Career Advancement or Career Change

What was the reason you went after your MBA?

Career Advancement or Career Change?

You may want to gain a position of greater responsibility in your current field. Or you may want to switch from one area of business to another-from marketing or sales to strategic planning or finance, for example. You could be looking to change your career path altogether. Using an M.B.A. to switch career focus is a typical strategy. Many people seek a management position after acquiring expertise in a different field altogether-such as nursing, teaching, performing arts, or engineering-because they want to shift to a management position in their area. An M.B.A. can help you make a major break or leap in your career path-with a concomitant leap in income. You may aspire to an area that "requires" an M.B.A. as an entry. An M.B.A. signals a prospective employer that you've got the knowledge and skills a demanding job requires, as well as persistence, energy, and even time-management skills to handle it.

So, was it Career Advancement, Career Change? Was it Pay? Was it specific management training?

I am sure the answer for most of us is all three. Now that you have your MBA have you achieved these things? How long would one expect to wait before these outcomes are realized?