Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp

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Joined: 11 Jun 2012

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Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp [#permalink]

27 Aug 2012, 18:34

Hi!

I am hoping I can get some career path advice from someone who has possibly been down this path himself/herself or knows someone who has.

I am a 30 yr old with a B.E as well as M.S in electrical engineering. I have been working as operations engineer for an oilfield service company based out of houston for over 5 years and am applying for a Rice MBA this fall. I have been asked multiple times as to how do I think an MBA (and the hefty financial burden it would require me to assume) would help my career. The only answers I have had to that question are generic in nature - it help me network with other oilfield professionals in Houston, equip me with better analytical and strategic skills, etc.

Where I fail to answer this question is - what type of career path can one expect to have post MBA - given the type of background I have. I would like to work in some type of consulting capacity within the oilfield/energy industry. But I'm not sure if jobs like those even exist and if they do - how to begin looking for them.

Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Harnam.

Joined: 08 Apr 2009

Posts: 1021

Concentration: General Management, Strategy

Schools: Duke (Fuqua) - Class of 2012

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Re: Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp [#permalink]

28 Aug 2012, 09:05

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This is a very important question to consider. The reason schools are asking you this is because they want you to think through the MBA investment. MBA can help open some doors, but it isn’t a magic ticket to senior management.

I didn’t recruit for oil and gas; however, I did get exposure to the oil & gas companies that recruited at Fuqua. The roles they are recruiting for are general finance related (controller, treasury, financial analyst) and management rotations. While there are energy consulting roles out there (Schlumberger), they look for O&G background. My perception is that the daily tasks are similar to what you would do as an engineer moving up in the company, in which case, an MBA is superfluous.

One suggestion that I have, is to talk with people in your company who has an MBA to get some clarity on opportunities available for MBAs in the industry. See what they feel the benefit of having an MBA is. Then ask yourself whether you think an MBA is necessary to get to where you want to be.
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Re: Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp [#permalink]

05 Oct 2012, 23:58

well done man !!!

Re: Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp [#permalink] 05 Oct 2012, 23:58

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	1	Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp	harnam	2	27 Aug 2012, 18:34

Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp

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Career Path advice for Engineer + energy MBA + oilfield exp

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