MBA or NOT

[Garlickbred]

A big thanks at the outset to any responses. I'm hoping the repository of intellect here can help guide me and others in a similar position in the right direction. Here's my deal:

30 yrs old, recently moved to SG and working in the FO of a big Inv Bank in sales and trading. My background is in equity deriv sales, then transitioned into trading (market making) and now back to sales again, but Fixed Income. My client base has always been Hedge Funds.

Thing is, I dont see this as a long term career trade for a plethora of reasons I wont get into, main ones being lifestyle and job satisfaction. What I have been considering for a while now is the prospect of work with development banks such as Asia Dev Bank or perhaps the World Bank even.

Sadly, their business models have little room for the likes of me and my experience from what I've heard and gathered. Which leads to me think, a post graduate degree is in order, albiet a little late in life. While consensus thought leads me toward an MBA, a masters in Macro Economics seems more appropriate considering the above organizations deal with social and economic growth in Asia via loans to underdeveloped countries.

Was wondering what people on here thought? MBA, MSC Economics or perhaps neither? (I should be so lucky!) Thanks again for any input.

[Peruvia]

With your background - I'd go for Econs if i had to choose from the 2. =)

[Garlickbred]

Thx Peruvia. I'm leaning away from the MBA as well. Not too keen on the GMAT

[irvine]

I would go for Master in Econs as well. Simply to be more 'specialize', and also there are already tons of MBAs out there.

In Singapore, it's better to be special than to be generic.

[Peruvia]

Yea kinda. I'm doing my MBA while working now but only because my jobscope is very wide & it's good to know a bit of everything, like from a bird's eye view.

I may want to do something more specialized after i'm done with this this year.. But that's only if i'm not chasing my dreams yet & still staying in the industry.

[Strong Eagle]

Aside from the degree questions, both of the banks you mentioned are incredibly bureaucratized. They have to be. Grant processes go through the most arcane vetting steps that would make even the most brain dead bean counter groan in pain. Awards of contracts make US federal gov't process look like a give away. Again, politics and the potential for fraud and double dealing make it necessary, if not ugly.

Only saying that while you have a laudable goal, be sure to analyze your tolerance for working within a tightly confined system. I had once thought about offering my skills as a vendor... when I received a 300 page information package, and a 30 page preliminary application package, I knew that wasn't the route for me.

[ceej1979]

A big thanks at the outset to any responses. I'm hoping the repository of intellect here can help guide me and others in a similar position in the right direction. Here's my deal:

30 yrs old, recently moved to SG and working in the FO of a big Inv Bank in sales and trading. My background is in equity deriv sales, then transitioned into trading (market making) and now back to sales again, but Fixed Income. My client base has always been Hedge Funds.

Thing is, I dont see this as a long term career trade for a plethora of reasons I wont get into, main ones being lifestyle and job satisfaction. What I have been considering for a while now is the prospect of work with development banks such as Asia Dev Bank or perhaps the World Bank even.

Sadly, their business models have little room for the likes of me and my experience from what I've heard and gathered. Which leads to me think, a post graduate degree is in order, albiet a little late in life. While consensus thought leads me toward an MBA, a masters in Macro Economics seems more appropriate considering the above organizations deal with social and economic growth in Asia via loans to underdeveloped countries.

Was wondering what people on here thought? MBA, MSC Economics or perhaps neither? (I should be so lucky!) Thanks again for any input.

On another note, I find it comforting that these thought processes exist, no matter what level of business success you achieve.

I find myself having the same thoughts - but I'm more like "I wonder if I should re-do my Maths a-level"

[Garlickbred]

Goals are very subjective, but finding the right balance between financial security and reaching Maslow's apex is a tough one for many. The few whom I know to have done just that are entrepreneurs and they seem satisfied with themselves. I would need a substantial financial buffer prior to leaving the industry I'm currently in, hopefully that will not take more than 2 good financial cycles from this point. NUS offers a Masters in Business strategy and policy with a focus on the fields of strategy, international business, economics, and business law. Worth considering?

Strong Eagle points out certain beauraucratic shortcomings of the abovementioned organizations and I'm unsure as to how much of that spills over into the internal work dynamic. Arguably stringent controls are needed when dealing with external vendors and such but it would be quite another issue if implemented internally with equal force.