“In my program, there were about 40 people and we were all very different because only one or two people from each industry and then four or five people from any one nationality where allowed into the course.”

“In my program, there were about 40 people and we were all very different because only one or two people from each industry and then four or five people from any one nationality where allowed into the course.”Mr. Seguro recalls from his MBA program a general from the Israeli Army whose presence had to be kept a secret so much so that his name was not allowed on any documentation, in addition to a priest from rural Spain who had a collection of degrees and just kept looking for new ones to acquire.
The people in this program were not necessarily the kind of people one would expect to be further their education on how to run a business and implement strategies.

An interesting assignment that he remembers was being prompted to create his own obituary with the purpose of inspiring the students to think about what their legacy to society might be.
There was a practical outcome to Mr. Seguro’s studies.  “I became a member of a team at Midland Bank responsible for developing a different way to do business that would permit the company to increase its reach beyond its core in Birmingham without expanding its network of branches.
“One person a year was sent to the London Business School each year and I was thrilled to be picked.  What the bank got for investing in my education was my thesis on direct banking, which eventually is what the online bank First Direct was built to model.”
Mr. Seguro was recruited for a financial services job in Australia and he now runs two niche consulting firms. However a third of his time working is placed towards community-based not-for-profit ventures. His MBA experience has increased his motivation and future ambitions.

Do potential MBA students need to have better evidence that their time and money will be well invested if they decide to get an MBA?
With the cost for classes rising and a year with no income for those who have chosen to study full-time, this is a big question to ask yourself.Students are constantly assuring themselves that they will receive more opportunities and better salaries if they receive an MBA.

The golden ticket

James Pennian was motivated to invest in an MBA at an Australian University because of the increased career opportunities that would open up.
"I was becoming very specialized after three years in banking in Tokyo and I wanted to broaden my perspective. I knew that a Australian MBA would open doors and I wanted to see where that might lead.''

“After three years of banking in Tokyo, I felt like I was becoming too specialized and I wanted to diversify my background.  I was sure that getting an MBA from Australia would give me more leverage in my job interviews and more options to work with.”
Mr. Pennian was also interested in moving to the Australia as he had some family and friends who lived in Melbourne.
Once he received his MBA, his first job out of graduate school was at a multinational management consulting firm.  After awhile there, he ended up transferring to the company’s office in Sydney.
 

“I always think about how my life would have turned out if I hadn’t done gotten my MBA.  Sometimes I think I would have stayed in Japan, other times I see myself as a slug, giving up my marriage for my old career.”
“Getting my MBA has made me more confident.  I have many more choices then I had previously had and I also have an international network of friends and colleagues that I can contact and interact with.”

How to make the most of your MBA?

Study Abroad in Australia?

Mr. Pennian recommends getting a local MBA if you see your future career in Australia and you want to have commercial connections. (International exchanges are offered by some of the graduate schools, placing you in a partner business school for up to a semester.)

Networking

Mr. Seguro (his boss) and Mr. Pennian cannot stress enough how important it is to mix with people of diverse cultures and business experience. Mr. Seguro emphasizes that MBA students should put in a lot of effort to connect with other students and their backgrounds.

Those who can create strong, lasting friendships with potential employers during their program can lock themselves into a job after graduation.