Previous

Page - 2

If you think I am exaggerating facts, let me share my experience. I was posted in Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar districts in the month of June. At 48 degree C, I had to travel in a small jeep with 22 people in it with killer hot winds blowing. And sell candies in the
smallest of town which I never thought even existed!! And I am not the only one. There are thousands of such examples.

Yes, you do get rewarded for the efforts you put in your initial years. And you do get to make strategies, but that comes much later. You have to spend no less than 3-4 years in sales before being considered for marketing role. But if sales is not your cup of tea, think twice before opting for marketing.

3. Doing Information Management is not a pre-requisite to get into an IT company. Just like IT companies do not only recruit Computer Engineers but also Mechanical and Civil Engineers (I was a mechanical engineer but was offered job by a software company), the same applies to MBAs also. IT companies do give preference to IM graduates but they are open to other streams too. So, even if you choose Marketing Management or Operations Management, you have not missed out on IT companies.

4. IT companies pay well but only to people with relevant work experience. People who are freshers are paid much, much less.

I hope this will help the aspirants get some of their basics right and make a more meaningful decision about their area of specialization. Finer details can later be worked out as and when they proceed with their MBA.

Concluded.

* Contributed by -
Rahul Maheshwari is BE (Hons.) in Mechanical Engineering from BITS, Pilani, and PGDM in Marketing Management from SPJIMR, Mumbai. Currently, he is working with an MNC Bank as Relationship Manager, and also had prior work experience in FMCG industry.