Akkadak

Dear all

I´m currently in my last year in BS in Engineering Management at Reykjavik University Iceland. I´m contemplating on doing a Masters in the US. I have been looking at a few Masters in Engineering Management programs like Stanford MS Management Science and Engineering, Columbia Management Science and Engineering, Duke MEM and Cornell MEM. I have about 3.6 GPA and I have had some internships in finance and in energy management.

I´m thinking how do employers look at someone who has a BS in Engineering Management and a Master in Engineering Management? Would this be a wise choice for me if I would like to work in USA and also should a rather take a different type of masters like MBA for example? I´m worried that having a Masters in Engineering Management and laking a more technical BS like Mechanical Engineering for example will hurt my chances for junior positions.

All advice is really appreciated!

Thx

GLOBALTRAVELER

It's a little hard to get engineering management positions without having prior work in actual engineering. True, you have the academic background but engineering management is usually a graduate degree major for most of the USA.

Why?

You have to lead experienced engineers and there will be a respect factor there if you have not "been through the trenches" first. If your team does not respect you, then it will be hard to lead them.

Akkadak

Yeah I understand that but I´m actually more interested in using my Engineering Management background in a less technical area for example Management Consulting. Would this also apply to that?

amarkov

Yes. I don't know if this is different in Iceland, but management-related masters degrees are completely useless in the US without actual work experience; nobody will hire you into a managerial role just because you have a degree in management. (The same applies to the MBA.)

Akkadak

Amarkov: So you are saying that nobody would hire someone with a Bachelor in Business Administration? I think the BBA is one of the most common bachelors degree in the States so I have to entirely disagree with you. Still thanks for a completely useless reply.

Maybe I misunderstood you maybe you where only talking about management related masters degrees but not management degrees period. If so I apologize. However coming from a BS in Engineering Management and seeking work in the US. Would it better to take a MS in Industrial Engineering and OR for example to be able to qualify for more junior jobs?

ken285

There are different types of "managerial" roles. Can't lump everything into one category. You're not going to have other engineers reporting to you directly when you first start. However, depending on your role, you may manage certain "processes" (for lack of a better word) or be a "consultant."

Chucktown

Plenty of people go into MEM degrees with no experience first. You may want to contact the schools directly to look into their recruiting.

amarkov

It's not that nobody will hire you with a business degree. It's that nobody will hire you because you have a business degree; it's not like a technical degree, where simply holding the piece of paper implies that you are qualified for suchandsuch job.

boneh3ad

Actually, people who have bachelors degrees in business administration generally do have a hard time getting jobs in the US compared to those who major in something more tangible like finance or accounting. You just generally don't find many companies who want to hire someone into management without any experience and you don't find a lot of people who want to be led by a manager with no experience.