There was a running joke in our industry that one day AI would replace us copywriters. When ChatGPT came out in November 2022, we didn’t know it would come so hard, so fast. That’s when I began to seriously consider pivoting my career. Over the next few months, I thought of pursuing an MBA program so that I could augment my skill set, especially with abilities that aren’t easily done by AI. At the same time, in terms of personal goals, I’ve also always wanted to live in Japan.
It was during this period when I saw a Facebook ad for GLOBIS. I took a trial class and it exceeded my expectations. Applying to GLOBIS was the perfect opportunity that checked all the boxes for me. It was only one year (which is much less of a time commitment than other MBA programs), affordable, and the timing aligned for me to take a break from the workplace. Plus, it was the chance to live in one of the most exciting cities in the world!
There’s no sugarcoating it—studying for an MBA is hard. And GLOBIS is no exception. But those ‘aha’ moments make the learning journey worth it. Monday through Thursday, it’s a grind studying and attending classes all day. But Friday to Sunday I get to explore the city (and other areas outside of Tokyo) with fellow students and my share house mates.
Just in the past few months, I’ve visited the local farmer’s market, traveled to Yamanashi’s wine valley, gone to a sweet potato festival, and had a class momijigari picnic. I love the networking events and workshops our school holds for us—it gives us opportunities to connect with highly accomplished businesspeople and to learn practical tips for the workplace in Japan. The teachers you meet at GLOBIS themselves are incredible resources as well; they love to spend time with us outside of class, which makes you feel appreciated.
In terms of my own personal career, I’ve always leaned towards being a heavy right-brained thinker. In my line of work, I used creativity and the art of words to propose business solutions for a variety of different clients.
Although the work was fun, there were times I wanted to use more analytical, logical skills. Like working in Excel, using basic finance lingo, or applying strategic frameworks. All of these, I’ve been able to gain at GLOBIS within the first few months. Classes like “Business Analytics”, “Essentials of Finance”, and “Strategy” have given me practical skills to use in combination with my previous experience.
What you learn in the classroom, you can apply to your personal life as well. Additionally, the career office in our school is very proactive and invested in helping us network, finding the right resources, and providing us opportunities. They are such an underrated resource that I have no doubt will be helping me towards achieving my professional goals.
