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How I Improved My Colleges In One Easy Lesson

When it comes to career advancement, performance is merely half the equation. The other half is education. But who has time for you to have a higher degree? Fortunately, self-paced online programs are helping increasingly more working adults build their credentials.

One of the working professionals is Amye Cole, Senior Admissions Counselor at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village, Nevada. In 2005, Amye decided to go to school on her behalf MBA--while working full time. It's been almost a couple of years since she completed her online MBA program, and in the period she's changed jobs, taken on more responsibility, and seen her career blossom. She references her online MBA experience and exactly how it's helped her come into her in the business world.

Q: Why did you opt back to school on an MBA?

A: My undergraduate degree influences humanities--in Religious Studies, having a concentration in gender issues. It's this type of focused degree and has no direct application to the job I do now. I felt I needed to create skills I could use within an enterprise context. My job involves management and strategy, and I work closely with the marketing department. The MBA offered an opportunity to develop my formal lessons in these fields.

Q: Why do you choose an internet program?

A: At the time I lived inside a small town, where there weren't any MBA programs within driving distance. Also, I chose a web-based degree due to the variable hours. I needed to be effective by myself time schedule because I travel a whole lot. I needed the flexible schedule of a web based program.

Q: There are a good deal of online MBA programs out there. How do you choose yours?

A: I searched accreditation. As a college admissions counselor, I know how important accreditation is. The school I chose is accredited by four boards. It's based out of Salt Lake City.

Q: What was principle format of one's MBA program?

A: I did an accelerated program. It took annually and a half. I was only able to take one class at the time--two was excessive, since I worked regular.

Q: Can you mention a few of the classes you took?

A: I took all these great courses regarding how to understand business from the management perspective: hr, organizational behavior, financial management, and leadership.

Q: Describe a web-based education. How does it work?

A: You read a selection of textbooks, and post comments to your message board. We posted questions, or answered the professor's study question, and chatted with one another online. There were weekly essays, and the professor gave feedback. The professor didn't grade anything--there was a committee that reviewed all essays and gave everyone numbers, 1-5, that corresponded to your pass/fail grade.

There were also several major exams through the program. They were difficult, so you had to get yourself a 75-80% score to give. These exams were administered at a proctor-approved site. The last 6 months of the MBA was the capstone program, and we all took the standardized C-MBA exam.

Q: What did your MBA capstone project entail?

A: For the capstone I did a company analysis of my prior employer, Squaw Valley Academy. I analyzed the business's business objectives from a holistic standpoint. The point from the project would have been to appreciate how everything fit together--budgeting, marketing, hr, etc.

To back up one minute, inside MBA program we learned a 10-part insurance policy for understanding how a company worked. The ten steps included accounting, finance, marketing, leadership, management, ethics, strategy, it, project management, recruiting, operations, organizational behavior, communication, and business law.

For the capstone, I had to target each objective individually and describe how it applied towards the business I was analyzing. So, by way of example, I brought up how a company thought we would invest more looking engine optimization and Internet promotion. That marketing objective increased the volume of clients, which often impacted hours by increasing worker salaries.

Q: And then you took the C-MBA?

A: First I had an oral defense for your capstone. The defense was conducted over the phone--a conference call between me, my mentor, as well as a committee of faculty advisors.

Then I took the C-MBA test, a typical test that most MBAs may take. The C-MBA covered each of the courses and objectives I had studied. Taking that test helped validate the rigor of my MBA program. I put on it on my small resume, in fact. Some people question value of a web-based MBA, therefore the C-MBA can be an objective way to show potential employers that you mastered the fabric. I did exceptionally well in management and HR leadership, which are my areas of concentration within the program.

Q: In retrospect, do you think you're glad you've got your internet MBA?

A: Without a doubt. There were certainly occasions when it gave the impression to take up every minute of my sparetime. I was traveling a good deal for work, inside a new relationship, and I would think 'gosh, could it be well worth it?' My friends who had MBAs encouraged me to adhere it out, though, and I'm so glad I did.

Q: Do you find that you simply use the degree inside your current job?

A: I can't say enough about how exactly much I use it regularly. Organizational behavior courses in general were beneficial to find out how large organizations are set up. My former company had below 25 employees; here it's near 60 total. So I find I'm while using perspective I gained inside MBA program--getting the opportunity to observe how departments work together, plus some cases taking on those roles. The company continues to be sufficiently little that I reach wear different hats.

In a large company that could reach over 100 people, you tend to pay attention to your specific role as part of your department and lose sight of how it fits into any alternative individuals are doing. I think being an employee it may be all to easy to use a narrow target the day-to-day. I feel fortunate to have MBA because I have a very broader understanding now of how the company works all together. So as an example, I work alongside the marketing department now, and I have a very better understanding of how much time it takes to get somethings done, etc. I can work better with these because I understand their position.

Q: Since graduating you've switched jobs and been promoted. Do you think the MBA played a job because?

A: Without a doubt, the MBA taught me to be change jobs. Employers appreciate which you have a very degree in business--it provides you with credibility. MBA individuals are recognized to possess that general understanding about how exactly an organization functions on many levels. My undergraduate degree was so focused it would have been hard to enter new industries without a practical degree. Also, the fact that I was working full-time on and on university fulltime established that I can balance many projects at the same time.

Q: So you would recommend getting a web based MBA?

A: Yes. I feel being a got a good, rigorous education. I use a much broader comprehension of management, and consequently I've been able to take on a more active role at the job. I've also increased my earning power.