As a professional, if you feel that you are stagnating in your current role and are considering opportunities in management, you could consider pursuing an Executive MBA program. While Executive MBA programs are similar to traditional MBA programs in many ways, they are significantly different in terms of schedules, curriculum, exposure and networking opportunities.
Here are some considerations to help you decide whether an Executive MBA is right for you:
Be Ready for Tight Schedules
Class schedules are designed for working individuals and will likely take place on Friday evenings and weekends. It’s very likely that coursework load will be high, and you will get assignments and projects over the week. There is usually is only one time option per course, but ensure that you ask about the exact days and times before enrolling.
Tremendous Networking Opportunity
The programs are designed so that participants take most classes with the same set of participants. This enables close interaction with professionals in other firms, across career levels and specializations.
Up your Soft Skills
Executive MBA programs are focused on soft skills, technical or functional skills or a blend of both. Traditional MBA programs tend to focus on specific job-related skills but if you want to get exposed to soft skills such as leadership, negotiating and time management, an Executive MBA would be the right choice for you.
Time Commitment
The career impact of an Executive MBA program is directly related to the amount of time you are willing to spend on the program, and subsequently using the skills imparted to you . If your company pays for your program, they are making an investment in you as they see your potential. Developing the right skill-set will benefit both you and your company, so ensure that you do justice to both.
As you can see, an Executive MBA program offers significant benefits as compared to traditional MBA programs, especially to people who already have work experience behind them. Ensure that you choose focused higher education programs that match your career goals.