Once could make the argument that having an MBA is actually a hinderance in tech...
Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
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Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#12>> "Sandberg suggested a career in tech might not even be necessary to catch Facebook’s attention. “We don't look for a specific background or skill-set when we make hiring decisions,” she wrote. “As my friend and Instagram COO Marne Levine says, we hire athletes and cross-train them.” So how does one interpret this? It sounds like she doesn't really have a good idea as to what makes a great employee, and falls back…
"So how does one interpret this? It sounds like she doesn't really have a good idea as to what makes a great employee, and falls back to magic catch phrases [...]"
How is that your interpretation? She's making a perfectly valid, and fairly common, point: as long as you're smart and talented, your specific background isn't so relevant because we can teach you the specific technologies you need.
I think most developers will agree to this to some extent.
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#13Once could make the argument that having an MBA is actually a hinderance in tech...
Do you have something substantive to add to the discussion, instead of simply offering a baseless semi-insult?
You might even be right, but just writing it without any supporting evidence isn't adding much to this discussion.
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#14Once could make the argument that having an MBA is actually a hinderance in tech...
I don't know that more education is necessarily a bad thing. For a startup it's the opportunity cost of someone who has spent several years in an MBA program that makes that candidate unattractive.
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#15I'm in startup tech, I have an MBA, and I agree. The qualification itself is largely irrelevant. More to the point, most of what I was taught in my MBA course is irrelevant to a bootstrapping startup using Lean/Customer Development methods.
There are MBA programs that claim to be entrepreneurial-focused. Do you think they could be worthwhile?
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#16>> "Sandberg suggested a career in tech might not even be necessary to catch Facebook’s attention. “We don't look for a specific background or skill-set when we make hiring decisions,” she wrote. “As my friend and Instagram COO Marne Levine says, we hire athletes and cross-train them.” So how does one interpret this? It sounds like she doesn't really have a good idea as to what makes a great employee, and falls back…
Can you suggest some books? I would be interested to read them.
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#17I wonder if she would still become COO of Facebook without Harvard MBA and all the oportunities resulted from it. MBA is probably really not necessary, but if you have the oportunity to do one on a top school, it may open some doors and expand your network. At least it has no negative effects (if you can efford it). Especially if you have technical background and want to move to management position. It simply diversi…
Yes, someone saying something is unnecessary in a given context, while they possess that thing, which may or may not have helped them getting where they are in that very context causes some cognitive dissonance.
I actually agree with her, however, I wonder whether she'd be where she is how having had listened to her own advice.
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#18Most people with a top-tier MBA would never wanna work in tech. Sure, it may seem interesting to be an executive in Facebook, but that is not nearly as lucrative (and interesting) as working in trades or billion dollars deals in finance.
I believe tech has been competing pretty well against Management consulting and investment banking for top mba grads.
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#19I wonder if she would still become COO of Facebook without Harvard MBA and all the oportunities resulted from it. MBA is probably really not necessary, but if you have the oportunity to do one on a top school, it may open some doors and expand your network. At least it has no negative effects (if you can efford it). Especially if you have technical background and want to move to management position. It simply diversi…
Just make sure you went to an elite school, preferably Stanford or MIT.
Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech
#20I guess an MBA is more for networking and opening doors, and not necessarily for important job skills.