The MBA Survival Guide by Ryan Austin

Author:Ryan Austin
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Ten Point Ventures, LLC
Published: 2014-07-07T14:00:00+00:00

Academics

Classes/Majors:

When it comes to picking a major, I would hope that you have an idea of what type of work you want to do after graduation. There is certainly value in trying to do more than one if possible. I did a double major for my MBA, focusing on two fields with a lot of overlap, both of which I am interested in (Finance and Strategy). Some MBA programs will not let you even pick a major or focus and just offer general MBAs, so this may not even be a choice for some of you.

When it comes to classes, in my mind there are a few that you should take no matter what your focus is. Regardless of if you are going into finance or something a little less technical like HR, take an Excel skills class early on in your MBA if there is one available. This will be an invaluable skill to have while going through your program and will also serve you well once you graduate and start working, regardless of what you’re doing. I always thought that I was pretty sufficient in Excel, but taking an Excel-based class really showed me how naïve I was. If you too think you are an Excel expert, you probably just need somebody to come by, pat you on your head, and say, “Bless your heart.”

Regardless of what your focus is, you will obviously have to take classes that cover all fields and functions, even if it is just one or two requirements. In addition to the Excel class previously mentioned, look to take some additional HR classes that seem interesting to you. Being a finance and technical guy I always thought of HR as somewhat of a joke, but HR at the MBA level really comes down to organizational design, behavior, and strategy. Not only can it be really interesting to learn about, but it will be good to have some classes under your belt as you progress in your career and actually start to manage some sizeable teams. One of the common things that I hear executives mention in response to being asked to look back at their MBA experience is that they all wished they had taken more HR-based classes. Thinking about it now, I’m not shocked at that response, but it is eerily odd that on several occasions I have heard some pretty senior executives answer exactly the same way, as if they’re all reading from the same teleprompter. Aside from HR, look to take a negotiations class if possible. Whether or not you need this for work, it will certainly help you when it comes to negotiating on your own behalf.

In a nutshell, try to take classes that cover two things: what you will need to know for the type of work that you are looking to do, and things that interest you. Hopefully the two will be one and the same, but really try to use this time to learn as much as you can.

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