How to survive thorugh an MBA program without burning yourself
Starting an MBA program at a reputable institute can be an exciting yet overwhelming experience. The demanding MBA progams make you aks a question to yourself "how can I make the best use of my time and resources to balance school, work and personal lives?". Well the bad news is that you will have to work your butt off and there will be times when you will have to make trade offs. But the good news is that you will survive. Especially if you follow our MBA survival tips.
1. Financial Planning: Financial planning is the most important thing before entering an MBA program. You should make arrangements to get your credit cards, bills, mortgage, taxes, tuition etc. taken care of so that you dont' fall back in your finances.
2. Family and Friends: One which is going to happen for sure is that you won't be able to spend a lot of time with your family and friends. Therefore, spend as much time as possible with them. Having a family vacation is not a bad idea at all.
3. Look for Easy Ways: You definitely are not going to have time to mow your lawn or hit a local mall to shop. Delegate any tasks you can to other family members or hire help. Similarly shop online for anything you need.
4. Orientation: Get to know your classmates during the orientation. They will be your family and friends for the next two years.
5. Class Material: Buy your books, laptops and any stationairy ahead of the class. You will not have time during the session.
6. In Class Best Practices: Following are the best practices to make most of your time an money.
- Do your pre-class readingsand assigmnets ahead of time if you are serious about learning. Most likely your professor will be asking you to discuss the material in the class.
- Active participation in a classroom discussion is a must for being successful in an MBA program. If you are quiet, you will likely get a lower grade.
- Group assignments are going to be a key throughout the MBA program. They are designed so that you learn how to collaborate. And this will also require team meetings. Show courtesy and respect to your teammates.
7. In Class Bad Practices: You should avoid the practices below:
- Do not surf the web during the class. It is taking away the opportunity to learn.
- Do not take classes such as leadership or organization change management lightly. They will come handy.
- Chit chatting in the class is never a good idea.
8. Outside Class Best Practices:
- Network all you can. Even if you are not going to get anything out right now, still keep on networking. The network will come hand down the road.
- Thank family and friends repeatedly for their support. You will feel good about it too.
- Workout 2-3 times a week to stay fit.
- Manage your ti.
9. Job Search: As you are near the program completion you will be probably looking for a new job or completely switching careers. Below are some of the tips:
- Be Realistic Treat MBA as a long term investment. Do not expect a huge pay hike or promotion right after the program. It can take up to 5 years before the dough starts rolling.
- Update Your Resume Make sure that your resume reflects that you are about to make a shift from a techie to a business leader.
- Finding A Job You will have a better shot at switching with your curent employer than outside. But leave no stone.
10. After the Program: Take pride in being an MBA. Stay in touch wiht your classmates and professors.
Suggested Reading:
MBA Frontline by FastCompany
