Why MBA? A Modern Day “Quarter-Life Crisis”
“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” was a commonly asked icebreaker question during college orientation or class. Growing up as a teenager, I had a vision of where I wanted to be in my life during my mid-twenties, and I had set up a plan to get to where I wanted to be back since I started my undergraduate years. Generally speaking, I wanted to own a home, work a dream job, and have time to travel the world; however, life seldom goes according to plan, and sometimes, it even punches you in the face. In my case, life threw me a jab, cross, and an uppercut to the gut. I was laid off from my company, had to terminate my lease, and moved across the country to live back at home with my parents.
“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”
At this point in my life, I was beginning to feel like I wasn't accomplishing enough professionally or living up to my true potential, and having clarity into other people’s lives through LinkedIn didn’t help with my feelings of inadequacy. Getting laid off was a shock and a relief at the same time. I hadn’t quite expected it, but I also felt as if I could reinvent myself.
Thus, I began to think about how I wanted to direct my life again. With much luck, I accepted a new job in a new work location at the same company, but I still felt as if I was being carried by a wave rather than steering control. I began developing a rough roadmap of how to build myself up as a marketable product. If I wanted to break into product management, I’d need to develop the skills necessary to become successful in that kind of role.
My engineering background is something I’m proud of, and I wanted to leverage that expertise while also expanding my skill set. As I continued refining my roadmap, I realized that pursuing business through an MBA had always been a dream of mine, a goal that would allow me to stay rooted in the tech industry while transitioning into business, operations, and strategy roles. The satisfaction I get from implementing products that genuinely improve quality of life and enhance operational efficiency drives me, and this fulfilment is what I hope to carry into my future roles.
To this end, I’ve already earned my CSM Certification and aim to add a CSPO Certification to my credentials. I also recognize the importance of deepening my technical knowledge, so I’ll be focused on gaining a better understanding of software architecture, exploring more tech stacks, enhancing my UI/UX design experience, and learning more about making data-driven business decisions. Ultimately, my goal is to hone my strategic thinking and execution, ensuring I can deliver meaningful and impactful solutions in any role I take on.
My “quarter-life crisis” materialized when I decided to leave my full-time job and return to school for my MBA (a move that also allowed me to delay attending the military draft in my home country while still allowing me to accomplish my goals). These next two years present a unique opportunity to reinvent myself professionally and academically. I’ve set clear short-term goals and have something to prove to myself—something that drives me forward every day. This crisis isn’t a moment of doubt, but rather, it’s a turning point and a chance to steer my figurative boat and literal future on my own terms.