Value of an MBA in Asia

Is an MBA worth it in Asia?

It seems in the US and UK, having an MBA is definitely a step up from not having one. At least in the US and UK, companies post jobs specifically for MBA graduates or jobs that require at least an MBA. So what about Asia?

From my experience, it seems Hong Kong and Singapore, two of the more developed countries in Asia, aren't like their western counterparts. Yet, these two countries compete heavily for international attention when it comes to MBA programs.

Being a recent graduate myself, I found it difficult to find placement for that dream job. I wasn't alone. Majority of my classmates are jobless and have had to return to their home country. This is certainly not the picture one imagines after finishing his MBA. Granted the recent economic crisis is partly to blame for the downturn, but I think it's also the "local" mentality.

Here's what I've come to realized about job hunting in Hong Kong and Singapore:

1. Too much focus on candidate's past experience and not enough on potential or transferable skills.
2. Value of international exposure or diverse work experience are not recognized
3. Experience is valued more than education
4. Changing career is really difficult

I would say most people go back for an MBA so that they can pursue a different career afterward, at least this is true among my friends in the program. But, how would it be possible if companies are not looking specifically for MBA's?

Who's fault is it? I mean why aren't graduates perceived as having an advantage here? Is it because the local mentality doesn't value such a degree or is it because the school's here are not doing enough to protect it's brand? Why else would local students not be as proud of their alma mater as say a student in US is with his school? Or are the quality of students the problem?

I wish I had all of the answers...

So is an MBA worth it in Asia. In my opinion, the answer is maybe. It depends on where you want to work after you graduate, your willingness to start over (perhaps) in your career, and whether you can afford (time and money) it. Just from my experience, when choosing an MBA one tends to rely on rankings and reputations. While these are important, I think one area to focus on should be the strength of the school's career services office. One should find out if his dream company recruits directly at the school because looking at past employment placements of recent graduates can be misleading because you don't know if the students worked there full time, part time, interned, or what? And you certainly don't know if the students found that job on their own or not. An inadequate career services means students are left to find jobs on their own. This is a great disadvantage if you are an international student in Asia because 1) you will have less connections and 2) you are competing with the general population, which doesn't give you an advantage.

I still think the programs in Asia are not as mature as in the States. It doesn't feel like companies in Hong Kong and Singapore values it as much. I'm sure there are some companies out there that are the exceptions, but those are few and far between.