Pursuing an MBA can be a transformational experience. Many students often use business school as a time to reinvent themselves and launch their career in a new direction. Others use it as a means to leap ahead at a faster clip along their current path. Regardless of what path you take the potential for learning and growth is truly phenomenal.
While many students come in with an idea of what we want to do, many of us don’t, and at some point, almost all of us question ourselves. While some would argue that this is all part of the process, it can be quite overwhelming and difficult to manage. At some point, I think almost all my friends and I lost sleep over wondering what we were going to do after business school, and as a recent MBA Graduate, I can tell you that the that nervousness and anxiety about if the path I’ve chosen is the right one or not doesn’t entirely go away.
As an MBA graduate and career driven 20-something, I think about my job and my career quite often. And since I am friends with a lot of others with a similar background, our discussions naturally gravitate towards work and career related topics. One topic that comes up in particular is the best thought process for choosing the right job and career.
Many of my generation have been told to “Do what we love.” While there are plenty of people who follow this strategy there are plenty who don’t. It works for some people, but not for others. Fortunately, doing what you love is not the only career strategy. So for people who don’t like this strategy, don’t know what they love, or are just struggling to proceed, how do you know how to choose the right career?
Through my many conversations with my friends and colleagues, I’ve come up with a few common strategies for choosing a job or career, along with some cautions and steps for success. I’m sure there are others, but these are the ones that seem to stand out.
TLDR: I don’t have all the answers, and I don’t believe there is a silver bullet, but I think these strategies and subsequent thoughts will help MBAs work towards finding a path that is best for them.
Strategy 1: Do something you love
Background
A common phrase we hear in society today. If we take a job or career we love, we’ll commit ourselves fully and deeply engage with the work we do. A phrase we often hear is “find a job you love and you’ll never feel like you worked a day in your life.” And working a job that you love and getting paid to do it – Who wouldn’t want that?
Reality Check
Unfortunately, not everything we love is directly translatable into a job or career. Furthermore, not everything we love pays a salary/wage that enables us to live at the lifestyle we desire. Finally, not everyone has the means or opportunity to truly do what we love. We live in a world with constraints (financial, educational, experience etc.) and sometimes those constraints permit people from following this mantra.
How to Succeed: Take a shot of courage and rock on. Be relentless on how you prioritize your time. Don’t forget to take care of yourself (physically and mentally)
Conclusion
Doing something you love often gets the connotation that it will be rainbows and butterflies at all times. In reality, that’s not the case. With any job or career, there will be tough times and difficult moments, but for those who are truly doing what they love those difficult moments will be worth working through because it truly is worthwhile. Finally, doing something you love means knowing what you love. While some people know this, not everyone does, especially in your mid-20’s.
Strategy 2: Do something that enables you to do something that you love
Background
The classic means to an end strategy can help people balance both work and play. Work is a big portion of your life, but does not necessarily define all of who you are. For those who follow this strategy, they may not have a job or career they love, but they recognize it provides them with something worthwhile to do for the majority of the week while also enabling them to tackle other more meaningful pursuits.
Reality Check
It may not be fun coming to work every day. It also can get really easy to get comfortable with a particular lifestyle which sometimes locks you into a job you may not like but you need. Without a deep emotional connection to you work, it can be hard to stay engaged for long periods of time or through challenging moments. You also may get envious of those who seem to be super excited about what they do each and every day. Finally, while work and life do not have to be tied to one another, how you are in your life is impacted by what happens at work. For instance, you may take a particular job so you can support your family (what you love) but if you’re stressed or unhappy at work it’s likely it will carry over to how you are at home.
How to Succeed
Find ways to engage and focus at work as much as you can, especially during mundane or difficult periods of work. When you aren’t working, be sure to truly enjoy and make the most of whatever else you are spending your time on. Accept that fact that you might not love what you do, but that you truly love and appreciate the other areas of your life that are really special.
Conclusion
You may not love your job, but following this strategy can give you a well-rounded and balanced life. Some try to separate work and life, but its important to be aware that one can easily impact the other. You’ll want to be mindful of this so you can make the most out of the time you have when you’re pursuing your interests, hobbies, etc.
Strategy 3: Do something you are good at
Background
Pursuing a job or career in something we’re good at allows us to leverage our strengths. It helps us develop our personal brand, which leads to growth and opportunity. When you are good at something, people, and opportunities will follow. When we like what we are good at, and align a job to that strength, it can lead to fulfillment and enjoyment.
Reality Check
Just because we’re good at something doesn’t mean we want it to be our job or career. Furthermore, not all of our strengths are directly translatable into jobs and careers. For people looking for variety and challenge getting pigeon holed into a specific job is a real concern. However, if you happen to find a job that enables you to use your strengths it can be very rewarding, for yourself and your company.
How to Succeed
Take stock of your strengths and look to match them with a job or career that fits those strengths. Prevent being pigeon-holed by continuously developing those strengths and picking up new ones.
Conclusion
When you find a job that enables you to use your strengths, there’s lots of potential and opportunity. This strategy favors the self-aware and self-starters who truly understand their gifts and talents. There are lots of things we are good at that don’t necessarily translate into jobs, but if you can find one that does you have a great opportunity.
Strategy 4: Do something that has a need
Background: For this strategy, it’s about going where there is a need. When there is a shortage, there’s often opportunity – whether its in the form of a job, career, or in some cases, a job or career that comes with handsome compensation, following this strategy opens exciting new doors. Pursuing a need often means solving an unsolved problem.
Reality Check
Just because there is a need for something doesn’t mean that it’s something that’s a fit for you. Perhaps you don’t have the requisite skills or training to do the particular job. There’s a need for Software Developers but if you don’t know how to code it probably won’t serve you well to follow that path.
How to Succeed
Before jumping into something, evaluate whether the need is fleeting or more temporary. Furthermore, you’ll also want to evaluate whether or not you have the current skillset for whatever you’re considering and what else you would need to adequately pursue a particular job or career.
Conclusion
Following needs presents exciting career opportunities. Taking a job that fits a really big need could enable you to make a significant and meaningful impact. Not all needs will be interesting, so if you do go down this route you’ll want to make sure its worthwhile to you.
Final Thoughts
I truly believe that it’s not about whether any of these strategies (or any others) are better or worse, but rather, about what is best for you. One final thought: Getting an MBA is a privilege and an opportunity that not many people get access to, and as already discussed, is something that is truly transformational. Whichever path you choose to go down, understand that