To consider doing an MBA in my early 50s?

I would not advise anyone to do an MBA unless they were getting it paid for. It's a shit ton of money for an increasingly marginal "advantage" that companies no longer weight highly.

Friend who works in c suite recruitment always said that an MBA is a nice to have and might differentiate you from a candidate that doesn’t have an MBA but scores the same as you on everything else.

Otherwise, given that not all MBA programmes are created equal, think very carefully.

Totally disagree with this, I completed an MBA in my 50s and learned loads, especially about leadership, influencing, strategy and organisational culture. There was a module on AI which was game changing

Did it really accelerate you into a new high paid job though? Truly? You will get better training on AI elsewhere. Leadership and influencing tend to be best learned on the job - a qualification can't teach it. Organisational culture is different at every company and to be honest these days you need to be flexible and adaptable for it changing as a new leader arrives or you are subjected to a takeover or the inevitable raft of consultants being brought in.

If it is of interest and you can afford it absolutely go for it.

I am a mature student and I love it.

To be honest, in senior roles qualifications aren't often really what get a job.

Communications skills are critical. Have you considered getting some communication training geared to making you shine at interview?

Are you really making the most of your existing network?

Tech skills are the other area I would really focus on.

Totally disagree with this, I completed an MBA in my 50s and learned loads, especially about leadership, influencing, strategy and organisational culture. There was a module on AI which was game changing.

OP - would your company use its degree apprenticeship levy to put you through a Level 7 senior leader apprenticeship? You can then pay to top up to an MBA. You will have to be quick though as funding is being withdrawn soon.

I wouldn't do an MBA for the sake of it, especially when you are mid career.

It's expensive and very broad rather than role specific.

I do think additional qualifications are a good idea however but I would chose something more specific and something with an end goal in mind instead.

What job do you do?
What job do you want?
Is there a skills or knowledge gap between the two? If there is they a qualification addressing that may be more worthwhile.

Have you spoken to any recruiters at all?
What are they suggesting role wise based on your experience etc?

I'm thinking about are applying to do an MBA. Just to open up opportunities, get a new perspective, make new connections and learn new skills.

Honestly it won't do this in your 50s.

I have an MBA, Graduated when I was in my late 30s. I'm in my early 50s now.

Honestly at your stage of life I really wouldn't bother with an MBA. It would be a huge waste of money.

An MBA is great on paper but it probably won't make much of a difference to your career at this stage. Better to focus all your efforts on pushing higher up in your current professional ladder or actually changing into another profession and retraining as you're unhappy in your current role.That would be more rewarding without a huge risky financial outlay with no real pay off at the end and ironical a lot less work.

The MBA itself didn't really teach me anything new and a lot of the curriculum was actually outdated in terms of how quickly businesses move and evolve these days. I went onto work in tech start up companies that went global and really saw how outdated some of the thinking was. Some of the core elements were good such as the financial units but honestly probably could have got the same information through other shorter courses.

I would think more about what you want to do as a career for the next 15 years and focus in much more on that in terms of investment than something as broad and generic as an MBA.

@changethenamenotthegame you may not know there is a Mature Study and Retraining board on MN? It’s here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

Go for it. It's not just good for career prospects, but also an interesting course, interacting with your work experience. 👍