Hello From the New World!

At the EU Central Bank

Hello from the New World, a.k.a. the Real World (& not the one on MTV) -

Over the past few months, I have studied abroad, traveled throughout Western Europe and ... started a new job! Whoo hoo! All very exciting, but of course, not without lessons to be learned and shared. So, get ready; here we go! 

Let's start with a glimpse into the newest phase of the grad school experience: the post-grad career path.

You may - as I did - assume that once you complete your MBA and devote the status quo 10-12 weeks to job hunting, you'll fall into your ideal job, the one that will allow you to:

1. Put that brand spankin' new MBA to use 
2. Finally get your foot in the door of that glamorous/prestigious/cutting-edge/cutthroat company you've had your eye on for as long as you can remember
3. Make $120,000+ a year
4. Make the world a better place
5. Have a work/life balance and energy to enjoy it

What I Expected...

Silly rabbit!

I'll tell you, I expected the journey that began with grad school to immediately and seamlessly continue into a career path that was everything I was looking for with no adjustment period, learning curve or corporate culture shock. Naive, huh? 

One of the hardest realities to wrap my head around was this: If you are completely changing fields (or even companies), you will not feel comfortable or competent for at least three months. Three MONTHS?! Talk about a hard pill to swallow! But, it's true.

The First Three Months

After that little nugget has soaked in, I found a few of the coping strategies that have helped me maintain my composure and helped me keep on keepin' on. Maybe they will serve you the same.

Breathe. Take a walk. Take a break. Make a friend. Call a friend. Do whatever it takes to recharge your batteries and revive your confidence in yourself. (I have even set alerts on my phone to remind me every few hours to take a deep breath. Seriously.)

Enduring the temporary discomfort at this stage requires a serious adjustment period. Blend in having to learn a new industry, a new product line, a new company, a new boss, a new team, a new area of town, new time/project management skills … It will blow your mind! Clean up, aisle 2!

But I have also learned, that even though it will take time to soar to the the rockstar status we may have achieved in a previous life (as a student, a CEO, a stay-at-home parent, etc.), we are equipped with the skills and the strength to succeed. Just be patient, believe in yourself, breathe, and reboot. You got this!

Hot Topic : How Valuable is That Real World Experience REALLY?

There is constant debate, especially in our current economy, over whether to pursue an MBA straight out of the gate after undergrad or to enter the workforce and gain experience before going after that graduate degree.

Quite frankly, for me, it was a no brainer because I did not even consider going to graduate school immediately after graduating from college. I didn’t realize that was an option. In my experience, after people graduated, they got a “real” job and figured out that other stuff along the way. Looking back, it seems I unknowingly made the right decision to wait a few years before venturing out into Business school.

My experience in Corporate America benefited me in ways that surprised me throughout my entire time in B-school. The leadership, analytical, and communication skills that were honed during my years “climbing the corporate ladder” gave me a clear advantage over other students.

In fact, looking back on the last three years of robust class discussions, highly demanding team projects, extensive problem solving, and critical thinking, I am certain that the most meaningful contributions of knowledge and insights came from those students who have some work experience.

Notice that does not say extensive, relevant, or even lengthy work experience, but simply experience. Critical thinking, teamwork, problem solving, and leadership are all skills that are sharpened when you encounter situations unique to the workplace – any workplace – and are all put into practice while slogging through your MBA.

For instance, you will frequently, and without fail, fall back on your experiences to make sense of the curriculum and to enhance the other students’ comprehension. Students rely on each other to complement the class discussion and materials because a Business school education goes far beyond the boundaries of power point slides and textbooks.  It encompasses learning from the real-life triumphs and tribulations that everyone brings to the table, and without these sorts of knowledge exchanges, an MBA would hardly differ from undergrad, let alone even be worthwhile.

Biding your time in Corporate America will also allow you to establish yourself and your professional contacts. When you finish the degree, you will then have a strong network and be more marketable, and from a financial perspective, time in the workforce allows you to build your savings to minimize the impact of student loans.  Some employers even offer tuition reimbursement and/or promotions to help motivate you towards completing your MBA and staying with the company. 

By jumping into an MBA program immediately after completing your BBA, you would not be exposed to these opportunities.

My advice to any potential graduate student considering Business school immediately after completing a BBA would be to look at the Universities and programs that interest you and notice their admissions requirements regarding work experience. 

Next, identify companies and/or jobs that grab your attention, and see if they offer tuition reimbursement.  

Apply to the jobs that are the best fit for you.  Consider your long-term career goals and your short-term goal of being accepted into graduate school. 

And then, just see where life takes you!  You'd be surprised to see how your education from the real world will help you when you’re sitting in class on your first day of your MBA!