Does work experience help in am MBA?

How does previous work #experience help with an MBA?

#linkedin data shows that average work experience before MBA has increased from 0.8 years in 2018 to 1.3 years in 2022.

The figures are higher for the premier Institutes: IIMs, Mumbai Kolkata, Ahmedabad & Indian School if Business.

In some institutes, experience is a deciding factor.

The question is: whether experience is a pre-requisite for MBA?

Previous experience definitely helps plan your career better,
& gives edge over others.

Research shows that MBA students perceive benefit of work-ex particularly for engineering & CA articleship.

Some Institutes place a premium on experience.

Yet again, schools cater to candidates with no work-ex, direct or entry level candidates.

Work-ex definitely improves classroom engagement, building networks,  sector knowledge & problem solving skills.

Point to note that pervious experience is not predictor of success.

However, the benefits of MBA could be much enhanced by previous experience.

It  helps as talking point at interview. Hiring managers are better placed to assess your suitability and fit for the job.

Entrepreneurship experience is particularly sought after.

Helps to show case your upward trajectory at the Interview.

Also helps students to relate learnings to real world experiences.

It will help build knowledge base of your peers.

Helps to have some clarity on. career goals before an MBA.

It’s definitely an add-on ‘nice to have’ in your job search. Probably, also an insurance to future-proof your career in uncertain times, to some extent.

Previous work-ex enables development of foundational skills of communication, collaboration, team working.

Transferable skills like time management, report writing, adaptability & flexibility are picked up at early stage.

Having said all this, there’s no gainsaying the fact that the very importance of high level formal education, (even and MBA) has been relegated to a lesser priority.

‘Soft skills’  like creativity, flexibility, adaptability, learnability, emotional intelligence & collaboration have become the ‘hard skills’ today.

What do you think?

Does Work Experience help at MBA level?
How important do you think, formal higher education like MBA, is today?

#skillgrill #hiring #job #career #education #success #interview
#jobsearch #hr #mba