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Is an Online MBA worth it if you want to switch from Developer to PM?

4 points by zer0sand0nes ↗ HN
I'm trying to switch to a PM soon. Currently, trying to orchestrate this in my company.

However, wondering how difficult this would be to make a switch at a different company if I do not have an MBA?

7 comments

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davismwfl
Just my 2 cents, but the MBA isn't worth as much as just getting a PMP certification or something similar. That with your dev background would be more valuable than an MBA in practicality and in skillset. An MBA won't hurt you, but IMO is a waste of energy overall if you have more than a few years of experience. If you have < 3yrs of experience then an MBA would likely help you more and be worth the energy. But in reality it will take you 18-24 months to complete the MBA, which if you just did the PMP and kept working you'd be further ahead with less of a pain, and probably at a fraction of the cost.
zer0sand0nes
Have you done a PMP by chance? Do you know how difficult it is?

Online it seems like a 4 day course and then U have to pass some exam?

Just wondering if someone has any experience with this and if they could share?

davismwfl
No, I have not done it.

I do know a lot of hiring managers put PMP cert on their PM roles as a requirement or "would like to have". I have hired people with a PMP and my feeling for it is that the cert checks a box for most companies and for people newer to PMing projects it does set a pretty solid foundation. It doesn't seem like it is a comprehensive training solution by itself, but it gets you the checkbox marked and does seem to have real world value. At least from the people I have talked to that did it, the cert wasn't "hard" necessarily but, at least their training centers, packed a lot of information in a fairly tight timeframe.

Some of the PMP training centers (and there are other PM certifications too) have extra training for specific project types and specific functions too, like finance.

zer0sand0nes
Gotcha. Thanks for the info.

Some people are saying that the PM work experience is more valuable. Currently I have neither of those so I'm trying to figure out which one will be first. :)

sundaar75
i have done my PMP 10 years back and maintained my credentials for almost 8 years.its boring curriculum, exams are boring too for techies.

I did PMP in hopes of moving from developer to PM, found later its not interesting enough just stuck to technology.

My take, if you wanted to grow in career develop domain expertise, if possible get into product management which gives exposure to all parts of the company.

zer0sand0nes
Why did you not find it interesting enough?

After you got the PMP - did more recruiters start approaching you for PM roles?!

sundaar75
I felt more satisfying in performing the job than managing team and getting status updates.

I never applied for PM roles,my suggestion is ,just talk to any PM's and get a feel for the job.

Alternative option is to see how your development work is fitting into larger context, switch to different projects so that you can see real business value in action ,not in papers.