Hi everyone,

I’m 29, from the UK, and have been working in marketing for a bit over 5 yeaers. I’m looking to transition into a leadership role in a multinational, and I’m deciding between MBA programs in New Zealand (University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington) and Australia (University of Melbourne, UNSW, University of Queensland).

I have a few key concerns though: Which country offers better networking opportunities, especially in tech? Job Market: Is Australia significantly better for post-graduation job opportunities, or is New Zealand comparable?

I'd assume OZ is generally the more obvious choice given its sheer size (population, amount of big cities), etc., but I'd still be curious to hear the case made for NZ.

Thanks,
Sarah

Thanks for sharing your background and goals. I appreciate you're thinking carefully about your MBA options, which is important. Let's unpack this a bit:

Career Goals:
You mention wanting to transition into a leadership role at a multinational, with a particular interest in tech. That's a good start, but I'd encourage you to define this more specifically. What kind of leadership role exactly? In what function (marketing, general management, product, etc.)? What size/type of tech company? Having clearer targets will help guide your decision.

Location Considerations:
You're right that Australia generally offers more opportunities simply due to its larger economy and population. Some key points to consider:

1. Job Market: Australia has a more diverse and larger job market, especially for multinationals and tech companies. Cities like Sydney and Melbourne have growing tech scenes. New Zealand's market is smaller, but still has some opportunities, especially in Auckland.

2. Networking: Both countries will offer networking, but Australia's larger business centers provide more extensive opportunities, especially in tech. However, New Zealand's smaller market can sometimes mean more tight-knit networks.

3. Visa/Immigration: Both countries offer post-study work visas, but Australia's policies may be more favorable for long-term career prospects.

4. Industry Focus: If you're interested in specific tech sub-sectors (e.g. fintech, agritech), research where those are stronger.

School Considerations:
Of the schools you mentioned, Melbourne Business School (University of Melbourne) is generally considered the strongest, with the best international reputation. UNSW and UQ are also solid choices in Australia. In New Zealand, Auckland is typically seen as the top business school.

Recommendations:

1. Clarify your specific career goals further. This will help immensely in choosing the right program.

2. Research the alumni outcomes and placement reports for each school, focusing on placements in tech and multinational leadership roles.

3. Look into the specific courses, electives, and any tech-focused initiatives at each school.

4. Consider reaching out to alumni from these programs who are now in roles similar to what you're targeting.

5. Given your goals, I would lean towards recommending Australia, likely Melbourne Business School, unless you have a specific reason to favor New Zealand.

6. Don't rule out other international options. Given your background and goals, top European or US schools could potentially offer even stronger outcomes for tech leadership roles.

Remember, the "best" school is the one that best supports your specific career goals. Take the time to really clarify those goals, then align your choice with the program that offers the best path to achieving them.

Thanks for the super thoughtful reply; it’s given me a lot to consider! You’re right about specific goals; I’ve mostly been thinking in broad terms of transitioning into a leadership role, but I haven’t fully pinned down the function yet. I’m leaning towards something in marketing or product management, ideally at a mid-to-large tech firm with a strong focus on innovation.

In terms of networking, Australia definitely sounds like the stronger choice, especially in Sydney or Melbourne. I do like the idea of New Zealand’s tight-knit community though—something about that smaller network feels more approachable, but I’m not sure if that’s enough to outweigh the scale and diversity of Australia’s opportunities.

I’ll definitely follow your advice about reaching out to alumni and digging deeper into the specific offerings at these schools. Melbourne Business School does seem to stand out, but I’ll take a closer look at the curriculum and see how tech-focused it is.

Thanks again for the feedback Stuart!