What should I do after my MBA?

You’ve done it – your qualification award has been officially approved by the Academic Board, and all the requirements for your qualification are complete. You’ve studied hard, dedicated your time and achieved your goals. Now all that’s left to do is make a meaningful impact on the world. But how exactly do you do that?

Australian Institute of Business (AIB) is a registered higher education provider with a wide range of high-quality tertiary programs for busy working adults – including Australia’s number one online MBA, the Fast-Track MBA. With over 35 years of history, we’re one of Australia’s most established private education institutions, and we pride ourselves on being future-focused and dedicated to continuous improvement.

Now that the MBA is over, the reality can be quite jarring. What are you meant to do now? Read on to discover what you should do after your MBA.

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Take it easy

Take some time to sit back and relax. Completing an MBA is not for the faint-hearted, so don’t be afraid to enjoy some downtime – not just because your mind and body may need it, but because giving yourself that space allows you to gain clarity on the next steps that are right for you.

Slow down and take some time to figure out what you want to do next. After all, you don’t want to jump into an opportunity that isn’t the right fit.

Gain clarity on what you want to do next with these questions:

• Do you want a new job or a complete career change?
• What are the pros and cons of switching careers?
• What are my values outside of my career, and will my new career allow me to continue doing these things?

If you do want to stay and progress in your current role, ask yourself:

• What do you want your career to look like in this company?
• Do you want to have a larger scope in projects or more responsibility overall?

Set short and long term goals

After you’ve gained clarity on your next steps, set some short and long term goals. Setting goals will help you ensure that any activity you do is geared toward achieving your objectives.

Examples of goals to set after your MBA include:

Short term goals

• Update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
• Reach out to people in your network that you’ve wanted to connect with for years.
• Spend at least 15 minutes a week in the AIB community groups on Facebook and LinkedIn to discuss new potential opportunities with your MBA peers.
• Define potential roles or careers that fulfil your professional and personal needs.

Long term goals

• Create an opportunity for yourself within the business you’re employed at and pitch it to senior management.
• Apply for a new role at the company you’ve always dreamed of working at.
• Build your professional brand.

Update your LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn is a powerful professional networking platform and a great place to build your professional brand.

Tips for LinkedIn:

• Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date. Complete all available sections in your profile with accurate and compelling information about your experience and career.
• Update your profile picture with a high-quality headshot that reflects your personality.
• Spend at least an hour a week engaging with your network’s content, finding organisations that inspire you and publishing your own content to build up your profile.
• Ask for recommendations from people you’ve worked with. Learn more about how to do this.

Build your professional brand

Building a professional brand is essential to growing your network and your reputation. When done correctly, it can help you beat the competition to win your dream job.

Tips for building your professional brand online:

• Find people with a professional brand that resonates with you to give you inspiration for your own.
• Find and define your personal and professional passions. Human-related content often performs really well on LinkedIn. For example, if you’re passionate about climate change, don’t be afraid to share your personal view on the platform.
• Define your hard and soft skills. Start by making a list of your hard and soft skills and make note of which talents you want people to know you have. Create content that showcases your credentials and gives advice to others on how they can acquire these skills as well.
• Discuss your strengths, weaknesses and professional journey to start interesting conversations with your network.
• Share insightful articles related to the industry you want to be known in.
• Choose three areas, skills or topics that you want to be known for and ensure that all your activity is moulded around that.

Attend conferences and get networking

Join a networking group or attend local conferences to expand your network and learn new things. If you’re an expert in your field, you may even want to consider offering to speak at an event or conference to build your professional brand.

AIB hosts a series of networking events –  not only for AIB alumni and students, but for any working professional interested in career development and growing their network. During these gatherings, attendees will forge new local connections, mingle with like-minded business individuals and grow their professional network.

Volunteer at an organisation that aligns with your values

If you’re passionate about giving back to the community, you can use your MBA skills to volunteer. There are many not-for-profit organisations that would benefit from your newly acquired MBA skills.

Now is a great time to get involved by offering business advice to trailblazing entrepreneurs. So look for companies that need help with:

• Event organising
• Fundraising and distribution
• Data and analysis
• Online tutoring
• Consulting

Become a digital nomad

For those with adventurous souls, you might decide that you want to work and travel. Depending on your skills and experience, there are many jobs that can be done remotely. For example, business consulting and digital marketing are all roles that can be done online anywhere.

Start your own business

For many MBA graduates, starting their own business is the dream goal. Starting your own business allows you to create a product or service that you’ve always wanted to. Having your own business means you can work on your terms and build the career and life you’ve always dreamed of.

Delivered online with continual updates, innovations and new releases, the Fast-Track MBA offers genuine flexibility, industry insights, practical skills and the support you need to achieve your goals in our fast-changing world. It’s created for people just like you. Learn more about it.

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