How do I negotiate now that I got into a top EMBA program?

April 10, 2010 8:04 AM

I got into a top EMBA program, and need some advice.

So I'm turning 30 next month, and after some coaxing from family, I applied to and got into a top EMBA program. (Think top 2.) Because I submitted my application last minute, I didn't ask for corporate sponsorship. Now that I got in, I have a ton of unanswered questions.

1) If I want to switch careers after I graduate, do you think I face an uphill battle to get into McKinsey/Bain/BCG for consulting or Morgan/Barclays/DB for IB? Will it really make that much of a difference since I'm at a Top 2 EMBA?

2) Should I ask for sponsorship, or roll the dice and try to land a better job afterward? The rules state that if I take money from my company (above $5k), I have to ask permission to join oncampus recruiting. Average starting salary post MBA for my school (traditional, not EMBA) is almost 80% higher than what I make now.

3) If my company offers me money (not a full ride), and I say no, how much of an asshole do I look like?

4) Can anyone think of a way I could structure my negotiation with my current employer where everyone wins?

5) Any other advice on my imminent journey would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

posted by anonymous to education (3 answers total)

I think in general, EMBA programs are meant for people who plan to stay in their current company - there's no way that your company is going to pay for your MBA and not expect you to stay on for a couple of years afterwards. If you do leave before that time period is over, they will most likely expect you to pay all or a portion of that money back. Also, just a warning - the "top 2" thing honestly does not make as much of a difference in the business world as you think. If you throw around "I'm a harvard mba or a wharton mba" in the business world, you'll only come across as an arrogant bastard :)
posted by echo0720 at 9:01 AM on April 10, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yeah, I think you would face somewhat of an uphill battle. I say that mainly because those are top tier jobs. Even for someone in a full-time program at somewhere like HBS or Stanford Business school, times are tough right now. IB hiring for associates is basically nonexistent. That's not to say you couldn't get one--if you put in a lot of time and effort--networking and preparing for interviews and all that stuff. I don't know much about consulting, but I do know IB hiring is basically nonexistent right now. However, there is a very good chance you could time things perfectly: when things pick up, eventually these companies will start hiring big time. On top of that, there will be fewer people in business school pursuing banking, so you could end up in an ideal spot. This happened in 2002-2003. As for the Top 2 EMBA thing, I don't think I've ever really looked much at the EMBA rankings, but if the full-time program is also a top ranked school, then it will benefit you greatly. Alumni are huge when it comes to getting a good job. Also, those firms you mention will likely recruit on campus--this and the alumni thing are probably the most important things as far as the job search goes, so look into that if you haven't already. Find out how many people from each EMBA class the last couple of years got hired by the firms you mention.

Don't have much for your other questions. Given the salary discrepancy, I would say roll the dice, but there are far too many other factors that only you can really decide. A lot of it depends on how much you really like your current job and how much you want to go into consulting or IB--those are tough jobs. Good money, but working 90 hours a week blows.

Have you been to Businessweek's website? It's got an MBA section with tons of information, and there's also a forum where you may find similar questions to yours.
posted by stevenstevo at 9:06 AM on April 10, 2010

I have to disagree with echo on one point: while it's true that simply bragging about where you got your MBA will make you sound like a jerk, these schools have very well connected recruiting programs and a level of access, especially in finance and consulting, that is hard to find at other schools.
posted by wooh at 9:08 AM on April 10, 2010