William Raeber ⋅ Saint Louis, MO Sigma-Aldrich ⋅ 26 years experience

Hi Master Chief,

Thank you for your service. I retired from the Navy after 24 years of service in 2012. I graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School with an MBA in May of 2014. I did a lot of research regarding MBA programs before I retired. If you are looking for work which requires an MBA, you need to get your MBA from a top-tier school. The benefits of an MBA are the not the business classes. The benefits of your MBA come from the networking and how the business classes are taught. Finance is Finance. Accounting is Accounting. Accounting at Harvard is not the same as Accounting at Excelsior or Thomas Edison. Your MBA should come with a strong alumni network and a close knit group of friends who shared your MBA experience with you. This network and the reputation of the network are what drive the value of your MBA.

Get your PMP done. If you want an MBA, go to a top-tier school with an Executive MBA program or go through a full-time MBA program, but don't bother with online MBA programs or local unaccredited MBA programs.

Kindest Regards,
Tod

Wendy Murphy ⋅ Asheville, NC IBM ⋅ 30 years experience

I'm a Navy vet, with an MBA and a PMP; and I would recommend taking the test. Write if you have questions.

Gary Krasovic ⋅ Harrisburg, PA IBM ⋅ 25 years experience

To add to the previous comments, if you've already got your PMP coursework done, that's the quickest route to some resume candy.

I will say that the MBA will open more doors for you overall than the PMP would, particularly after you've established a good resume. The PMP certification is definitely a plus, but unless you're looking to get into project management with little experience, or get into an organization that requires it, it's not necessary.

That said, as others have mentioned, many organizations will pay some/all of your graduate degree costs, so it is likely a better financial decision to wait on starting the MBA until you're employed, and concentrate on finishing your PMP now.

Best of luck in your endeavors!

Joseph Murphy ⋅ Millbrook, NY New York State Department of Corrections and Community Service ⋅ 6 years experience

Tyrone,

I agree with the two previous answers. Follow-up on the PMP first. It's a certification currently in demand. As for the MBA, I'll speak from personal experience. Wait until you,ve established yourself with a company. Unless you're going to obtain an MBA degree from a top-tier school (Harvard, Wharton, Columbia) I would hold off making that investment prior to commiting to a company that values those skills. Please accept this as only my opinion, since I'm sure there will be other factors in your final decision. Best of luck.

V/R,

Joe Murphy

Brian Fox ⋅ Voorhees, NJ SURGE / Personal Clients ⋅ 31 years experience

Hello Tyrone,

You've been very wise in planning for a career after you've retired from the military. Since you've already completed your PMP courses, I would reiterate that you should heed Sarah's advice and obtain the certification since it will be quicker to achieve (and place on your resume) than the MBA. As she mentioned, many corporations will actually pay for your courses to earn the MBA as long as you achieve grades at a certain level, and based upon your post, I'm certain that won't be a problem.

Good luck, my friend!

Brian Fox

Sarah Vega ⋅ Morrisville, NC Independent Consultant ⋅ 20 years experience

Wow, you have great credentials!! Technology skills, creative thinking around energy, management and project discipline are all in great demand. I would suggest you finish up the PMP, find an organization that you believe in and pursue a career there. Then when you have been hired, you can finish your MBA and possibly have some of that paid for by your new employer. Really important to get in with a company that aligns with your values and whose mission and culture you can really get excited about.

I hope this is helpful,
Sarah