Almost two years ago, when I moved from Sao Paulo to Frankfurt to take over a position at the headquarters of the company that I’ve being working for the last 8 years, I thought that my new responsibilities at work, finding a flat, adjusting to a new life, getting used to the cold weather and learning the German language would be challenging enough to keep me busy for a little while. However, the chance to do an MBA at a highly ranked and well known German business school seemed the perfect opportunity to enhance my experience and accelerate my career development.
During the application process, I was fascinated by the amazing campus, Frankfurt School’s achievements and the enthusiastic energy of the recruitment team. When I received a call from Frankfurt School confirming my acceptance, it first struck me that I may not be able manage my full-time job, preparation, classes and my personal life. However, I overcame that initial fear, took the leap and accepted the challenge reassured by my willingness to succeed, and a lot of support from my husband.
After classes started and meeting my fellow classmates, I realised that I was not alone: Surrounded by colleagues from various cultures and backgrounds, everyone was facing exactly the same situation of balancing work, study and a private life. This experience made me gain confidence, it enforced my expertise and helped me recognise the areas I would like to improve and develop further. To me, the part-time MBA at Frankfurt School offers the best environment for this type of professional learning experience. Even though the additional workload requires discipline and focus to balance all areas of life, it is manageable and allows for unique insights and highly valuable exchanges with like-minded, ambitious professionals.
Having the chance to combine my daily responsibilities and challenges at work with knowledge gained through our MBA lectures is an especially rewarding experience. In a very short period of time, I have already been in contact with so many different management subjects, including leadership, change and innovation management, which gives me the ability to connect points from different topics and the continuous opportunity to reframe my perspective and develop my professional standing further. The whole experience has been a very positive one, both for my personal development and for my career.
I am only half way through the programme, but there is no doubt in my mind that that my decision to do this MBA was the right one. Of course, it is not always easy – but it does not have to be. So far, it has been a wonderful and unforgettable opportunity I would not want to have missed by any means.