The First Step

This may sound ridiculous, but the first step is where almost all prospective MBAs go wrong. They decide what schools they want to apply to, how to study for the GMAT, etc., yet they don't know what they want to do later on in life. The biggest thing people don't realize is that an MBA is something that will get a person where he/she wants to go in life. It should never be an end goal.

If you know you want to earn an MBA, you have to figure out what you want to do with the degree first. I really can't stress this enough. Do you want to go into Marketing or Finance? Do you want to have a job that pays well or do you want to have a job that allows you to balance your work life and family life? Do you want to work for a small or large company? These are all questions you should be asking yourself.

There are hundreds of jobs out there that are specifically for MBAs and it could take months to search through job postings on moster or hotjobs. Luckily, there are a few guides out there made to help MBAs decide on a career. The two best guides are:

The MBA Career Bible: The Vault Guide to Careers and Hiring for Business School Students and Recent Graduates

Industries and Careers for MBAs

These guides are a great place to start and can definitely help you choose a career path.