Tag: career choices

One of the most frequent pieces of advice I got while talking with people about pursuing an MBA was “you get the most out of your MBA if you know what you want out of it.” Unfortunately, this is much easier said than done… at least for me. As I have written in my previous two August and September posts about first-year MBA life, much of my Olin experience so far has been exploring a diversity of opportunities inside and outside the classroom and deciding what I want from my MBA. Over the past month and a half, determining my focus for the next few years has been increasingly important. Decisions must be made.

Getting my MBA had been a long-term goal in the back of my mind ever since I left high school. When I finally started my MBA eight years later—after earning dual business and journalism degrees at Mizzou, working three years at Cerner, and traveling for a full year to all the U.S. National Parks—I knew a few things.

I knew I wanted to grow into a business leader. I knew I wanted to learn to question boldly and think strategically. I knew I wanted a high-caliber education and top-notch classmates that challenge and push me. The one thing I didn’t know was maybe the most important: Where in the world do I want to end up?

By the time the MBA program started in August, I had convinced myself I had answered this daunting question: Brand Management. I always enjoyed flexing my creative muscle and communications skills, so pivoting to a career within marketing seemed like a good fit. And concentrating on brand management within Olin’s marketing platform sounded like a great way to also satisfy my interest in a job with variety and responsibility, since I could take ownership of running all aspects of a brand. So brand management was the goal I wrote about in my applications essay and talked up to my family. It felt good to have direction.

As my first semester ramped up, I learned more and more about brand management through discussions with classmates, meetings with career advisors, chatting with recruiters, reading job postings and, most helpfully, that marketing industry speakers series I mentioned in my last post. Everything sounded good. The only problem was that I kept being reminded of the reason I’d originally become interested in business, of the passion I’d had ever since I started my own soccer camp at 12 years-old: entrepreneurship.

This month I participated in my first case competition at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas.

When I left eight years ago for my undergraduate degree, the startup scene in St. Louis was so low key it wasn’t even on my radar. Ever since getting back to the city this August for the program, I’ve been shocked to learn how entrepreneurship in the city is thriving. Apparently, St. Louis is now a burgeoning BioTech and FinTech hub with growing national recognition. At the same time I was learning that a career in brand management may not be the perfect fit I imagined, I was realizing there were only three reasons I never thought seriously about pursuing entrepreneurship after my MBA.

• I didn’t have the perfect idea; but I learned there are many more opportunities to work in “entrepreneurship” than founding a company.
• If I wanted to do entrepreneurship I could have done it without an MBA; but if anything applies best to a broad, fundamental MBA education, it’s entrepreneurship.
• Straight up fear of uncertainty and risk; but if I have always wanted to get into entrepreneurship “eventually,” and it will only get harder as my career and personal life develops.

Now I was torn between focusing my MBA education on brand management or entrepreneurship. To hash out all the variables I relied on a classic MBA-level decision-making framework: the pros/cons list. (I’ll spare you the countless details and lengthy deliberation.) When I finally came to my decision, it just felt right. And it made me more excited than ever for my next two years at Olin.

I am going to pursue my passion and aim for a career in the St. Louis startup scene.

My advice to any prospective MBA student is that no matter how confident you are in your post-MBA path, keep an open mind. Explore activities outside that path. And always reevaluate your course as you learn more. Finally, you get out of your MBA what you put into it.

There are plenty of ways to get more out of your MBA than the lessons of the classroom. This month I participated in my first case competition at TCU in Fort Worth, TX, watched the WashU presidential debate at one of the campus watch parties, started my first InSITE project doing pro-bono startup consulting, and had dinner with a mentor I met at a marketing industry session.

But to get the most out of your MBA, you better know where you want to come out on the other side. And, as I Iearned, the sooner you can do that, the better.

This piece is one of a series that chronicles Cole’s first-year MBA experience at Olin Business School. Cole says he hopes these posts can offer a valuable, genuine student perspective of life at Olin. Be sure to check out Cole’s travel adventures on Switchback Kids. 

There are millions of students across the country investing in college tuition to better prepare them for the future. I think it is time to dive into the question of what that future is and what students want to do in it.

A lot of people go through college for different reasons. Of all the reasons, perhaps the most common among students across the country is to help find a job. Naturally, the next question is, what type of job?

There are many paths you can take, and of course there is no better or worse, but I’d argue that you want to allocate your time in hopes of learning. As Justin Kan calls it, “optimize for learning.”

And this is the perfect time do to this. To “hustle” and put yourself in an environment where you can accelerate growth super quickly. This time frame (5–8 years) is not about making money ; rather, it is the best opportunity to learn about the world and about yourself. (Gary Vaynerchuk does a great job of demonstrating the urgency in this time period.)

As a recent post-grad, you have a few competitive advantages that may keep you alive in the highly competitive workplace.

1. A network

If you did college right, you likely have a network there to support you. Perhaps the most valuable asset you gain as a student is the resource of alumni connections and classmates. Use those to your advantage.

2. Energy and passion

Another advantage you have is incredible inflow of energy. You can stay up longer hours and sleep less at night. You can survive on your friend’s couch and afford to eat cheap.

3. Intrinsic motivation

Perhaps the biggest advantage, though, is that you are willing to learn. Why? Because you have the least to lose. And that, in itself, is a huge opportunity for you to excel.

Be different and you will find yourself in an opportunity to grow.

Now,  this is not to say you should go out and quit your day job to go “learn.” Money is important and will help you in going far. But  try to put yourself in a situation where you can get the most out of learning. This applies not only to post-grad jobs, but also to internships and random gigs. Optimize for learning.

This post was originally featured on Medium and was republished with permission from the author.

When Olin’s newest MBA class arrived on campus in August, they knew from the start that they had a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it (ask any MBA – the two years fly by at supersonic speed).   There was, of course, the academic challenge of being back in school after some time away.  Then there was the need/opportunity to develop a strong network among fellow classmates, alumni, faculty, staff and the Olin community at large.

But the ultimate challenge might have been for new students to clarify (in some cases verify) their professional and career goals.  This sorting out process requires that students develop a thorough insight into jobs, careers and industries that they might be interested in – but not thoroughly familiar with. This needs to be done effectively – but it also needs to be done quickly.  Especially since our MBAs are looking to maximize the value of their academic choices and to access high impact resources while in the MBA program.  Remember – supersonic speed.

Jim McKelvey speaking at the Entrepreneurship Platform Industry seminar.

To the rescue comes the Olin MBA Platforms – and specifically the Platform Industry Seminar courses.  They help make the career sorting process fairly easy (there are only five platforms to choose from).  They make the “shopping and selection process” quite reasonable (no two Platform Industry seminars are scheduled against one another allowing you to test the waters before aligning yourself).  And finally, they bring a fair, comprehensive and insider look into individual companies, business sectors, industries, job functions and careers.  All the things an MBA needs – deliverd at supersonic speed.

Olin MBA alum Greg Portell (AT Kearney) and Prof. Ray Sparrowe were center stage at the Consulting and General Management Industry Seminar.

Between September and November the Platform Industry Seminar courses brought more than 40 industry insiders (alums, recruiters, and friends of Olin) to describe their jobs, careers, companies,  and industries.  Each guest spent an hour or more in conversation with interested MBAs.  It was a networking opportunity to be sure – but first and foremost it was a learning opportunity.  Our MBAs gain the insight needed to make informed choices during their supersonic two years at Olin.

Platform Industry Seminar courses are delivered at the right time, in the right place and by the right people.  It’s a different approach and uniquely Olin.

 Photo credit: St. Pancras Station, London, Max Cortegianno, Flickr