MBA Updates Notifications

Since, job guarantee is one of the key factors why students pursue MBA, b-schools are unable to fulfill this important criteria of students. Following the economic turmoil, its become a difficult challenge for B-schools to get their graduates placed. As companies don’t have jobs and enough revenue to invite the new-bees graduating, the task of placement officer gets tougher as the dates near. Compared to 41% students getting placed in 2008, only 29% are placed in 2011-12.

Because of this, sustaining the students and enroll more students next year has become even more important task. Bad word-of-mouth of recent graduates will be the last thing on B-schools’ mind. The challenge is more about sustainability and survival than quality education and imparting knowledge.

B-schools are finding it difficult to incorporate the vacant seats as allotted by Government of India. To help fill the seats, B-schools also approach coaching centres to direct students to their school, for which they are ready to shell 50,000 per student. These methods have raised doubts on the dignity and integrity of coaching centres and B-school. Around 35% of the tier 2 and 3 bschools have difficulty in filling the seats. 140 b-schools will be closing the administration, according to the reports. 

Education is a tool to enhance knowledge and to develop business skills. But, there is no value addition to students other than presentation skills, grooming skills, excel and communication skills. Is MBA even worth it? You decide.

Pursuing your MBA and pondering about whether you should consider those internship offers without stipends? Don’t think twice; just grab a great profiled internship without thinking about the stipend. Wondering why you should not be bothered about the stipend at this stage? Read on to find what MBAupdates thinks about your dilemma.

The work experience at the internships is the foremost exposure for a student to the corporate world. More than giving loads of moolah it allows you to see the office and workplaces you desire to work with. Secondly, it allows you to make correct decisions, may be helping you to filter what you like amongst various options, the sector you should choose, the dos and don’ts at workplaces and other social issues. Thirdly, the most important factor is that the internships supply you with great credentials. A Morgan Stanley, a KPMG, a Dabur, adds plenty of value to your resume which will be your real cash card for life! 

So what makes more sense; juggling for a few thousands while you are procuring your MBA or adding value to the resume? To encourage all the MBA students confused about taking up an internship; remember that sometimes most of the firms and companies do offer stipends after gauging the performance of the interns. So, don’t lose hope! As a cherry on the cake, they often promise employment post-course completion at an on-par or excellent salary. 

Yes, most of the MBA students have a heavy burden of loans or some even have to repay their parents and hence stipends matter a lot to students thinking their internship options.  Another misconception is that stipends can be used as a benchmark salary. This is not always the case. Even if one has not undergone any internship through their study program they are still eligible to get the salary as per market and industry standards and hence the salary after the programs has nothing to do with the stipend in any internship. What really matters is the impression and the response you receive during your internship that adds oodles of value to your resume and already existing credentials. 

Therefore, enrol yourself with the internship cell in your college, aim for the best companies hiring at your institution, beat the rest of the crowd to impress all and take up the internship without any doubt, irrespective of the stipend it offers. 

Point to note: The few thousands you earn during a 1-3 month internship are lesser valuable than what you could derive out of a well-placed established company on your resume! Think about it!

An MBA aspirant needs to demonstrate to his company that it would be worth an investment to pay for the business degree. The presentation should convince the employer that getting the degree will strengthen the aspirant’s understanding of the business environment and the company will reap benefits in the long-run.

The employee needs to have already showcased his potential in terms of delivering and achieving targets. If the company is not convinced with the employee’s performance, persuading them to sponsor the education becomes even more difficult.

Consider the fact whether the company is financially able to fund this high-priced degree. Have they been cutting expenses or experiencing growth recently? Have they sponsored any of your colleague's education? If they have, ask your colleague to advise you on what to expect. 

It is very important to have a clear understanding of the details about the fees. Are you going to get any funding in the form of scholarships or any government assistance? The particulars about the program, the duration (full-time or part-time) and other things have to be remembered so that one’s approach to the employer emanates confidence and determination.

If an employee is not onto sales, then at times it could get a bit difficult to showcase the results. At such times, an employee could focus on how he/she has managed to save and cut down on the costs of the company. For example, if one has worked on a project for months and is unsure about how it has affected the company’s performance then one should try to figure out how exactly the project has helped the company reduce cost.

If you were in charge of creating a marketing campaign on Facebook, show that you were able to reach the company's target market without having to spend the money that is usually spent on advertising. 

The bottom line is that you need to be fully prepared and show your employer that an investment on your education is also an investment in the company's long-term goals.

In these times of uncertain and volatile business environment, it is very common for students and professionals to opt for higher education especially a management degree. And with the cat sample papers its easy to give mat exam. Given the belief that an MBA degree is the recipe for success and the availability of numerous providers for the same makes MBA an attractive option.

However, one should be careful that just for the sake of the popularity of the degree; it should not be blindly opted for. The decision could backfire if your goals and expectations from an MBA are not clear. Moreover, the admission committee is most likely to ask you the most basic question, “Why MBA?” 

There are many reasons that a candidate can consider for getting an MBA. Here are a few:

Because You Want to Advance Your Career 
Although it may be possible to climb the ranks over the years, there are some careers that require an MBA for advancement. Examples include areas of finance and banking and consultancy. Furthermore, there are also some companies who will not promote employees who do not continue or improve education through an MBA program. Earning an MBA does not guarantee career advancement, but it certainly doesn't hurt employment or promotion prospects. 

Because You Want to Assume a Leadership Role 
Not every business leader or executive has an MBA. However, it may be easier to assume or be considered for leadership roles if you have an MBA education behind you. While enrolled in an MBA program, you will study leadership, business, and management philosophies that can be applied to almost any leadership role. Business school may also give you hands-on experience leading study groups, classroom discussions, and school organizations. 

Because You Want to Change Careers 
If you are interested in changing careers, switching industries, or making yourself a marketable employee in a variety of fields, an MBA degree can help you do all three. While enrolled in an MBA program, you will have the opportunity to learn general business and management expertise that can be applied to nearly any industry. You may also get the chance to specialize in a particular area of business, such as accounting, finance, marketing, or human resources. Specializing in one area will prepare you to work in that field after graduation regardless of your undergraduate degree or previous work experience.

Because You Are Truly Interested in Studying Business 
One of the best reasons to get an MBA is because you are truly interested in studying business administration. If you enjoy the topic and feel like you can increase your knowledge and expertise, pursuing an MBA for the simple sake of getting an education is probably a worthy goal.

Every year business schools receive thousands of applications from aspirants across the globe for the programs they have on offer. From this large pool, they have to shortlist a fraction which then makes it to the further rounds of the admission process.

The increase in the popularity of admission consultants and the easy availability of the same has made the process of applying slightly easier for the aspirants. However, the admissions committee is definitely not amused with the quality of essays that the participants are presenting to them.

In times, when application essays are available for sale and information is freely available on the Internet, the authenticity of these essays is often questionable and there have been instances where applicants have been rejected on the grounds of plagiarism. Also understanding the candidate on the basis of such essays becomes extremely difficult.

A few international B-schools have introduced a video component in their application. The candidates have to submit a written essay earlier and then attempt the video section. In the video section, aspirants will get a question that is randomly generated and they will be given a few seconds to think over it and then answer the same. The questions would be innovative and personalized on the basis of the information the candidate has provided in their resume.

There have been instances where applicants were not able to give the video application as they did not have access to advanced technology. Therefore, there is a concern amongst certain institutes about losing out on a good candidate.

Authorities know that with the passage of time the questions would be freely available on the net and again the same old story will surface. It calls for a continuous and an innovative strategy to shortlist and select candidates for the programs.