How to gain your employer’s support for an Executive MBA

Executive MBA participants join the programme for a variety of reasons. Some wish to launch entrepreneurial projects and others are looking for new and exciting challenges. For many participants, their motivation lies in evolving in their current company or exploring a new department within the organisation. If you are ambitious and a talent that your company wishes to help flourish, they may be willing to invest in your goals and support you financially or in other ways. What can you do to increase your chances of a positive response from your employer? 1. Clearly identify your personal motivations behind wanting to embark on an MBA It is the first question that you will be asked by your employer and your response should be persuasive. The MBA should be in line with your career goals and the logical response on how to achieve them. Are you interested in moving further up the corporate ladder? Do you wish to change functions in the company? Are you lacking important skills necessary for you to successfully fulfill your current objectives in the company? Pinpointing why an MBA is the best path for you to achieve your particular goal is crucial for your negotiations. 2. Identify how achieving your goals will benefit the company Now that your employer knows how the MBA will benefit you, it is time to show how it is also a good move for the company at large. What is their ROI? The response to this question is subjective and depends on your industry and company. However, there are some common points that can be used across various contexts such as: - As the programme can be completed part-time, you can immediately implement what you are learning into your professional environment - During the programme you work on different case studies and have to share ideas and solutions, you will have the chance to converse with people from a variety of backgrounds who can inspire you to find solutions to problems that your company experiences - At the end of the programme participants are asked to complete a final Individual Makers Project on a subject of their choice. You could use a problem that the company is experiencing or a project that it wishes to launch as the topic of your paper, therefore providing tangible proof of the ROI 3. Do your research By carefully studying the programme you will not only demonstrate your motivation but also discover concrete examples to support the benefits that the MBA will have on yourself and on the company. Is there a particular course that stands out? Do the statistics of the cohort support your argument that the diversity of the programme will help you gain new ideas and viewpoints? There are regular online and on-campus information sessions where you have the opportunity to speak with staff and alumni to learn more about the details of the programme. This is your chance to get all of the information you need to support your arguments. 4. Develop a strategy on how you intend to integrate the MBA into your professional and personal life An Executive MBA is an important commitment. Even if you choose the part-time option and are in class 3 days per month, you are expected to work during your own time, potentially creating pressure in your professional and personal life. It is important that you are aware of this and demonstrate to your superiors that you have taken it into account to try to minimalise the disruptions with your professional responsibilities. Ensuring that you have the support from your family will also make the journey easier for you. 5. Research any scholarships and governmental organisations that could help finance the MBA Every MBA programme offers generous scholarships to great potential candidates. You may be eligible to apply for one of them and it is strongly recommended that you speak with the programme staff to get all the necessary information. Aside from internal scholarships, most countries have governmental organisations or their own scholarships that they provide to support people wishing to further their education. Every employee in France for example has a personal training account (Compte Personnel de Formation) that they can benefit from. Research the options available to you to ensure that you will have the maximum financial support from all parties. You employer will also see your motivation and appreciate that you are also trying to find other alternatives to help finance your Executive MBA. Recent statistics In 2016/2017 33% of participants were financed by their companies, 48% by governmental organisations and 19% financed the programme themselves.