by Jarrett

Two weeks ago, I began this 3 part series on ranking my MBA on-demand experience compared to an on-campus MBA program.  I’m comparing the programs based on the 3 E’s of career development.  The 3E’s are:

- Education - what you know

- Exposure - who you know or who knows of you, and

- Experience - applying what you know.

I’ve already covered Education and Exposure in previous posts.

It never ceases to amaze me that companies trying to recruit talent always want someone fresh out of school already having years of experience. What!?!  You mean you demand all this back-breaking and no-life studying and all this high-tuition paying, but then, after all that, you still think I don’t know how to swim on my own?  Apparently so.

The average person usually goes to get their MBA between 2 and 5 years after completing their undergraduate studies.  However, it seems that most jobs which would be attractive to MBA graduates are seeking 5-10 years experience.  It doesn’t take a PhD in mathematics to realize that the only way to get there is to continually add to your experience while you are enrolled in your MBA program.

So, what is Experience? I am assuming that serving hotdogs at the county fair probably doesn’t impress the CFO you are trying to get a job offer from (unless you can show how it really relates to the job you are applying, i.e. the Oscar Meyer finance department.)

It’s my experience that there are a bunch of ways you can add to your Experience while still going to graduate school.

Just for example: my studies at Thunderbird have required me to take courses on 3 different continents with an optional 4th.  I could walk into a job interview that was looking for a candidate to do business in Santiago, Chile and say that I have encountered influential people from there (such as the president of the central bank of Chile), and I’d be able to recommend a good place to eat in the financial district.  This would show my employer that I was already familiar with the country and could easily start working there immediately.

Comparing the experience I am receiving through the on-demand courses versus the on-campus program, I would definitely say that I am getting far more experience than with the on-campus program.  I should note, though, that this largely stems from the way I’ve made sure that whatever I’m involved with relates directly to my career goals.

For example, it is far easier as an on-campus student with no full-time job to be able to take opportunities of internships whether paid or unpaid than someone like me who would risk foregoing his salary or quitting his job to take advantage.  Internships can offer good connections and varied experience, but one shouldn’t think they are only for on-campus students—there may even be a possibility of getting your current employer to grant a leave of absence so you can participate in an internship.

Now, back to the original question: If I could do it all over again, what would I change? After comparing the on-demand program to the on-campus program by looking at the 3E’s of career development, I would have to say that I made the right choice by attending the on-demand program.  The only thing I’d change would be to graduate when the economy and job market were much better—but of course I can’t change that any more than I can change the time the sun comes up. All in all, I feel great about it.