Do you REALLY want to do an MBA?

A lot of kids who want to be writers, photographers, or even start something of their own end up in a b-school. Which brings us to the essential question: Do you really know why you signed up for the programme?

One thing which I have found missing from freshers these days is a career map.

Nowadays, the hoopla of doing a post-graduation is so much that people blindly get into a course without even considering the future implications that the course would have to their lives.

Although this is a huge topic of discussion, considering the allowable size of the article, I'd keep it limited only to management education.

The world is suffering from an economic meltdown.

In India the situation is no different.

The job market is bruised black and blue, and every year millions of fresh students graduate without having a job in their kitty.

So, the logical way forward is -- MBA.

Nothing's wrong about it.

In fact, you can actually invest your two precious years for a management course, sharpening your skills, assuming that at the end of the program, the world will be back at its economic best, offering you the cushiest job possible, with a big paycheck at the end of every month.

Have you ever given a thought WHY YOU WANT TO GO FOR A MANAGEMENT DEGREE?

HOW WOULD THAT HELP SHAPE YOUR CAREER?

Or is there some other course which can fulfill my ambitions in a better way?

I have seen a lot of kids who want to be writers, photographers, or even start something of their own. But, they end up in a B-school. And the ironic part is, after a few years, they eventually land up doing what they always wanted to chucking their corporate jobs!

Well, the point I wanted to make is, think the implications of doing an MBA before you join a b-school.

You know yourself the best. You are your own judge.

Just because Mishra uncle's kid did an MBA from some IIM and now has a 20 lakh FMCG sales job (Just an example and a fictitious one for that matter), doesn't mean that you have to do that too. Or if you do it, you'll end up like him too.

The chances of that happening are less than India qualifying for a football World Cup.

Please understand what your life would be post-MBA and how you'd want to paint it.

Have realistic expectations.

Work smartly to achieve those expectations, and the world is all yours!

I hope this article helps the readers to paint the picture of their future clearly and makes them THINK!

Photograph: Rediff Archives