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Online MBA Degree Helps Business Administration Pro Achieve Self-actualization
by Kelly Richardson
Career School Directory Columnist
July 24, 2006
Sometimes a solid business performance track record isn't enough to take you as far up the corporate ladder as you would like. Office politics and backroom cronyism have been known to stymie even the best candidates. But earning an advanced degree is one way you can announce your arrival without question. Steve Sweigart, business administration pro, knows this road very well. Here's his story.
Steve Sweigart, a business administration professional at a major wireless telecom corporation based in Atlanta, Georgia, was consistently passed up for promotion despite his track record for successful business operations in several industries. With his patience tested to the limit, hopes for a stable future with his current employer seemed bleak. It was shortly after a third failed promotion attempt that he considered upping his ante.
Looking for any advantage he could find, Steve considered going for an advanced business degree. But just like many of us out there, his professional and personal commitments would make going back to school difficult at best, and at worst, impossible. He couldn't afford to slow down his pace at work, and family time is so valuable after working forty hours per week. After a round of intense negotiations with his wife, Steve decided to go for an MBA through an online degree program.
CSD: Does your new degree and your new direction coincide with your initial career goals?
SS: I earned my Master of Business Administration through a pilot online degree program with a fairly new university. You know…the first class of online MBA students. We were all pretty excited about that. The reason I pursued my MBA was to advance my career as both a project and department manager. It was discouraging to see people with less experience, but more education, passing me by for those big projects. I just knew if I was to move up and go where I thought I deserved to be, I needed to earn an MBA. And I was right.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the average MBA salary went above $82,000 in 2004, up more than 9% from 2003. Find schools.
CSD: I know a lot of people say that, but the reality is that it's tough to drop everything and go back to school. Then along comes the online education concept and all of a sudden the opportunity is there. Did your particular online experience meet the distance learning concept as advertised?
SS: Without reservation I can say that I had a great online experience. As a working parent, I just didn't have the time to spend in the car each day to go to class. The online environment gave me the opportunity to work on my program from anywhere. And I never had to worry about missing a class when my job took me out of town. I was also able to work on my class when it was convenient for me. I could watch my lectures when my kids were in bed and I didn't have to miss that family time.
CSD: So once you had that credential on your resume, how did you approach the first opportunity?
SS: It seemed that right after I graduated I was getting more responsibility. I always knew I had the ability, but now the degree was there to back me up. My first big job came from within my own company. An executive retired and I moved into his slot. My proven track record with the company and my new degree worked together to get me that position.
Average salaries for MBA holders working in finance increased 21% to $98,477 in 2004 from $81,144 in 2003. Find schools.
CSD: And what are you doing in your new position?
SS: I am now in charge of managing a large departmental budget and overseeing the work of a team of employees. I manage day-to-day activities as well as keep my team moving collectively towards quarterly goals. I also create quarterly reports on my departmental progress and present those to the board at quarterly meetings. Every time I meet a challenge, I think about how the MBA program has sharpened my skills.
CSD: Do you see a connection between the process of the online program and your new responsibilities?
SS: Quite simply, the online environment demands organization and persistence. And that mirrors the flow of my position precisely. As a manager, I organize my day as well as my department. Persistence is also the key to making my department successful. There are days that things are not going to go the way you want them to go. But it's the willingness to see a project to the end that makes the difference. Running a department takes that same persistence.
Learn more about MBA programs
About the Author
Kelly Richardson covers the local education and technology scenes in major cities across the country. His articles appear in a variety of respected educational journals, periodicals, and e-zines.
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