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.

Ten Tips for Time Management

We all have 24 hours in a day; but somehow some people are always pressed for time. No matter how much time they are given to work on a project or a deadline, they will always find themselves struggling till the last minute. Not having enough time to do what needs to be done, is often related to poor time management and has very little to do with the task at hand. Some of the most successful people in the world are juggling multiple hats. They are entrepreneurs at the top of their game, devoted parents to their beloved children, have a great social life and manage to commit to philanthropic causes also. They find the time to squeeze in their marathon training before a board meeting too. How do they do it? It’s all about time management!

Here are top 10 tips for time management:

·    Make a to-do list. If you don’t know what exactly has to be done, chances are you won’t get to it. Sometimes, mental lists just don’t work. So make a list on your phone, on paper or on your computer.

·    Put a deadline next to each task; make sure it is a realistic deadline; it should be believable to you. Even if it is about returning a phone call, put it down in writing and put the timing next to it.

·    Be honest with yourself and with others. Agreeing to things you have no intention of doing is a sure shot recipe for wasting your precious time and resources. The same rule applies to doing something half heartedly. So take on what you can and be honest about what you don’t want to be accountable for.

·    Get your priorities in order. Sometimes, the tasks just need to be placed in the right order for the chaos to disappear.

·    Don’t let one responsibility suffer because of another commitment. Sometimes we just don’t have a choice in this matter; but barring family emergencies and other dire situations, finish what you start before moving on to the next task.

·    Take responsibility. If you have messed up or made a mistake and you are in denial about it, you will end up wasting more time on covering your tracks instead of finding a solution.

·    Give up on blame. It is always easy to blame hundreds of things on the external circumstances. But it hasn’t helped anyone be successful; so let go of things that are causing unnecessary stress and focus on what’s important.

·    Set aside personal time for things you enjoy doing. Nothing recharges the mind, body and soul like a passionate hobby few times a week. It could be playing a sport, learning a language or playing a musical instrument.

·    Know when to throw in the towel. There is no bravery attached to flogging a dead horse. Accept if something is not working out and create change instead of wasting time over something that’s not going to change.

·    Have fun. You have to enjoy the things you do on a daily basis.

Efficient time management is definitely important to lead a well-balanced, wholesome life.

Tips to Succeed at MBA admissions

During the last year of graduation, most students are already either planning internships or doing preparations to get into a good MBA college. While it is a personal decision whether to start working immediately or do a post graduate course, both the options have to be thoroughly investigated before taking a final call. For example, if you want to look for a job, it is important to start scouting for companies that are hiring fresh graduates or the ones that have an internship program. Depending on the field of your choice, it is best to keep your options open. A lot of big corporate companies are looking to hire second or third year graduate students too for their summer internship programs. On the other hand, if you want to pursue a MBA from a recognized college or university, it is best to be prepared way in advance to ensure admission in your choice of institute.

Here are some tips:

1. While keeping your options open is a good idea, it is important to narrow down to at least three colleges that you would want to get into to do your MBA.
   
2. Once you have chosen the top three universities, the next thing to know is the requirements you need to meet to be eligible for admission. Remember, each college may have a different set of requirements.
   
3. The entrance exam is something that you need to prepare for way in advance. It is best to find out the details of the entrance exam, how demanding it is and what kind of score you need to get into the college of your choice.
   
4. It is very important to have all your documents in place at the time of admission. It is advised to keep several attested copies of all important documents.
   
5. Depending on the requirements, the next step after the entrance exam is usually the group discussion and personal interview. Some colleges may only need you to give a personal interview, while others may need you to participate in a group discussion.
   
6. You can get in touch with ex students to know what kind of preparation would be needed for the personal interview. Reading up on current affairs and having knowledge on various subjects are always plus points.
   
7. It is also very important to make a great first impression in the personal interview. Being well dressed, well spoken with your hair in place and shoes spick and span will make a good first impression.
   
8. While it is a good idea to be forthright and confident, steer clear from being too cocky or aggressive in the group discussion or personal interview. Put across your point in an assertive yet calm manner.
   
9. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get into your first choice. The important thing is that you are pursuing your degree / diploma from a recognized college with good faculty, infrastructure and syllabus to kick-start your career.

How to find out the right career for you

What we do somehow always forms a large part of the puzzle when it comes to answering who we are. We are living in a society where our professional life and identity define to a great extent our social standing and background. With so much importance on career, it goes without saying that there is immense pressure to choose the right career. Not that you cannot change your career, but we all know what a lengthy and time consuming process that can be, especially when there are other financial and family responsibilities. This is exactly why it is important to carefully choose a career and get the right academic qualifications. Hard work, overtime, sleepless nights and deadlines all seem a lot more meaningful when you actually love your work.

Here are some tips to identify the right career choice for you.

• Capitalizing on your strengths has a lot to do with the right career choice. For example, if you have a really analytical and mathematical mind and love numbers, then accounting, risk consulting, audit, etc. may be the right industries for you. But if you choose this career only because everyone else thinks it has a bright future, then you are obviously going down the wrong road. Nobody knows your strengths better than you; so it is best to define what comes naturally and effortlessly to you.

• The next thing to identify is what do you see yourself doing every single day? Some people love the idea of sitting in a fabulous office in a glass building while others simply cringe at the idea of having a desk job. Do you have a more outgoing personality or do you prefer a desk job with a small team? How are your interpersonal skills? What about your convincing abilities? These will all define whether you will do wonders at a back-end job or as front end person.

• Some jobs involve a lot of traveling, moving around and adapting in new environments, while others may involve constant thinking and analyzing of strategies. Depending on the type of personality and attitude you have, you can decide what kind of high pressure situations you will be best equipped to manage. 

Some of us are luckier in the career department than others. Some people just know at a very early age what they are meant to do when they grow up. If you have always known what career you are meant to live and breathe, by no means take a second guess. Go ahead and become a voracious consumer of all the possible information and knowledge in your industry and dive in head first. 

Choosing the Right Career

There are a lot more career options today to choose from. At the same time, every field is a lot more competitive today. To make your mark in the professional world, you not just need an edge, but you also need a very strong differentiating factor that helps you stand out from the crowd. Just being moderately good at something is not going to cut it. And since it’s a marathon and not a sprint, it is very important to have a plan in place instead of just going along to get along or going with the flow. It’s amazing how some people can just say that they didn’t go and find a specific career but the career found them. If you belong to this category, where the right career choice just fell in your lap, then lucky you! But if you are part of the remaining population that takes a long time to know what they are meant to do, then waste no time and hop on the search.

Forget about what you “always” wanted to do and forget about what others always wanted you to become when you grow up. Now it is time to find out what you are good at. Are you good with numbers? Is your personality and wit your main plus point? Are you highly creative or do you have a penchant for languages? Sit down and write down on a piece of paper – make a list of all the talents that seem effortless and things that you are naturally good at.

Work without passion is definitely a waste of time. So ask yourself what you are really passionate about? Is it writing? is it coming up with creative concepts? Is it something logical and technical? Is it baking or banking? Is it music and the arts? Imagine something you would want to do all day, every day and it still wouldn’t feel like work to you – what would that be? Make sure to be realistic and honest!

Sometimes it is very difficult the gauge the details of an industry without actually getting into it. But if you really feel that this is what you want to pursue and are not sure how to go about it, then it helps to get educated in that specific industry vertical. Now you are prepared with a degree or diploma and can actually get a job in your desired field.

A lot of people wonder what should be the next step after graduation. Why study MBA when you can land an internship or a job? Well, there is no denying that nothing comes close to the actual work experience. But sometimes getting a degree of diploma can land you the right job to kick start your career instead of taking up an internship as an interim period employment. 

How to become an asset in the work world?

We are living in a world where it is all about instant gratification and personal needs. We approach most subjects with only one focus in mind – what’s in it for me? While it is a wonderful technique to know the pros and cons before getting into any situation, it is also important to be a part of a larger cause for long term personal growth and success. Today the fear of being left behind haunts most youngsters; are they doing enough? Are they making enough money? Are they going in the right career direction? While working on self growth is a lifelong commitment, it has to turn you into a valuable asset as you move ahead in life. Whether you are a student wondering what type of MBA course you should do or a new age entrepreneur looking forward to her first start up, read on to know about becoming a valuable part of whatever you choose to do in life.

Success and money will always be by products of a job well done or businesses well run. If money becomes the focal point then things like stepping on other people’s toes and being ruthless may seem like necessary steps in the race of getting ahead. While these may pay off at an immediate level, they are definitely not long term strategies to retain success.

Whether you are working in a small company, part of a fortune 500 or running your own enterprise, how well you do your work and how committed you are, can totally determine your worth in the long run. Things like treating a job as an interim period employment or thinking that hard work should not be put if direct credit is not at stake will definitely hamper your overall work ethic.

With so much social media exposure, every individual is a moving brand. The way you communicate in a meeting, the way you dress at work, the way you treat your subordinates and peers and the way you approach additional responsibilities are all determining factors of how far you will go in life.

Being a team player and managing people form the core strategy of most successful people. No man is an island and regardless of what work one does, dealing with people from all walks of life is a skill that must be accessed at some point or another.

Time management is another mastery that everyone needs in today’s demanding world. It is very easy to get pulled in all directions and under-perform everywhere. This is a sure shot recipe for mediocrity and the only way to avoid this is to know how much you can take on and to admit when you need help. Saying no, asking for a helping hand or acknowledging someone’s assistance are all things, which will help you manage your work life and personal life with more ease.

This is definitely the age of super humans. People who aren’t constantly working on themselves and redefining their life strategy are definitely settling for less than they deserve.

How MBA will help you succeed in the real world

 A lot of students think that getting an MBA will solve all their career problems. They will magically land the right job, climb the corporate ladder and meet all their professional goals. There is no denying that the right diploma or degree can really help jumpstart your career, but it really depends on how committed and dedicated you are when it comes to your course and then when it comes to your career. If you are armed with the right knowledge, abilities and value system in today’s highly competitive world, then nothing can stop you from getting ahead. But the whole idea of doing a MBA is also getting geared for the real world.

Read on to know how:

• Real world is all about time management. How to manage teams, how to delegate tasks, how to be on time for meetings, how to meet deadlines, how to manage unforeseen emergencies and delays and how to manage sticky situations with clients. Doing an MBA will teach you how to practically manage your time so that you do not burn out or fail to meet your goals in the long run. 

• Work ethic and value system are again very integral part of succeeding in the professional world. Things like being honest when needed, being tactful if the situation demands and being terse in dire circumstances are all important skills one needs to master in the real world. Things like taking credit for someone else’s work, trying to take shortcuts, looking at short term gains instead of long term goals and not being a team player can cost you a great deal in your career. The right MBA course will train you for the real world by making you a dynamic individual who can handle complex situations without giving in to stress.

• Succeeding in the real world also entails a great deal of networking, planning and executing the ideas. Having the right contacts can help you land the promotion and even job change. Planning your personal portfolio can help you multiply your net worth over a period of time and executing your plans can help you in the long term goal of starting your own venture and becoming a successful entrepreneur. 

Today’s world needs one to be book smart, street smart and ethical. The correct blend of these three qualities can open man doors for one’s career. The whole idea of choosing from MBA courses in Mumbai and acquiring the right degree or diploma is to add tons of horsepower in your chariot to zoom ahead in this fast track world and get the edge.