[exodus]

Do employers tend to prefer MBAs who got their degrees in HK or abroad?

I'm interested in pursuing a career in finance. If I'm going to b-school in HK, it would be HKU or HKUST. If I'm staying in Canada for my MBA before returning to HK, I would aim for Rotman (University of Toronto) or Ivey (University of Wester Ontario).

[climber07]

Originally Posted by exodus

Do employers tend to prefer MBAs who got their degrees in HK or abroad?

I'm interested in pursuing a career in finance. If I'm going to b-school in HK, it would be HKU or HKUST. If I'm staying in Canada for my MBA before returning to HK, I would aim for Rotman (University of Toronto) or Ivey (University of Wester Ontario).

Exodus,

As I mentioned several times before, if you're thinking about having a successful career in IB, and you want to get an MBA, then I hope you have the grades to get into a top program. (Honesty this list is pretty short....Harvard, Stanford, MIT Sloan, University of Chicago, Columbia, Wharton, Kellogg, Western Ontario (Ivey)
Toronto (Rotman), Queens University, London Business School, IMD). If you get you're MBA from basically anywhere else, you’re simply wasting your money.

In Hong Kong, there are so many applicants with MBAs it makes my eyes bleed. The problem is just because someone has an MBA doesn't make them a qualified candidate. The issue I have with the local higher education (this is a much bigger problem in undergrad) is that so much of it is based on pure memorization of information rather then learning creative thinking and application of concepts/ideas to broader topics. The communication skills and assertiveness which I would expect from any top MBA graduate is again....missing. This is in big part due to the non-confrontational culture here. Unfortunately, in IB world that would get you eaten alive. Thus, in many cases a local MBA is often worthless; if I wanted someone to repeat Sharpe ratios and other formulas for me I'd hire a parrot.

[exodus]

Thanks for your response.

Actually, this thread does not specifically cater to a career in IB. I just wanted to see how employers in HK perceive MBAs from HK vs abroad in general.

[Football16]

Originally Posted by exodus

Thanks for your response.

Actually, this thread does not specifically cater to a career in IB. I just wanted to see how employers in HK perceive MBAs from HK vs abroad in general.

One of the key questions is where do you want to work when your degree is done and more basic than that, what kind of work /career do you want to pursue?

I see nothing wrong with taking an MBA in the market you want to work in and at the same time build a local network to employ when your degree is done. The latter is essential if you want to hit the ground running when the degree is done. By looking at the ages of some of the corporate leaders and boards of directors members in HK based companies, the future should look bright for up and coming local people who are plugged into the local business community.

I can't quarrel with Climber's take on getting into IB but that wasn't the main part of your question. The very little I have learned of the HK market is that every local guy wants to get into corporate finance or IB and this is the same in Canada where the opportunities are even less if you are not in Toronto. MBAs for IBs seem to be a dime a dozen so some edge is needed to crack that market.

[Football16]

I wanted to edit but the system stopped me.... so here are some further thoughts.

The cultural issue is a complex one that I have too limited a time here to comment on with any depth of real understanding. It may mean a trade-off between taking a regionally focused MBA program here (of course they look global) where you learn more about the future of Asia and the global economy rather than enter a program that is top ranked elsewhere. I think some of the communication and assertiveness training issues could be picked up along the way including external short length courses.

Climber is right. There are many, many MBAs everywhere and since the time I have got mine in 1982, it seems the emphasis has shifted to getting these things done quickly and at high cost to students and high reward to the institutions offering these now "market rated" professional degree programs.

When I entered the Executive MBA Programme at Simon Fraser University, you had to already be at a director or executive level and have business and academic references. It had a different focus and intent. While today's students are brilliant academically, the emphasis has changed and knowing a lot of "stuff" for the GMAT is very important. I think I studied for the GMAT the night before although I had the material sitting at home for several months. My score was just fine but scores weren't a key priority for them over potential and where you were in the business world. Now that changed when some of these busy execs didn't complete their MBA research projects so they tightened the academic requirements just to make sure more got degrees.

The answers may not be clear as no two people will get the same experience from their MBA regardless of university or any other degree even if they get the same marks in every course. The ones who have a goal in mind and see what they want in future and are all along with way making sure their every project assignment helps them in future and they are consciously making business connections while they study will undoubtedly do the best. Now that is just my take.

Hong Kong seems to be a who you know business community. Other business communities are .......different. I'd go for local myself if I were a local wanting to make an impact in this business market. But, as Climber's list suggests - any of those top schools should open doors back home.

[exodus]

Football16, thanks for your insightful comments as well.

I thought I'd like to give a little background on myself to elicit some further discussions. I was born in HK but moved to Canada when I was 10. I'm now completing a chemical engineering degree at the University of Waterloo. I want to make the jump to finance primarily because of the opportunities compared to engineering (I'm still trying to figure out how to leverage my engineering degree, but I've been told that banks like engineers). I know my limits and I probably won't be the next superstar in the financial services industry, but I think I have the potential to do fairly well.

I don't think getting into the top Canadian schools would be too much of a problem, but only time will tell. As long as they are well recognized in HK, I think those are certainly excellent choices for my MBA.

Perhaps I'm looking at my situation with too much optimism. A family friend has just completed an engineering degree about 2 years ago at the same school as me, did 1 year of law at HKU, then went to Rotman for her MBA. She's doing her internship with Deutsche Bank this summer, with 5 weeks in HK and 5 weeks in Singapore in S&T (not sure about her specific role). I'm basically following her footsteps and she's given me some great advice, suggesting that I take some extra finance courses to show my interest in the field.

[Football16]

I like to follow Stephen Covey's advice and to begin with end in mind but the path to finance is not necessarily direct via BBA's and MBAs. I think though you need to know what the destination job looks like.

I would do some more specific checking directly with people in target firms that do what you want to do. You haven't spelled this out what you are exactly looking to do. In HK it seems all young bright degree holders all want to be in IB and Finance and the people I have met at the inter-university alumni functions in HK and who are in those functions are from schools and with backgrounds like Climber07 writes about. Most are ex-pats due to the nature of the events and the particular schools. These folks are driven, hardworking, bright, analytical and know business and how to evaluate them and they work very long hours. This is their passion. While this word is often over used I truly mean that in that game you need passion for it.

Undoubtedly, someone with chemical engineering and finance could crack that market for a job if they have the requisite skills and personal attributes. Your chemical engineering degree should be helpful to some firms who finance or report on facilities and companies such as chemical companies, pharmaceuticals or LNG plants or agri businesses.

One recent news story is an example where they need analysts who can evaluate this:

April 17, 2008 -BUSINESS
R&D In Shanghai Is Intensifying
Three European chemical makers invest in Chinese laboratories
Patricia L. Short

"Three European chemical makers in widely differing businesses have spelled out plans for their R&D investments in Shanghai."

It would be good for you to speak directly to people in the business. I know that in Canada they want CFA designations over MBAs as these guys know how to read the financial statements and evaluate companies better.

The last thing someone like you should do is undertake an MBA just because they can and because they are convinced lots of opportunities abound for them when they are done. You need to know the target type jobs and of course, you need to be flexible.

What I could see as success for someone like you is you had a first class grasp of finance based on a passion for this type of work and I really, really mean a passion and the skills and personal attributes that Climber07 outlined along with understanding business from a chemical engineering perspective.

These are truly numbers guys who can eyeball CEOs and CFOs (okay most on the phone) and can make them look like blithering idiots if they don't have the answers needed. These guys don't make emotional calls or gamble. This is from the outside of course. I am not in that industry.

[copernicus]

Originally Posted by exodus

Do employers tend to prefer MBAs who got their degrees in HK or abroad?

I'm interested in pursuing a career in finance. If I'm going to b-school in HK, it would be HKU or HKUST. If I'm staying in Canada for my MBA before returning to HK, I would aim for Rotman (University of Toronto) or Ivey (University of Wester Ontario).

HKUST is better than Rotman and better than Ivey.

Look at FT and Economist rankings, HKUST MBA is 20 and 17 in the world respectively, and also EMBA is #1 in the world in FT.

Saying that if you can get into the top US schools you should go there, but outside of that HKUST is your best choice especially when you want to live/work in Asia.

[liverpool]

I think the Canadien schools make you a better applicant in HK and the HKUST makes you a better applicant outside HK. just my opinion.