B-Schools Are Educational Institutes, Not Placement Agencies

“The grass is always greener on the other side”. This is what if not all then most of the aspirants see when they decide to pursue MBA. But it’s not the case always. Everything has its own pros and cons and the decision should not be based upon pros only but an equal consideration should be given to the other side also.  

Here with this article, I am trying to give a different perspective that shapes the decision to pursue MBA and related (un)realistic expectations.

·        MBA is a bit over-hyped in India and it’s not a magic wand that would change your destiny forever. Rather it’s just like any other post graduate study where emphasis is given on making you comfortable with different aspects of business decision making.

·        All aspirants aspire to join IIM which is fine but there are also some good non-IIMs; don’t ignore them.

·        Don’t do an MBA just because others are doing, you want to prove something to someone, its escape route from your job, you don’t have any other option, don’t have clarity in terms of career goals etc. Rather find your own reason. MBA is a fast paced cost intensive program and you will have to perform under extreme pressure. So, have a right mind-set and right reason.

·        The problem with our system is that many a times too much fame is given at very early stage and getting a good percentile is literally considered as an entry to a bschool. But remember, this is just an initial filtration and a lot goes in subsequent rounds.

·        Getting a call and converting it are two different things and both require different skillsets. Just because you have got calls doesn’t mean you are through. So instead of getting your profile verified for call and conversion chances please start preparing well.

·        Set realistic targets and have realistic expectations. Don’t just think that the moment you will be out of college, you will be put into some CXO position having lavish lifestyle taking corporate-level strategic decisions.

·        No interview is random and there is some logic in each and every question. The thing is that you need to be able to build that connection. Many a times, some random questions are intentionally asked to test a particular skillset.

·        Real competition starts here when you will be competing against some of the best brains of the country. So drop all your past achievement's ego and start fresh. That was past.

·        Be always very humble, grounded and respectful to everyone and esp. to those who have made you reach here. You might lose out on these qualities once you reach an IIM which you should never ever. Humility will take you far and will always give you a reason to learn and grow.

·        There is not much difference between one who make it to some good bschool and one who can’t. There are many out there who are more talented than you think you are. It’s just that on that particular day they were not as lucky as you were and that doesn’t take away any credit from them.

·        Getting into an IIM should be a start to good career opportunities rather than end.

·       Last no but not the least, placement figures and rankings should not be the deciding factor for selecting a b-school rather it should be only one of the factors to evaluate. B-Schools are educational institutes, not placement agencies.