I am just finishing the business intelligence and datawarehousing fast track program at sait (4 months). My background is business, but I found it a really good balance between technical knowledge and business application. It covered project management methodologies, analytics and architecture, I definitely won't be using all of it in my career going forward but can utilize quite a few of the skills in various business analyst roles. Food for thought

Thank you man!