Choosing the best course to fit your career goals.

Education in the modern era is an ever evolving entity. With more and more courses on offer, it is never too late to update oneself and take up a course that will help one further one’s career in the long run.

A Masters in BusinessAdministration (MBA) degree is a great way to gain a holistic understanding of business and explore the possibilities the arena has to offer.

That being said however, one must remember that an even an MBA today isn’t a generic, broad based course, it is for all intents and purposes a course designed to go into far reaching specifics of almost every conceivable ‘specializationary’ niche a business may have. Therefore one must thoroughly research, evaluate and then and only then decide the course, the institution and the specialisation they want to opt for.

Educate your way to success!

The following is a comprehensive list of things one needs to do before deciding the course they want to take up.

1. Always choose an institute of repute: The reputation of an MBA institution should be one’s prime consideration when choosing an institution to pursue the course from. While this seems like common sense advice, it needs to be followed to a tee. Always check the credentials, the faculty’s reputation, the list of courses and co-curricular activities offered and the perception of the institution in the market. A good institution will always have an excellent placement cell, critical for a student hoping to be placed off campus.

2. Full time or Part Time? A new trend is the emergence of part time MBA as a viable and sensible bet for those who want to ‘earn while they learn’. Most of the premier institutions in thecountry offer a part time MBA these days. The question though is more about the flexibility of the curriculum, as against the ‘full student experience’. Remember, the primary target audience for Part time MBA is working professionals who seek to upgrade their skill set and knowledge base.

3. Getting the right focus: Richard Branson admits that he knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur at a very early age, as do many successful businesspeople in every sector of the economy. Some people, it seems, know what they want to do almost from a young age and cannot wait to start doing it. If you know your strengths, whether it be in entrepreneurship, finance or general management, and more importantly, you want to build on them, doing an MBA is an excellent means of achieving your goal.

4. Return on Investment: Let’s face it, an MBA is a far expensive course and calculating one’s return on investment is critical. How to enhance the return on investment of an MBA is the million-dollar question among most MBA students. Fortunately, the return on investment is indeed rapid for the vast majority of graduates, with the average return being three to six years. An MBA graduate is more likely to see advancement in both career prospects and remuneration almost twice as fast of a non-MBA.

5. Faculty matters: Once you’ve decided on an MBA programme you should look into the background of its faculty. Good-quality education depends primarily on the calibre of the university’s faculty members. Most top business schools boast a ‘team’ of world-renowned professors with diverse interests and expertise. Their faculty is very much a part of the real-life business world and will bring a range of important and useful topics to the classroom – from accounting to strategic management. Visiting the websites and accessing the faculty section of the website should bring to light the profiles of both the visiting and permanent faculty.

Following these easy steps will enable you have a better understanding of the kind of college, course and career prospects you can have.

So why should an MBA be your dream?

There used to be a time, when an MBA was considered an all access pass to the upper echelons of corporate management. An MBA degree was one’s passport to the big leagues. Irrespective of whether one graduated in Marketing or Finance, an MBA degree was thought to be an infallible mark of a person’s competence and finesse in all aspects of a particular business. The situation though is rapidly changing. Students themselves today realise the importance of aptitude and attitude and have wisened up to the need to seriously self-evaluate before taking up an MBA course. Industry insiders and corporate houses in turn now scrutinise candidates and evaluate them based on their qualifications and whether or not they fit the job description to a tee.

MBA: Changing trends and the need for self-assessment

Like any good educational course, an MBA today can be availed of in the sphere of interest of a student. With courses like MBA in Retail, Technology and e-commerce available, the once broad based curriculum of the course in itself has gotten modified into an intensive, super specialisation mode. Students now are faced with the problem of plenty. This also leads to the rise of the need to self-assess one’s aptitude, seek advice and only then pick a course of one’s choice.

Says Bennett Nathan, a first year student at a reputed college in Chennai, “Passion and practicality are two different things, sometimes conflicting and almost always polar opposites. I pursued an MBA in Retail Management, simply because I was always interested in the segment. My passion and my profession happily coincided, but that needn’t always be the case. It took me several months and advice from knowledgeable people to make up my mind about this course.”  

Self assessment is the process of discovering one’s strengths and playing to them. One needs remember that passion and practicality aside, there is an important factor of market demand that needs to be considered. A frank and open discussion with one’s parents is a good first step in deciding the course of action. A session with a guidance counselor, post an aptitude test is also important, as it helps determine in a practical, scientific manner, one’s interests and where they may fit in the wider job scene as it were. Peers, friends and seniors also form an important support system when analysing one’s strengths and figuring out one’s next steps.

Why should one consider an MBA?

If a rise in pay or a good first pay cheque is one’s only consideration, an MBA might not be up that person’s alley. Consider this, just because the army instills discipline and a strong work ethic, one doesn’t abandon one’s life and enlist, does one? By the same logic, simple career advancement or monetary gains are a very poor motivator towards taking up a course that is meant to mould one into the future leader of the business or sector one majors in. One must consider the following as the ‘right’ reasons to take up an MBA.

MBA colleges

1. A holistic perspective of the business world:

Remember, irrespective of one’s specialisation, an MBA gives a student a unique insight into the operationalworkings of a business. This is vital as it gives an MBA student a great advantage, considering that they are made intimate with workings and analysis of an entire business sector.

2. Better consolidated business network

The advantage of doing an MBA is further enhanced by the fact that one’s batch-mates and friends will soon disperse across industries and companies and keeping in touch with them is an important networking tool, to further one’s career and to be introduced into the upper echelons of corporate hierarchy.

3. New skill and knowledge acquisition

An MBA enables an individual to keep their eyes and ears open in the pursuit of acquiring new skills and knowledge. The way the course is fashioned, it simply acclimatises a person to keeping an open mind towards new processes, new ways of doing things and constantly upgrading themselves. Evolution is key, never forget it.

References:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/business-education/mbas-need-career-guidance-too/article9687988/

http://www.mastersportal.eu/articles/340/5-very-good-reasons-to-do-an-mba.html

3 Great Morning Habits to Help Jump Start a Productive Day!

You may have read the humorous saying by Glen Cook that- “Morning is wonderful. Its only drawback is that it comes at such an inconvenient time of day.”! For many night owls it surely holds true, as we stumble out of bed with just enough time to shower, get dressed and rush out the door as we steel ourselves for a long commute to our offices, schoolsor management colleges in Mumbai. While we may work hard to achieve dreams and do well at jobs or our studies, did you know that often the most productive and successful people are those that rise early and have a proper morning routine in place.

Getting a good start to the day can really jump start your entire day and have you feeling energetic, motivated and refreshed to face what is to come ahead. Here are a few things you should aim to incorporate in to your morning routine. Waking up earlier will definitely be worth it! -

Exercise – Working out every day is a must according to most medical professionals the world over. The benefits of exercise have been talked about over and over again and range from a whole host of physical benefits like keeping your weight in check, maintaining good cardiovascular health and much much more. It also plays a big part in keeping mental health at its best by improving your mood, helping you feel energized and happy and is a big stress buster. Few things are as good to boost productivity in a day like a good workout to start it off. Besides, we all know how easy it is to make excuses and skip out on exercise at the end of a long and tiring day. Scheduling a good workout right in the AM, whether it is an hour of yoga, a run in the park or a bike ride, can do wonders to make you fresh, alert and active and help keep lethargy at bay when you need to be productive. And after a challenging run or a killer set of squats, tackling studying or a file at work seems like a breeze! Also try and sneak in a few moments of meditating or just restful calm to center yourself before you head out.

Have a good breakfast – A lot of us run out the front door without even managing to finish a cup of tea and leave hassled and often hungry and cranky. A hearty and healthy breakfast is one of the best lifestyle habits you can incorporate and is essential for your health and well being. Even if you don't have time to sit down for a long drawn out breakfast try and at least have a healthy fiber filled bowl of cereal or a couple of fruits or a smoothie or sandwich to start the day.  A filling and healthy breakfast will give you a boost of energy and let you concentrate on tasks at hand rather than focussing on your empty and grumbling tummy. It will help tide you over till lunch time and prevent for a binge during lunch break, that often leaves you super lethargic and dull in the afternoons.

Chalk out your day – One of the keys to a productive and fulfilling day where you manage to finish all you need to do is to visualize and chalk out the day mentally or in a list if you prefer, at the start of your day. Plan out your day, what all you need to do and a workable schedule in manageable chunks for the entire day. This will help you feel a lot more confident and actually help you get things done, rather than running around all day frazzled and stressed out.

A good start can make for a much calmer and more productive day!

The Many Pros and Cons of Studying in Mumbai!

One of the most bustling cities in the world, Mumbai is not only a popular city for students in India but those looking for some international exposure as well. Scores of people migrate to this metro every year for academic and professional reasons and it is definitely a huge melting pot of races, classes, nationalities and more. Studying in a city like Mumbai comes with its own set of advantages and challenges and yet the experience can be unique, fun and extremely exciting. It is no wonder then that so many students from around the country come to this challenging city to do graduate and post graduate courses like MBAs in Mumbai.

MBA students in Mumbai

If you are considering moving here to further your academic and career goals, here are a few pros and cons to keep in mind -

Pros:

It is a centre for professional spheres – Mumbai is known as the financial centre of the country and you will find loads of large financial institutions, gigantic international MNCs and a plethora of companies with their bases here. It is buzzing with commercial activity of all kinds and even the retail sector is booming. Similarly, the media industry too is massive in this city with one of the biggest film industries, TV industry and other media institutions developed here as well as a highly evolving arts scenario. Therefore, for students looking to get into diverse fields, few other cities offer the sheer variety of career paths and opportunities that Mumbai does.

It is a cosmopolitan city – Much like New York city, Mumbai too is known for its cosmopolitan environment and populous. From the jet setters to the average Joe and every one in between, the citizens of this vast metropolis are diverse and a veritable melting pot. It contains a fascinating mix of cultures, religions and lifestyles that is amazing to experience and be a part off. More so because they all seem to co-exist in harmony for the most part!

You could have an enriched student life – Whether you come to do your under graduate studies or an advanced MBA in Mumbai, the student life is tough to beat. With a vast variety of recreational and educational options here, students have the chance to try, do and experience a number of things that many other smaller towns won't offer. Not only are there amazing places to eat and hang out at but also a rich theatre scene, a plethora of courses and classes catered to all aspects of life from spiritual well being to physical health and much, much more. Besides students also have  more access to intern-ships and job opportunities in plum companies and meet a number of students and mentors from diverse backgrounds and professional streams.

Cons:

It can be expensive – The popularity of living and studying in a city like Mumbai comes with a flip side. It can be prohibitively expensive with housing prices and student fees being among the highest in the country. Many students find that the costs of renting a house here, even on a sharing basis, is often one that can really be a burden to their budgets. And although there are relatively inexpensive options for recreation and leisure options as well, it is definitely not a city where your money takes you very far.

Commuting can be troublesome – Those coming from smaller cities and towns, are often shocked at  how vast Mumbai seems and how ever expanding the city limits are. Personal preferences as well as cost factors may leave you staying pretty far from where you are studying and some find the commuting with the traffic and sheer number of people a real hassle. A long commute often eats into your time and budget as well.