In my last post, I traced my career path. Somewhat oddly, I left out the MBA part. You know, that degree that I received from Simmons? Gee, why would that be strange on a blog post for Simmons? Oh, I see...
In my defense, I ended the story with becoming an IT Director, which happened ~3 years before I started at the School of Management. You probably don't want to hear excuses, though, so I'll stop dithering and get down to my real questions: What about that MBA thing?
In 2002, at the age of 28, I became the IT Director and head of technology for a Boston law firm. I had less than four years of experience in technology and a degree in biology from MIT (as cool as bio is, I really didn't need my lac operon knowledge at a law firm). Although I certainly had the spunk and resources to do the job, I kept wondering, "What do I not know?" In other words, I didn't know what I didn't know.
I was pretty sure that I had a good handle on technology. But the business part? That was the mystery. I could get through a budget, and I had built a great team of good people, but what was I missing? What could I be doing better? How was I holding myself back by not knowing about business?
It took me a while to decide on a business school, despite having wanted to go for a while. Why? Well, honestly, I really wanted to go to Harvard. Or back to MIT. But neither had a part-time program that coincided with my goals (MIT has something for executives in science or engineering, but not exactly the OB concentrations that I wanted), and, after buying a house, I couldn't afford to quit my job and go six figures into debt.
Enter Simmons. I started looking at local part-time programs, and Simmons responded to my inquiry almost immediately. I went in for a meeting a few days later, and was intrigued by the quality of the faculty and the concept of an all-female class (quite the opposite of the IT gender skew I'm usually around!).
I took my GMAT, applied, and started the program less than two months after my initial inquiry. Culture shock aside, I have to admit that there were times that I wished I had done more research. However, as I got deeper into the program, I realized that the same classmates who drove me nuts because they didn't remember enough algebra to handle Econ had brilliant insights in our other classes. I realized that I was surrounded by amazing women who I never would have met otherwise. I realized that I had learned what I didn't know before, and I was given the skills to actually use the knowledge as well.
Thanks to that Simmons MBA, I was able to get another job as head of technology at a larger firm, and I am no longer afraid of what I don't know. Instead, I have the courage to ask about things, and the resources to understand the answers. Business isn't easy--largely because it's not a hard science--and I'm very grateful to have that MBA.
In my defense, I ended the story with becoming an IT Director, which happened ~3 years before I started at the School of Management. You probably don't want to hear excuses, though, so I'll stop dithering and get down to my real questions: What about that MBA thing?
In 2002, at the age of 28, I became the IT Director and head of technology for a Boston law firm. I had less than four years of experience in technology and a degree in biology from MIT (as cool as bio is, I really didn't need my lac operon knowledge at a law firm). Although I certainly had the spunk and resources to do the job, I kept wondering, "What do I not know?" In other words, I didn't know what I didn't know.
I was pretty sure that I had a good handle on technology. But the business part? That was the mystery. I could get through a budget, and I had built a great team of good people, but what was I missing? What could I be doing better? How was I holding myself back by not knowing about business?
It took me a while to decide on a business school, despite having wanted to go for a while. Why? Well, honestly, I really wanted to go to Harvard. Or back to MIT. But neither had a part-time program that coincided with my goals (MIT has something for executives in science or engineering, but not exactly the OB concentrations that I wanted), and, after buying a house, I couldn't afford to quit my job and go six figures into debt.
Enter Simmons. I started looking at local part-time programs, and Simmons responded to my inquiry almost immediately. I went in for a meeting a few days later, and was intrigued by the quality of the faculty and the concept of an all-female class (quite the opposite of the IT gender skew I'm usually around!).
I took my GMAT, applied, and started the program less than two months after my initial inquiry. Culture shock aside, I have to admit that there were times that I wished I had done more research. However, as I got deeper into the program, I realized that the same classmates who drove me nuts because they didn't remember enough algebra to handle Econ had brilliant insights in our other classes. I realized that I was surrounded by amazing women who I never would have met otherwise. I realized that I had learned what I didn't know before, and I was given the skills to actually use the knowledge as well.
Thanks to that Simmons MBA, I was able to get another job as head of technology at a larger firm, and I am no longer afraid of what I don't know. Instead, I have the courage to ask about things, and the resources to understand the answers. Business isn't easy--largely because it's not a hard science--and I'm very grateful to have that MBA.
I am sure I would have been one of those classmates who you would have found annoying because they couldn't remember enough algebra to get through an Econ class.
As someone who has been working in IT since it was called data processing, used punch cards and learned how to do word processing on a Wang, I have watched the number of women involved in information technology rise steadily over the past 20 years. IT has been a field that was male dominated and when I was starting out (1982) and most of the men and women were math, and engineering majors. I was one of the few who had a business background.
Kudos to you for sticking it out.
Rhonda
While IT can be tough for women at times, I think it's incredibly valuable for businesswomen to be in the field. Women like you have made it much easier for women like me--you forged the path. Thank you!!
dft