Let me be brutally honest here and ask some tough questions based on my own personal experience. Then I'll share my feedback.
--: Thank you very much and this is one of the right approach to get the fact out rather than goody goody lip services. I appreciate that. Let me try to address each and every question to the best of my knowledge. And I will not bit around the bushes!! I will be brutally direct too!!
1- You mentioned you're a non-EU. Non EU is a big group. Are you a White Australian or Black Sudanese? Sorry to sound racist. Believe me world is not colorblind. No matter how we wish it to be
--: I agree with your point and I know what you really meant. I am an Asian, non native English speaker and need "visa" for almost all countries. The "Non-EU" was mentioned to highlight that I will require work authorisation for any damn place!!
2- If you are a non-EU, do you've any sort of residency/work authorization in EU/EC.
--: No, I I will require work authorisation for almost all countries.
3- How do you define General Management? In my opinion and experience, MBA is not needed to progress in General Management. You need to have number of other factors and MBA is at last. I only know one school, IMD, which harps about it.
--: General Management is a big area, in simple word, Jack of all and master of none!! You need that kind of broader views and perspective when you move up and manage finance, operation, technology, etc under you. You need not be a finance whizkid but you must know the fundamentals to get the best out of your teams that are full of experts in various areas. Your job is to get the things done by the expert.
4- You mentioned you're working in an interesting domain. Are you really interested in career switch, function switch within the same domain i.e. what are you really aiming? You did not mention the domain so it's really difficulty to share any further feedback.
--: My domain is very small and very regulated/controlled. I would love to be in my own domain but scope of MBA in my domain is very limited. For simplicity assume Government. So to widen my career search, I would broaden to supply chain management or even to core sectors as those are fundamentally the same.
5- You mentioned about large number of IT/Indian students. You'll find them everywhere in every school. If you've seen school sites which share their students profile, you can see it yourself. Again IMD is one example. Although IMD limits the number of students from each nationality, you can still find Indians who will have US/AU/NZ/UK citizenship.
--: Yes true but it depends on the extend. Some schools last year did the blunder and almost half of the students were from one area. I guess more than 15% from one area or one domain is not a good sign. Over 30% is an alarm sign, does not matter even if the remaining 70% comes from 70 different countries.
6- Whenever I read ROI on a posting, I interpret it as the person wants to recover his/her MBA tuition fee+Opportunity Cost as soon as possible. In my observation, it's really link to pt 1, 2.
--: I have more important selection criteria than ROI.
7- The problem is compounded if you've taken tuition fee loan. It will be a nightmare to recover your MBA opportunity cost if you've to work in a 3rd world country on a local package after your MBA. I know a few cases.
--: If you voluntarily choose a 3rd world country on a local package, probably ROI may not be at the top of your mind. But if you are left with no other option but forced to opt for such an option, then there is some real issue. I am precisely trying to eliminate any possibilities of that happening at this stage. I do agree there are many uncertainties but I would like to identify the known issues atleast and accordingly take my decision.
8- To limit the damage to their reputation, some expensive and highly ranked schools are very careful selecting the students. For one example, I've observed a number of INSEAD graduates from subcontinent who have either dual nationality or work authorization/residency in a developed country. Go figure what does that mean.
--: I do understand what you mean. Ranking means business!!
9- Have you ever worked in an MNC in two different countries? If yes, you can figure how this question relates to career in General Management being an alien/foreigner.
--: Yes, I do and I know the extra effort you have to put to make it happen. And believe me, the extra effort is required during the initial period. Once you are proven, you are no more an alien. And yes, localisation of communication makes a huge difference.
10- Are you "dying" to work in UK after MBA?
--: NO, I am not dying to work anywhere. I am mobile for career progression. I would rather prefer to join a relatively low paying job, in a least attractive place BUT with the best career progression visible in 3-5 years time. I work for long term.
11- If you have traveled extensively, you should know middle east is a dumping ground of MBAs from Europe in general and from INSEAD and LBS in particular. Although you don't care about ranking, tell me how you'll convince a hiring manager that he should hire you as MBA from MBS instead of an MBA from INSEAD/LBS. Middle eastern sheiks are suckers for "grand" rankings and "beauty"....MNCs/Consultancies know it very well and also exploit it well. If you've been there, you'll also know it.
--: Linked to the above answer. I work for long term. Long term career visibility is important to me, not immediate Carrot or bonus. I liked your mention of "beauty" but then again, thats the reality ... and I am not going to Bangkok soon!!
12- I mentioned the previous point as I've seen many such cases and I feel sorry for them....but who said world just/fair.
--: There are different people with different objectives. Some are looking for quick win and some work hard for sustainable wins!! I fall on the secon category.
13- I read your objective. From your post i know you're 30+ (it can be 31 or it can be 39). In my observation, age is not the issue in general management. It matters only in consulting or some banking domains where boss needs a lot of young sheep in form MBA to sacrifice.
--: No dear, it matters a hell lot. Why do you think some of the ranked schools are scared to even interview 'aged' candidates. One main reason is, their career team had to work extra hard to find a suitable match. One of my friend is going through this phase now. Recruiters generally visits schools for entry level positions. Most of the time, they are not the right person to recruit relatively senior position.
14- From your post, placement is important for you. I can understand the financial commitments at the age of 30+. There is nothing much school can do no matter what school says. Your visa will be processed by UKBA and it will be your employer who would have to follow up with UKBA. I don't see school involved in the whole process. Getting first round interview should not be a problem. It would be later stages that would decide your fate with particular employer.
--: Not really. Visa processing is the final touch and in reality the least problematic area. The starting point is the contacts. You have to establish connection at the right level and continously keep on banging. Career section plays a caring role to connect you to the right lead. yes, you can generate your own lead but more fruitful leads will be generated from the career sections.
15- Now the brutal fact. I myself carry a passport which needs visa for every country I travel. I'm always "randomly" picked from the queue for questioning. For most countries where my employer has offices, I cannot get work visa. I just travel on short term business visas. My employer hates it but I still have something extra to offer and so far it has not find my suitable replacement. I run 3 international offices on my business visas. Just to avoid this trouble, I only hire staff who are either locals/residents or have preferential work visa treatment. I think you get my point.
--: Yes, I fully understand what you mean and I myself does the same. It is not about real hassel but it is more like percieved hassel and a feeling of being constraint by mobility of my staff ..... and then that common human behavior, why do extra?
16- Ranking, strength of MBA networking, school brand name in the region do matter. I still ride on the ranking of my undergrad university.
--: Yes, true but when both are almost equally ranked, the practical differences are not really visible on the ground.
Thank you very much for your insightful sharing. I have tried to add my views against each and every point that you rightfully pointed out. Now may I ask for your opinions please?
I truly believe you are not the person who ask brutal question to discourage people. I would love to believe that you are the person who goes beyond the surface, who ask brutal question to get the deeper insights and then advice based on complete information.
I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts and views.
Please feel free to ask for any further clarification if that helps you to form your opinion.