Overview: Everyone around me, be it old school friends to the people in the bangalore startup ecosystem are planning to or already in the process of doing an MBA.
What is happening: Most of the people I know, either are going for a tier 1 MBA in India or colleges like “Carnegie Mellon”/ “INSEAD”/ “NUS” these are really good places.
Why am I concerned: I dont have great acade, GEM candidate so I have decided to not pursue CAT at all, and MBA outside India is too expensive.
I feel like my job and career are going fine with 4 years of professional experience I am making 25LPA in marketing. I am not keen on doing an MBA but I dont want to regret later.
I consider myself to be fairly smart but what happens when I am competing with people who have great brand names on their resume and are actually smart.
People on GV with more experience, have you gone through this struggle?
Sidenote: I also have friends who have cleared IIM ABC, ISB and not gone, because they just wanted the admit letter. Which is brave lol!
It totally depends. I know people who went to INSEAD, NUS AND LBS. They did MIM/ MFIN/ MBA. Some of them got jobs, and they are working in EU. But the ones who came back had to settle for less. The Insead person i know works for 25 LPA. you know how depressed he is? Imagine spending close to 60 lakhs and getting only 25 LPA. The guy who went to NUS, came back and couldn't get a job for 6 months. You know why? CA'S/CFA'S with MBA's are in abundance. Finally, he settled in Deloitte for a paltry 16 LPA.
In India, it's either IIM\ISB/FMS or Bust. This is the reality. They will always rule the roost.
I know someone from LBS working for 40 LPA (8 years of experience). Her friends from IIM are making 60.
Nobody cares about degrees anymore. It's all about skills/experience.
I've seen people from tier 3 colleges make 35LPA+ (SDE roles). You think they'll ever do an MBA/MS? I ask the software guys in my company and they laugh on my face.
Believe me, I applied for more than 100 jobs and got around 10-15 calls. None of the recruiters gave a fuck about my Top 10 MIM or international experience.
There was a guy in my company from Michigan ross, he was making 48 LPA with 8 years experience. He was reporting to a guy from a tier 3 college in Pune. Beat that.
This is today's harsh reality.
Don't take my word, just check LinkedIn.
See how many NUS, SMU, INSEAD, LBS, HEC, IESE, IE, ESSEC, ESADE, EDHEC, IMPERIAL and (Insert any top 10 University) are doing in India.
You'll have your answer.
Today, it's either developing skills or perishing. There's no two ways about it.
Thanks Spartan (username fits)
This is very helpful. I think I know this on some level but have been rethinking things because of FOMo!
Tbh, 25 LPA with 4 years is great actually (consider that you're in a non tech role).
I don't really think an MBA would give you an edge, unless you're aiming to work with a big brand on a global level.
Even if you get into ISB, I don't think you'll get anything more than 35-40 LPA (assuming you graduate in the top 10-15 percent of your class)
Also, ISB has around 800+ students (both hyd and Mohali campus). How many people do you think get 30+ packages?
Your pre MBA salary also matters. If you're already at 25+, then you should aim for a career change (think MBB or niche consulting).
Only MBB, IB and some niche industries pay more than 40+.
I'm not dissuading you from pursuing an MBA/MS. But think twice before you jump.
I'd suggest you to go abroad if you really wanna pull the trigger.
At 3-7 years of experience MBA doesn’t matter TBH as the work is mostly IC or slightly team lead. Things change after 7+ years, as now department lead, head, senior manager, Director roles open, here I see crowding of MBA folks mostly driven by bschool network, consulting jobs in early career, chief of staff, strategy role experience. Unless you have a T1 bachelors, I would suggest go for 1 Y MBA, will help cut the chase in middle management roles
Thank you, that makes a lot of sense, I am thinking I can do a part time MBA for executives maybe, but I havent heard great reviews about those also.
I think I should give it another couple of years and go for an MBA then maybe.
Your comment is certainly helpful :)
Hmm Been there I'd say go do an MBA if you're undecided between India and US/other countries
If it's going to be India: If you want to stay in startups (if you are in one) -> Then no MBA is fine
I never did an MBA but if any of this is not figured out, do an MBA That's my two cents
Just because it really does fix your pay (although yours is good already)
I do think I want to stay at startups, I’ve here. I think I need to give myself more time. Trying to build a good startup network.
If you are keen on a further step towards trying new things, then you might find the the STOA Program to be interesting and worthy of your time and experience.
I was a part of one of the first cohorts and tbh I have gotten great value out of it but seeing how the quality has dropped over the last cohorts is concerning.
It's great that you have been a part of it!
With the mushrooming of T1, here is what I know from recruitment.
T1: IIT D, B, K, Kh, R, BITS NIT W, T
For the rest it’s not that salary jump, unless your couple it with a T1 MBA.
NIT + IIM A B C/ ISB / XLRI > IIT D, B,K, Kh (excl, CS stream)
I did engineering from T3, so I have a better chance of cracking international admit than something in India 🥲
School mein padhai kar leni chahiye thi
It totally depends on the first two companies you join after your MBA. Why first two?, usually we have 2 chances to make corrections. for some people, they land the first one correctly. Most people get the second one. People who miss or by bad luck end in two consecutive bad roles/ bad mangers/ bad sector/ bad company, are screwed. Their MBA is not worth the paper in which it was printed. Very rarely people get a third or more chance. The college is immaterial here.
Thankyou for your insight, however in my limited experience I have realised its easier to say what was a good or a bad decision after making it.
Given there are so many factors involved, I feel its more luck than a calculated choice.
Do you agree?
People do MBA for mainly for two reasons
Ask yourself whether you are satisfied with your current or do you want switch your careers. After MBA you can go for consulting, finance , tech etc . I think you are doing good in your current job.
Thankyou for your reply, yes these are certainly valid points that I need to introspect
Your value proposition and what you bring to the table is much more important than any MBA.
Every year 1000s of T1 kids graduate, it will slowly saturate over. What won't though is the unique value you bring when compared to these guys.
That’a my biggest concern, ISB has 800 students in one batch now. I dont see there being a point, its going to be engineering college all over again.
But a lot of big companies have MBA as a criteria, I am losing out on those opportunities.
I don't consider myself smart because I lack good communication skills, organisation skills and command over English language. But if I had confidence and better environment then I might also be in good position like you. Can you suggest me something like how can I earn 25L PA. I only have experience of two years working in small marketing agency.
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