Myths about MBA

While everyone has heard about the one million and one benefits of doing MBA, one hardly ever discusses or debunks the myths attached to this “magical” degree. There is so much controversy surrounding MBA and PGDM – which one has more value, which one will be recognized abroad and which one is the ticket to millions of dollars once you become an investment banker. The truth is (drum roll please), in the end it only depends on you. No matter how much you study or how hard you work, if you do not access your full potential you are leading a half-baked life, with or without a MBA. While it may sound very brutal, there is no denying that the right education and experiences always open the right doors, but don’t hold your breath! There are many other factors at play; let’s look at some overhyped MBA myths.

MBA plucks you out of the “masses” category and puts you in the “classes” category: Well some people think that simply doing MBA will make them conversation prodigies and networking geniuses, as they will know how to approach opportunities and create a leverage. Well, while these things may work in a professional environment, if you try to convert every social interaction into a professional opportunity, you will soon find your name being dropped from all lists.

MBA will finally give you the tools to implement that multimillion dollar idea: A lot o aspiring entrepreneurs think that if they go ahead and do their MBA before starting their own venture, then there is no stopping them. While it’s good idea to be positive and ambitious, it’s best to take off the rose tinted glasses in the start up phase. MBA or no MBA, it’s going to be a rocky ride – your idea may not generate the response you thought it would, you may have to shelve the company altogether or start from scratch for the third time in two years of operations.

It will all become smooth sailing and easy with MBA: Nothing could be further from the truth! It’s never going to be easy, especially after your MBA. Today’s corporate world is all about deadlines, strategies, crisis management and cash crunch. So if you think that life will be all about holidays and luxurious lunch meetings after MBA, then think again.

The degree matters, not the institute: Choosing the right institute for doing your MBA is extremely important, if you want it to add to your profile while applying for jobs. It is all about the institute, the syllabus and what you could extract from the whole experience. 

Putting your best foot forward

Life is all about finding your purpose and creating a differentiating factor. What makes you stand out in a crowd? How are you different from a group of people? What are your main qualities and unique selling points as a person? It is very important to create your individuality in order to enter the winner’s circle. Winners definitely do things differently from the rest of the world; that’s what makes them different; that’s what makes them pioneers. When it comes to goal setting and becoming successful in all walks of life, you just cannot ignore putting your best foot forward. Whether it is doing a MBA to get the edge or simply taking all the steps needed to start your own digital media venture.

Let’s define what putting your best foot forward means:

·    Being highly goal oriented and target driven is very important for putting your best foot forward. Shooting in the dark is a waste of time, effort and resources. So whether it is admission for higher studies, taking a job in a specific industry, moving to a new country for career advancement of simply deciding to go back to studies after a break; always have a plan before making a decision.

·    Once you have decided to move in a certain direction, do not let self doubt or lack of focus cloud your judgement. Any thought or action that takes you away from your goal is a distraction and you should snap out of it as fast as you can.

·    Information and knowledge are armours that will always come in handy in any field. This is exactly why you should become a voracious consumer of anything you have set your mind to. What are the requirements for the project? How realistic is this deadline? How to manage or avert certain crisis? Once you have the aptitude to manage these situations, it will be impossible for anyone to catch you with the switch off.

·    Giving your absolute best to any task at hand is definitely all about putting your best foot forward. And giving everything comes from dedication, commitment and hard work. At the end of the day, no task is too big or too small; you just have to perform to the best of your abilities.

·    If you are not excited about what you do in your day, it is not possible to be happy or successful in the long run. Excitement comes only from finding what you are meant to do; knowing what your purpose in life is.

At the end of the day, putting your best foot forward is all about making your own rules and living by them. The best form of motivation only comes from within.    

Careers other than MBA

Some people are of the opinion that once they do their MBA, everything in their professional life will be laid out in front of them on a silver platter. Others are of the opinion that getting hands on work experience in their desired field will help them gain mastery over time; MBA may not necessarily be the right step for these people. Every year, when millions of students across the globe graduate from colleges, they make an important career decision, which will probably affect their entire professional life. 

For some that decision is taking the responsibility of pursuing a Master’s Degree and for others it is finally taking on full time employment. Some may choose the middle path of working and doing a part time course. The whole idea behind doing a MBA is keeping your options open after graduating from business school. But what are the other career choices for students wanting to study further?

If you are fairly certain of the industry you want to gain mastery of, then by all means get enrolled in a specialized course pertaining to that industry instead of doing MBA. You can obviously do your MBA by specializing in a specific field like finance or marketing, but if there is a possibility of doing an absolute niche course, then go ahead and choose that.

If you are thinking of starting your own venture and are also keen on studying further, then doing a part time post graduate course is your best bet. Earning and learning at the same time is definitely worth it, as long as you can juggle the two without creating a giant mess.

It is very important to remember that when you join a company, your cost to the company will always be calculated after evaluating your worth. So if you clearly see yourself as a Social Media Manager for a renowned digital agency, then make sure to get the right knowledge for the right job. With everything going digital, there is no industry that is shutting out social media, so your options would be wide open.

Remember that in some cases MBA can be done once you have done a specialized course in your skill area – like fashion, beauty, baking or photography. Once you have your skill in place and some relevant work experience, you can always do your MBA to get the edge and scout out for senior positions in that industry, or to start your own company.

Job satisfaction is extremely important today, as most people spend a large chunk of their day working. Do what you love and love what you do.