
Ask HN: How best can a software engineer prepare for getting into a Bschool? - hubatrix
I am fresher at a multinational company, and I am aspiring to do MBA after 2 years of experience, I am into R&amp;D and just code day in day out, and as it is a product based company promotions take time (more than 3 years on avg). what do you think I should do to portray myself as a serious candidate for MBA program? what activities (in specific), what extra thing, etc. I am yet to give my GMAT.
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joeclark77
Just ace the GMAT and they'll be happy to have you.

You should also have a decent reason why you want the MBA, and some sense of
what you might do afterward. In my case, I had been through the dotcom bubble
of 1997-2001 as a web developer, saw that all these companies had business
models that made no sense, but didn't know what the better way was, so I
thought I needed to get that MBA (in 2002-2004) to understand what makes a
good business model.

I suspect if you read HN, you have at least a little bit of interest in
entrepreneurship, and that could be what you talk about in your interviews.
Don't worry!

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hubatrix
True I am inclined more towards entrepreneurial methodologies, in fact
bootstrapping a small startup. thanks for your insight. I like the way you
played the question "why MBA".

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nemild
If so, I would focus on entrepreneurship. You don't need an MBA - and it may
even be counterproductive for the earliest stages of entrepreneurship (coming
from someone who has both an eng degree and MBA).

Still, hard to say 100% without knowing your background and goals.

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joeclark77
I actually think one of the best cases for an MBA is for a techie who wants to
expand their business skills. When someone who does an undergraduate business
degree comes back for an MBA, they're really wasting time going over things
they already learned, just to gain a credential. For a programmer, though, an
MBA could be your first exposure to fundamental stuff like the basics of
finance, accounting, and marketing. Heaven knows they don't teach us about
compound interest in high school.

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hubatrix
So true, well I have a question, my plan is to work for 2 years in R&D and
curate a story line telling how now that I know the technical part I would
like to learn more about management part. Or should I make the story about the
startup I am working on which is in the energy sector, showcasing how I grew
the company from what it is to what it became? What do you think will look
more appealing for the MBA colleges a kid who built a small startup(might
become successful but fewer chances, also it can fail too ) or a kid who
worked at a Fortune 50 company for 2 years as R&D Engineer and learned the
technologies good enough? Honest opinion

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joeclark77
Unless you're targeting the Harvards and Whartons of the world, either should
be fine. Graduate schools aren't too picky, they just want to know that you
have the ability and are going to follow through and finish. My point was
really that you should know _for yourself_ why you want the MBA. Honesty works
well in interviews.

Now, if you're targeting a top-10 program, understand that for those schools
it's all about the rankings. MBA programs are ranked on things like GMAT
scores but also on starting salaries after graduation. What's the best
indicator you'll get a high salary after graduation? Answer: _you have a high
salary before entering the program_. If you want to get into a Harvard or
Wharton MBA, tell them about your job making six figures at a Fortune 50
company and that you want the MBA so you can get promoted to the next rank of
management. Acing the GMAT would also help. No matter what the brochure says,
they don't really want dreamers who want to change the world. For those top-10
schools, the full time MBA program is really kind of a showcase to keep them
up in the rankings. Then they can cash in with undergraduate tuition,
executive and part-time MBA programs (companies usually pay for these for
their employees), publishing, and other side ventures.

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hubatrix
oh so I should be working more on my career at the company rather than my
startup, is it? But the problem is in my company on average it takes 10 years
to become a manager (with just bachelor's degree) and I within next 2 years I
think I can hardly be promoted from R&D Engineer 1 to R&D Engineer 2, will
this increment matter or count in anyway? The point is promotion is too
farfetched in my company no matter how smart I am. What do you think I should
do in such cases? btw thank you for taking your time and guiding this random
stranger :)

For this very reason, I had planned to work on my startup more and leverage it
for getting admits from top 10 post exit.

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joeclark77
Well, why do you actually want the MBA? What are you hoping to get out of it?
Remember you're going to be sacrificing two years that you could be spending
on something else, so it matters. Once you can answer that, I can give you
better advice on application strategy.

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hubatrix
hey, this is my email address hubatrix@gmail.com can you please drop a mail
there so that we can continue conversing there if you don't mind :) Thank you
If not we can surely continue the conversation here.

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myrobostation
Unless you are falling out of love for software development, being the cool
mysterious guy who solves everything, always getting challenged to the brink.
Then and then only you may opt for a MBA.

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hubatrix
I just can't see myself coding for next 20 years whilst everyone else around
me making millions just with getting C-type roles. I love technology!

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nemild
And you can make good money while coding and working with technology. You
don't have to be a C level executive or work primarily on the business side.

