Are you seriously considering an MBA as part of your future? Without question, it is a big decision and one that could potentially shape the rest of your professional life. How do you know if the time is right to take on such a rigorous program? Read on for 5 signs you are ready to do an MBA.
#1 You Are Thinking About Your Future
When you think about your future, what comes to mind? CEO? Entrepreneur? Whether you have one career path in mind and know every step along the way to get there, or have several career options in mind that fill you with excitement, the fact of the matter is you are THINKING ABOUT IT. One of the biggest signs you are ready to pursue an MBA is that you are seriously thinking about your future.
An MBA on your resumé opens a world of opportunities available to you. This professional graduate degree provides a strong foundation of business knowledge and practical experiences gained through specialized classes, experiential education, group work and co-op placements. MBA grads are ready to solve today’s (and tomorrow’s) complex business problems.
Many students at the Goodman School of Business focus on their future by building their network through the many career exploration and networking events held each year. They know that every handshake or introductory conversation is an opportunity to create a new connection. It is never too early to start thinking about your future and an MBA is a great way to ensure future success in your chosen field.
#2 You Enjoy Being a Team Player or a Leader
One thing you can count on in an MBA program is lots of group work! Group work is important for aspiring professionals to learn how to examine complicated business scenarios and form solutions together – after all, this is the way problems are handled in real-world business situations!
Being comfortable working as a member of a group, or as a group leader, is a great sign you are ready to take on the challenge of an MBA program. Through coursework, group projects and real-world consulting assignments, MBA students develop their ability to effectively communicate, critically analyze problems, and collaborate with a diverse cohort of fellow students and community partners. All these skills are valuable in business scenarios as a leader and a team player. The ability to function well in both positions is advantageous to a potential MBA student.
Becoming a manager is more than just achieving the title. Understanding how to effectively work with or manage other people in a way that motivates and inspires them to achieve more as a team is a worthwhile goal for anyone interested in a career in upper management.
#3 You Embrace Challenges
Getting your MBA is no easy task – but that does not frighten you! From classwork to homework, to balancing your personal life with school and maybe working a part-time job, there is no doubt that being a graduate student can be challenging in many ways. What makes you different and ready for an MBA Is that you see a challenge and embrace it head-on!
You may have just finished a four-year undergraduate degree and the thought of one to two more years of a demanding academic program is enough to make some people nervous, but MBA candidates flourish in challenging situations. While an MBA will complement your undergraduate studies, it will be very different and will focus more on the fundamental areas of business, such as accounting, finance, operations, and marketing. An MBA will help job seekers stand out from the crowd during job searches or be first in line for promotions. The challenge of getting an MBA will assist you in overcoming the challenges all professionals face as they enter and move through their career.
#4 You Want a Flexible Degree
No doubt about it, an MBA is applicable to almost any industry. This prestigious degree is able to flex and pivot from one industry to another if you ever wanted to change career directions. Many business schools, including the Goodman School of Business, offer students a diverse calendar of events, such as opportunities to learn from industry professionals and explore what it is actually like to work in a variety of industries.
Knowing where you would like to end up is great, but who knows what new opportunities may come knocking in the future? With an MBA, you know you can confidently open those doors to new careers. To demonstrate the flexibility of an MBA degree, you don’t need to look any further than the alumni pages of most business schools.
Pro tip: Ask a recruiter if they can connect you with alumni to ask them questions about how they have used their degrees. These informational interviews can be a useful tool in making a confident decision to get an MBA.
#5 When Others See Problems, You See Opportunities
Are you a glass half-full type of person? Some people are intrinsically motivated to see the positive side of things and will always strive for a positive resolution no matter what the issue is. The same can be said of some MBA students: They thrive when tasked with a challenging problem to solve. This is often beneficial in professional situations because conflict can spark innovation. The innate sense of optimism and curiosity paired with a drive to succeed can create great results or new business ventures. Students may even be able to grow their ideas inside business incubators in universities such as the Goodman Group at Brock University.
Thinking outside of the box is another way to view opportunities. This is especially valuable for students who are interested in careers that are outside of the conventional business world. The insatiable drive to succeed is a common trait to many MBA students. If this sounds like you, then I would start researching business schools right away!
Start Your MBA at Goodman School of Business
This is by no means an exhaustive list of things students should consider when deciding whether or not to get an MBA, but in my experience speaking with MBA students and graduates, these are some great things to think about while you are deciding.
One of the best ways to determine if a program is right for you is to contact the program’s recruiter directly and have a conversation. That way, they can make suggestions tailored to YOU or share information with you that you may have not yet come across in your research.
Getting an MBA is a huge decision, and we at the Goodman School of Business want to ensure that each and every student is making the right decision for the right reasons. After all, today’s MBA students are tomorrow’s business leaders.
We can’t wait to see what you will accomplish!
