Deciding on getting an MBA is no easy task unless you have lots of extra time and no worries about money. You could consider it as a possible investment in a new business, the business of selling a commodity - you. Interested? Read on.

There are several potential advantages in getting an MBA:

• Recognition as someone with the potential to learn at higher levels
• Self-satisfaction knowing that you had the abilities to earn a higher college degree
• Provides a good background in managing responsibilities that cross national borders (especially MBAs with an international focus)
• Gain enhanced strategic thinking and managerial effectiveness
• Higher pay than someone with less education (e.g. Management Consulting Salary Survey)
• More upward job opportunities, especially management positions
• Larger professional network through faculty, fellow students, and others you meet while in an MBA program
• More jobs to choose from, including specific jobs for people with MBAs

There are even some potential disadvantages in getting an MBA:

• You may be considered by some companies, usually the smaller ones, as too "expensive"
• Sometimes the person hiring may see you as a threat to their position
• You believe that you will accumulate too much debt because of tuition while an MBA is not required for your career goals
• Emphasis on the MBA might not be worth as much as, or can even be equal to, years of experience to some employers

An MBA does help if you want to improve your strategic-thinking skills, develop your leadership abilities, and foster managerial effectiveness. Every business needs a manager, whether it is a non-profit organization, a university, or a startup. So even if you are, say, a civil engineer for a government engineering department or a salaried artist at a museum, you can use your technical knowledge and gain a business background to be managers of your company. And if you are an entrepreneur, having an MBA may get you to focus better.

To help you in deciding whether or not an MBA is something you should pursue, you should talk to others. A great person to start with is a college advisor. Consulting with more advisors and professors would be beneficial since you will be able to get a better balance of opinions. You should also contact potential employers and find out if the positions you are seeking require an MBA for initial hiring or if working and then getting an MBA is better. One question that not everyone considers, although possibly important, is asking a potential employer if MBAs from only the top business schools are considered worthy. If you are currently working, you might want to inquire with your present manager, potential managers, and/or the human resources department to find out what an MBA can do for you at your company.

You don't have to have an undergraduate business degree to pursue an MBA. And with the increase in degrees offered through distance learning and part-time programs, you probably won't need to give up your day job either. So if you're seeking a career transition to more managerial tasks and higher pay, looking to pursue an academic career, or wanting to be productive when unemployed, an MBA might just help.