say you're a hiring manager

[M2d]

You have two candidates. One has no experience in the field, and the other has loads plus an MBA (MBA does not apply to this field, but his undergraduate degree and career experience do).

You interview the second candidate and love him. You think that his personality fits in well with the whole team, and his experience and areas of expertise fill gaps in your department. Additionally, you department is structured such that it operates fine at the current company size, but is destined to break down if the company grows, and the company is projected to more than triple in the next ten years. The second candidate comes from a company that went through a similar growth, and he was a part of successfully changing the department to a more universal structure.

Why the hell, oh hiring manager, would you select the first candidate? Do you really think that "he has an MBA, so he's going to jump ship at the first opportunity" is what your department needs?

just venting

and, no, I don't think an MBA is the be all end all. it's kind of a curse in the sciences, to tell you the truth.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
Why the hell, oh hiring manager, would you select the first candidate?

[/ QUOTE ]

She was really hot?

[adios]

Perhaps the manager doing the hiring is paranoid about candidate 2 in that candidate 2's credentials and experience is threatening to that manager. For the hiring manager's own job security, they choose candidate 1. Irrational but IMO quite possible.

[daryn]

i personally think an MBA is a joke and is as easy to get as fireworks in chinatown

[Clarkmeister]

So is a Bachelors, but that doesn't mean its not important to have.

[Six_of_One]

It may be easy to get, but that doesn't mean it's not important (this is what I tell myself when I'm on my way to class at night or spending my weekend studying).

Also, there's a big difference between an MBA from a real, respected school, and one from University of Phoenix Online or something.

[adios]

My understanding is that it makes a significant difference to prospective employers when recruiting candidates.

[Rushmore]

The hiring manager makes this decision because he sucks at his job. I hire and train and fire people all the time, and I do not suck at my job, so I speak from authority.

One thing that sinks in slowly over time (slowly, I think, because we do not want to admit it) is the fact that people are generally incompetent, if not through stupidity, then through laziness, arrogance, or a fundamental failure to understand the entire concept of work.

Guess I was venting a bit, too.

Better luck. I hope you encounter someone more like me next time. I'll hire you, and then take your paycheck every week playing headsup in the conference room.

[Ray Zee]

tom haley's post is the answer.

but i have played poker with you and you are an excellent player and just need to move up and around and refine your game. meaning forget about playing that tight no future game at the oaks club. then i believe you would make more than any job you got. plus get to set your own hours and spend the time with your family at your own pace. then at your leisure start a company of your own and be your own boss. there is no big upside future for anyone that works for another.

[Zeno]

Great Post. Too use an overworked cliché: I think you hit the nail on the head.

Most hiring managers are threaten or afraid of hiring people that they perceive as more intelligent or better at key jobs than themselves. It is a survival and defense mechanism, in my opinion. In addition, less experienced employees are easier to control and manipulate.

-Zeno