The Hindu Business Line : MBA with or without experience

I am a Computer Science graduate. I want to do an MBA in Marketing. Will working in a market research firm help me before doing the MBA? Or, should I work in another profile?

Jaiprakash Gupta

There are two streams of applicants to MBA — freshers or experienced. Those keen on joining MBA immediately after graduation go ahead with their preparations for the entrance examinations. They take up their first job only through management school placement. Those with good academic and extra-curricular track records and who can study before earning, choose this path.

Those who have experience of about three years also apply for MBA as they would like to make use of their practical exposure and build on their career. Many B-schools give weightage for experience.

In your case, you can take a considered decision as to which way you would like to go. In my view, working in a market research firm is not a must for you to do an MBA.

Only at the MBA level will you be exposed to the nuances of marketing, market research methodologies and their significance. If you opt to apply for an MBA after some years of experience, you can continue to be in employment in the market research firm and for this purpose alone you need not look at any other job. In any case, you can specialise in Marketing in your MBA programme.

Send in your queries to CareerCrossroads@gmail.com

S. Kannan