Top 3 things I learnt from my postgrad journey: A post-MBA reflection
- Sharifah Hazirah Syed Mohd Hamdan
- Apr 13, 2022
- 3 min read
It has always been my dream to work abroad. I’ve always asked around for opinions on how I can achieve this but never actually pursued it actively other than just telling this goal to my managers in our yearly 1:1s.
Then the pandemic came I realized life was too short to wait. I applied for a few roles in London and got rejected as I didn’t have a visa to work in the UK. I did my own research and found out an MBA would probably be my best bet to get a job abroad, especially for the roles that I’m interested in.
I applied for scholarships and universities within a few months and was blessed enough to get a placement. It wasn’t perfect as everything was done in a rush, I changed my target schools so I don’t have to wait for another year and also declined an offer to a university I have always wanted to go to, just because I feel at the time, the University of Manchester could provide me with better career support, which was the main goal.
In the end, as I reflect on it, I was able to achieve my goal. I got an internship for one of my dream roles in London, which is then followed by a full-time offer. I was also one of the earliest students in my cohort to get a full-time offer, 8 months before finishing my MBA.
As I’m describing this, it sounds very simplified and easy, but to be honest, it was also a lot of hard work, during the MBA and experiences in my career. In the past, sometimes I feel like I had some disappointments or opportunities I had to let go of because of certain situations, like motherhood or being there for a sick parent. But no regrets, I’m glad I continued working smarter, always thinking about how to improve things and that eventually led to the role I have now. This is the beginning of a new chapter, it’s not a happy ending. I got my bucket list ticked but I am continuously learning, and looking to improve.
I am writing this one week after finishing my MBA as a reflection. Three key things I learnt from this experience:
1. To always actively pursue what you want
Nobody is going to serve you with your dreams on a silver platter. Besides hard work, you need to actively communicate and talk to people that can help get you there. Information is power, so don’t be shy to ask around. I also won’t deny the fact that I had the privilege of leaving my job, which most people with families don’t have and most importantly, a supportive spouse that decided to go on this journey with me ❤️.
2. Believe in yourself, don't let your own and other people's doubts stop you from trying
I learnt that I need to believe in myself more. Before this, I’ve always felt like maybe I wasn’t good enough or smart enough. I was always trying to strive for perfection, before actually actively pursuing something because I was so afraid of failure. You don’t have to be perfect or the most expert in something, take risks and just do it. Even if you get rejected, you’ll learn and find new ways to get there.
3. It’s okay to pursue your own dreams too, even after having children
As a mother, most times I feel guilty spending all those hours doing my assignments, prepping for interviews or going to networking events instead of spending time with my daughter. I have lots to improve as a mom, but again, I don’t need to strive for perfection, it’s okay to work on my career goals too. I get asked about this a lot, especially from other moms, so I hope me saying this will give you a nudge to start working on your goals too.
One day, if my daughter happens to read this, know that all I want to do, is to be able to give the best opportunities I can for you ❤️
More information on (I feel like these can help you guys better instead of me writing a separate blog post):
1. MBA applications
2. MBA scholarships
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