Starting a Kellogg-WHU EMBA: explaining the benefits to your employer

Many professionals are interested in pursuing an Executive MBA like the Kellogg-WHU EMBA to advance their career. However, the critical question which candidates face is, "How do I convey the benefits of an EMBA to my employer?"

Good preparation is key. The Kellogg-WHU EMBA team advises you on how to best convince your employer to support your personal and professional goals.

What’s in it for my employer?

When the time has come for EMBA candidates to discuss the value of an EMBA with their employers, the latter's most pressing question is often, "Why should we support you in participating in this program?"

A Kellogg-WHU Executive Master of Business Administration not only advances the individual professionally, but also provides multiple benefits for his/her company. Professionals undertaking an EMBA can pass on its benefits to their employers in many different ways, such as:

1. Introduce fresh ideas to the workplace

An EMBA allows you to bring newly acquired classroom concepts, knowledge and tools learned through peers and expert faculty to your workplace.

2. Become a better leader

With business coaching and leadership training provided through its fully intregrated Advanced Leadership Development Program, the Kellogg-WHU EMBA Program helps participants to learn more about themselves and their managerial styles. Such development enables them to return to the office as more effective leaders.

3. Use the Master Thesis to your company's benefit

Students can use their Master Thesis as a company project to solve major issues and challenges within their employer’s business, effectively becoming a consultant for their own organization, thus helping the business to advance as well as save on costly external consultant fees.

4. Connect your employer to a wider network

The Kellogg-WHU EMBA Program expands students’ business networks through its global electives, experienced faculty, and international student and alumni community, allowing them to make connections that immediately benefit their current profession.

5. Open your company to the world

Through the EMBA global electives, participants become experts in international business, allowing them to internationalize their profile, build global connections, and learn about global markets untapped by their organization.

Is the program structure work-friendly?

The Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program has been specifically designed with the schedule of busy managers in mind. It has been structured to maximize learning and personal development and minimize time away from work and home.

The schedule also has a reasonable amount of breathing time between modules to allow for assimilation and application of the knowledge learned. 

The program's learning formats include:
› Long weekend courses, live-in weeks and a Capstone (business simulation) weekend in Germany.

› Two live-in weeks in August at the Kellogg School of Management in the USA.

› Week-long global electives at partner institutions worldwide: Toronto, Hong Kong, Tel Aviv, Miami, Evanston/Chicago, Beijing.

› A total of 51 days out of office, over 21 months.

Why an EMBA instead of a short internal program?

An EMBA offers many benefits that cannot be obtained through shorter internal business education programs:
› The reputation of earning a prestigious MBA degree and the recognized value of having this on your CV.

› Digging deeper into business topics and exploring case-based study (through direct application).

› Building relationships and connecting with a global network.

› Growing professionally through a fully-integrated Leadership Development Program.

What makes Kellogg-WHU unique?

The Kellogg-WHU EMBA Program has several features that define it as a highly desirable MBA provider:
› Lifelong Learning Advantage: one of the very few EMBA programs to invite alumni back to campus for new courses or to get fresh perspectives on business topics.

› Access to some of the best business experts in the world: both Kellogg and WHU faculty.

› Truly global: global electives at local partner universities provide real knowledge of the local market and region.

› The work- and development-friendly schedule allows for assimilation and application of business concepts and a good work-life balance.

How can my employer best support me?

Support from your employer is essential if you are to successfully balance your work and your EMBA program.

1. Financial support

To explore the possibility of financial support from your employer make sure you have gathered all updated information about tuition fees (what is and isn’t included), payment plans, early bird discounts and scholarships.

Prepare a strong case including benefits for the business and discuss with your employer the eventualities of your company investing in you.

If your employer is not prepared to fund you 100 per cent, then think about how your company could still support you financially through matching funding, percentage splits, reduced hours, salary sacrifice, bonus payments, and tuition reimbursement at key milestones or after successful completion of the program.

2. Time support

You will need to demonstrate that you will be able to manage your time in the classroom and at the office effectively without affecting your work, your team and/or your clients.

Provide your employer with a detailed schedule of the Kellogg-WHU EMBA program. You may also want to offer to use additional vacation or unpaid leave to complete your studies.

How can I pay it forward to my employer?

EMBA participants can repay the support of their employers in many ways, two of which are:

› Provide consulting work through your Master Thesis (company project): you will have access to some of the best faculty in the world to help you resolve business issues that are crucial to your organization.

› Show your commitment to the organization through an official contract stating that you promise to remain with the company for a certain number of years after completion of your EMBA.

Power Lunch Online Info Session 

Interested to find about more about the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program and how to best convince your employer to let you embark on the EMBA journey? Join the Kellogg-WHU Online Info Session to ask your questions directly to the EMBA community through an hour-long online session.

› Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2015
› Time: 12:00 to 13:00 pm (Dutch/German time)
› Register here for the Kellogg-WHU Online Info Session