Career Development or Waste of Time?

Figured I'd catch up on the Blog here while I wait for the company brick to reboot. Enterprise-hindered laptops seem to haunt me....

I was asked again just today about pursuing an MBA and if it was a waste of time or a carefully planned career development tool. Since I'm pursuing mine in a non-traditional route, I get the question all the time. So I'll answer that and more here..

1. No- It is not a waste of time.

2. It is not a degree factory - I can personally attest to over 1300 hours of reading, research, coursework and many, many papers in the last 19 months. ( still have 2.5 more to go!)

3. I have found out how fast I can type with very little sleep.

4. My iPod helped me get through this phase of my life- honest. It feels like I've had my iPod and my trusty Toshiba Satellite surgically grafted to my body for the last 2 yrs.

5. I have learned so much beyond my experience base ( in sales and marketing) that it is hard to even explain it.

6. It has enabled me to see opportunities where none seemed to exist before. Inside my company, in my personal life, as a spouse and a parent.

7. I negotiated a career-enrichment role at my company because of my learning.


I could go on and on. This degree is like most things in life - the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. So I know it has definitely enriched my life as well as given me a new set of tools for the future no matter if I stay here or have to move on.