In this article:
- See how Casey Watson, MBA’24, worked with her Kelley Direct Professional Advancement coach to achieve her career goal of pivoting to a new function with her employer.
- Read Casey’s tips for maximizing Kelley Direct and Kelley Direct Professional Advancement. Spoiler: You’ll do yourself a favor by engaging with a coach early in your program.
Casey Watson, MBA’24
Casey Watson, MBA’24, began her Kelley Direct Online MBA after realizing she wanted to pivot to a more strategic role with her employer, where the industrial engineer was progressing through a rotational program focused on operations. She enjoyed her work with Eaton, a global power management company where she has worked for almost six years, but she wanted a more holistic view of the business, not just her functional area. The Kelley Direct Professional Advancement coaches have on average 25 years of experience across diverse industries and roles. Casey worked with Andy Pajakowski, who has more than 27 years of senior leadership experience through roles in engineering, marketing, sales, and recruiting.
How did working with a career coach support your professional growth?
I started working with Andy toward the end of my MBA experience. I knew I wanted to pivot and had several paths of interest but hadn’t narrowed in on which direction. I had begun examining which classes really interested me, as well as networking within Eaton. Andy helped in numerous ways, such as using the gap tool to look at where I was, where I wanted to go, and what I needed to do to fill the gaps.
We had a lot of discussions around networking. Andy helped me connect the dots on how to leverage individuals in my network for different situations—it was a key part of finalizing my career path. We talked through and prepared for the interview process. Andy helped me understand how different roles and managers could support my growth and long-term career goals.
Your work since you graduated with your bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 2019 had been heavy in operations and supply chain. You ultimately pivoted to marketing?
Yes! I was taking a business-to-business marketing course and applied a tool we explored to my current employer. I was hooked. As an undergrad, I never imagined going into marketing. My MBA allowed me to see the different opportunities within an organization. In the B2B course, I discovered how marketing could provide that big-picture, holistic view that I wanted. In March, I transitioned from my role as strategic sourcing lead to a Project management position with Eaton.
How did your MBA impact your work?
I wanted to change what I was doing at work—but not my employer—and Kelley Direct helped me do this. My strategy courses helped me think more holistically in my previous role as strategic sourcing lead for electronic components. I had a better understanding of the business case and impact of our work and could communicate this to company leaders.
My MBA helped open many doors—to people and opportunities. People who know MBA programs recognize the Indiana University name. This was a big part of why my new manager and others in the organization took a chance on me even though I didn’t have a marketing background. My MBA demonstrates my ability to learn and problem solve in new roles.
What advice do you have for current and prospective Kelley Direct Online MBA students?
- Connect with Kelley Direct Professional Advancement early in your program. Coaches do much more than interview prep for new jobs. They help students identify the career path that’s best for them, build and leverage their network, and better understand their strengths, weaknesses, and interests. They can help students work through situations in their current positions and navigate opportunities in their organization.
- Don’t underestimate the power of your network. I learned a lot from Andy about how to build and leverage my network and this helped me pivot into my marketing role. I learned that networks can be broad—mine includes people in my organization and the Kelley Direct program, and they aren’t always career-focused.
- Join an immersion trip—and embrace stepping outside of your comfort zone. I went on the immersion trip to Switzerland, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my MBA. If traveling in a new country isn’t in your comfort zone, really challenge yourself to go outside of your comfort zone, be immersed in a new environment, and be immersed in a new culture because that’s what allows you to grow as an individual and as a person. Through that experience I built some of the strongest connections and friendships I have from the program.
Explore the Kelley Direct Online MBA and Kelley Direct Professional Advancement to see why we’re ranked the #1 Online MBA year after year.