Harvard MBA, 6 Years Out: Why My Boss (San Jose State) Out-Earns Me in FAANG PM

My take

Happy Sunday Weekly Sitreps Readers!

I’m back from a short “the kids are in overnight summer camp for 2 weeks and we can go do an adult vacation.” Me, the wife and some west point friends went down to key west for a few days. We actually drove down from Miama across the Keys. It was very cool, you are literally driving over the ocean to an island out in the Caribbean. Crazy stuff.

Anyway, we raged pretty hard and I just do not get enough sleeps on these trips. It’s kinda exhausting, We did see a lot of naval aviators out in the bars, and it reminded that Army aviation does in fact get mega shafted by crappy training locations. Life aint fair man….

So for this edition of the weekly sitrep I wanted to talk about a unique social media post about the value of an mba six years out that is floating around. But before that, just a quick reminder about open roles on our sitreps job board.

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Five Years In: The Enduring Power of the MBA

The following reddit thread focused on the real world value of an MBA grad who is now six years deep into their career.

A recent Reddit post caught my eye, sparking a flurry of thoughts on career progression and the true value of an MBA. A Harvard MBA, six years out and working as a FAANG Product Manager, expressed a feeling of disillusionment, noting they were "not really feeling the impact of the MBA anymore." Their boss, they pointed out, only held a bachelor's from San Jose State, and a teammate, a UC Davis undergrad. It’s an interesting post, and I find some values of truth into it. However, I do think the post reflects someone who had much higher expectations than would be normal. Overall, the theme is that much like graduating from a military academy, graduating from an MBA is not an automatic golden ticket. You still have to put in a lot of hard work and are captured to some extent by the macro-economic cycle. The post is here (and a short screen grab below.) But I do have some further thoughts on this below the pic.

This sentiment, while perhaps understandable from a personal perspective, brings to light some timeless truths about professional success that extend far beyond the credentials on your wall.

Harvard MBA, 6 Years Out: Performance Trumps Pedigree in FAANG (A Reality Check)

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Performance Trumps Pedigree: Once the Door Closes, It's All About Execution

The Reddit post perfectly illustrates a fundamental principle: your resume, no matter how prestigious, is primarily an entry ticket. Whether it boasts Harvard or San Jose State, once you're in the role, performance becomes the only currency that truly matters. In the fast-paced, results-driven environment of FAANG, this truth is even more pronounced. Technical acumen, problem-solving skills, leadership capabilities, and the ability to execute are what ultimately drive success and promotions.