Hi all - This essay I wrote for grad school admission. Thanks to all reviewers and feedbacks.
Topic: Describe the most difficult decision and its personal effect on you.
"Be your own boss", that is the motto I put upfront throughout my professional life. Right from the beginning of my engineering studies, I strived hard to select courses that bring technology and business down to one common denominator. Thus, I was happy to get enrolled into the popular Technical Entrepreneur course during my undergraduate studies. The course was absolutely demanding and brought technology into line with business. The highlight of the course was the business plan that we had to create in groups and sent in as a final work.
A couple of years later in 1999 a phone call from one of the co-founder of a web company that was later bought by Ebay, confronted me with a question that leads me to the most difficult decision. He offered me to join his team to build up a new "revolutionary" business from scratch. I was impressed but the enthusiastic wave decayed expeditiously after I reminded myself that I was heading for my educational home stretch.
I was certain that starting the adventure would require my full commitment to be successful. At the same time I was about to start my master thesis and my parents were enthusiastic and looking forward to my graduation. It was obvious to me that I would have to postpone my master for an uncertain period if I decide to have a time out from study. I recognized that I was in front of a crossroad and could not decide which direction to choose.
Two days gone by where I was torn between the onetime chances of being a part of a new great business and live up my motto or finalize my thesis and graduate as planned to see the proud in my parents' eye. Finally, I concluded that my priority is to finish what I have started. I yield my master with an excellent grade some month later, started working at a global company, and climbed up the career in a record timeframe. The latest coronation was my promotion to the company's executive team. Nevertheless, I often thought about how it would be in case I would have decided differently? This question bothered me for years.
Today I am convinced that I made the right decision. Finishing what I have started and having a clear goal in mind is the first directive for me. I recognized that the more I move ahead in my career the more the company requires me to influence the direction of its business. I could recently lead one proposal to a successful end where we could agree with the client for a new project with a total volume of 5 million euros. It was like starting a new business to me where I had to staff a new team, create a proposal that envisioned the client's needs, and present it to the client. I realize that there are many ways I can live up my motto and I am eager to continue this path.
Topic: Describe the most difficult decision and its personal effect on you.
"Be your own boss", that is the motto I put upfront throughout my professional life. Right from the beginning of my engineering studies, I strived hard to select courses that bring technology and business down to one common denominator. Thus, I was happy to get enrolled into the popular Technical Entrepreneur course during my undergraduate studies. The course was absolutely demanding and brought technology into line with business. The highlight of the course was the business plan that we had to create in groups and sent in as a final work.
A couple of years later in 1999 a phone call from one of the co-founder of a web company that was later bought by Ebay, confronted me with a question that leads me to the most difficult decision. He offered me to join his team to build up a new "revolutionary" business from scratch. I was impressed but the enthusiastic wave decayed expeditiously after I reminded myself that I was heading for my educational home stretch.
I was certain that starting the adventure would require my full commitment to be successful. At the same time I was about to start my master thesis and my parents were enthusiastic and looking forward to my graduation. It was obvious to me that I would have to postpone my master for an uncertain period if I decide to have a time out from study. I recognized that I was in front of a crossroad and could not decide which direction to choose.
Two days gone by where I was torn between the onetime chances of being a part of a new great business and live up my motto or finalize my thesis and graduate as planned to see the proud in my parents' eye. Finally, I concluded that my priority is to finish what I have started. I yield my master with an excellent grade some month later, started working at a global company, and climbed up the career in a record timeframe. The latest coronation was my promotion to the company's executive team. Nevertheless, I often thought about how it would be in case I would have decided differently? This question bothered me for years.
Today I am convinced that I made the right decision. Finishing what I have started and having a clear goal in mind is the first directive for me. I recognized that the more I move ahead in my career the more the company requires me to influence the direction of its business. I could recently lead one proposal to a successful end where we could agree with the client for a new project with a total volume of 5 million euros. It was like starting a new business to me where I had to staff a new team, create a proposal that envisioned the client's needs, and present it to the client. I realize that there are many ways I can live up my motto and I am eager to continue this path.