Hi I have doing my mba through distance, and working since last three years. It doesnt matter what job you take up or which position you work in. If you study mba after taking up a job the subject will be 10 times more interesting and you will try to relate everything you study with your daily work and with the organisational structure as a whole.
I stronly opine one should have minimum one year experience before getting into B-School. I have done my MBA without experience. I felt I should have got some experience before joining MBA. It is better for employers too if you have worked somewhere already.
I am presently undergoing MBA studies from NIEM,Chennai with specialization in HR.What we study and what we work are entirely different.Computer fundamentals are a must in the present work environment in an Industry.Practical knowledge is a must which has to be implemented in the work environment(in the job/jobs).I am a LL B graduate and am working in Admin Department in a reputed company branch in a city by name Mangalore.After 3 years of work experience I joined/enrolled as a student of NIEM ,Chennai for the course of MBA(HR).I personally feel free to say that prior work experience to MBA degree is better than early MBA with no experience in the Industrial Sector.For example,the primary step of HR includes Recruitment,Selection,Training and Development.I have recruited ,selected ,trained and developed one personnel in my area without having a degree of MBA(HR)as I am writing my examinations in September this year and the results will be announced nearly 2 months later.As I read the theoretical aspects of HR-Recruitment,Selection,Training and Development they differ from the practical aspects.Recruitment involves conducting interviews, screening tests of applicants,discussion.
according to my view the work exp. is must for anyone & it is more important when it is about MBA because they are aimed for the managerial level work & if they do not follow with such kind of knowledge they do not able to manage their responsibility.
I did my engineering,then worked for 1 year,then did MBA and thereafter have been working for the last 3 years.While 4 years of total work-ex may not make me an authority on the subject,nevertheless I have these observations
When you pass out of graduate college(be it T-School,BCom,etc) and go into your 1st job,you tend to go with a lot of idealism(read - over expectations).One of the best things the 1st job does is crush a huge chunk of that.Not in the sense that you pay bribes etc after that,but you realise the importance of soft skills in any assignment,which a textbookish approach to problems will not teach you.You realise that you cannot attain success by applying set formulas for everything,unless you can carry your team-mates along with you regarding your ideas,solutions etc.You realise that success is not a matter of instant gratification;initiatives will take their cycle time to get implemented and unforeseen roadblocks will be there.
This learning is of great use during your MBA where the theoretical concepts can be internalised much more easily.And your expectations in your post MBA job will be much more realistic
I personally feel that all MBA institutes should have atleast 2 yrs of experience as minimum eligibility criteria. As a freshy the candidate is very raw and gets an experience of just what is taught in MBA from management perspective but practically things are quite different in corporates which you learn with professional experience. Generally everyones aim is that after doing MBA one should get a job with higher post/salary. In professional world where a person has to really work hard and prove himself by going through all sorts of political hurdles/tense moments/pressure(in IT especially) in order to reach an immediate higher position there is lot of learning curve which one learns only with experience and not from MBA institutes. So, experience plus MBA makes a professional a polished professional. I believe that MBA is to polish urself if u r unaware of ur drawbacks/development needs/gray areas which you come to know only by working in professional environment you will be unable to co-relate/understand what is taught in MBA. Suddenly when a freshy with MBA on good position is in a high pressure situation with high expectation/lack of backing can shatter confidence terribly.
I think having work experience befor joining MBA is really important.....
There are a number of advantages.....
1. MBA curriculum is designed in such a way that it can sharpen the existing skills of the student rather than teach them all the aspects of management ( Which is not possible in two years ). That is the reason why we find most of Bschools around the world considering work exp as a important criteria before selection.
2. If a candidate has work experience before joining MBA he or she will know the reason as to why they are doin the perticular course.... Which will keep them more serious....
Many freshers go in for MBA as it is opens the door to employment opportunities. If they do not go for MBA they might end up spending months finding a decent job (with exception of those with engg background can easily get into IT).
They think MBA is better than landing up in a Call Center or any other job which will not be satisfying.
I think the choice depends on the quality of work ex you are gaining as well.
Yes definitely work exp gives an edge and insight when u do an MBA. I've come across many MBAs who struggle to cope up with the pace in the organisation. They do even poor when it comes to the case of commercials in the organisation. Work experience gives you more logic and insight when u go for study. Bookish knowledge gives only little help when u actually go for work. Also when ur in college, u will study a hell lot of things and you will not be able to concentrate on a particular field. But when u actually have the work ex you will definitely have the direction and focus.
