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It will be NoBS for me.

I just received an e-mail describing business school in a surprisingly honest way.

(from an ad for a seminar put on by the MIT Club of Boston)

Applying to Business School: Why and How

Are you thinking about applying to business school or just curious? Many see it as a great way to switch careers, increase earning potential, or tap into a great network...

That description of business school isn't surprising because it's not true. In fact, it's right on the money. I've just never seen it in writing. People say that the reasons to go to B-school are to switch careers, make more money, and network, but they never put it in print. All the ads I've ever seen for B-school are like "build the business skills that will boost your career." But it's no secret that that's bogus.

At least once a week someone asks me if I'm planning to go to business school. I kindly tell them No and quickly explain that I can learn more about business by reading books, talking to experienced people, and doing business myself. Then, if they're in the know enough to say "Oh, but business school is really for switching careers, making more money, and networking," I give them the full story.

I'm not worried about changing careers because instead of doing three miserable years on Wall Street because "everyone else does it," it seems "safe," or it's what my uncle recommends, I gathered up the guts to get into the work I love from the start.

Furthermore, none of the things I want to do involve applying for a job with a company dumb enough to require an MBA in order to justify paying me more money.

Finally, there are endless opportunities to "network." B-school is just one. It's a good one, but it's just one. Also, I consider myself ahead of the game (if that's possible) by starting to build the relationships I need now, rather than waiting until business school to start "networking" with purpose (like so many people do). By the way, the latter is a really bad idea. It's like my boss often says: "Once you're un-employed, you're not networking. You're job-hunting. Networking is what your sorry butt should have been doing for the past five years so that when you need something, you could make twenty calls and have five offers waiting for you."

Going to business school -- Kellogg, Wharton, Stanford, Sloan, HBS, you name it -- might very well be a good thing for you. But for me, it will be no business school or NoBS.

Posted by Ian Ybarra on 5 May 2005

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