An MBA, or Master of Business Administration, is a course designed to teach students about business and management techniques, such as finance, accounting, statistics and marketing. Having an MBA on your CV will give you access to jobs with a higher salary, and is a clear indication that you are a hard working, committed individual. Some studies have shown that employees with an MBA can earn up to 50% more than those without the qualification. You should usually only consider taking an MBA course if you have prior work experience, with 2 years being an often quoted figure. It may be possible to do an MBA straight after graduation, but this is unusual and will not stand you in such good stead in the future, as most employers like to see a combination of previous experience and an MBA. A common piece of advice is to do an MBA because you are interested in the course material, and want to learn and expand your own horizons, not because you want a pay rise. Remember that you are not going to step out of university with an MBA and walk straight into the post of managing director. If you are prepared to take the time out of your career, work hard and learn new skills, and then continue to work hard when you get back to the business world, an MBA could make a world of difference. If you just want to take some time out and relive your college days, the chances are a new qualification won’t help you as much as you may like.

Earning an MBA (Master in Business Administration) qualification is an achievement that is recognised all over the world and will do your career no end of good. In fact, some studies have shown up to a 50% increase in salary after receiving an MBA! However, many applicants make the fatal mistake of not having done nearly enough preparation. Applying for an MBA course is not the same as applying for a normal degree. When you applied to do your degree, you spent time writing about what you had accomplished at school. When you apply for your MBA, the focus has to be on what you have done since school, and for that reason, you need to start preparing for your application months, if not years, ahead of time. The first thing you need to decide is which school to apply for. If you already have a job and want to keep the job while you study part time, you will probably be looking at local universities and colleges, although you could consider a distance learning course. Have a look online for the league tables to get an idea of which schools have the highest student satisfaction. Make sure you visit the school and chat to current students, as well as meeting the people who will potentially become you course-mates. Ensure your CV is up to date, and bring it to your interview, if you have one. Chances are that you have experience with interviews, but make sure you prepare yourself well, as this is the main chance for the admissions team to really see what you are capable of. The belief of most schools is “if you have done great things before, you can do them again in the future”, so make sure you really emphasise your professional achievements, and you should have no problem!