5 Key Reasons To Do An MBA (Besides Climbing The Corporate Ladder!)

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During the 2020 – 2021 academic year, it has been found that globally there were 250,389 students studying for an MBA, with the majority of those students (155,996) at business schools in the USA.

It comes as no surprise that more and more people are pursuing their MBAs. After all, on top of increasing your chances of climbing the corporate ladder and getting a better paycheck, an MBA is a doorway to endless possibilities.

Hence, it is a great investment of your time, money and effort if you’re thinking of the long-term benefits you’ll reap.

 

What Is An MBA?

In a nutshell, an MBA is a graduate degree which is designed to help you build leadership skills as well as learn and understand business principles.

However, the benefits of an MBA go beyond expanding your knowledge and upgrading your skill set.

Through an MBA, new job opportunities and stronger professional networks are also some other advantages you’ll have.

If you’re on the fence and are wondering why you should choose to study an MBA, read on to explore the different ways it can help you in the working world, as well as the career opportunities to look out for!
 

5 Essential Reasons To Do An MBA

1. Ability To Switch Sectors & Industries

Although most people tend to associate an MBA with business and entrepreneurial paths, the fact is that you can apply it to most industries. Through your studies, you’ll dive into various specialisations and topics which can be applied across industries – be it corporate finance, strategy or operations.

Whether you’re looking to make a switch to join a big corporation in the energy sector or work with a start-up selling a product or service, there’s no doubt that your MBA will be an asset.

This is because employers tend to favour candidates with an MBA as they are more versatile when it comes to skillset – be it in marketing, human resources or finance – and can potentially fill the gaps in the organisation if there’s a demand for such skills.

Also, they would be able to take on more initiatives with a wider overall skillset and boost productivity as well as profits.

Hence, in the event you’re looking to explore another industry or make a career switch, having an MBA would give you the upper hand as compared to your peers who don’t have it.

2. Expanding Your Professional Network

Through the events and conferences you participate in during your studies, you’ll gain access to a community of like-minded professionals, future leaders, new entrepreneurs, recruiters, keynote speakers and more.

Hence, pursuing your MBA boosts networking opportunities for you and helps to expand and diversify your network, which can be a game changer when you step back into the working world upon graduation.

After all, you will meet like-minded individuals who are just as driven as you and they may very well end up becoming your future business partners or even recommend you to potential employers when there are suitable opportunities.

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3. Enter Leadership & Management Positions

Through your MBA programme, you’ll not only gain knowledge but also pick up soft skills including teamwork, negotiations, leadership and enhanced communication skills, which will then help you develop better interpersonal and presentation skills.

Thus, you will be more capable of leading or managing a department or team in an organisation – if that’s what your career goal is.

If you’re taking the entrepreneur path and are looking to start your own business, an MBA will be particularly useful for you as well because you will acquire an in-depth view of the business world.

This enables you to understand how to adapt to ever-changing environments and industries, which is required to keep a business relevant and maintain its success.

4. Global Credentials & Mobility

As an MBA degree has worldwide credentials, it prepares you to work in any environment and country.

Thus, if you have the intention to move to another country or city, an MBA can potentially help in opening doors for a new job.

This is because it shows potential employers that you are an expert in your field and has mastery over a particular area – be it finance, business consultation or management. It will help build professional credibility and will open new doors for you.

Having said that, you could also benefit from your MBA even if you choose to work for an international company based in your home country or deal with colleagues and clients from all over the world.

5. Build Your Personal Brand

Obtaining an MBA from a top business school with a reliable name can do wonders when it comes to boosting your resume and once you’re associated with such schools, you’ll be more desirable in your potential employer’s eyes.

Depending on what you choose to specialise in, you can even build a personal brand by listing your MBA as credentials to help you score quality clients if you work for yourself.

Of course, you’ll also have to put in the work and perform well to build a name for yourself in the industry.
 

Why Choose To Study An MBA (Career Opportunities):

Regardless of whether you wish to work as part of a team or independently, you’ll have a wide range of exciting career options to explore – from financial roles to management or consultant jobs in various industries such as tech, banking and human resources.

In the event you step into a management role in a team setting, you’ll be required to effectively delegate the day-to-day tasks effectively as well as manage your team.

If you work independently or for yourself, you’ll then have to make bigger business decisions and be able to plan and adapt according to how your industry evolves over time.

As an MBA graduate, you can also take up a more specialised role such as that of a credit manager, real estate planner in a bank or an insurance advisor.

For those looking for something different, you can consider working in the healthcare or construction industries, in roles that require trained professionals to make crucial decisions or provide support for the organisation in other ways.


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Take The Next Step Towards Obtaining Your MBA With SIM

Are you ready to take the plunge and go further in your career?

If so, you can consider enrolling yourself in the University of Birmingham’s Master of Business Administration!

During the duration of your programme, you’ll pick up important skills that will help you stay ahead in the working world.

This includes learning to evaluate and critique global business practices to determine better practices for real business applications, widening your perspectives on global business and management as well as devising and implementing appropriate strategies for organisations.

If you’d like to learn more about the University of Birmingham’s Master of Business Administration, get started by submitting an enquiry or requesting for a brochure.