With a month away from completing my MBA, I’ve gotten all sorts of nostalgic. This might seem slightly comical (or even odd) to those who either have watched me or joined me through this process over the past 3 years, as, well, business school part-time, or *graduate* school part-time is no joke.
With that said, I’ve noticed in general that not only do people love blogged lists on the interwebs, but that it’s always good to get some perspective. So, here we go.
1. Business school is not just for “business people”. While this might seem obvious to some, I was thoroughly convinced that I was going to the “fish-out-of-water” in business school. I was the kid who submitted an art portfolio to college, majored in Visual & Media arts, worked in television/film production, and later wanted to save the world through Democratic politics. I entered business school with the plan to go to the private sector to go back public, but figured do-goodery would be in short supply. You know, I’d be surrounded by clones of Gordon Gekko. Man, I was so wrong. Not only are there folks in b-school who are solely targeting nonprofit or government jobs after graduation, but folks are really looking to change the world, and do it through business. Go visit your local Net Impact Chapter (or even better, attend the conference), and you’ll see what I’m talking about. It’s incredible.
2. You can learn more on a team than you can by yourself. My first semester of business school I was only given one team assignment. Three years later I can say that the majority of classes I’ve taken involved group work or group projects. I haven’t really confirmed this with any b-school profs, but my sense is that the high focus on group work in business school (and the potential trials that come with it) generally helps those studying management learn how to both manage and lead. Now, while at least once a semester I’d end up in one of these groups and my hair would fall out in clumps, I can honestly say looking back that I learned more through the brainstorming, problem-solving, and commandery on teams than I ever did by myself. I also met incredible people who I now trust to give me solid, strategic business advice, (and killer high-fives when necessary). They are my professional go-tos to this day.
3. I will never be (and will always need to hire) an accountant. Erm… This perhaps was not a surprise to me, but an important lesson none-the-less. You CPAs out there, I salute you. My brain just doesn’t work that way.
4. Go work for a startup. Seriously. I took a risk last year, and joined the small team of a growing social venture. Now while admittedly startups are risky (so risky that I currently don’t have a job), but I promise that you are going to learn more running a small/growing business than perhaps business school could ever teach you. Experiential learning at it’s best.
5. If you’re not scared you’re doing it wrong. I was terrified applying to business school, terrified on my first day of class, terrified in Finance (tho’ I got an A, woo!), and still terrified on a bad day that I won’t get job. In short– I’ve been worried and scared a bunch the past few years in school, but I *always* took that leap. Always. I’m paraphrasing a conversation I had with a mentor of mine last year that puts this thought process in perspective. I asked her a question about risk taking–and what advice she’d give to someone who’s has entrepreneurial traits, but generally scared of failing. She answered in the most simplistic way, and it’s stuck with me ever since: If you wake up in the morning and you’re not scared, you’re doing it wrong. If you’re not doing what excites you then what’s the point? You’ll walk around like the living dead.
Wee Geekery 