Hi everyone,

I?m a Chinese majored in Spanish, and have been working in a Spanish Rep. office in China for 3 years as assistant of the Spanish chief representative. In a flat organization like this (there?re only me & the Chief), I feel like I couldn?t go any further, and to change for another job it?s most likely that I remain an assistant. And then the idea came to me, that a Spanish degree may help me settle my career ladder in the field of business.

However, before get down to the selection of the school, I really hesitate between the master and the MBA programs. As I plan to find a job back in my country after finish the study, I believe that only the top MBAs in Spain (ESADE, IESE, IE) can bring more global located positions. But taking into account of my non business academic backgroud and the insufficient commercial experience, will the mentioned B schools easily disqualify me?

The alternative is to choose a master program among the reputable ones, such as MIM of ESADE, MIM of IE, GESCO of ESIC, or even CEMS MIM? (I prefer a decent master program to a 2nd tier MBA). But it seems that the requirement of the enrollment for both MIM and MBA of a same school is almost the same despite of the w/e. If I'm qualified for the MIM of ESADE, e.g., does it mean that it should be worthwhile that I apply its MBA, no matter if it's better to earn 2 more years of w/e?

Can anybody give me some advise?
Thx a lot!

you don't have to have "business" experience or schooling to go for an MBA.. you just need to have at least 2-3 years of any professional work experience, and show leadership potential.

The point of an MBA is for professionals in the field to come back and get a good grounding in business concepts, and be groomed for a leadership position in their chosen field. MBA programs are designed for people with many different career backgrounds. Those who have no background in business would usually be able to take extra coures to catch up in areas like accounting and finance.

I am not sure what a "Spanish rep office" is. But, as long your job requires some degree of responsiblity, it seems like you meet the 2-3 year work experience requirement of most MBA programs. As long as you have a good GMAT score (preferably at least in the mid-600 range) a good undergraduate GPA (3.0 or above), and are able to sell yourself in your application essays, I would think you should have a good shot at admission to an MBA program at ESADE, IESE, or IE.

However, are you interested in a management/leadership position in the future? That is the only case you should get an MBA. If you're interested in finance, risk management, logistics, or another business-related field you may as well just get a master's degree that subject.

actually, most of the MBA programs prefer people from diverse backgrounds, as they feel it would enrich the learning experience. you do have to know how to "sell it" to the school - try and think how you present it to the school, i a way which will make them interested(how your specific background can be of benefit to your class)