An MBA degree is like an investment with guaranteed returns. It is one of the most expensive courses, this is because the value of the degree is huge and it opens up a lot of new opportunities for the students. However, there is a doubt in every aspirant’s mind which is, whether it is sensible to pursue MBA just after graduation, or is it better to have some work experience first ? The answer is subjective. There is no definite path when it comes to career related decision.
A lot of people go for an MBA right after graduation. However, there is no substitute for experience. And when it comes to professional matters, experience is necessary.
Here are some benefits of an MBA after work experience.
Relatability Factor
Work experience gives you practical knowledge and teaches you how things work in the real world. A person with work experience can learn based on the context and can have a deeper insight as compared to a fresher. The biggest advantage in this case would be the ‘relatability’ factor, being able to relate your past experience with the classroom learning and vice versa.
Clarity
Work Experience gives you the clarity to make better career decisions. With a prior work experience, a candidate can focus on developing their skills in the areas of their interest. With an understanding about the industry, the candidates can apply their learnings in a more effective manner.
Company Preferences
Most companies prefer a candidate with prior work experience, this makes it easier for the company to train the person. As mentioned above, having a prior work experience gives you a deeper insight into the workings of an organization. A candidate with work experience can adapt easily into a newer working environment. Being one with prior experience gives you a competitive advantage over the other candidates in terms of salary package.
Enhanced Understanding
MBA is all about concepts, the curriculum offered by top B-Schools is Case Study based. There is a good chance that one might have encountered a similar case in his/her workplace before. Therefore having a prior work experience enhances your understanding and helps you decide which concept or class is useful in the real world.
Professional Mindset
As compared to a fresher the mindset of an experienced candidate would be more professional which is very important while pursuing MBA. Work experience teaches you certain skills such as time management and soft skills along with various others, a fresher might have to put in extra efforts to cultivate these skills in them.
Placement Package
The reason why most people opt for an MBA course and the reason why this degree is so valuable is that it gives you a jumpstart in your corporate career. Work experience gives you a competitive advantage over the other candidates and this gives you the chance to negotiate your package with the companies as well.
While we have discussed the benefits of an MBA degree after work experience. Being a fresher also has its advantages.
MBA right after graduation
Mindset
When going for an MBA right after graduation, a student has the energy and mindset for learning and is not just focused on making money. It encourages the aspirant to try out new things and be creative.
Learning Flow
The biggest advantage that a fresher has over an experienced candidate is that he/she has an uninterrupted flow of learning. It usually takes time for an experienced candidate to adapt to the classroom setting.
Networking Advantage
Being a fresher gives you better opportunity with networking also and networking is an important aspect of MBA. Experienced candidates are usually drawn towards people with similar work experiences but a fresher can establish good networks with anyone.
Freedom of Options
Experienced candidates have an already molded mind. They choose their specialization based on their past experiences whereas a fresher has the freedom to try new things. Being new to the course with no prior experience allows a fresher to immerse deep, and derive meaningful and creative insights.
