A lot of people decide to get an MBA because they want to switch careers. I’m not one of them.
When I graduated from college in 2013, I didn’t even know about the existence of product management. It was only after I started working at ZeMoSo (a product development startup) that I realized what it was all about. The intersection of business, technology and user experience – my version of the holy grail. Making the switch from being a software engineer to a product manager wasn’t easy; but it was definitely worth it.
I believe that an MBA is going to help me become a better product manager. I know this is a hotly debated topic, but it’s a decision I didn’t make lightly. I’m using this time I have before the program starts to think about what I want to do post MBA. I haven’t gotten down to thinking about this at a granular, company level. Instead I’m approaching this much like I approached my New Year’s resolutions—themes.
The themes continue to evolve, but broadly they look something like this:
- Companies that are bridging gaps – between rich and poor, educated and uneducated, developing and developed, skilled and unskilled. Basically, companies that are creating equal access to opportunities and knowledge regardless of gender, race, geography or any other disparity.
- Companies that are saving precious resources – this to me includes time, health, and the environment. I guess the overarching category of “productivity tools” would belong here.
- Companies that are creating something original – unless there is a really unique value proposition, I don’t want to be a part of a company that wants to create another Facebook, WhatsApp, Tinder, Instagram or Snapchat. There are so many other areas that can still be disrupted—I don’t want to limit myself to something that has already been done (and done well).
I don’t think I’m being particularly altruistic, however this is something I consciously want to do in an effort to contribute towards creating sustainable technology of real value.
Image credit: http://www.mindtheproduct.com/