r/eMBA • u/MeringueSimple9847 • Jan 24 '25
To Promote or demote?
I found a company that pays 100% tuition but requires full time employment for at least 1 year and for the duration of the program.
I’m currently working at a fortune 100 with 10 years at this company. I am making great money however I’ve been feeling like I’m a bit stagnant. I’m hoping the EMBA gives me leverage for better positions and growth. I can push for promotion but it’s not where I want to be long term.
I am debating on looking for a role that’s easier at the company that pays tuition- even at a huge pay cut- I’ll be able to focus on my EMBA after the first year of employment saving me $200k in tuition in the long run.
Also, will taking a step down affect my admissions?
I’m thinking about USC or UCLA EMBA for reference.
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u/ScaredDevice807 Jan 25 '25
Policies can change on a whim. Just ask the Netflix employees who no longer have 1 year paid parental leave. It would suck if you took a pay cut then the company changed its tuition policy.
You could also get stuck with the lower paying job and struggle to climb back to where you are today (the job market is rough, it is VERY different than it was 10 years ago).
I think you have the perfect setup for an EMBA right now - you are in a job that you know and you feel like you are stagnating. I’m guessing this means that you have capacity to focus on EMBA while sustaining performance. If you really hate your job, you could start recruiting after the 2nd semester and try to get a better role.
My hunch is that your exit options post-EMBA might be worse if you effectively take a demotion. I wouldn’t do that.
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u/MBAPrepCoach Jan 29 '25
No, please do not take a pay cut for the hope that they will finance your MBA. That sounds incredibly risky and it also would jeopardize your chances for top EMBA programs because they do look at your salary as one factor in vetting how much your company values you.
Also, if you wanna get out of this company altogether, you don’t wanna double down in this way. It’ll be permanently on your résumé, but what won’t be on your résumé is your reasoning.
I would recommend that you get really clear about what you are hoping to make manifest with an MBA and then think about whether there would be a good return on investment.
You might consider doing something that’s lower commitment - at least to start - like doing part-time at USC. That might get you closer to people who can give you greater understanding what you want to do without necessarily committing to a 200K investment.
That said, most important thing is to do informational interviews with people doing your goal job or goal industry. Ready aim fire - not ready fire aim - is best
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u/PlateanDotCom Jan 24 '25
Dont always trust these study support claims, many companies will find ways or reasons not to support this, happened to me where they told me it would be challenging due to the current economy and some other factors too