3 answers
Megan
Student
Stafford, Virginia
1
Question
Updated
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How will my masters of business administration open more doors for me both within and outside of my current organization, and how will it help support the HR and finance aspects of my job?
How will my masters of business administration open more doors for me both within and outside of my current organization, and how will it help support the HR and finance aspects of my job?
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3 answers
Brandyn Knight
Operations Supervisor, Owner - Life & Career Coach
18
Answers
Orillia, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Brandyn’s Answer
An MBA can be a powerful tool to open new doors both within your current organization and beyond it—especially when you're involved in HR and finance. Here’s how it can make an impact:
1. Career Advancement & Leadership Opportunities
An MBA signals to employers that you’re prepared to take on more responsibility, lead teams, and make strategic decisions. Inside your current organization, this could translate to promotions, leadership development programs, or involvement in cross-functional initiatives. Outside your organization, it increases your competitiveness for upper-level roles across industries.
2. Broader Business Perspective
MBA programs teach you how different departments—like marketing, operations, HR, and finance—work together to drive a company’s success. That knowledge allows you to make more informed, strategic decisions in your current role and helps you better communicate across teams.
3. Stronger HR Skills
In HR, an MBA gives you a foundation in organizational behavior, talent strategy, performance management, and change leadership. These skills are essential for creating high-performing teams and aligning HR initiatives with business goals.
4. Financial Literacy & Analysis Skills
In finance, an MBA builds your understanding of financial statements, budgeting, forecasting, and data-driven decision-making. These are crucial for managing budgets, analyzing costs, and contributing to the financial health of your team or department.
5. Expanded Professional Network
You’ll meet classmates, professors, and alumni who can become valuable contacts in your industry or open doors to new opportunities. Many MBA grads land new roles thanks to people they met during the program.
Talk to your manager or HR rep about how your MBA can align with future roles or leadership tracks in your organization.
Take elective courses that focus on HR analytics or strategic finance to strengthen those areas.
1. Career Advancement & Leadership Opportunities
An MBA signals to employers that you’re prepared to take on more responsibility, lead teams, and make strategic decisions. Inside your current organization, this could translate to promotions, leadership development programs, or involvement in cross-functional initiatives. Outside your organization, it increases your competitiveness for upper-level roles across industries.
2. Broader Business Perspective
MBA programs teach you how different departments—like marketing, operations, HR, and finance—work together to drive a company’s success. That knowledge allows you to make more informed, strategic decisions in your current role and helps you better communicate across teams.
3. Stronger HR Skills
In HR, an MBA gives you a foundation in organizational behavior, talent strategy, performance management, and change leadership. These skills are essential for creating high-performing teams and aligning HR initiatives with business goals.
4. Financial Literacy & Analysis Skills
In finance, an MBA builds your understanding of financial statements, budgeting, forecasting, and data-driven decision-making. These are crucial for managing budgets, analyzing costs, and contributing to the financial health of your team or department.
5. Expanded Professional Network
You’ll meet classmates, professors, and alumni who can become valuable contacts in your industry or open doors to new opportunities. Many MBA grads land new roles thanks to people they met during the program.
Brandyn recommends the following next steps:
Rick Kneisley
Retired Investment Broker and Investment Sales Manager
14
Answers
Georgetown, Texas
Updated
Rick’s Answer
Megan,
A very thoughtful question. I only had a BS degree in Economics, but as I worked in the brokerage industry, I watched some incredible examples of MBA graduates that actually changed the entire financial industry.
Michael Milken stands out. I watched his influence ripple through everything. He didn’t invent high-yield bonds, but he understood their potential like no one else. He saw opportunities in companies that Wall Street had ignored, companies with solid cash flow but weaker credit ratings, and created financing structures that let those companies grow, merge, or restructure. In doing so, he gave rise to the modern leveraged buyout boom and helped build entire sectors of the economy. You see the owners of those companies didn't have to share ownership by issuing stock. They could maintain tight control of the enterprise themselves, be incredibly successful, then payoff their junk bonds and become mega rich, and do good for the overall economy in the process.
To me, that’s where the real value of an MBA shows up, not just in learning formulas or frameworks, but in developing the ability to see things differently. To question assumptions. To connect the dots before anyone else sees the pattern. Milken used what he learned, added what he believed, and took a calculated risk that paid off massively.
Of course, what happened later, his conviction and time in prison, can’t be ignored. But even after all that, I saw him pivot into philanthropy and medical research funding with the same energy and foresight that made him famous on Wall Street.
In closing, I asked ChatGPT for a few more examples of famous women with an MBA:
• Indra Nooyi (Yale School of Management) – The former CEO of PepsiCo, widely recognized for leading the company through significant strategic shifts.
• Sheryl Sandberg (Harvard Business School) – Former COO of Meta (Facebook) and a strong voice in leadership and gender equity in the workplace.
• Sundar Pichai (Wharton) – CEO of Alphabet (Google's parent company), who combined technical and business education to ascend to one of the most powerful roles in tech.
So, when I think about the value of an MBA, I don’t just think about the credential. I think about how it's used. The most powerful MBAs I watched weren’t just “educated,” they were transformational. And while I didn’t have those three letters after my name, I learned from them every step of the way.
Best regards,
Rick
A very thoughtful question. I only had a BS degree in Economics, but as I worked in the brokerage industry, I watched some incredible examples of MBA graduates that actually changed the entire financial industry.
Michael Milken stands out. I watched his influence ripple through everything. He didn’t invent high-yield bonds, but he understood their potential like no one else. He saw opportunities in companies that Wall Street had ignored, companies with solid cash flow but weaker credit ratings, and created financing structures that let those companies grow, merge, or restructure. In doing so, he gave rise to the modern leveraged buyout boom and helped build entire sectors of the economy. You see the owners of those companies didn't have to share ownership by issuing stock. They could maintain tight control of the enterprise themselves, be incredibly successful, then payoff their junk bonds and become mega rich, and do good for the overall economy in the process.
To me, that’s where the real value of an MBA shows up, not just in learning formulas or frameworks, but in developing the ability to see things differently. To question assumptions. To connect the dots before anyone else sees the pattern. Milken used what he learned, added what he believed, and took a calculated risk that paid off massively.
Of course, what happened later, his conviction and time in prison, can’t be ignored. But even after all that, I saw him pivot into philanthropy and medical research funding with the same energy and foresight that made him famous on Wall Street.
In closing, I asked ChatGPT for a few more examples of famous women with an MBA:
• Indra Nooyi (Yale School of Management) – The former CEO of PepsiCo, widely recognized for leading the company through significant strategic shifts.
• Sheryl Sandberg (Harvard Business School) – Former COO of Meta (Facebook) and a strong voice in leadership and gender equity in the workplace.
• Sundar Pichai (Wharton) – CEO of Alphabet (Google's parent company), who combined technical and business education to ascend to one of the most powerful roles in tech.
So, when I think about the value of an MBA, I don’t just think about the credential. I think about how it's used. The most powerful MBAs I watched weren’t just “educated,” they were transformational. And while I didn’t have those three letters after my name, I learned from them every step of the way.
Best regards,
Rick
Rikke Øllgaard Ussing
Director for Channel Digital Sales Enablement
4
Answers
Geneva, Switzerland
Updated
Rikke’s Answer
Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) can truly transform your career. It opens up many opportunities, both within your current workplace and beyond, by boosting your leadership skills, strategic thinking, and overall business knowledge. With an MBA, you'll be seen as a strong candidate for higher-level positions, as it shows you're committed to growing and ready to take on more responsibilities. It equips you with the skills needed to make important business decisions and lead effectively.
Outside your current job, an MBA makes you more attractive to other employers. It proves you have the knowledge and readiness for roles that require a deep understanding of how businesses work. Specifically, in your current role, an MBA will make you more effective in areas like HR and finance. In HR, it helps you understand how to manage people better and align them with company goals. In finance, it gives you a clearer insight into financial reports and budgeting, helping you make smarter decisions.
Overall, an MBA is more than just a degree; it's a powerful set of tools that helps you think strategically, manage efficiently, and make a meaningful impact in any business setting.
Outside your current job, an MBA makes you more attractive to other employers. It proves you have the knowledge and readiness for roles that require a deep understanding of how businesses work. Specifically, in your current role, an MBA will make you more effective in areas like HR and finance. In HR, it helps you understand how to manage people better and align them with company goals. In finance, it gives you a clearer insight into financial reports and budgeting, helping you make smarter decisions.
Overall, an MBA is more than just a degree; it's a powerful set of tools that helps you think strategically, manage efficiently, and make a meaningful impact in any business setting.