Hi Baccardisprite, great initiative. Here are some doubts of my own:
I'm currently in my final year of engineering and I am really interested in going into the Marketing line. I've done quite a bit of internet marketing as well and have experience developing websites.
Now, I've appeared for the MBA entrances here and I think I may get a couple of calls. However, first of all I'm not really sure whether getting an MBA without any work ex. is worthwhile. Secondly, I'm scared by the thought of having to go through the experience of my engineering again if the courses turn out to be theoretical and the pedagogy boring and uninspiring.
The ideal situation for me would be to get into a good Marketing focused course such as the one offered by MICA, and I'm resting a lot of my hopes on it. However, in the case that MICA doesn't work out - I'm keeping my backup options as either getting a job here or going for an Msc. Management degree from the UK.
Now, what I wanted to ask you specifically is - would you recommend getting an Msc Management degree from UK's mid-tier universities (Leeds/Exeter/Southampton etc.) ?
If I did end up going for such a course then I do plan to get my MBA after working for say 3-4 years. Do you think that would be a good course to follow ?
Look forward to hearing from you!
Firstly - it's good that you want to do marketing, clearly a calling you enjoy given the internet marketing and websites et al....
I recommend below (rationale follows thereafter):
1. Prepare diligently for and attempt the CAT / XAT in Dec 2010 and try getting into IIM / XL / FMS / JB in 2011 (unless you manage to enter one of these in 2010 itself), and concentrate on getting into a Sales / Marketing rotational / management program of a Consumer Durable / FMCG / Automotive or similar company. You will get a good head start to your career - as there're few better training grounds in marketing than a P&G;, UL, J&J;, Tata, or Philips etc.. What you will learn in class at one of these schools (at the age of 21-23) is likely to be as theoretical as your engineering courses were in college, but at a young age, they offer the best (read - most lucrative) dooways to enter the marketing field early.
P.S - MICA is an advertizing and marketing communications focused school, both of these are different from marketing & selling in itself. Not a bad school, but be very clear about what's on offer there versus what you want for your career.
2. Concentrate all your placement efforts on getting a marketing / sales job when you graduate 6 months from now, EVEN if it means door to door selling at a (comparably) lower salary than your friends who go into IT will get. Automotive, some smaller FMCG or durable companies, retail (whatever kind, including consumer finance) recruit management trainees at graduate level every year. Work on this job, either till you manage the place in a top school above or (if you enjoy it) then continue doing it for 4-5 years then do a top school (India or abroad) MBA. Whether in this job or in one of the majors mentioned above - any marketing job that makes you sweat the hard yards and get kicked by a client / customer will train you well for a career in marketing.
Whatever path you take from the above, ensure to learn a foreign language consistent with your long term career goals with regard to company / industry and geopraphy. Example - if you work in Automotive, learn German &/or Japanese. If in Fashion / Luxury goods - then French. If in Life Sciences / Pharma or the like - German would help... Chinese always helps....
A marketing career requires a charismatic persona, extrovert attitude, social interaction skills (not necessarily the same as people management) and
most importantly, a very thick skin. When marketing becomes heavily client interactive, cultural knowledge & immersion becomes the MOST important "skill" to have, in addition to charismatic persona, extrovert attitude, social interaction skills and
most importantly, a very thick skin....
IF you go to an M.Sc in Management in the UK seeking a marketing job, who is likely to welcome you into employment? You may speak English, but any employer you seek out for a marketing job will question your (lack of) on ground UK experience (living &/or working)... simply not worth it at your age.
Use the first few years (believe me, the best years) of your professional life to build real, applicable and transferable skills in marketing and NOT a bank of management degrees.
Hope that helps you... Good luck.
Well, and I have a few questions,
