Career Guidance for Masters

General Questions

Posted by gudduverma on 05/30/13 5:36pm
Hi Thomas
Hope you are doing well !!
I am 26 and have done my computer engineering.Unfortunately not with flying colors, and after that I started working in sales/marketing of IT product and services. Though I had done well in my 10th and 12th standard.It’s been 1.6 years now that I have been working. Having an inclination more towards management field ,and not holding any masters degree I commenced with this field .Now, I am not finding my job that much interesting, and could not see much growth in future without Masters degree. I have done good at my work and have received professional accolades .
Although, I have a penchant for Marketing, but do not have the lucidity in terms of choosing the right stream in marketing for me to pursue my job.I am little confused ,how to move further.?
My question is that should I do MBA/GMAT /Executive MBA
or some other master courses like MIM etc. Having this much of work experience what you suggest?
1. If I apply for foreign education then can I get good foreign universities and which countries I should consider in terms of better job opportunities and career growth.
2. Since, my engineering scores are not that good so can I get good colleges in India also on work ex basis.
3. Should I increase my work experience more ,and learn some foreign language or other stuffs for the value add if applying for foreign univ or may be Indian colleges.
4. Is doing MBA(Part Time) while working a good option,considering it will help me to fetch good opportunities and good rise in career/job growth.
5. What are the other options I can look for?
Thank you for your time.
Regards
Guddu
Reply
- Posted by Thomas Graf on 06/01/13 12:08pm
  Hi Guddu,
  thank you for your question. I saw that you posted the same also at the MIM Compass. I have answered you in the Master in Management Compass Forum now.
  Best wishes
  Thomas
  By Thomas Graf
  Owner MBA Compass
  Author of the MBA&MIM eBook
  Reply
- Posted by arunere on 01/12/14 3:28pm
  Hi Thomas,
  In past couple of months I have done an extensive online research on various MBA and MIM programs across North America and Europe. I started preparing for GMAT at the end of last year but couldn't appear for it due to some job responsibilities as I am working in India office of a US based IT company dealing in financial domain. Initially my preferred target was to apply for an MBA program in top 50 US universities. But as I couldn't appear for GMAT on time , I have missed almost all the US deadlines (most of the deadlines end in Jan '14).Now I have turned my attention to European universities as well, as many universities in Europe have deadlines till may'14. Now I am also considering MIM program apart from an MBA because of its low overall cost. Since the beginning I was looking for scholarship/ financial assistance while planning for my MBA, as my decision of selecting a program will highly depend on its cost and return on investment. I have 3.5 years of work-ex in IT and want to switch career to management(preferably marketing, consulting, strategic management). I don't want to wait for another year to get into a good US university rather I would prefer to get into a good MBA/MIM course in USA or Europe in 2014 only. Is it advisable to do MIM program considering that I have 3.5 years of experience. Or should this experience help me getting a good scholarship in case I apply for an MIM course. Do you feel I can still make it to a decent MBA program in case I take my GMAT in feb-march'14 ?
  My brief CV is as follows:
  - I have 3.5 years of Work- ex in a US based financial domain IT company.
  - BTech in Computer Science from one of a NIT in India (NITs have very good reputation for technical education in India and come only after IITs in ranking).
  - Scored Average marks during my Bachelors degree.
  - Scored good marks in 10th standard (84.8%) but below average marks in 10 +2 standard (67.5%).
  - Have participated in good number of extra curriculars during my btech degree (possess supporting documents as well).
  - I have consistently performed well in my current organisation and have also bagged top 2 awards.
  - I am also actively working in an NGO.
  Please assess my case and profile. And please suggest how should I move ahead and the programs that I should target.
  Thanks in Advance
  Arun
  Reply
  - Posted by Thomas Graf on 01/13/14 1:19pm
    Hi Arun,
    thank you for your questions. Here are my comments:
    First, MIM programs and MBA programs are not interchangeable. With the exception of some professional MIM programs, Masters in Management are for recent graduates. Also employers come to campus to recruit graduates, not professionals. Please have a look at our MBA-MIM differences article to understand the differences in more details. So, my first comment clearly is: You are an MBA candidate.
    Second, as for the country. If you want to continue your career in the US, I would study in the US. Most firms in the US have no clue about MBA programs in Europe. So, unless you have identified a school in Europe with clear connections to US firms (or an exchange / partnership program with a US school or maybe a double degree option), I would study in the US.
    Third, your motivation makes sense to me.Changing your career from a rather narrow profile to a more general management oriented profile further points to an MBA.
    Finally, as for the time frame and the costs. Everything we have analysed so far suggests an MBA. Now, you may face a deadline problem, you need to do the GMAT, and may need to save more money. Why not waiting for another year or two and then do the MBA? I understand that you want to give your career a new push now. And if you find a solution, great. My point is: I would not compromise the analysis and your target profile (MBA in the US) "just" because of deadline or financial issues. I would not give up the US-criterion, for instance, because the deadlines are over. Instead, I would wait for another year. I would not give up the MBA criterion and decide for a MIM - instead, I would save more money.
    Best wishes
    Thomas
    By Thomas Graf
    Owner MBA Compass
    Author of the MBA&MIM eBook
    Reply
- Posted by arunere on 01/17/14 2:22pm
  Hi Thomas,
  A very heartily thanks for the reply !!
  I have few more queries. Thomas I am not biased towards an american MBA.I am open to work anywhere in america or the Europe.My goal is to pursue a reputed MBA outside India that should provide me a global exposure and a good ROI. My concern is to get an admit in 2014 itself since I am unstable in my current job (not to my liking) and it is not helping me in my career development.
  I have found that many European and Australian b-schools( like HEC Paris,IE Business School,IMD,SDA Bocconi,University of Toronto: Rotman,Melbourne Business School,Mannheim Business School,University of St Gallen) have deadlines in March-June '2014. With the current profile what do you feel are my chances to get an admit this year from the likes of say higher ranked HEC Paris or University of Oxford: Saïd and the likes of say decently ranked Mannheim Business School or University of St Gallen etc.
  Thanks in advance.
  Arun
  Reply
  - Posted by Thomas Graf on 01/17/14 4:00pm
    Hi Arun,
    with a good GMAT score, you have very good chances. Minimum 600, ideally 650 and more. Also, make sure to write very good esays.
    Best wishes
    Thomas
    By Thomas Graf
    Owner MBA Compass
    Author of the MBA&MIM eBook
    Reply
- Posted by arunere on 01/19/14 2:46pm
  Thanks Thomas.
  That's indeed a very positive reply !! :)(tu)
  Reply