How well an MBA can help military members transition to a civilian career? Does an MBA need to be from a "top 10" school?

Great question Skip.  I think the curriculum and professors have everything to do with how well the MBA sets you up for transition.  Military members have a wealth of management and operational examples to lend MBA classrooms.  I've heard many professors say how much they enjoy hearing these stories.  I think the more 'real world' applications and trending technologies that are discussed in class, the more value added the program is overall.  Taking business models from actual companies of various sizes and studying their strengths/weaknesses (while building your own) were some of my favorite ways to learn how the civilian world operates. 

I think having an MBA has significant potential to help military members transition to a civilian career.  I also think the same is true for any graduate level degree.  Education is a life-long process and it is important to realize that many civilian employers require degrees.  When so many people, both Soldiers and civilians, have bachelor's degrees, the competition can be fierce.  Doing anything to set yourself apart will help out.  At least, that is what I am 'banking' on.  I am 1/3 complete with my MBA, but I am also considering whether I should start looking at DBA or PhD in Business programs.

As a civilian I can not answer the first part of your question adequately. However, more education will never hurt your job opportunities. But remember many employers are valuing experience more and more. As far as selection of school. School can matter but it has played less and less of a role in hiring decisions. Many employers seek the most qualified person for the job regardless of the school they went to. Try and choose a school with good alumni connections because they will connect you with jobs. Be sure to make good connections with your professors as their advice and references can be invaluable.

My office hires recent Masters graduates. We have a job announcements periodically just for recent graduates. We don't care much about the school a as we do the degree. We look for business degrees especially in economics and accounting as we do a lot of financial reviews and economic analysis of business plans.

Top 10 school...it depends on what you want to do, where you want to do it, and if you have any civilian business experience. I think a top regional school would be fine for most applications unless you need the social network of a specific school.

From my vantage point and speaking with hiring managers across multiple industries, performance and results matter the most, regardless of military or civilian experience. "Show me what you did" means quantifying your achievements numerically. While veterans do not necessarily have P&L responsibility, managing equipment, inventories, and budgets can be translated to a civilian employer. Most hiring managers (that I've spoken with, I'm certainly not speaking for all of them) say that at best the MBA is a tie-breaker between candidates.

From a networking perspective, the MBA can assist with some of that, but as more and more veterans join the work force and through the use of LinkedIn and organizations like American Corporate Partners, the networking piece can be enhanced.

The MBA can be a great tool to learn more about the business world, but it won't teach you everything. Most veterans performed in roles that they had little to no training for, but they were expected to lean forward, figure things out, and execute. Those skills can't be taught in a classroom and are very valuable to employers.

The MBA is also very expensive and an investment that should be carefully studied. It is not essential to career success, there are many paths to general management and the c-suite that do not require an MBA. I don't necessarily agree with all of the points in this article, but it does provide some food for thought: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB [login to see] [login to see] [login to see] [login to see] .

I've been in the private sector since 96.  I coach folks who are getting out for business careers that they should pursue an MBA at the highest ranked program they get accepted to... and can afford. 

I agree with you Craig. I was going to seek to further my education after leaving a company that I had some longevity with. I found that it would be of little benefit to me in this stage of the game. I would have to depend on my past experience and knowledge to capture the position I am presently in.

Is good to have MBA but it is hard for Vets to a job even with Degree.