5 steps to successful career planning for Mini MBA students May 25, 2018

5 steps to successful career planning for Mini MBA students

What is a Mini MBA?

A Mini MBA is for individuals looking to progress their careers. This is a popular way of earning a MBA qualification without the hefty price tag or the full time commitment. The Mini MBA was introduced back in 1949 at McGill University in Canada, but there are many different providers that have seen the success and decided to provide the course in the UK.

Large organisations are offering this course to their employees so that they can gain better business knowledge and still not have it effect their day to day work. It is important to know that the Mini MBA course is not a degree but you will be receiving a certificate of completion. The normal MBA programs are designed to be taken over a year whereas the mini MBA programme is a highly intensive classroom session either in the evening after work or on the weekends.

When you are looking into the Mini MBA course, this is when you should start planning your career. It is never too early to start planning your post mini MBA career, thinking ahead in the long term can be very beneficial. Many students will focus all their energy on the studies with no thought to the type of career that they would like to pursue. This means that when the course is finished you are unable to quickly get into a career because you have no strategy in mind.

Before you start your mini MBA why don’t you fully assess your current skills and expertise and see how you would like to develop them. Be sure to write a list before you start or what you would like to achieve from the course. You can also jot down your 2, 5, 10 year plan to see how best the mini mba programme will help you achieve the best career results. This will also help you to decide whether a Mini MBA is the right programme for you.

Now that you have your goals and achievements documented, it’s time to work with the career services department at your educational establishment. They will help you to set out a clear strategy for achieving your short term, medium term and long term career goals. They will use your personal development modules to focus on the skills you require to achieve your desired goals. It is down to you whether you take the advice of the careers team but this is the best way to get an idea of the career you would like.

One thing that many mini mba students forget is that there have been other people who have completed the course before you. They can be working for highly reputable companies and be in high positions, it is important to see the school’s alumni network before you complete the course. Why not find them on linkedin and connect with them, they can give you help and advice on how to go on to have a successful career after completing the course. Learning from other people’s mistakes can save you a lot of time and energy.

Now that you have connected to likeminded individuals why not ask them if they can be your mentor, the organisation that you are studying through might be able to help you get in touch with someone. Speak to your mentor about your career aspirations and help them advice you on the best way to achieve your goals

You need to ensure that you are someone that has the right social skills to ensure that they can work in a team. You can learn to socialise with your classmates over lunch or after the day is over to help you gain insight to different cultures and different insights to business. In your career you will meet many different people from all walks of life.

Not sure on what career path to take? Read more about the Mini MBAwe have available at London TFE