When I started out my career, I wasn’t sure about what I wanted to do, or what Industry I was interested in working in. I was going with the flow and decided I would make the best of whatever situation I found myself in. I just wanted a job that would help me pay my bills and cover my basic needs. So right after I graduated from university in the United States, I went back home to Nigeria and got a job as Accounts Executive in a small advertising company. I must say that I should have planned better for my first job as it wasn’t a fulfilling role, and the pay was really underwhelming. After spending 2 years in the industry, I decided to leave. This time, I became a little bit more deliberate in searching for a job; I was looking for a career and not just something to pass time with. I applied for a graduate position in a multinational company and got in after going through their rigorous recruitment process. It was a more fulfilling move and ended up being four years of learning and building my capabilities in business and marketing.

As much as I enjoyed the different roles that I completed while working in the multinational company, I soon began to realise that I wanted more than what was being offered. I’ve always been quite ambitious since I started planning out my career, so I was feeling quite stuck in my job. Though I had moved through multiple roles which kept things exciting, I was beginning to question if the industry I worked in was the right one for me. When we went into COVID lockdown was when I got the clarity I needed. I had been reflecting and planning my next steps for the future when it hit me. I was able to pencil down the reasons why an MBA was the next best move for me.

1. I wanted to pivot out of my current industry to a new one. I also wanted to work in a different country to expand my skills and expose myself to multicultural workplace dynamics, strengthening my position in the labour market.
2. Though I was learning on the job, I was learning things specific to my industry only; this was limiting, making my skills less transferable that it should be.
3. I was heavily due for a promotion and based on the conversations I had with the senior managers in the company, I had to be patient for an unspecified stretch of time; this gave me absolutely no confidence. Also, the annual compensation was miles less than average compared to my counterparts across the globe.

After my moment of clarity, it was an easy decision. I applied to multiple universities in the UK and settled for Lancaster University. Ranked as one of UK’s top 10 MBA programs, the Lancaster MBA has proven to be worth my while and money so far. We just completed the first term and boy; it was such a challenge!

In the first term, we started out with Core Capabilities, then Responsible Management and Ethics, Leading Responsibly, Marketing, Accounting and Finance, and the Business Management Challenge Modules. I could spend the whole day talking about each of these modules and how they could ransack your mind, releasing the key tools that you would need in becoming the responsible leader that you are capable of being. But why spoil the surprise when you can come and experience it for yourself? I’ll give this away though; my critical thinking skills, decision making skills, and problem-solving skills have tremendously improved in the last three months. My path in the future is clearer, and I am a lot more confident and excited about the things that I have planned for myself after graduation. And I must add, this has also been made possible through all the support I have received from the Career Advancement Program so far. With their help, I have been able to apply learnings from them and critically chart my next career moves.

Though it seems like my experience sounds like a field of lilies and roses, quitting my job and moving across the world to pursue my MBA degree has not been easy. I was used to a steady flow of income every month which I don’t have anymore. I am also always tired all the time, barely getting through one module while being plunged into the next, ensuring I meet assessment deadlines, and finding time to socialize and network with classmates and other colleagues. But I feel like it is worth it. I have no regrets, and I am looking forward to next term and the challenges that would come with it. The best part is, my classmates are amazingly supportive, and no one ever feels like they must go through tough situations alone; I am very grateful for it.

So, if you are thinking about getting an MBA degree, do it. And when you do, consider the Lancaster MBA program as they offer you great value for your coins. You’d gain so much, refine your skills in such a short period of time, gather the necessary equipment you need in charting your next career move, and add invaluable people to your network of friends and potential business partners.

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