Question for you guys. My current company/job (F50 corp finance) doesn't have a history of sending people to b-school, and also doesn't really value b-school. I want to ask my current manager for a recommendation, but at the same time I'm afraid that will kind of add me to a "blacklist" where I won't be considered for any promotions, etc (not applying until fall of this year)
Has anyone gone through this and/or have any advice on how to handle it? I suspect my app would look weird without a rec letter from a current manager.
If you have a good relationship with his boss I'd go above his head. At the end of the day it doesn't matter who it's from, it matters that it's a credible source and you're the quality of talent they're looking for.
Some perspective here- when I worked in BO at a BB there was a kid there that prob had some okay recommendations, did extra curriculars, yada yada yada. He went to b school at Uni of Rochester (prob going to get flamed on here for this not being prestigious enough). Summered in IBD at a lower tier BB and is currently in FT recruitment. Long story short, you do you.
I would say that you want to always try to get a letter of rec from a current manager if possible, but the schools know that it isn't always possible. As was stated above, title and prestige matter very little...supposedly...when it comes to recs. I had one admissions recruiter tell me he denied a student even though the kid had a letter of rec from the pope, himself. He also said he's seen letters from celebrities, presidents, senators, well known executives and that never matters if the person can't write a good rec for you. Of course, they can only write a good rec if they've actually worked with you and know you...and, in most cases, the celebrities and people with fancy titles are merely acquaintances and don't have any real knowledge of your work history and abilities.
Are MBAs uncommon at your company? I would imagine not, so I would find a post MBA career path at your current company that you could tell your manager you are interested. Express to them that you are interested in moving up in the company and you think that an MBA would very much benefit that progression and see if they have any thoughts about it. I would probably just start there and see what they have to say. And if that is still a bit risky for you, maybe find a local part-time program and just tell the person you are interesting in going to school part-time in the evening...even if you aren't...since that process wouldn't impact your employment, etc. I would get their thoughts on that and see if they would be willing to do the rec. Then, as you get closer to applying, tell them that you spent some time researching programs and that you decided a full time program would be better.
Luckily, I'm in a small office, so I didn't have to worry about asking my superiors...I just told them that I would apply until I got accepted so if they didn't write a good rec this time, they would just have to redo it next year, lol.
Hopefully someone else has some direct knowledge of the situation, but just think about all the people that go back to school from F500 companies...someone has to be writing their recs.
Lastly, as long as you get a good recommendation from someone, that's what matters. Your apps will outline your career progression up until the point you apply...so not being promoted for the 9 or 10 months after applying isn't going to harm anything...other than a small hit to the ego and pocketbook, maybe.
Regards
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