The rising cost of education is prompting more MBA students to hold down a job and attend school at the same time. A study conducted this year revealed that the average cost of an MBA degree is over $7,000 per year, which means that most students must work as they study. If you are one such student, holding down a job and working toward your degree is probably stressful. However, there are several practical skills you may learn from doing so and can apply to a future job that could make you quite a success.
1. Time Management
If you tend to procrastinate and turn in work assignments at the last minute, then studying for an MBA as you work may help you break this habit and develop effective time management skills instead. For example, if you are working to earn a healthcare degree from GW and are working as a medical technician in a doctor’s office, having to balance time for work and school may help you learn to focus on tasks at work and complete them quicker, which may also increase your productivity.
2. Resourcefulness
If you are like many others who are earning an MBA as they work, you may be raising a family as well. Working toward your degree and working full time will push you to be highly resourceful when it comes to finding extra money for family activities and making time for your spouse and kids. Having to stretch your wages may also prompt you to find new ways to save money on your household finances, such as heating and food, that go beyond clipping coupons.
3. Teamwork
If you prefer to work alone and do not put much value on teamwork, balancing work and school may give you a new appreciation for it. Not only can working with your classmates on group projects and collaborative studying improve your MBA experience, learning how to work in teams may even benefit you at work and at home as well, whether you are pursuing a healthcare degree or are working to earn an online marketing MBA from Maryville.
Learning how to work with a diverse number of people can make you valuable member of any team at work, and you can apply teamwork lessons you have learned with your family as well when it comes to tackling housework and resolving conflict on the home front.
4. Patience
One of the most practical lessons you can take away from earning an MBA while working full time is patience. The road to your degree may be long and arduous, and you may have to wait for a raise or a promotion at work and be patient when setbacks happen. Learning new concepts also requires patience and practice, two elements that your degree lessons will probably require. Having the ability to work hard and at a consistent pace, both at work and at school, can pay off eventually, especially in the long term.
Earning an MBA may be a difficult road to travel. However, it can also teach you some valuable skills that you can apply to almost every area of your life.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
