It’s a well-established fact that, in today’s competitive business environment, having the right skills and credentials can make a huge difference in your career outcomes.

Candidates who can present concrete evidence of their ability to perform well under a variety of different circumstances are far more likely to quickly rise into management positions, and can leverage their performance for a more attractive compensation package. 

But building a good resume that gets you ahead of the pack isn’t always easy. Where it was once common for students to follow a relatively straightforward path to success that started with an undergraduate degree, moved through internships and professional experience programs, and ended with a professional degree and a junior position at a company or firm, the average career path of the twenty-first century is far less linear. 

One of the key challenges young people trying to make their way in the world is the need to balance academic credentials with real-world experience. Potential employers want to see candidates who have at least one degree (and often two), but they also want workers who have demonstrated their ability to thrive in a workplace environment. 

It may once have been standard practice to complete your schooling before embarking on your career, but it has become increasingly common for young people to go from an undergraduate degree straight to the workforce, and then return to academia to pursue a career-centred professional degree like the MBA once they have some practical experience.  

This option is attractive not only because it gives students an opportunity to take a break from their studies, it also means that when they return to school they will have a better understanding of the real-world application of the knowledge they are pursuing. 

But for all its benefits, this path does have some drawbacks, not least of them being the financial burden it can place on students going back to school. Once you are earning money in the workforce, it can be difficult or impossible to contemplate leaving that regular paycheque behind, and unfortunately this leads many young people to lower their career expectations. 

The good news is that many MBA programs allow students to pursue part-time studies, so they can keep their full-time job while working toward their MBA degree. With a part-time degree, you can complete your MBA with Bay Street experience on a schedule that works for you. 

By studying on evenings and weekends, you can reap all the benefits of an MBA program without having to give up your job. And studying an MBA while working will also allow you to apply the principles and techniques you are learning in class directly to your job. 

In an economy where employers value versatility, expertise, and real-world knowledge, an MBA can make a big difference. This is probably why it has become the most popular master’s degree in the United States. By studying part-time, you can pursue an education that will open doors while staying in your current job, which will truly give you the best of both worlds.