Contributor
culled from:http://www.entrepreneur.com
More and more in Silicon Valley, we’re seeing less and less of an
interest in pursuing MBA programs. It seems every week a new story
highlights the opportunity costs of these programs, the unemployment
rates for its graduates (though less than 5 percent of Harvard's class of 2012 was unemployed
three months after graduating) and the celebrated entrepreneurs who
didn’t finish college let alone a graduate program (Steve Jobs, Bill
Gates, Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg).
Combine that with the fact that startups -- where everyone seems to
want to work -- don’t care at all about graduate business degrees. They
want to see real-life experience and that you have the grit to make it
in the startup trenches where it’s much more visceral when your job, not
your grade, is on the line.
Yet applications still deluge many elite schools and some admission consultants are predicting a greater number of applicants at the top schools.
So what's the right call? First of all, if you are accepted or
enrolled in an MBA program, understand that your degree will never hurt
you. There is much to be gained from the coursework as well as a lot you
can do to make the most out of your time in school. The right attitude
and the right degree provide a formula for long-term sustainable
success.
While a business school will give you a pedigree, the real world is
about results. As soon as the job interview process ends, no one cares
which degree you received from Harvard, Stanford or Florida Atlantic (my
alma mater). All they care about is that you get the job done. So here
are some lessons from the real world of work:
1. The way to keep a job is to understand what success looks like. Commit to aggressive and achievable goals. Then deliver more than others.
2. Get voted onto the team every day. In football
and the real world, when you try to solve today’s problems no one gives
you credit for past accomplishments. People care about how well you get
today’s hard stuff done.
3. Operate with a mind-set that reflects a meritocracy.
That's opposed to displaying a sense of entitlement -- no matter how
proud you are of your education. Having a pedigree doesn't mean you can
look down on others. People sense that -- and won't like it. And while
Harvard or Stanford may open the door to opportunities, capitalizing on
those opportunities is all about how well you do the job.
4. Be ready to demonstrate how you handle adversity.
When I hire, I often look at educational achievements as a basis for
assessing someone's raw intellectual prowess. But I spend way more time
looking at the challenges they've tackled, what they've achieved and how
sought after they are.
5. Be open to seeing excellence wherever it is. You’ll find it often comes in the most unlikely of places.
6. Leverage your network. That’s one of the most valuable assets of any degree. Work it.
7. Understand that it’s not all about you. MBA
programs spur a lot of competition; there’s an intense race to be the
top of the class. But that individualistic focus isn’t always welcome at
the workplace, where a “company first” not a “me first” attitude is
desired.
8. Learn a new culture. Don't adhere to what you
learned in school. Do extra-credit projects that provide exposure to
executive management and hopefully the board. Watch how people handle
themselves at these meetings and modify your behavior accordingly.
9. Give back and continue to enhance and help others on their path. If you have an MBA, use it for good.
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