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Officials at the Indian School of Business (ISB) at Hyderabad say, "We are the only premier institute to make it mandatory to have work experience before applying to us. We, therefore, make sure that we cater specifically to those with more work experience than the average student who passes out from such management courses.
We help our students find better jobs, well suited to their expertise and experience." Some of the IIMs too have understood this resultant need and are working on lateral placements for people with higher work experience.

But then what would students who have just graduated from management school do if they are pitted against those with vast experience and their own additional academic credentials. That is where rigorous selection processes come into play. Organisations such as AV Birla Group and several others even employ psychometric testing to ensure that they pick the right candidate. Such testing is further supplemented with group discussions, interviews, etc.

According to Sharmila, "After several rounds of short listing, it is highly unlikely that we get a profile that doesn't fit the bill." Since companies are looking for people with specific skills and attitudes, a fresher could edge out a relatively experienced person if he scores better on the selection parameters.

If you have many years of experience than an Executive MBA (E-MBA) is a better choice. These programmes are designed for senior executives and managers with a high potential for leadership.

A Mismatch of Sorts

Even more important than how much experience you have is the type of experience. Internships and part-time employment cannot be perceived as valuable as full-time employment because they don't provide the same level of responsibility, experience, or accountability.

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* Contributed by -
Oumkar Umesh,
Senior Correspondent - The Observer of Management,
Vol. 1 Issue 4 April 2006,
(With inputs from Prithvi Singh).