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simple, it all depends on whether you want to be in spain or in belgium during your studies.

they are very different places and you need to decide where you want to be.

saludos,
jer...

Hi:
I'm spanish and I think it's better go to Belgium than Barcelona. In Belgium there are a lot of headquarters. Barcelona is the second important city of Spain. It hasn�t big companies.
If you don't speak catalan lenguage you won't have many chances seeking for a job.

Cheers.

Hi Jana...there are a few people on this board with M.A./MBA's., I'm one of them and I have about 10 years international biz. experience.

If you don't speak Spanish, it will be difficult for you to find work in Spain, particularly if you want a position that is worth the work required to get the MBA. You will have much better chance finding work in Belgium - at this point anyway.

As for the degree program you get, I have found that the MA/MBA isn't such a door opener anymore - unless you go into investment banking. Also, there isn't such a difference between an MBA and a MA International to make you a preferred job candidate soley based on your degree - i know the schools will tell you otherwise. An employer will look at your project management background. But the advanced degree is still a good idea, don't get me wrong. Just don't kill yourself too much trying to determine which is best.

If you want to live in Spain for a bit and try to learn some Spanish, go to Barcelona. But I don't think you will gain a very big advantage in finding work in Spain by going to Barcelona vs. Belgium only because you don't speak Spanish yet.


Good Luck!!

I agree with both Jer and the other person.

First is the school. As far a level of education goes they will both be about the same.

You will need to decide where you want to be while you study.

Second is where you will find work after your course is finished.

You will have a better chance of getting hired if you are at the place which offers more jobs. In this case Belgium.

I would just go straight to Belgium and try to get some internships or try to make some connections / contacts with companies that might hire me after I finished my degree.

Spain is actually more of a place that you can get sent to by a company, etc. if you are lucky or a place that you retire to once you have enough money. I do not feel it is a place you would come to start out or get rich.

You should also try IE (instituto de empresa)in Madrid, they actually have english MBAs and u would live in Madrid where just by living there u would learn some spanish....Think about it..it is one of the best MBAs I know and they also have their own headhunting agency with really GOOD jobs!


just have alook at it..it might help,
salu2,
serge

Speaking from experience, I did precisely that. Came to Madrid to do an MBA, got a "trainee" job through my University to finish my credits for the MBA. This was a good and direct way to open the door to the work issue. If you don't have the residency/work permit, that will be the main handicap. So I got the trainee thing, proved my worth in this company = ) and worked on my work papers while I was on a trainee contract.

As long as you've got an MBA to any of the good schools it's sufficient BUT as was mentioned, MBA is not that much of a heavy consideration as a door opener anymore. IF you do your MBA in Belgium, you are going to have to do a round-about way to get to working here. You would have to look for work that would lead you to Spain somehow.

But, of course, apart from living in a warm country, you should also check out the job opportunities and relative ease of getting working papers. Spain or Belgium? Good question.

Hi Jana.
After three years of working experience abroad I decided to get back home (Madrid) to take a part time MBA which finishes next October.
I thought that it wouldn�t be too difficult to get a job because of my experience (5 years), level of English and so on, but it took me more than 7 months to get one!!!!.
I don�t know how is the job market in Barcelona, but If I were you I wouldn�t choose Spain because of the chances of getting a job with a decent salary.

To those who replied,

thank you to all who replied to my email

it seems that you are not making much of a difference between a MBA from a reputable school and MA in International business from a common university

also it looks like you are trying to suggest that the choice of school location should depend on when one wants to stay/live

however, one should consider the prospects of getting a job of course.

do you think that after one year of studying spanish i would still have a problem w finding a job?

all the best! your jana

Hi, Jana. That's a tough question. Let's just say that it is not going to be easy. As Lola says, get ready for a 7-month search! English is not an advantage anymore, just like MBA. I see it more just as part of the minimum or basics of a curriculum in the corporate world. But, honestly, whether here or Beligium I believe the search is the same. Personally, as a foreigner, the BIGGEST hurdle would be the working papers. If you want to work in what you've trained for, then you will need it. I say this because I see you live in Slovakia and I am not sure how things are now with regard to working papers and such if you have a Slovakian passport. Don't count on companies here moving your working papers for you. At least that was what my experience has been.