Korean Job Discussion Forums

[KoreanNam]

Has anyone received a MBA from either of these schools or currently attending one of their programs? Please PM me because I am trying to decide which one I should attend for the upcoming summer/fall semester. Thanks.

[DaeSung]

I believe there are a number of posters that have done global MBA's at one of those programs. If you are only interested in one of those two programs I hope someone PMs you with more information. That being said if you are interested in getting an MBA in general some more background info would be helpful in giving advice or making suggestions.

If you fall into the profile of a �typical� MBA student and are from the states you might want to consider going somewhere else, if you are from another country (UK, Canada, wherever� you might want to consider going back there to get your MBA). A large portion of the value of an MBA comes from your network and which companies know about and respect your MBA program. At least in finding your first job, after the first job it probably goes back to work experiences, network, and then which school you went to.

I was working in Korea for a Korean company but wanted to make a transition back to the states so we decided on a program here. That being said I was offered interviews with a number of Korean companies for positions in Korea due to my work experience. I would like to return to Korea/Asia in the future, but I don�t want to come back as a 대리/과장 (which is where a lot of companies will start you). I also don�t really want to work for a Korean company right now, mainly because the no. 1 question I got while working for a Korean company was how do they do this in America. I will finish up my program this next semester and then be moving out to the bay area to work for a tech company. The plan is in 5 to 10 years be back in Asia running the �business� for a fortune 100 company (probably closer to 10 years ^^). I felt that as a foreigner working for a Korean company they would never let me run the �business� anywhere unless I worked outside the company and they brought me in.

Not sure what your plans are for after the MBA but I would seriously consider getting a degree at a respectable program back home, wherever home maybe� and if you think the programs in Korea are better than they are back home consider going to a better program in the UK, Canada, Japan, the U.S., Europe� somewhere that is generally more respected internationally. If your plan is to stay and work in Korea then maybe you do just want to get a global MBA in Korea. But my guess is you�d be better off doing it somewhere else if you are not Korean, Gyopo, planning on staying in Korea (at least in the short term), just going because it�s the only program you can get into, or already have great work experience and are just looking for a pretty easy way to boost your resume.

On the getting an MBA in general, my experience has been very positive and it has already started to open doors for me. I'm not going to Harvard or Wharton but I interview for the same positions against their grads. My suggestion is to get into the best program you can. If thats a top 10, shoot for top 10, if its top 25 shoot for top 25 (very little difference in jobs, huge difference in "prestige")...

Sorry for the novel, just my 2 cents.

[pkang0202]

I got my MBA from Sejong-Syracuse program.

Some people may dog the program, but I think its better than Seoul/Yonsei's MBA program.

1. Syracuse Professors actually TEACH. They don't stand in the front of the class and read PPT's verbatim.

2. AACSB Accredited.

3. All English all the time.

4. Active Student Union

5. CEO of Doosan and CEO of Caffe Bene are SSMBA alums. Plenty of successful expats in Seoul are also alums of the SSMBA program.

6. Truely international program. Students hail from France, Germany, Ghana, Sudan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Algeria, Afghanistan, US, Canada, China, etc....

7. 3.5 Million won a semester, 15 million won total. (~$15,000). $15,000 would only be 1 semester at a US MBA program.

8. Classes are 2 nights a week, and on Saturday so you don't have to quit your day job.


Some people may disagree with me. I'm just throwing the SSMBA out there as another option.

[eb]

Hi,

http://www.anaheim.edu. Supposdly, they have a very very Global-based MBA program. However, procceed with caution as I am NOT 100% sure of it's legimacty. If you glance at the faculity and MBA student profiles,
you will see a HUGE LIST of Ivey League PHD and major major global company holders ( Deutche bank, Citi, Hewlett-Packerd, Fidelty,Goldman Sachs Investments,Dell Audi-Korea, and etc). It is really hard to believe that something with that much oppurtuntiy would come at such a cheap and reasonable price ( it's only 10,000 dallors).

You also don't need any business experience to get into the MBA program. Nice of them,but once again it is hard to believe. I have never meet/seen ANY alumni either, even when I live right down the Street from an Audi Korea Plant ( supposdly a major major Alumni based company in ( Duluth, GA).

Also, I think the majority of people are either in Silcion Valley or Tokyo, so take that into account. It might have more pull in one of those places.

[decolyon]

MBA's are so ubiquitous these days, everyone and their brother has one. So much so, that the quality of them all are roughly the same, minus some extreme exceptions like Wharton on one end and U. of Phoenix on the other.

So, what you're paying time and money for isn't necessarily the quality of the degree, but the network that comes with it as well as the name on the paper. Sadly, it tends to matter less about what your learned and more about who you met and the prestige of the school you met them at.

Having all that said, if your plan is to work and put in the time in a Korean company, then an MBA at any of the top Korean schools will be well worth your while. Especially if you learn to speak Korean at a near native or at the very least business level. You might find you're not exactly doing the work you planned, but executive translators and foreign liaisons need the skills and knowledge that come with an MBA as well as the cultural context that comes from being a foreigner here for several years.

Now, translating that MBA back to America (or wherever you're from) might be much more difficult. There will be a few places for you in American companies that have offices or do business in Korea, but in general the quality of your Korean MBA will be looked down upon versus the level in the States. At that point, it will become more about work experience rather than school, so let's hope you really shined at your first gig or two after graduation.

So, if you plan on putting down roots here, taking a Korean wife and setting up shop for the long haul, then an MBA here (even at Sejong - which no offense, isn't generally looked well upon even by Koreans) can grant you access to a decent salary (enough to support your family on) one of those swanky new apartments in Jamsil, and a brand new Hyundai fresh off the lot. But if you're planning on trying to do corporate work back home int he future, you might want to consider heading back State-side or even to Europe. American MBAs, especially from top tier schools, are looked on much more favorably than those gotten elsewhere.

[eb]

I know and Wharton isn't even on the top 10 list. ( at least not for 2010)

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/rankings

I did find an old list from 2002,where is was ranked #5, but like doclyon stated everything has just become so ubiquous now.

[decolyon]

[eb]

Ok. But, don't put it in the same category as Harverd or Yale.
Flashy Clubs? They are Ivy League Schools'.I didn't go ( and probably couldn't get into) either, but c'mon, man. Get real with yourself. Yeah, and there are two schools' ranked under #5 ( that is why it was over- looked).

Congrats to your Pompatus a****

[decolyon]

[eb]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok if you say so. We don't have control over the rankings', so really there is not much to say about it.

It is where it is for whatever reason and sure it is a very good school.

[sirius black]

I also think it depends on what you want to do. If you're trying to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company then a top or good MBA is worth it.
Nowadays (at least in the states), a BS/BA degree is like what a HS diploma was 30 or 40 years ago. Everyone has one. Customer service jobs which used to be a place for HS diplomas and AA degrees now have 4 year degree holders at those jobs.
A MBA, any MBA is good nowadays just to distinguish yourself from the millions of 4 year degree holders. If you have a fairly extensive work experience then the quality of the MBA isn't as important I think.
Again, it depends on what you're trying to do. I think for the average worker with a BS and a fairly good work history and just wants to get a decent job and be ahead of most job seekers, then just about any MBA will do.
Univ of Phoenix was looked down upon and not accepted years ago and is now seen as legit.
Employers look at work experience. If they have to fill a position they want to know you can come in and do the job. A BS is a requirement nowadays and a graduate degree shows you're serious. I'd be willing to bet a lot of the HR people who are doing the screening nowadays have went to some of these 'lesser' schools. There aren't a lot of Wharton MBAs sifting through resumes at some small to medium sized company that has a 30k to 40k job to offer.

[dhop545]

Your Mom goes to college......

[sirius black]

[eb]

I was thinking of Northwestern ( #4), but the rankings' aren't always
consisitent from year to year. Plus, having no business experience, it might not be the best idea to shell out 50,000 for the program. It's a real catch 22, as more advancement=Higher Degree. However, then you still need like 5 years + experience. So then you become too overqualifed for entry-level (30,000-40,000) and too underqualified for mid- high level ( 50,000-70,000).

Speaking of High-Ranked Schools, I wonder how Ivey League Status' are determined?

[sirius black]

If you're going for a job that you're vastly overqualified for and in risk of not getting it, why not leave it out of the application. Okay, technically, you've 'lied' on your application for leaving it out but I would sleep easy at the omission.

I would wonder though if you were looking for a promotion and said you had a MBA how you'd explain NOT putting it on your original job application?