The Motivating Factor

Question

One thing that seriously disillusions me about the whole idea of an MBA as a whole, which is reflected in all related sites and communities, is the motivation for pursuing the MBA.

I believe firmly that the MBA is a fantastic qualification that can help entrepreneurs round their skills for future projects (offsetting the creativity and energy with some fiscal understanding), and also round people to enable them better in my future careers.

But in similar ways that information technology and its strengths lead to those who "PwNED wiv l33t h4x0r sk!llz", there are those that are persuing an MBA with little knowledge of where they want to work, or what they want to do other than "earn $$$$$$ x 10^7"

I mean, I have already acknowledged (and agreed with my best friend) that I am going to have some huge clashes of character at school, and mostly with this type of person. But, really can't there be a better reason of why to pay $200k to study for two years other than to get into VC, PE or whatever is the current bear for big money? Isn't there something these people actually want to do, rather than have a well paid job, and compensatory misery from an unhappy career?

It gets me, it really does. I suppose I should take comfort from the fact that doing a job well involves a level of care and enjoyment, and I hope that is something I will always have over them.

venky1979 · Answer

Humor intended: A lot of people are unhappy with quality of work in thier presnt job and the money that they get, so they do a MBA to switch to another industry and do a job which again they would be unhappy with

but with decent amount of money to ease the pain of unhappiness which is a better situation than the former :-D

johnnyx9 · Answer

Unfortunately I probably fall into the category of the person you are describing. Maybe not completely.

I guess I see a lucrative career as a means to an end. I talk about this with my friends all the time, I feel like I could do a lot more to help people if I were sorted away myself. So for that reason I want to make as much money as fast as possible so I can take on some philanthropic pursuits. I think I could do much more good that way, rather than being a cog in a benevolent machine.

I just can't think of too many business jobs that I would be passionate about. I certainly find business interesting and I enjoy talking with friends who are consultants and bankers and accountants and hearing about what they do, but at the end of the day I think most of them are like me, they're trying to save money for their future (house, kid's tuition, vacations etc...), they're not really passionate about their work So in that sense there is a money-motivation that really drives me more than the love of any particular business discipline.

I think the ones that are passionate about their work can be the scariest, like a Gordon Gecko type. 

As an undergrad I remember doing group-work with this kid who was planning on getting his MD and an MBA and he was totally unapologetic about the fact that he just wanted "power." Scary stuff. Then there were other kids in that group that enjoyed music, travelling, sports, literature, you know, the actual important stuff in life, and they were much more fun to hang out with, hopefully there's a lot of people like that at whatever b-school I end up at (i.e. the University of Phoenix Online).

venky1979 · Answer

To be more serious not every one has a high level vision of their career and as time progressess their needs and aspirations change 

MBA is an easy way out for people who are unhappy with current Industry, reached a career plateau etc etc.

Also When they switch to hot industries slike Vc, Consulting etc they are more l;ikely to get opportunities (example growth,formal leadership, Travel) then a well beaten industry. This inturn makes them happy atleast for couple of years to come.

I had been to tokyo, to an investment bank to do RA for my project and met some MBA with IT background prevously earning big fat salaries but cribbing the same cribs that a software engineer does in India but sitting on a mountain of money doing stuff which thier prveious jobs didnt allow them .

rhyme · Answer

I'm not sure I followed what you meant - but I am sort of the person you describe. I don't know exactly what I want to do - but I know I don't want to do something just to make money. It's not worth it. So, on the one hand, I dont know exactly what I want to do, but on the other hand I know I don't want to just pick something based on $$$$. In fact, I dont want IB at all. I might consider PE or VC because they sound interesting to me, but not IB. No way. I'd rather make less and have a life.

So, where do I fall on your hate-o-meter?

gmatclb · Answer

You just described 90%+ of your fellow students. Why will you have huge clashes with this type of character at school? I'm just curious. You just described me and I don't have a problem with you.

I want to have that well-paying job so I can do other things I enjoy. Just a guess, but I think most people go into IB so they can make some money for a few years and then move to something less demanding. That's why PE, VC, hedge funds, IM is so desireable, more so than IB and consulting. (from people that really know these fields) Comparable comp with less hours. I'm going to enjoy going to B school and will do everything to better myself in all facets of my life. But at the same time, I know B school is just that.... B school. It's not some promised land that changes people.

fluffydot · Answer

What the heck does PE and VC stand for? Project Engineer?

I think I also belong belong to this hatorade party... spend my last 8 years in computer science related school and work. Since working full time, I've become totally disallusioned about the whole industry.

I totally agree with u guys. Unless I can achieve my childhood dream of becoming a ninja assassin, I'm pretty much not going to be enjoying what I'm doing. So should I grind it out in IT for 5% raise every year? or go into finance, sell a few years of my life for a boat load of cash?

I choose door #2

venky1979 · Answer

PE stands most probable Private Equity (not sure though)
VC venture capital

3underscore · Answer

OK, as ever I was possibly too loosely defined on my wrath here, and a few people explaining things that I wouldn't term to apply as my frustration. I would be very surprised if I found a major percentage falling into this grouping.

What my main target is here is the group of people who are committed 100% solely to a job that pays lots. Truly deciding an approach of "noone can like work. It can only be eased by being paid more for being there. I want the job that will pay me the most, quickest, and then I can stop".

There are a few points that come into this - the how much money to stop you from going to business school, the retirement age, this that and the other. I have no interest in retirement, and I have everything focused toward a career that I expect I will enjoy, and have worked to contribute toward in most my moves to date. I would say an MBA is to grease the cogs that don't turn so easily, and maybe manouvre a little in my case.

I understand people want to change career through MBAs. I just feel the aim of being purely highly paid is an aim that doesn't correlate well with a person. There must be some driver beyond wealth - after all, wealth is a fiat currency only determined as important by perception, so in reality can disappear through many means beyond. 

At times there seems far more a focus on the actual settlement, the first derivative, rather than the initial function. And some people seem to judge their full utility of work as being a 

U(job) = wealth. 

This is what most seems hard for me to come to terms with. Maybe it is the way people speak loosely (much as the way the original post has provoked several to believe it may apply when it was not so intended). But it would stand to figure that some people want a job that is purely seen as desirable to other people, while only having alterior benefits for themselves.

It is a bit like wanting any job at Renco, purely to be one of the number at Renco. When, in reality, you would be a cleaner there, all be it a well paid one. Maybe this is in part my academic mind running free a little, as I strive a job that means my mind doesn't run idle (and the whole study post grad will hopefully get me there).

I am rambling. I will have to come back to this tomorrow, as I need to sort out dinner.

lepium · Answer

Hey! Keep me out of that bag. I intend to focus on business development in developing countries in the corporate world, first and as an entrepreneur, later. No PE, IB, MC or any other "hot job" for me. I believe I can make enough $$ to get a positive ROI and definitely will need my MBA to transition into full-time entrepreneur at some point (and to teach at university level when I retire from full time working at 45 - 50)

Cheers. L.

lhotseface · Answer

I am also planning to pursue e-ship out of school. Ideally, I would like to start a company out of b-school or work in a small early-stage startup in a buisness development role. No IB or MC for me. If you finding me doing one of those, shoot me. I think if you really love what you do, you will really be successful and also make a lot of money. Sounds ultra cheesy but that resonates with me. If I take money out of the equation, MB or IB hold no appeal for me. VC is interesting but it is easier to break in to it as a successul entrepreneur than as a freshly minted MBA.

necromonger · Answer

Someone I knew long ago used to say "If I have to be married and unhappy I'd rather marry someone rich and be unhappy" :)

I too probably fit your hate-bracket. But when we plan for an MBA, it often is

a) A desire to do something different than what we are doing now
b) Desire to escape stagnation and avail a field with more opportunities
c) and Make money.

Personally, I have always enjoyed my work - partly because my company gave me many good chances. But I've reached a point where I don't see much satisfaction in continuing to do what I am doing, and my niche is narrow. No matter where I go, I might end up doing something very similar. My way to move away from that is to do an MBA and (hopefully) using my skills learnt I can get myself into other interesting positions and along with it, give my family and myself a good lifestyle. Why would that be wrong?

aaudetat · Answer

I feel your pain, 3underscore. 

A long while ago some 'clubbers were speculating that the b-school curriculum isn't all that great, and that some of them were really doing it for the money and the network (which would likely lead to more money). It was late and I was stressed and out came a big fat rant that ended with 

 I will be sorely disappointed if the curriculum is meaningless and if I have to spend all day every day with a bunch of people who are constantly calculating the ROI of what they have for lunch.  

But here's what I decided - even people who are doing it for the money aren't robots. They'll have partners, dogs, hobbies, and love the same sports team (singer, movie, whatever) that you do. And after visiting a number of schools and hanging out with other applicants, I also realized that there really is a lot of diversity in the student body. But some days I am sure I will feel like the odd one out.

johnnyx9 · Answer

There are definitely going to be jackasses at b-school, I think I have a better idea of what 3underscore is getting at now that I've read some other posts, I guess the types of jobs he talks about like PE and VC have a higher proportion of jackasses than many other fields.

There will be people at business school that are like, "Hey guys want to grab lunch? Okay great. Wow, it's weird being on a budget now, I have to really think about what I buy for lunch, back at Goldman when I was knocking down 200G's a year I could afford to eat gold and sh*t silver, know what I mean?! I mean my apartment building doesn't even have a doorman, totally slumming it right? Oh man, you know what we should do this weekend, we should totally go to Cannes. You want to book it? Let's book it, it'll be awesome, look I'm taking out my Blackberry now and I'm going to find us tickets and book it, look, I'm using my Blackberry and I'm finding us tickets...this thing sucks, I'm going to get a Treo first thing tomorrow..."

My friends in b-school complain about these types, and I guess its just something you have to expect. The thing is 3underscore, you shouldn't sweat it because as much as these people p*ss me off too, you can't let it get to you because they're idiots and everyone knows they're idiots, and on some level these idiots know that they're idiots too, so by "clashing" with them and letting them know they're idiots just sort causes you unnecessary stress. You just have to sit back and laugh at these people and not let them bother you.

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