<p>Hi, </p>
<p>I am currently just finishing up my computer science degree , I will graduate with around a 3.1 gpa(Top 10 School). I do know that I dont want to work in the technical field , and want to do an mba from a top 10 institution in the future. </p>
<p>I have a couple of admission offers in hand for a Masters in Computer Science , and a job offer as well, I dont really know what would be better for my career in the long run since I do not want to end up in a technical field.</p>
<p>So my question to you guys is , is it possible to work with a B grade company in a completely technical job for a couple of years and still manage to get into a top 10 MBA , or it would be wiser to take a Masters degree from a decent(Top 20) school and hope to find a company of better repute. As I said before , I am not looking for a techincal position in the long run , but as of now my options seem limited.</p>
<p>I did not want to name specifics in my post , but if anyone of you want to PM me I shall be more than happy to tell you the companies and schools I am looking at. </p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>What kind of masters degree would you be taking from a top 20 school? </p>
<p>Most, if not all, top 20 business schools will require that you have several years of experience prior to attending. I would recommend getting that experience first, whether it be technical or not. You could get a technical job and then move to a less technical role. For the last 2 years I was in IT, but my job was mainly dealing with vendors, customers, and project management.</p>
<p>Also, if you can think of any crazy things to get into like full-time non-profit work that would help your application.</p>
<p>The masters degree I have an offer for is in Computer Science. </p>
<p>I know I need to get as much industry experience I can , but at the same time I am concerned that working with just any employer will hurt my chances for a top 10 MBA. </p>
<p>I do intend work after my masters degree , but I am concerned whether taking up any job would be a good idea as compared to doing a masters at a school of some repute (even though it may be completely technical) and then going to work somewhere.</p>
<p>As for your last suggestion , unfortunately I am an international student and short on cash , so I cant really afford that option :( !</p>
<p>I just don't understand why you would waste the extra time/money on a career that you do not want. If this will provide you some additional satisfaction (ie spending more time in school and getting a job you like) that's one thing. However, if this is just a means to better position yourself for business school, I think it's a waste of time (unless you will ensure yourself of a mgt position after receiving a Masters).</p>
<p>What kind of jobs offers do you have and how do these compare with the type of job offers you could get with a Masters in CS?</p>
<p>Well the idea of doing a Masters is just like you said , to get some time so that I get a job that I like, at the same time strengthening my position for a business school later on.</p>
<p>As of now I have pure technical jobs (Software Programmer , Software Engineer) , but I am more interested in Business Analyst, Program Manager, System Analyst, Consultant sort of roles which would be more suited for what I want to do and which I can get with a Masters in CS.</p>
<p>If you have already received offers (or are interviewing) I would ask them if there are opportunities to move into other roles (specifically, less technical roles). Unless it's a hardcore engineering company, there are probably plenty of opportunities to move to a less technical role (if you are a good communicator). Most people I've seen do move to less technical roles (which is why there is a higher demand for programmers).</p>
<p>I was hired straight out of college with 21 other new highers. Most of us were MIS majors. The managers probably didnt' have a clue as to what half of us would be doing (they were just asked if they wanted college grads and they told the recruiting department: "Yeah! Give me a java developer"). </p>
<p>I was recruited to do Java but I didn't do any Java until I was there for 2 years. Then, when I didn't like Java, I was able to transition out of it within 1 year (without even leaving my team).</p>
<p>If you want a consulting job and can't get one right now, then obviously you should get your Masters. However, if you are just trying to set yourself up for an MBA, the work experience is most important and it's quite likely you can get project mgt or analyst experience at the companies you have offers from.</p>