Going back to business school is a great chance to reset and start over.
Business school is perhaps the most unique of all graduate school programs. Not only can you apply and be accepted with virtually any background, you can pivot to a new career in almost any area that tickles your fancy post MBA.
An MBA is not a magic wand, but a good MBA program can position yourself for success in almost any industry.
Of course, employers will look to your pre-MBA experience just like your chosen business school program did to let you in, but the curriculum and academic rigor of a top MBA is essentially putting the stamp of approval on your skillset and leadership potential to come in and succeed from the very outset of your new career.
There’s what you did before business school and what you do after.
A clear delineation exists when you graduate from an MBA program. Employers will forever more evaluate you not on what you did before b-school, but what you do after. This means you must make wise choices after school as you move up (or on) in your career. Every move must be intentional and build upon your former role if you want to make the most out of your MBA. You also must be aggressive in your pursuits and work hard---companies will judge you by how quickly you move up the ladder after business school and if you stall out, you could hamper your advancement for the rest of your entire career.
Progressively responsible experience takes on a heightened importance after b-school.
MBAs who do not move up and increase their responsibility and pay get left behind fairly quickly. If you are not promoted within two to three years post MBA, you need to consider moving on to another company where your skills can be leveraged at a higher level. Career progression is vital if you want to maximize the value of your degree.
Changing careers is a commonly accepted practice after achieving your MBA.
Don’t worry too much about doing a total reset on your career with business school. Career switchers are one of the most common b-school graduates, so be prepared to simply explain how your past experience is transferable to your newly targeted role and how b-school has helped hone the natural leadership ability your target program identified within you when you applied in the first place. You now have a new set of downs to work your way up the field. Don’t squander it or you will have to punt!
For information on how we can guide your business school application process, email us at mba@amerasiaconsulting.com or go to http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact