In continuing my application series I started two posts ago, I decided to post a second application essay I wrote for Pepperdine. This essay was a statement of Personal Goals. My essay was about my work experience and professional goals. The above picture is of me and my former manager, mentor and friend Jason Pritchard. The picture at the bottom is of me and my former coworker and friend, Landon Belmont. The page limit was two pages, although I used a pretty small font to fit it in there! This was my essay:
"You never achieve success unless you like what you are doing." — Dale Carnegie..:
My passion for technology was ignited 10 years ago when I was enrolled in my school's first "laptops for learners" program and bought my first laptop. Technology and I just "clicked". From building computers to networking the neighbor's house, I could not get enough. While in college, I took an Information Systems class that changed my perspective on what was possible with technology forever. Upon entering the class, I believed that technology was little more than a required tool used to accomplish daily tasks. However, learning about "Just-In-Time" inventory systems and next generation database technologies caused me to see that information technology is about potential. It empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. And it enables people to understand things they did not think possible. I believe that every person and every company has the potential to be great, and technology can help an organization reach that realization. By the end of the class, my eyes were wide open to what technology had to offer. I decided to pursue a minor in Information Systems to support this deepened interest.
Halfway through college, I entered the workforce to gain practical experience. I knew that a technology consulting firm would be a perfect fit for me. When offered the opportunity to work for CompUSA's Business Consulting division, I jumped at the chance. I worked with CompUSA for almost two years and had the opportunity to offer technology solutions to business. Bringing positive change to a company and seeing that company thrive in part due to my contribution was a rewarding experience. Upon the completion of projects, several clients thanked me for improving their companies. From making something more convenient, to completely turning a failing company around, helping others was my favorite aspect of the job. This experience proved infinitely valuable to me, confirming my interest in working in technology and consulting.
I have often said, "it's all about the people." I did not realize until much later just how true this statement is. During my first year with CompUSA, I had an almost perfect manager, Jason Pritchard. He showed me my true potential. Jason taught me more about management and how to effectively lead people than all of the other experiences in my life. While he mastered he technical aspects of the job, it was his ability to form relationships with his employees and clients that made him truly exceptional. He was the type of leader "you would go to war with"; he had developed a sense of extreme loyalty among his employees. Our department had one of the lowest turnover rates in the company during his tenure.
That all changed when Jason left the company. Our new manager, Jeremy, operated on the other side of the management spectrum. While both managers were paid based upon our team's performance, Jeremy saw his employees as numbers that were only as good as their numbers produced. While there are obvious truths to performance ratings, Jeremy lacked the relationship building component that Jason clearly had. Our department became so discontent with Jeremy, that within a year of him taking the position, the department experienced one hundred percent turnover of fifteen consultants.
Witnessing firsthand these two opposing management styles and their effects sparked an interest in me to minor in Human Resource Management. Regardless of the company or organization, the most important component is its employees and their ability to work together to achieve common goals. What would an organization be without the people? The answer is clear, because the organization would cease to exist. This experience showed me just how important good leadership is to an organization, and I have dedicated my life to becoming a leader similar to Jason by putting others first.
It was the combination of a lifelong interest in technology and an observation of amazing leadership that has led me to pursue a career in management consulting and eventually start my own technology-based consulting firm. My dream is to be able to someday lead my firm ethically, while making a difference in the organization's of my clients. It was during my very first PowerPoint presentation to an executive board that I fell in love with consulting. I liked the pressure, the responsibility and most of all knowing that I could be a major source of positive change in the organization. I love being a catalyst for change, and it is in consulting that I can make the biggest impact. I enjoy the challenge of complex problem solving and then explaining the solution to the group involved. The feeling I get, when a CEO comes up to me after a meeting and thanks me for such a perfect solution to his needs, can not be beat. Finding solutions for businesses inspires me because I become the one to help a company reach its potential.
The combination of my experience with technology and being mentored by Jason, has set my foundation., yet I recognize the need to build upon that foundation with new skills and perspectives. While I was a technology consultant, I would often find myself wanting to create solutions for the clients I worked with that were outside the scope of technology. If I am to run my own consulting firm someday, I need to better understand how the technology puzzle piece fits in with all the other aspects of business. I must develop expertise in organizational behavior, strategic management and technological integration. These are skills that I can only get from a Pepperdine MBA. Pepperdine is a vital stepping stone in my career and will allow me to achieve my dream of running my own consulting firm someday. Pepperdine's elective offerings such as Communication Consulting , IT Decision Making and Business Planning for Entrepreneurs match my future career perfectly.
Upon completion of the MBA program, I will work as a consultant for a management strategy consulting firm. Pepperdine's unrivaled reputation and strong academic preparation will open the door to a top consulting firm for me. Through this opportunity I will build the experience and credibility needed to open my own firm. I need the experience of working with experts in the business world, in order for me to someday provide valuable consulting services to others. Someday I hope to be the one interviewing Pepperdine's graduates for positions in my future organization.
