Although the cartoon is what it is, a cartoon, but is Dilbert right?

Is an MBA degree really worth it or are we foolishly joining the herd ?? Are we simply learning some complicated jargon to glamorously hide our ignorance ? Are we adding any skills when we go for an MBA or are we buying a product that we don’t even need in the first place ???

There is no universal reason why one must go for it. At the end of the day, every person has his or her own reason. Some of those reasons are logical, some misinformed and some downright ludicrous. Let us have a look at some of the more sensible reasons for going for an MBA.

First of all, a few people feel stuck in their present job, they have realised that with their present skill sets, they would inevitably get stuck. Getting stuck in a job is the worst thing that can happen to an employee. It translates into stunted salary growth, monotonous job responsibility and therefore a boring life in the end. An MBA is one of the things that such a person could go for. An MBA from a top B-School ensures you have more to play with and enhances your bargaining power in the job. An MBA thus is like a spark that can potentially reignite your career, provided you have the fire within, as opposed to a diamond as many would tell you.

Then there are a few who feel their current education or skill sets restrict their horizon. A person who sits 18 hours a day in front of a screen, may one day suddenly realise that he is good at marketing or selling things, or maybe he is interested in Finance, and wants to risk somebody else’s money for a change. The expensive diploma can help you switch industries easier than it would have otherwise been.

Some people who have never been in a job, but are entrepreneurs, often do at times decide to to take a break and join the mad rush. Such people gain by learning the tricks of the trade, multiple case studies of other successful entrepreneurs, build a network with other like minded people and do much more thereafter.

Then there are the freshers, with little or no idea about the work environment. There is no standard prescriptive answer that can be flaunted with impunity. But the freshers do get a chance to do much more at an age when their mind has not been clouded by the “norms” of the industry. They can be a real asset, as they have all the skills, but none of the “This is the way it’s done” syndrome.

Well it has to be said that an MBA is a good opportunity to learn a lot of business related skills quickly in a consolidated manner. It sure comes at a price, so make an informed decision.

All the Best !!!

Amit Anand

Secretary

ExLink

XLRI Jamshedpur