Attaching greater certificate courses or even post-graduate courses to a resume can significantly boost your career. Two common ways people seek out continuing education opportunities is an MBA and a coding bootcamp. They’re both impactful choices, but they’re also very different.
The decision on whether or not to get an MBA isn’t limited to the tech industry. Most MBA students have very specific reasons to get them since most job postings don’t require them for employment, and they don’t always fit the needs of a career path.
Coding bootcamps and MBAs provide opportunities beyond knowledge and skill development. Students are also able to build networks, boost salaries and create opportunities.
So, which one might be best for you?
Let’s take a closer look at both options to help you make an informed decision.
How Does an MBA Fit into a Tech Career?
An MBA, Masters in Business Administration is one of the most popular postgraduate degrees in the entire world. It specializes in business-related disciplines such as Accounting, Economics, Marketing, HR, and Finance. Many students jump directly to an MBA after their undergraduate degrees. Or sometimes, they jump to an MBA degree after having acquired some experience in the job market and later want to elevate their positions.
People can enhance their knowledge and networking circles with an MBA. Some might even pursue an MBA as part of a plan to open their own businesses. According to CIO, there are ways an MBA can fit into your IT career, including:
- It’s a confidence boost (it’s cool to have MBA next to your name)
- It’s a great management tool.
- It’s proof you’re committed to your profession.
- It can generate a salary increase.
However, deciding to get an MBA should come with deciding whether it’s worth the time and investment. According to the Harvard Business Review, there are very specific reasons for pursuing an MBA:
- Accelerating a career path
- Expanding and diversifying a network
- Exploring new industries or functions
At the same time, they say there are wrong reasons for getting an MBA:
- You expect it to be a “golden ticket” that automatically guarantees big salaries and jobs
- Your parents pay for it
- You’re bored with your job
How Does a Bootcamp Fit into a Tech Career?
Most bootcamp schools provide helpful job-hunting assistance and competing job placement. Some of the IT jobs you can pursue after completing one are:
Technical Support Specialist
A technical support specialist provides technical support to customers who use any kind of computer or technical protection for multiple products. A boot camp helps in training people in troubleshooting issues, fixing bugs, updating software, and problems with digital security.
Data analyst
A data analyst organizes, analyses, and derives ideas from enormous sets of data. This analysis of data is taught in depth at coding boot camps using programming languages such as SQL
Digital marketer
A digital marketer primarily creates and designs an online advertising strategy. They help in driving the audience to the product that they are launching. The digital marketer also completes the code by using tools such as HTML or CSS to analyze the content on the upside.
Web developer
The code for websites is written by web developers. They also test and fix interactions and utilize CSS to produce a visually appealing design. Attending a coding boot camp teaches web developers the fundamental and cutting-edge methods for HTML, CSS, UI/UX design, and scalability.
UX/UI Designer
These designers create, build, and maintain websites and apps that provide great user experiences. In our UX/UI Design Bootcamp, we focus on the skills tied to the necessary job skills, including:
- Wireframe Prototyping
- User Research
- Information Architecture
- User Empathy
- Interactive Design
So, what are some of the factors to consider when deciding on a bootcamp? Engineer Educator Tatiana Tylosky shared five key areas to explore:
Transparency about outcomes and statistics – She says, “Colleges are expected to be honest and upfront about their job stats and so should coding bootcamps.”
Reviews from students – She recommends Course Report and Bootcamp Finder to find reviews.
Familiarity with the people who teach – This includes making a phone call, attending an event or whatever it takes to learn more.
Understanding of the job and skill demands in your area – She says, “Learn a stack that is in demand and don’t get stuck learning a language that no one is hiring for (especially if it’s your first programming language).”
Money and job guarantee – Does the bootcamp take on any of the financial risk?
In reality, you could apply some of these considerations to any aspect of your education. It’s important to know what you’d learn, what it will cost, what’s needed in your career, and what is the credibility of the teachers and institution.
When it comes to the time and money it would take to get an MBA or attend a bootcamp, you have to do your research and make an informed decision. Fortunately, you can find a lot of your answers online, including career advice, student reviews (of bootcamps, degrees, and teachers), cost breakdowns, degree comparisons, and more.
An MBA is a postgraduate degree with a strong focus on business and management. Technical boot camps, on the other hand, are courses that students or professionals undertake to sharpen or develop their skillset. They may choose to do this to enhance a fundamental skill gained after getting a degree or learn a new skill while seeking a career change or taking a first step in a career path.
Author Bio:
Anjani is a technical as well as creative content writer at Thinkful, a Chegg service. She is an outgoing person, and you will find her near books, arts and explore the miraculous world of technology. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.
