Craig James
OneMBA Class of 2005, UNC
Exxon Mobil Corporation, Czech Republic
Global Process and Initiatives Advisor
Why OneMBA?
In today’s global environment, I believed that obtaining a MBA was the minimum qualification I needed to be competitive in today’s corporate world. OneMBA perfectly matched the global responsibilities of my job at ExxonMobil.
Balancing work, home and school
My wife and I have two young children (ages 1 and 3 when I began OneMBA). After the first month in OneMBA, I became accustomed to prioritizing and focusing on what was most important at the time. Strong support at home and work was critical. My wife is an attorney, so she understands the demands of professional and academic life. My company was also supportive with granting time off for class and some additional flexibility.
Immediate application on the job
OneMBA’s Global Management and Leadership course helped strengthen my cultural awareness, enabling me to more effectively manage global work teams. I took what I learned on the weekends and applied it on Monday mornings. My OneMBA global study team was a mirror image of my global team at work.
Eye-opening experience
OneMBA helped me view ExxonMobil from an owner’s perspective.I developed a deeper understanding of how all parts of the organization fit together to create value. Rather than viewing an organization solely from a financial/analytical perspective, OneMBA broadened my understanding of the roles of marketing, operations, and human resources and how they complement each other.
OneMBA also opened my eyes to the business world beyond ExxonMobil. My classmates came from small and large companies and represented many industries. I learned as much from them as I did from the professors. The entrepreneurs in my class inspired me to start a specialty cake business with my wife, in addition to my work at ExxonMobil.
Career advancement
The real value and benefit of obtaining my MBA will be realized throughout the course of my career at XOM.I did not get an MBA for a quick promotion or salary increase. However, I have received promotions and advancements which can be attributed back to the OneMBA program. More recently, I have had the opportunity to move to and work in Europe as an expatriate with ExxonMobil. The global skill set developed within the OneMBA program has certainly helped me adjust to the cultural differences of working in Central Europe.