In life, it’s rare you get to press the reset button and reinvent yourself. But when you return to academia from the corporate world, you are given just that — the opportunity to revisit your strengths and weaknesses and build upon your professional experiences.
Making the decision to return to school isn’t an easy one. Balancing work, personal life and school can be extremely challenging, and many are left wondering how to position themselves for success.
As a professor who has counseled and assisted professionals as they return to school from corporate environments, I have several recommendations:
Set new goals
What do you want to accomplish this year? By setting goals — be they professional or academic — you give yourself a target to reach. Even if you don’t accomplish it completely, progress is what’s important.
Self-assess
Know your limitations and be open about them. When scheduling classes or taking a role in a group project, be forthright about your ability to deliver quality work.
If you struggle with quantitative courses, don’t schedule two in the same semester. If you are not an especially strong writer, avoid offering to prepare your course group’s final report.
Time and skill pressure do not lay the foundation for solid learning.
Strike a balance
Returning to school is a big undertaking when you already have outside responsibilities that require your attention.
Make sure you’re prioritizing and staying organized so you can get to class on time, get your homework done, attend your daughter’s dance recital and get to that work meeting.
Take time for you
Between balancing schoolwork, day-to-day work and family, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. Allotting time during the week for you to recharge and relax will allow you to stay motivated and focused.
Network
Once you arrive on campus, you have an instant “in” with other executives and managers from a variety of industries and companies. Use these new connections as an opportunity to learn from others and further develop your business strategy.
Find a support system
Getting back into the groove of going to school in addition to working and caring for a family isn’t necessarily “traditional” or easy.
Making sure that you have other people in your circle who are aware of your commitments and will be able to offer help when your schedule gets out of control will provide a sense of security.
Keep up with technology
The last thing you want to do is fall behind the tech curve. Regardless of the industry you’re in, technology plays a crucial role. Keep up-to-date with new technologies — be it apps, computer programs or machinery — in order to thrive against the competition.
Companies and business professionals who fail to integrate technology into their business models will not be able to keep up against competitors, and as professionals, that’s the last thing you want.
Debbie Good is a clinical assistant professor of business administration at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business & College of Business Administration, University of Pittsburgh.
