Evaluate yourself before join for an MBA

Management education is the watchword today. Yet, there are many things one needs to look at before taking up this stream. Today, a majority of graduates attempt the CAT or a management entrance exam whether or not they are serious about pursuing a management degree. Let's understand what it takes to be a good management professional and make a wise choice.

In this era of cutthroat competition, a graduation degree is considered basic qualification that can give theoretical knowledge but can't prepare one to take on the corporate world. In contrast, an MBA/ PGDM is perceived as something that will open up various employment options at a salary much higher than what a simple graduation degree can fetch.

Elaborating on the reasons for immense popularity of a management education, a veteran management faculty says, "A major reason for the increasing number of students opting for an MBA/ PGDM is the hype created by the media that leads every student to believe that anyone who studies management becomes a billionaire overnight. Secondly, the growth of the corporate sector has opened up opportunities. Many of the industries, especially the services industry that has emerged over the last few years, are essentially management driven. Apart from high-paying jobs, this industry offers students an opportunity to rise up the career ladder by virtue of being an emerging sector."

Another reason, he cites, is easy availability of education loans that makes funding one's MBA effortless. Lastly, an MBA degree opens up many international opportunities for students as well."

Though the above-mentioned benefits lure students into pursuing management education, students often fail to see the real purpose and hard work required to pursue an MBA. Management students caution aspirants against an attitude of enrolling for an MBA only to get 'additional qualification' while laying emphasis on evaluating one's long-term career goals before taking the plunge.

A management professional shares his experience. "After having worked for 22 months, I realised that the kind of profile I wanted to get into required me to acquire a management degree. Thus, in spite of holding a master's in my area of study, I decided to do an MBA in Capital Markets." Guiding MBA aspirants, he says, " One must carefully evaluate his/ her desired career graph before enrolling for an MBA programme. Post my graduation, I took a few months to realise my entrepreneurial ambitions and find out the various options available. I realised that I would need to pursue a management diploma/degree if I wanted to rise up the career ladder at a faster pace. Plus, such a course would give me the business know-how that would aid my future plans."

Career goals aside, students must take care to find out the exact nature of the course and not opt for an institute on the mere basis of its placement records. Another professor says, "Placement figures are often misleading. A few students actually get the kind of salary published by institutes. Thus, the mean should be considered and not the median. Also, students must look at the placement figures of an institute with respect to the business cycle. For instance, in 2008 the Indian economy was flourishing and MBA graduates were offered high packages. However, the scenario completely changed in 2009."

Lastly, with the number of institutes offering a management education mushrooming, one must evaluate his/her options after gauging aspects such as the credibility of the institute, its USP and the kind of companies that make placement offers on campus.

On the importance of knowing the kind of placements offered at a particular institute, the professor says, "A company visiting two institutes would offer different roles and packages to students of both the institutes. Thus, instead of compromising on either the company or the role that you'd ideally want to kick start your management career with, it's best to find out such details from the alumni of the institute."

India 4th In B-School Destinations List

That the US and the UK are the most popular destinations for management studies is not big news. But the findings of a survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which conducts GMAT, a B-school entrance test used globally, have thrown up some surprises.

Number 4 on the list of the Top 10 preferred destinations for B-school aspirants is India, with Canada at No 3. Israel and Spain are the other surprise entrants.

According to experts, India's foray into the elite league has a lot to do with the emergence of institutions such as the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, which was ranked No. 12 globally in the Financial Times ( London) Global MBA rankings earlier this year. The IIMs, which use GMAT as an entrance test for their executive MBA programmes, are also responsible for India's popularity.

Although making it to the US has, for long, been the great Indian dream, it is not the only North American country that's attracting desi students. Many are now making a beeline for Canada, which not only has a robust economy and liberal visa policies but also promises good job prospects. ''In testing year 2010, India was the top foreign country that sent score reports to Canadian graduate management programmes,'' reveals GMAC's survey.

Supreme Court - Managements free to fix hours of work

The Supreme Court said that courts must exercise restraint and refrain from interfering with functions of the managements that involve administrative decisions including fixing of the working hours.

"In our opinion, fixing of hours of work, provided they do not violate any statutory provision or statutory rule, are really management functions and this court must exercise restraint and not ordinarily interfere with such management functions," said a bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra in their judgment delivered Monday, but only made available Friday.

The bench's ruling came as it disallowed an appeal by the Transport and Dock Workers Union of Mumbai Port Trust on two different and discriminatory working hours of typist-cum-computer clerks, before and after Nov 1, 1996.

Those appointed before Nov 1, 1996, had to put in seven hours' work during the day which also included half an hour lunch break, while those appointed after this date had to put in eight hours of work with half an hour lunch break.

The union had contended that this was discriminatory and violated the Article 14 of the constitution providing for equality before law. The management of the Mumbai Port Trust said that it had to resort to these working hours because of the stiff competition from private players.

MBA Jobs

MBA (Masters of Business Administration) is a post graduate program which deals with business aspects and business communication. It is a widely accepted degree program which is a major step towards a successful business management career. The curriculum allows students to acquire all the necessary knowledge, both theoretical and practical, to make a better career in the business administration world.

Today, MBA jobs are considered as the hottest among the young business professionals. An MBA degree opens up a new world to the business professionals to get jobs in almost all sectors including marketing, finance, banking, legal, manufacturing, insurance, sales, information technology, and management consulting. It also assists you to improve your ability to become a successful business man and if necessary, to manage your own small business.

It is not very easy to get an MBA job that allows an MBA degree holder to use his or her acquired skills and abilities. However, there are a number of ways to make use of your MBA. Networking, MBA career placement services, headhunters or executive recruitment, and internet sites with MBA jobs are four main approaches that assist you to get an MBA job. About 70% of MBA jobs are never advertised and are usually filled through internal appointments. So, to get a job in a particular post or organisation the job seeker will have to build a good network with many talented individuals.

Business schools with MBA career placement services organise MBA job fairs and maintain active links with reputed business organisations. These allow the students to get a better understanding about these business jobs and help them to search for a good career. Executive recruitment services collect your details and help you to search for a job that you actually want. Another job search strategy is to surf the Internet sites advertising MBA vacancies. WorkTree is a complete job portal which holds up-to-date MBA vacancies as they become available.

For starters, there are a number of issues to be considered when assessing a job offer from an organization. The nature of the job, salaries and benefits, location of the posting, the opportunities provided by the employer, and the position of the organization are some of them.

Why an MBA is a Must Do For Fresh Graduates?

Today, we all are living in an era where the environment is bound by competitive, political, economic, cultural and regulatory factors making things more complex. To break the clutter and rise above the complex structure, one needs to posses the necessary skills, understanding, enthusiasm and intellect. The necessity of professionals in the corporate world is inevitable, where the competition is at the peak.

To cater to these demands, professional management programmes are designed on the premise that a fresher can learn to face as well as mange all types of circumstances effectively and efficiently. When an individual completes is graduation, he finds himself on the crossroads of his career. He is like the wet clay that is capable of moulding himself in any shape.

The MBA programme will not only provide him with a path breaking opportunity to learn things but also give him an insight of the corporate world before he actually jumps into it. The programme will help an individual to develop the much needed skills like financial analysis, decision-making, analytics as well as interpersonal skills. The MBA programme as we all know are highly valued by employers all over the world, hence the probability of getting good package job becomes very high.

A fresher learns the important basics in the chosen stream while doing his/her graduation which makes his base stronger. So to give his graduation the finishing touch and diversifying into his field of interest, the MBA is the right path as it teaches an individual the theoretical context for resolving business complexities and allow him to choose his field of interest which may be, marketing, finance or human resource. At the graduation level, an individual gets the opportunity to study only things related to his chosen subject.

For instance, if an individual is pursuing a degree in Commerce, he gets to learn the ropes of accounting, financial analysis, and the basics of management. But once you opt for an MBA, you get to learn all of these on wider spectrum plus you learn other topics like marketing and human behaviour and at the end of the course you are free to choose your area of specialization. This gives you an edge over your graduation and hone your skills that you had developed whilst your graduation period.

It is very important to understand that the in the business world, you need to be ready to face any situation and be well acquainted to tackle them as well. If you lack the necessary skills, you will end up making a wrong decision which will not only affect the business but your personal image as a manager as well. Therefore, it's imperative to go for a professional degree like an MBA after you complete your graduation as this will not only help you achieve your dream in life but also bring you face-to face with success.

Is it Worthy to Do MBA Through Distance Education?

Introduction-MBA through Distance Education

Among the Online courses offered, MBA through distance learning is most sought after because now slowly the potential employers started recognising it. Previous MBA course done through in-campus was given much importance.

Reasons for taking up MBA

MBA done through in-campus or distance education is a highly recognized job qualification which enables the job aspirant to land in a well known company. MBA degree holders are paid a higher salary package. So this motivates the undergraduates to take up MBA course.

Is MBA done through online distance learning worthy?

The MBA course offered by many accredited business schools produce better management student. The potential employers have started hiring MBA candidates from the open market by giving equal weight age to MBA done through in-campus and distance writing.

Pro and Cons of Distance education

The Pro of MBA through distance learning is that now a student can take up job after graduation and pursue the course at the same time. MBA is a better qualification for career growth and enable to land in higher position in leading company.

The Cons of MBA though distance education is that there is many mushrooming non-accredited business institutions which provide MBA degrees at a throw away prize. Do check the course offered by the institution is valid in the job market.

Enrolling MBA distance education program for better future

With the advent of information technology, the distance learning program has gained a lot with the usage of internet, audio-video conferencing and online chat which brings the tutor and student much closer. According to a recent research study, distance learning MBA course is more sought after by the students and especially the enrollment to online learning program indicates more takers

What is the Importance of Being an MBA?

Going back to the old days having a graduate degree was considered a big achievement in itself. This mindset dominated for long however talking in the current context and tough market conditions, only one degree isn't enough to get your dream job. An MBA degree seems to be an apt solution to make your resume stand out from the rest of the crowd and add wings to your career growth.

Attachment of an MBA tag or program today have a value proposition understood by everyone. The education industry has undergone a major transformation for the number of opportunities it offers to students allowing each one to pursue the career of their choice which is close to their respective aptitudes and interests. The number of people applying for MBA programs comprising of national as well as MBA international programs are from two to one year MBA programs.

The employers look for differentiators when they are look out for talent. And possessing an additional degree is a definite differentiator. Secondly, given the unprecedented decline in availability of jobs for fresh candidates due to the global slowdown, students see this time as a great opportunity to hone their existing skills or even add a few. And having an MBA degree in addition to your regular ones is certainly the way forward.

Does an MBA Degree ensures a job especially in the current economic upheaval?

Placements for MBA graduates from premier institutes continue to be quite attractive even now. However on account of the downturn, companies are forced to tighten their budget and the number of available jobs continues to shrink with firms starting to get more selective in terms of where they hire from. The MBA tag alone does not bring with it any guarantee of a job; where one gets the degree from is also a factor that influences the decision making process of the employer.

An MBA degree ensures the employer of the candidate of having a basic level of competency. The slowdown has affected all job opportunities at different levels, and it has affected students with MBA degrees too. However, the impact is not as high, as by and large, more MBA graduates do have a job offer as compared to a student with a bachelors' degree alone. We need to constantly groom people.

However, is the slowdown a good time to quit the job and go in for higher education?

Going for a higher education anytime is a wise decision, irrespective of the ongoing slowdown and is a practical approach that will bear positive results in the future. When the economy is booming, people who are already working may be too busy to think about getting a degree or going to a technical school, but when the economy is slow and people are re-evaluating their priorities, education, especially in terms of an extra degree does hold a lot of significance and becomes a consideration. However, one needs to evaluate his/her priorities, for example, family life, age, financial status, etc. to take this kind of a decision.

Why the upsurge in enrollments?

For starters, a tougher job market forces people to strengthen their resume. Slower growth within the ranks in their organisations during a downturn also means that there is a lower perceived opportunity cost of taking two years off to pursue an MBA. As the job market becomes tougher, an MBA allows one to differentiate themselves from the crowd. It always helps to add to one's skills, irrespective of what career stage s/he is in. However, skills can be added while working on-the-job, or through a formal, full-time program. If given a choice, it makes more sense to earn while you learn.

While an MBA is certainly a differentiator in today's job market, a degree alone does not ensure accelerated career growth. Some of the ingredients for a successful career continue to remain constant: a go-getter attitude, excellent team management skills, and most importantly, one's ability to innovate. Today's job market demands professionals with abilities beyond just the knowledge of the subject and an MBA degree is certainly the way forward.

Distance Learning MBA Programs from reputed institutes are also gaining importance. There are also part time classroom courses available in case one is reluctant to leave his current job status to pursue higher studies.