COVID-19 was a life interruption that no one was prepared for- or ever wanted. For the MBA alumni community, life in lock down felt like a cycle of screen time and being quarantined to the same people and to the same place. The interaction from fellow alum’s and coworkers was growing more and more missed- Jasmine Ako, a Yale SOM ‘19 alumni, had similar feelings when interviewed about her experience in lockdown. From how her first initial company handled the first wave of the pandemic, to the hard balance of a healthy work routine while in lock down, making a possible career change and how she feels about her MBA post-pandemic.
How did the company you worked for handle the initial wave of the pandemic? How did this impact you personally?
Jasmine: I think the company I was at handled it fairly well. For example, everyone quickly migrated to using Microsoft Teams as our shared platform for virtual meetings, project management, and communication across teams. There was also very constant communication about safety protocols, updates on a potential return to office, and mental health / social-emotional well-being. What I appreciated most is that my company gave all employees a generous wellness stipend for purchasing work-from-home office equipment as well as for health and wellness items (e.g., fitness equipment). This allowed me to transition to working remotely fairly quickly and allowed me to be productive at work.
What was your thought process around deciding to make a career change? How did the last year and a half affect your chosen career?
Jasmine: It definitely forced me to reflect on what I consider meaningful and impactful work. When you work remotely, it truly reduces a job down to its core responsibilities and tasks. My work life balance at the time (I used to be in strategy consulting during the height of the pandemic) was very challenging. Several of the major benefits of consulting — like the ability to socialize and network with colleagues, problem-solve and strategize as a team in-person, and form close bonds through long hours together in the trenches — were notably reduced due to not being together in person.
While I did learn an immense amount from consulting and am grateful for the two years I spent in the space, I realized I wasn’t fully enjoying the work and my mental health took a serious toll from the sheer amount of hours worked. That pushed me to make a career change this year back into the education sector, which is my passion and where I spent the majority of my career pre-MBA. I’m thrilled I was able to marry both my experiences in education and strategy to find the right (and my current) role, which is a strategy position at an education nonprofit.
How has the pandemic made you reflect about your MBA?
Jasmine: In many ways. Several of my MBA classmates became some of my closest friends, and regular conversations with them during the pandemic kept me feeling grateful, sane, and whole all at once. The MBA also throws a lot at you and teaches you how to prioritize and balance between a million and one things, so that indirectly helped me juggle an intense job while working from home during the pandemic. On a very practical level, my MBA experience also helped me search for my current job during the pandemic.
All of the practical career management skills that I gained through my MBA around networking, interviewing, and aligning my skills and career towards pinpointing the right next job I was able to put into practice.
Returning to the office, what are some of your priorities when it comes to your work environment, or workplace benefits?
Jasmine: I’m actually really looking forward to going back to the office. One of the things I’m looking forward to is checking in with colleagues in-person (safely, of course) on a more regular basis. Communication is just so much richer in-person. It doesn’t need to be super often either. Everyone has different preferences that should be taken into account, but at least for me, I think a hybrid schedule will be the goal. There are pros to working from home and being in-person, and I’ll probably do a mix of both. Thankfully my company is super flexible and is not mandating remote, hybrid, or in-person for everyone and letting individuals and their teams decide.
Jasmine worried if her career would ever go back to how she originally planned, or if she would be able to develop their careers as they wished. For many MBA alumni – they acquired they’re advanced degree to better themselves and their professional lives- now having that security be challenged by something as serious as a pandemic did not come easy to accept. The anxiety that came along with quarantine was nothing short of notice and affected many. Having to socially distance from everyone and everywhere was also quite a change for Jasmine and the MBA graduate community. The question lingered, whether or not they would have to make a complete career change or not. The concern of personal health and safety also lingered.
Was work harder or easier to do while quarantine was going on?
Jasmine: For me, it was harder. I missed the camaraderie and company of my colleagues. Also, in consulting the work is extremely team-oriented. It’s so much easier to be sitting right next to your colleague to ask them a question and/or having them look at your Excel model live over your shoulder rather than sending them an online chat or setting up a meeting. It was also really hard for me to separate work from home life when I never left my condo. However, the 30 second commute is nothing to complain about.
Were you fearful of what would happen to your health and well-being during the pandemic? Did it affect the way you work?
Jasmine: I was certainly worried about my health in the early stages of the pandemic, when nobody really knew what was going on. As time went on the fear subsided as I didn’t leave home often and practiced all the typical precautions to stay safe when I did leave the house. My work life balance definitely suffered the most. I learned to incorporate certain practices that helped a bit (going on “walking” meetings, working out when possible) but it was still very challenging.
Written by: Julia Posz