Ranked #1 in the World
By, Kelly Fuson, Traditional MBA ‘11
Many students often debate about what their top priorities should be here at Business School and the top two that are often debated are: class work vs. career search. On top of that, many students are highly involved and have committed themselves to one, if not more, leadership positions. In addition, many students are employed part-time as Teacher’s Assistants, Research Assistants, or some other on-campus position such as in the Admissions Office, or like myself, an employee of the Career Management Center. I don’t think I need to continue much further to prove the point that there are many responsibilities and obligations competing for our time.
As someone who appreciates the value in crunching numbers, I went ahead and took the liberty to create what I will refer to as a “Time Budget” with the hopes of proving what we all already know: there simply isn’t enough time in the day. Furthermore, I hope to stir up the debate regarding the power struggle between class work and career search. Because after all, as you will see, there simply isn’t enough time to effectively do both (I urge someone to prove me wrong).
Granted, I’ve made a gross amount of assumptions and generalizations when crunching my numbers (scroll down to see the complete calculations) and I’m happy to respond to or qualify any of them. But even based on my conservative estimate of time spent in each category (class work, career search, extra-curricular activities, and daily rituals), students are left with only 6.25 hours of free time a week; that’s less than one hour per day to either watch TV, go on Facebook, talk to loved ones, or—in my case—play Guitar Hero. If we were to consider the high-estimate of time spent on class work, students are left with -9.75 hours of free time which need to be taken out of another category, most likely sleep.
My time estimates are all based on giving 100% to each obligation/responsibility that is expected of students while also living a “Tignum approved” lifestyle (8 hours of sleep, preparing healthy meals, etc.). On average, professors tend to assign one case and one article which total (according to one class) 36 pages per class session (we’ll assume this includes the analysis of exhibits). Combine that with deliverables such as an executive summary of case issues and/or time spent on group projects and a student’s “work week” can vary anywhere between 51.25 to 67.25 hours. That’s a pretty hefty work week even for a full-time student – assuming we’re all doing what is expected of us.
Meanwhile, the Career Management Center is constantly preaching the need to network and do company research and attend job fairs. I’m the first to agree with them, and not just because I am a Peer Career Advisor, but because I truly think it’s necessary to not only get a job but to discover one that is truly a good fit for you. Following an agenda according to best practices would result in an average of 9.25 hours a week, which is nothing compared to class work. Once you add on extra-curricular activities that will ideally showcase your leadership and initiative, the total now becomes 14.25 hours per week. But what about students whose loans don’t cover all of their expenses? I estimate, based on my personal network, that 50% of students are employed while in school and spend an average of 5 hours a week working. Our total, including class work, career search, and extra-curriculars, is now between 70.5 to 86.5 hours a week. Once you add in daily rituals (sleeping, eating, etc.) you end up with the remaining free time I listed in the beginning, anywhere from 6.25 to -9.75 hours a week.
I’ll be the first to admit that I spent a good portion of time writing this blog while in class. I won’t tell you which one of course, but needless to say, the main resolution to this time struggle is to multi-task. I’m a big proponent of living a “Tignum approved” lifestyle and I am much less functional without a decent amount of sleep. This leaves me in a position to find other areas of this “Time Budget” to steal from. As a “Maximizer,” I try to read more efficiently, run group meetings effectively, and I will also admit that I gamble by reading only those assignments that I think will be critical to contributing to in-class discussion or assignments.
My goal is that after reading this, professors will realize that they are, in fact, fighting for our time and that simply listing a required reading on their syllabus is no guarantee that it will get done. I’d rather that they make a concerted effort to compel us to read by highlighting the value it will bring to our lives and our education rather than letting us infer it for ourselves or hope that a grade (which we are reminded quite often don’t really matter in the “real world”) will be the sole motivator. In addition, I hope that everyone is reminded that spending time on a career search is crucial, and if you follow even the basic recommendation given in this “Time Budget” it only amounts to 22% of the conservative estimate of time spent on class work.
If we all face the reality that the majority of students who pursue their MBA are doing it with the goal (one of many I’m sure) of finding a better job, then the debate still remains: is spending time increasing our knowledge through classes or focusing on our career search the best way to get a job? Is it some combination of both, and if so, what is the right combination? Or better yet, what is yours?
Calculations/Assumptions:
Class Work: Conservative Estimate
Reading : 36 pages x 2 minutes per page = 72 minutes
Deliverable (1/class): 2 pages x 30 minutes per page = 60 minutes
Projects/Papers: 30 minutes per class
Total/class = 162 minutes per class = 2.7 hours
Total homework time = 162 minutes x 5 classes = 810 minutes = 13.5 hours x twice a week = 27 hours
Class time = 3 hours/class/week x 5 classes = 15 hours
Total class work in a week = 42 hours
Class Work: High Estimate
Reading : 36 pages x 3 minutes per page = 108 minutes
Deliverable (1/class): 3 pages x 30 minutes per page = 90 minutes
Projects/Papers: 60 minutes per class
Total/class session = 108 + 90 + 60 = 258 minutes per class = 4.3 hours
Total homework time = 258 minutes x 5 classes = 1290 minutes = 21.5 hours x twice a week = 43 hours
Class time = 3 hours/class/week x 5 classes = 15 hours
Total class work in a week = 58
Career Search (Ideal)
Networking:
6 emails per week (introduction & follow-ups) x 15 minutes per email = 45 minutes
2 phone calls per week x 30 minutes per call = 60 minutes
1 speaker/networking event = 90 minutes
Networking total/week = 195 minutes = 3.25 hours
Job Search:
company research – 2 companies/week x 90 minutes/company = 180 minutes
job applications – 2 applications/week x 90 minutes/application (including tailor resume & cover letter) = 180 minutes
Job search total/week = 360 minutes = 6 hours
Total Career Search (networking + job search) = 9.25 hours/week
Conservative total estimate (class work + career search) = 42 + 9.25 hours = 51.25 hours
High total estimate (class work + career search) = 58 + 9.25 hours = 67.25 hours
Extra-Curricular Activities (Average)
Extra-curricular Activities: 5 hours/week depending on involvement
Student employment: 5 hours/week
Total Extra-Curricular Activities: 10 hours/week
Daily Rituals (Average)
Exercising: 30 minutes/day x 5 days = 150 minutes/week = 2.5 hours/week
Sleep: 8 hours/day x 7 days = 56 hours/week
Eating: 3 hours/day x 7 days = 21 hours/week
Other (1 hour/day/item – grooming, driving, chores) = 3 hours/day x 7 days = 21 hours/week
Total Daily Rituals: 100.5 hours/week
Total Extra-Curricular Activities + Daily Rituals: 110.5 hours/week
FINAL CALCULATIONS
168 hours in a week (24 x 7) minus the following:
**Conservative estimate (51.25 hours) = 116.75 free time (116.75 – 110.5) = 6.25 hours/week
**high estimate (67.25 hours) = 100.75 free time (100.75 – 110.5) = -9.75 hours/week
*not including: phone & email time (catching up with family/friends), Facebook, TV, etc.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Some good insights Kelly, for me it had always been 30% class work + 30% extra curriculars + 40% job serch in terms of time allotted
November 4th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
This is a simple matter of priorities and obligation. Where do these align for each individual student and are they willing to accept the consequences of how their priorities lie. I throw in the term of obligation because we have a minimum requirement we are expected to perform at or we don’t graduate. We also have have an obligation to our team members, the organizations that we are involved with and our other internal and external relationships.
I have friends that are committed primarily to the pursuit of knowledge and self improvement, fully understanding that their career search will suffer. Other students are focused on networking and engagements that will lead to a potential dream job.
The problem with a career search is that your actions are not the sole contributor to you getting the position you want. And there is no way of tracking your progress. While academic pursuits have deliverables that are predictable and easily measured. You know how well you’re doing in class, you know where you rank, how you stand. In essence your performance is directly related to how well you perform and prepare.
I know the CMC would argue that this is the same with a career search, but I have seen my peers labor over getting an internship or job, preparing better then they have for any test and be passed over without consideration even though they are talented and more then capable. I’ve also seen internships “fall” from the sky because a student has been in the right place at the right time. While this is the nature of the job search it can be disheartening and at times feel like a wasted effort if you are consistently ignored. Academic pursuits can have a much better reward for effort measurement. So it can be easy to shift priorities to what you can get sense of advancement that is measurable. If I study for a test, I have a damn good chance of doing well. If you include the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards you get from campus involvement it is very easy to allow the job hunt to fall to an “I’ll do it when I have time” status, which in grad school means never.
I know that I’m drifting off topic a bit on Kelly’s original topic of “do we have time for everything” and “career search vs. pursuit of knowledge”. So let me try to come back to that. The answer for time is a definitive “NO”. Especially in a Tignum approved world (which I think is silly). But we knew this going in and it has been consistently reminded to us through the perpetual sense of urgency and caffeine induced overnighters. Some of us, the “Maximizers, Achievers, Doers, etc,” balance these balls much better then someone like myself (who has a wandering mind) and thus increase their opportunity to do everything well. For someone like myself I have to prioritize what is important me, and what is my obligation, and am I willing to accept that I cannot put all my effort into all of these things. So what do I value, the career or the pursuit of knowledge? Too me knowledge will lead to the job and so that is where I lay my focus. I take classes that interest me and do not put me easily in a function role like marketing or finance. This in my eyes, handicaps me in the job search but I’ve accepted this and am content with my decision. And there will be an employer that hopefully recognizes that, so I search for those companies very strategically and try to build connections. But I definitely do not spend nearly enough time on this as I should.
So the answer will be different for every student and it may shift during their time at Thunderbird. But each student needs to determine for themselves the proper balance.
And now I’ve wasted way too much time writing this then reading…..
November 4th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Kelly,
Nice article. I put about 40% emphasis on school work and 60% emphasis on the job search. It appears there are a few other people looking at internships in the marketing arena, so I need to do everything I can to secure the best opportunities possible – and that takes time.
Brad
November 4th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Re: Anon
You have a great response and I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts on the subject. You make some great points, many of which I agree with, and I am glad to see the point of view of a student who values the knowledge gained in classes that interest you. I hope that, regardless of where we all put our time that we all end up with jobs that suit our style.
Now get back to work!
Kelly Fuson
April 24th, 2013 at 8:11 am
Interesting article – congratulations.
May 14th, 2013 at 9:41 am
This is a topic which is close to my heart… Take care! Where are your
contact details though?
May 19th, 2013 at 9:23 am
This site was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something which helped me. Thank you!
May 20th, 2013 at 3:47 am
Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Finding the time and actual effort
to make a superb article… but what can I say…
I put things off a lot and don’t seem to get nearly anything done.