INTERVIEW
I was employed by Northamptonshire in a role that was advertised as the most difficult job in local government. When I saw the advert, I thought I must do it
For example, I didn’t have a first degree when I went in to do a masters. I had a lot of experience and other qualifications. I feel that having my MBA has made a difference in my career, it opened doors for me. It gave me opportunities I probably couldn’t have accessed without that. I probably couldn’t have made the difference that I’ve made to so many lives as well, through the work that I’ve done in local government and also the experience I’ve gained in the private sectors. So I’ve also been a non-executive director of one of the largest investment funds in Europe, and again that’s an experience that I don’t think I could have had or could have actually managed to achieve without having my MBA. I would encourage anyone thinking about their career to go and do it – whether they are younger or older. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have. I didn’t start my MBA till I was in my mid-30s. You’re never too old to do it, and there was older people than me on my cohort. If you are working full-time, it can be quite intense and quite hard work, but those three years are worth every minute of it. If you had to change anything about your MBA experience, what would you change? I think I would have enjoyed it more, looking back. You never do when you’re in the moment, you are just focused on
the achievement, and making sure that you can get over the line. So, I think I would have lived in the moment more and enjoyed it. I don’t think I’d have changed anything about the academic learning. I would change how I approached it rather than how the MBA itself was set out. It was designed to give you a very broad understanding of business, which it did. I’ve used a lot of that understanding over the years and in different ways. I think one of the greatest benefits is the networks and the people that you meet throughout that experience. Those networks will turn out to be hugely valuable to you in your career, as you progress. I’m still friends with many of the people who were in my cohort – 20 years on. You sometimes make your best friends through adversity, and it was a time when we all pulled together to make sure we’d all get over that line and that we’d all achieve a high standard and a good outcome. What do you think was the most important thing that you learnt from your MBA? Probably that you don’t have to get 100% all the time and that’s not what’s important. I went into it thinking that if I didn’t achieve 100% in every single mark that I was failing in some way, which is not sustainable and certainly not realistic.
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Ambition | BE IN BRILLIANT COMPANY
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