Career Advice: Bailing from EE into a business analyst role

[beer]

So, I am looking for advice from anyone that may have been down this path before and would like to offer some advice.

Basic summary:
* I have a BSEE degree with a high GPA from a top school
* I have worked in silicon valley for a couple of years
* I had always intended on getting my MBA in 2009 or 2010, since I have a high GMAT score; this would put me starting an MBA program with 3 or 4 years experience (I intend to go full-time and worry about the $160k debt later - please don't make this into a thread about why _you_ believe this to be unncessary, I believe it to be necessary and I'm doing it and I'm not looking for advice on this issue).

My situation:
I think that I would like to go about seeking out a business analyst role, although I have no business experience to speak of (outside of working with marketing folks on covering their asses) before I enter MBA school. The plan was, originally, to consider this path as one of many AFTER I get my MBA (along with finance, entrepreneurship, etc), but I'd like to hop into this field now, and that's where I need help.

To anyone who hires people, what would you have to see demonstrated in order to hire someone for a purely business role (in a high tech company) with a software engineering background (at a high tech company)? (both in a resume, and an interview?) without an MBA (i.e. this is presumably a near entry-level role)?

Has anyone done this before and could you share some insight? PM is fine so details don't get written for the world to see for infinity :0

 

[Dacalo]

I think you would be better off using resources at the school where you are getting your MBA. Try professors and career center; I am sure they would be a lot more helpful. Also try networking and extracting information from seasoned individuals/mentors, it's the whole point of MBA anyways.

 

[TecHNooB]

Please do not PM him as I need this advice as well

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Dacalo
I think you would be better off using resources at the school where you are getting your MBA. Try professors and career center; I am sure they would be a lot more helpful. Also try networking and extracting information from seasoned individuals/mentors, it's the whole point of MBA anyways.

That is many years off. I haven't even applied yet. And if I do change roles I would like to guarantee myself at least 2 years in a new role before starting school, which means I would have to change roles by this summer, otherwise, there's very little point.

The reasons for this are many, but it has a lot to do with the requiprement to most top schools that your current manager MUST be one of your letters of recommendation; if I apply for August 2010, I need to apply in October 2009, and I want to have a manager who I've worked with for at least a year.

There's nothing wrong with R&D, per se, and I enjoy my current job, and I've always known that I'm not going to be a career engineer, but working in two industries does improve my MBA application.

But the reality of the situation is the reason people worked in tech was for stock options and with the accounting rules in full-swing no one get broad-based grants anymore, which makes living in silicon valley as an engineer no different than any other profession. Becauase of the virtually endlees sea of overseas applicants and endless H1B labor, there's no industry incentive to offset the loss of options with additional compensation, so the silicon valley industry took a huge paycut with no additional guiding light on the horizon.

Economics, I suppose.

 

[UTmtnbiker]

beer -

My 2 cents. My background. I have a BSEE from a good school (not top 10, but probably top 50, 75). I worked as an engineer for 7 years before going back to get my MBA. I got my MBA from the same school I got my EE, from which is currently ranked top 50 for B-schools. Within 3 months of getting my MBA, I was promoted to a management position and currently have 4 teams reporting to me, 1 engineering team, 3 functional teams.

I would say that in general, it's very hard, or almost impossible to make a career shift if you don't have prior experience or networking within that department. Up until I became a manager, I was both a systems engineer and a process engineer. The biggest benefit for me moving in to management was some prior experience leading test engineering teams (not very much however) and more importantly, my social network here at work. I befriended many managers, other engineers, and had a reputation of working well within crossfunctional teams. When one of the managers for a dept. left, she recommended me as we had a relationship, both professionally and personally (friends). I think that carried more weight than anything else. The flip side is I have many co-workers here who have also received MBA's from the same school, and they're stuck in their same engineering position within the company, much to their frustration mostly due to inflexibility on their part, reputations as difficult to work with, or to be perfectly honest, just plain bad timing because there aren't any positions open.

So...I would recommend that if can't get the experience on the analyst side, you at least become chummy with people in that area, and take opportunities for projects to work with them. Things like that will put you in a favorable light for when they do have an opening.

Basically, the biggest thing I got out of MBA school was how VERY important networking, having a political base, champions, etc are to advancing your career. Start working on that part now, but in a sincere way (or you just become a car salesman) and you'll be far ahead of the curve.

As a hiring manager now, I don't necessarily look for somebody with a ton of experience for the position that I'm hiring for. I like a little, but mostly, I look for people with the both the aptitude to learn along with the desire to learn and MOST importantly, how a candidate would fit in to the team. Chemistry trumps all for me. Lastly, if I received a good recommendation from somebody I respected or knew (both internally or externally) that would carry great weight with me.

 

[rsd]

I think some of the questions you are asking will be answered as you do your MBA program. I imagine you'll intern in the summers and get experience that way, and additionally tap into their career counseling that they likely offer. I guess I'm not sure what you are asking other than, "What makes a good business analyst".

 

[JS80]

1) Pick up a finance book and learn basics of finance, business, economics
2) Apply to MBA, you don't need business experience
3) Go to local b-school career center and find a mentor

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: JS80
1) Pick up a finance book and learn basics of finance, business, economics
2) Apply to MBA, you don't need business experience
3) Go to local b-school career center and find a mentor

Originally posted by: rsd
I think some of the questions you are asking will be answered as you do your MBA program. I imagine you'll intern in the summers and get experience that way, and additionally tap into their career counseling that they likely offer. I guess I'm not sure what you are asking other than, "What makes a good business analyst".

Let me clarify the original post. I am looking for an analyst role now, before entering MBA school. Sit tight.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: UTmtnbiker
beer -

My 2 cents. My background. I have a BSEE from a good school (not top 10, but probably top 50, 75). I worked as an engineer for 7 years before going back to get my MBA. I got my MBA from the same school I got my EE, from which is currently ranked top 50 for B-schools. Within 3 months of getting my MBA, I was promoted to a management position and currently have 4 teams reporting to me, 1 engineering team, 3 functional teams.

I would say that in general, it's very hard, or almost impossible to make a career shift if you don't have prior experience or networking within that department. Up until I became a manager, I was both a systems engineer and a process engineer. The biggest benefit for me moving in to management was some prior experience leading test engineering teams (not very much however) and more importantly, my social network here at work. I befriended many managers, other engineers, and had a reputation of working well within crossfunctional teams. When one of the managers for a dept. left, she recommended me as we had a relationship, both professionally and personally (friends). I think that carried more weight than anything else. The flip side is I have many co-workers here who have also received MBA's from the same school, and they're stuck in their same engineering position within the company, much to their frustration mostly due to inflexibility on their part, reputations as difficult to work with, or to be perfectly honest, just plain bad timing because there aren't any positions open.

So...I would recommend that if can't get the experience on the analyst side, you at least become chummy with people in that area, and take opportunities for projects to work with them. Things like that will put you in a favorable light for when they do have an opening.

Basically, the biggest thing I got out of MBA school was how VERY important networking, having a political base, champions, etc are to advancing your career. Start working on that part now, but in a sincere way (or you just become a car salesman) and you'll be far ahead of the curve.

As a hiring manager now, I don't necessarily look for somebody with a ton of experience for the position that I'm hiring for. I like a little, but mostly, I look for people with the both the aptitude to learn along with the desire to learn and MOST importantly, how a candidate would fit in to the team. Chemistry trumps all for me. Lastly, if I received a good recommendation from somebody I respected or knew (both internally or externally) that would carry great weight with me.

Right, I'm very good at these activities, but in my situation I'd be leaving my current company, since I'm unhappy for a variety of reasons. I could see myself agreeing on all of your points, though. My current plan is to use a few of my friends as an in to a hiring manager looking for my kind of role, but the total number of reqs that I have access to is probably single-digits, so I need to know how to use my resume to get me considered for an interview.

 

[beer]

Wow, I thought surely that in ATOT, where everyone wants to be an engineer, and where everyone also makes eleventy hundred thousand dollars a year at the age of 25, that my thread would get at least some more traffic

 

[beer]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: beer

Originally posted by: JS80
1) Pick up a finance book and learn basics of finance, business, economics
2) Apply to MBA, you don't need business experience
3) Go to local b-school career center and find a mentor

Originally posted by: rsd
I think some of the questions you are asking will be answered as you do your MBA program. I imagine you'll intern in the summers and get experience that way, and additionally tap into their career counseling that they likely offer. I guess I'm not sure what you are asking other than, "What makes a good business analyst".

Let me clarify the original post. I am looking for an analyst role now, before entering MBA school. Sit tight.

I know, and I am saying skip out on the analyst role and be really good at what you do.

 

[Double Trouble]

YHPM.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Originally posted by: beer
Wow, I thought surely that in ATOT, where everyone wants to be an engineer, and where everyone also makes eleventy hundred thousand dollars a year at the age of 25, that my thread would get at least some more traffic

*Raises paw* 26 and only make $18,000 gross per year as an EE

 

[sniperruff]

you'd be better off finding some sort of part time internship.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: beer

Originally posted by: JS80
1) Pick up a finance book and learn basics of finance, business, economics
2) Apply to MBA, you don't need business experience
3) Go to local b-school career center and find a mentor

Originally posted by: rsd
I think some of the questions you are asking will be answered as you do your MBA program. I imagine you'll intern in the summers and get experience that way, and additionally tap into their career counseling that they likely offer. I guess I'm not sure what you are asking other than, "What makes a good business analyst".

Let me clarify the original post. I am looking for an analyst role now, before entering MBA school. Sit tight.

I know, and I am saying skip out on the analyst role and be really good at what you do.

He can get into a better business school w/ some kind of work experience. MBAs are near worthless if its not at a top school

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
MBAs are near worthless if its not at a top school

And this tiny, often overlooked fact is a big chunk of my motivation. If I'm working in R&D, even in silicon valley, even with the best engineers in my particular field in the world, it doesn't give me the complete set of experiences that a business school wants to see. There's no leadership, there's few opportunities for demonstrating true initiative, and most of what you accomplish is so specific to your field that the general public can understand very little.

Top 10 or go home....

 

[fawhfe]

Well, I'm not a hiring manager or anything, but I was in a similar position when I graduated with a BSEE. I'm working in engineering currently, but when I was looking for a job, I got an offer with a finance company for a business analyst position. As a company, they were very clear that they were looking for smart people with that strong analytical thinking ability, and they actually gave everyone an SAT style test to select people for the interview. They also gave case interviews, which I think also gives us engineers an advantage, since we are able to analyze problems well. When I met some of the people who had gotten offers, many were also from technical fields like math and physics.

Basically, what I'm saying I guess is that your best bet isn't to reinvent yourself, but to find companies that are looking for your kind of strong analytical skills, and have a hiring process which plays to your skills. I know quite a few people from technical fields go into investment banking or finance, so there are plenty of companies out there that should match that criteria. If you ask what skills to emphasize, I think I already repeated 'strong analytical skills' like 8 times in my post but also I would think high energy level is more important than usual with this type of interview/job. Good luck with your search!

 

[PokerGuy]

Originally posted by: beer

Top 10 or go home....

It's true that MBA's from no-name schools are not really valuable, but "top 10 or go home" is a stretch. Typically an MBA from any decent school (top 25 or so) increases value.

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: PokerGuy

Originally posted by: beer

Top 10 or go home....

It's true that MBA's from no-name schools are not really valuable, but "top 10 or go home" is a stretch. Typically an MBA from any decent school (top 25 or so) increases value.

Most jobs just need a degree in a related field, which at many businesses...is a business degree.

You guys stress too much about top schools...

 

[Casawi]

I think it is a great career choice I plan on doing the same thing. As for advice ... I will be subscribing to this thread good luck.

 

[beer]

(I see the new forums disallow blank messages)

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: TruePaige

Originally posted by: PokerGuy

Originally posted by: beer

Top 10 or go home....

It's true that MBA's from no-name schools are not really valuable, but "top 10 or go home" is a stretch. Typically an MBA from any decent school (top 25 or so) increases value.

Most jobs just need a degree in a related field, which at many businesses...is a business degree.

You guys stress too much about top schools...

Many companies only recruit from the top schools in their field though.