5 reasons you should do an Executive MBA in 2014

How to boost your career this year

This guide is in association with Cass Business School

Admit it: all you ambitious managers out there have dreamt of heading the world’s biggest companies. You’ve pictured your future self giving out interviews and business tips to narrate your business superstardom.

How do you get there? An Executive MBA degree is often the launch-pad for reaching the next level of your career. And getting a qualification doesn’t mean quitting your job.

London’s Cass Business School offers an Executive MBA course that you can take while continuing full-time employment. The two-year Cass Executive MBA is designed to equip you with academic insights that you can use to rise through the ranks.

Dr Sionade Robinson, associate dean, Cass MBA Programmes, thinks the course’s international faculty and worldwide alumni network make it a very competitive course to boost careers.

“The Cass Executive MBA is taught in global context and helps candidates strike a balance between academic insights and practical application. The course’s international appeal and location in the City of London helps candidates become game-changers in the world of work,” she says.

Interested? Take a look at five reasons why you should consider taking up the Cass Executive MBA in 2014:

1. Accelerating your career

Invest in an MBA degree and you’ll be able to sharpen your business nous to get a more senior role in the future, or foray into a new sector. Through a variety of subjects, including strategy, accounting and organisational behaviour, you’ll learn skills that are essential for your career growth.

Graham Smith, a business strategist and Executive MBA alumni 2010-2012, chose the course for its curriculum, which aligned with his focus on strategy and finance.

“Some take the MBA path to accelerate a career change, either across industries or up the hierarchy,” he says. “For me, the plan was to improve my skills in business and to perform better in my role. As it turns out, six months after the Executive MBA I moved roles to a different industry and a larger remit.”

2. Professional and personal development

Cass Business School has seen candidates who do the course for personal development.

Hem Mehta, manager, Deloitte – corporate finance, and Executive MBA alumni 2009–2011, said his Cass experience “involved learning and growth on many levels”.

“My education spanned personal and professional development; it gave me a chance to reflect on my career to date, and provided the opportunity to test management theories and skills in a relatively risk-free environment. As a result, my leadership skills have evolved to a level where I now feel comfortable leading people who are older and more skilled than I am.”

3. Acquiring social capital

The nature of the course attracts people from the world over. The candidates get a chance to interact with both like-minded and diverse people which helps develop a global understanding of international business issues.

Anna Faelten, deputy director, M&A Research Centre, Cass Business School and Executive MBA alumni 2009–2011, said:  “Cass attracts change-makers and provides a forum for debate, bringing people together around key issues and encouraging a potent blend of competition and collaboration.”

4. Practical choice

The course is designed in a way that you do not need to quit your job to cram for exams. The evening and weekend classes help candidates get the qualification while attending to responsibilities like families and existing jobs.

Hilary Moore, communications specialist and Executive MBA alumni 2009–2011, came to the school when she was five months pregnant. “[I] had been worried about how I’d be received in such a clearly stimulating and driven environment. But Cass is also a very inclusive place and I was welcomed with open arms.

“I found Cass’s teaching superb – and I say that having experienced PhD-level teaching at an Ivy League university. The permanent faculty, visiting professors and guest speakers were excellent.”

5. International perspective

Cass Business School boasts an international network where over 100 countries are represented through its students. From an international faculty to the course’s international standing in the world, the course helps candidates explore new countries and sectors that they perhaps wouldn’t have otherwise

During the year, the school organises an emerging markets consultancy trip. Candidates work with local businesses and advise small and medium-sized enterprises on how business can be boosted.

Khurram Jafree, MD & head of products & services – Middle East Sites, BNP Paribas Wealth Management, graduated with an Executive MBA degree in 2000.

“I am always amazed at how international Cass is. It’s a compelling fusion of different cultures, languages and ideas that generates an exciting atmosphere,” he said. “This sense of purpose runs through every facet of the organisation – from faculty to students to course content.”

This guide is in association with Cass Business School