Q & A Table of Contents
How Can I Get My Employer To Pay For My MBA?
From: Dave, Atlanta, GA
Question: I want to ask my employer to pay for my Executive MBA. I need a start on how to write the perfect argument. Can you offer any suggestions?
Response: You need to find out whether your employer has paid for other employees' education. What is the policy? Are you asking your boss to change the rules for your benefit? If it is company policy to subsidize employees' education, that helps you determine what you need to propose.
If there is no policy, you need to figure out what the company has to gain by paying for your education. What will they lose in terms of your productivity in your present role? Will they fear having to increase your pay after you've earned the MBA? Will they want a commitment that you won't jump ship once you've got a new degree for which they have paid?
Are you looking for a total subsidy? Will you be happy if they pay 50% or some other proportion of the tuition? What if they keep you at the same pay rate but reduce the demands of your job to give you time to focus on the education?
Think of lots of questions about your own objectives and interests. Try to figure out what kinds of questions the company may ask you. When you've thought of the questions, think hard about the possible answers -- both your own and the ones from the company. That will help you develop an approach most likely to yield positive results.
Good luck,
Steve
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