My Decision for an Mba

My Decision for an MBA

Summer Jones

University of Phoenix

Since obtaining my Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2001, I would have never thought I would attempt a MBA. I used to watch an occasional minute of The Apprentice and wonder if I could ever be like those people. I thought they were smart and made plenty of money. My goal has always been to return to the social services field, but I decided my education should be well rounded to prepare for many career opportunities. I thought for years after graduation about what my goals in life should be. A career in social work or counseling was not going to support my children and pay all the bills. I had planned at one time to attempt a Master’s of Social Work and have a concentration in Administration and thought I might like to start my own agency.

In college I began my first job related to my degree at the YWCA. I worked three or four days a week in the Weaver Domestic Violence Center answering crisis calls and maintaining the community living environment. I met many women and children who made impressions on my life and I enjoyed my work very much. The residents of the center once voted me their favorite staff member and we always had respect for one another. I assisted with therapeutic groups for the children and shopped for the residents at the local food bank. I believed this was what I wanted to do forever.

Right after college graduation, I became very ill and had to spend a few days in the hospital. I did not have any insurance, was a single parent, and worked for nine dollars an hour. The hospital bills were piling up every day and I was overwhelmed. I looked for another job with benefits as soon as possible. I took the first job related to my field I could find at Department of Children’s Services and I hated every day of it. I worked with teens that had issues with truancy and delinquency. It was emotionally and mentally draining due to very long hours and many miles of driving to home visits.

I have had many different work and life experiences that made me come to realize which direction I needed to take my educational goals. The social services field was not paying me over eleven dollars per hour. I wanted to buy my children a toy for no reason and not worry about my food budget. I did not want to be the case manager that was low on the totem pole for the rest of my life. I did know that if I wrote another paper on “What is Social Work” I would pull my hair out! I have worked several other jobs not in the social services field and