By Arial Starks
With help from Vanderbilt Executive MBA Executive Director Juli Bennett and Assistant Director of Client Experience Matthew Cox, we offer 5 reasons why this is the perfect time for prospective students to take the plunge and pursue an Executive MBA program.
1. Invest in yourself
Juli Bennett
The Executive MBA is an investment in yourself that can pay off immediately. If you are looking toward the next step in your career, and most of the people in your aspirational roles have an advanced business degree, invest the time now to acquire the skills and credentials you’ll need when the opportunity presents itself. Earning an MBA is an investment to yourself and your company.
“The moment you start an Executive MBA program is the same moment you are able to have more leverage in the workplace and in your career,” says Cox. “The Vanderbilt EMBA program allows for this to happen in several ways: readily applicable coursework and immersion experiences, the Vanderbilt-Owen network, and the growth opportunities available from our leadership and career management coaching staff.”
2. There’s no better time than now
As you work your way up in your career, your schedule is not going to lighten up. This is true at home as well. There’s never a perfect time to pursue an MBA. It’s important and reassuring to remember that people have successfully earned Executive MBAs at every stage of a professional life. “You will always be balancing, regardless of when you choose to pursue an MBA. The sooner you jump in, the sooner you will experience the ROI of having an MBA,” says Bennett.
3. Build the skills you need to propel your career
An Executive MBA helps professionals sharpen already existing skills and develop new ones. The program offers candidates opportunities to build hard skills like accounting, economics, and statistics while preparing students to become more effective leaders through courses that provide a strong foundation in leadership and strategy. Bennett notes that the Vanderbilt Executive MBA program trains students to go beyond task completion and use critical-thinking skills to create strategies for moving an organization forward.
4. Advance without disrupting the rhythm of your life
You need the right tools to secure your next promotion, and taking a break from the full-time workforce to pursue a full-time MBA program may not be the best career move for you. The Executive MBA allows you to immediately apply the skills you learn in the program to your current position. “Especially if you are in a fast-paced ever-changing industry or role where technology moves quickly, stepping out for 2 years could negatively impact your career progression,” adds Bennett.
Matthew Cox
5. Join a network that actively works for you
The Executive MBA offers you a chance to build your network and expand your horizons. The flexibility of the Executive MBA program allows you to spend less time in the classroom and more time getting to know your peers while maintaining existing relationships.
“The every other Saturday approach that Vanderbilt’s Executive MBA offers still allows you to maintain relationships with friends and family and have a social life all while juggling that with work, while also being a part of a top program where you are separating yourself from your peers,” says Cox.
