A common question we get from recent graduates of undergrad programs is “Do I really need work experience prior to enrolling in an MBA program?” My answer is that it is essential and let me share a recent story to explain why.
Just over a year ago, I made the transition from Training & Development in the corporate world to Recruiting & Admissions in graduate management education. For the first couple of weeks, I shadowed people from different departments to understand how it all works. One piece of advice that I heard from multiple sources is that it takes about a year to fully learn the industry and my role. Being someone who is used to learning things quickly, I believe I didn’t need that much time.
Fast forward to today, and I realize how naïve I was. It DID take a year because in this industry, one needs to experience everything that goes into putting together a fantastic class. And receiving job training now couldn’t have come at a better time.
Job training you ask? Yes. This week, I am in Chicago receiving training with over 60 marketing/recruiting/admissions professionals from 49 general management programs. This training is only offered once a year and is for new professionals to the industry. Their definition of new is someone who has been in their role for at least six months.
To me, new means someone with no experience. But as I sat in class, I realized why experience was a pre-requisite.
One of the reasons is context. This week, one of the many things we learned was how to market our programs and interview candidates, and I was able to relate to the content. During the sessions, I was also able to share my experience and to learn from other people. My experience in the last year has enriched my learning this week. Had I completed this training when I first joined Ivey, I would have felt overwhelmed by the content and intimidated by my peers.
This recent experience reinforces my belief of how important work experience is prior to enrolling in an MBA program. Experience gives student context and confidence, two ingredients that will enrich and maximize your learning. It is possible to obtain an MBA with minimal work experience as all programs have different admissions requirements, but I believe you will make the most of your investment when you have experience to share.