Ask Gorick: "Should I get an MBA?"

Subscriber’s question:

“I have been working in CPG (the food industry) for 7 years in different roles. Now, I want to pivot and build my career in marketing/brand management. I don’t have the experience that companies look for, and I have gotten rejected from interviews so far. I’m thinking of doing an advanced degree (MS) in Marketing in order to make this career change. I have also considered an MBA, but it’s a costlier option for now.

Is my career pivoting strategy rational?

PS: I have a Master’s Degree in Food Safety and Technology, but never really got to use that knowledge in the food industry. I discovered too late that the degree is not aligned at all to my interests.”

— "Rita” from Cleveland, OH, USA

Gorick’s response:

Hi again, Rita!

Thanks so much for your question. As you saw last week, I’ve broken your question down into 2 parts: 1) how to transition between careers and 2) whether or not an MBA will help in the job search.

This is my response to question #2.

→ If you missed my answer to question #1 on switching careers, tap here.

Now that we’ve discussed how to transition between two seemingly unrelated careers, let’s explore your second question: Will you be more likely to get a job if you get an MBA (or a graduate degree)?

My short answer? Not necessarily.

Remember how I said that many positions are filled through networking? Well, the biggest benefit to getting (another) degree isn’t in the piece of paper or letters behind your name—it’s in the network you’d join. 

So, before you apply to any program, you want to make sure that it’s a “feeder” to the specific companies and roles you’re interested in.

(“Feeder” means a school or program that reliably sends their graduates to certain companies, like going from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University to Deloitte.)

How do you find out if the program you’re considering is a feeder?

1. Go onto your desired program’s website

2. Make a list of the alumni who are mentioned

3. Google for each person’s name + the program’s name + LinkedIn

4. Skim their LinkedIn bios and see where they interned during and worked after their program (and do the same with the other similar profiles on the right-hand side of the LinkedIn profile you’re currently looking at, since those people may have attended the same program)

5. Do another Google search for the program’s name + terms such as “outcomes,” “employment report,” “employment statistics, or “career outcomes” and skim the reports for jobs and companies mentioned (or use AI like ChatGPT or Perplexity and use a prompt like, “List the top jobs held by graduates of [school and program]. List the job title and the company.”)

Within minutes, you’ll know if there’s a “pipeline” of graduates going into the jobs and companies you’re interested in. The more graduates you see working in the jobs you want in the companies you like, the higher your own chances are of getting in.*

Don’t see any graduates working where you want to work? Try returning to AI with a prompt like, “List top schools and programs that [your desired company] hires from” and use the list as a starting point in your research.

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*Earlier I said that “the more graduates you see working in the jobs you want in the companies you like, the higher your own chances are of getting in.”

Let’s quickly clear up 2 misconceptions (that I’ve experienced myself)…

1. “There’s a hiring pipeline from XYZ school to my dream job! Does this mean that I’ll be a shoo-in for my dream job if I get admitted to XYZ school?”

• Unfortunately, no. Like many things in your career and life, you’ve simply got a ticket of admission and nothing more—yet. What can you do? Join relevant clubs on campus, get an executive position in those clubs, and then use your position to access alums who were previously also in that club. (Related reading: Edition #91 on former Merck CEO Ken Frazier and building relationships with sponsors.)

2. “Grad school will help me switch to any career I want, right?”

• Also, unfortunately, no. Just because a hiring pipeline exists doesn’t mean grad school is a total career “reset.” I remember many fellow Harvard Business School (HBS) friends having a rude awakening when they learned that many PM (product management) jobs had a bias for hiring candidates with technical backgrounds. All HBS did was put the most competitive candidates into the same applicant pool. (Related reading: Edition #83 on Moana 2 and how to wow the people who matter.)

The last thing I want is for you to invest a ton of money* and time into taking a roundabout path to get a job you could have gotten on your own without going back to school.

So, before you apply, ask yourself:

1. “What are my goals?” and,
2. “Is grad school my most direct path to reaching those goals?” 

(Want more? Check out this Reddit AMA I did during the launch of The Unspoken Rules where I talk about the 4 MBA personas.)

See you on Tuesday for our next story (and don’t forget to read Part 1 of this question if you haven’t already: “How do I switch careers?”)

—Gorick

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*Grad school can set you back by $125,000 or more, although grants, scholarships, and other financial aid do exist. If money is a barrier—which is the case for most students—make sure to look for financial aid options before you apply.

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