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5 Dream Jobs After MBA where a degree makes a difference!

Praqtise — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 12:25:35 +0000

“In these jobs, an MBA degree will help you run the fast track in the rat race!”

Getting your dream job after MBA can be a tall task, which may come with a lot of hurdles. The placement process is sometimes as convoluted as the CAT question paper itself! However, it is not just getting the dream job that counts, but actually having the requisite skill set to excel in that dream. In most cases, the jobs after MBA start at the bottom rung, with you having to work yourself tirelessly towards the top of the corporate ladder. However, there are a handful of dream jobs where a degree from some of the best MBA colleges in India, such as NMIMS or SP Jain will actually help in the path to the top.

‘Living the Dream(s) after MBA.’

There are many dream jobs, but living the dream will depend ultimately on the individual. Getting a job after MBA in any of these four streams, however, provides a nice cushioned career path, with almost guaranteed results. All you have to make sure of is that your chosen MBA specialization (MBA Finance, MBA Marketing, MBA HR or MBA Operations) is in line with your career aspirations. To make it slightly easier for you, we have recommended the suggested specialization with the respective dream jobs.

‘MBA in Finance –Financial Analyst jobs after MBA’

PRAQTISE Fact File: One of the best MBA colleges in India for finance is IIM Calcutta. The finance program in the college is well known for academic and placement superiority.

Financial Analysts need to be insightful with plenty of analytical ability. They must be on their toes for emerging trends in the markets. They must have excellent communication skills and above all, need to be smart (almost to a point of being arrogant). Arrogance and communication skills are usually very different after the MBA degree. They do not remain the same as the fish market style of GD-PI during CAT preparation. In fact, after MBA, the individual usually becomes polished and confident of talking in public forums. It emphasizes the importance of simple things, like reading business newspapers and insight papers by established academic institutions.

Becoming a financial analyst after an MBA could very well help in reaching your career goals. Most financial institutions hiring from premier MBA colleges look for a well-rounded and insightful individual. Bagging the right job with the right degree backing, could open limitless possibilities in this field.

‘The Marketing MBA – Marketing Manager jobs after MBA.’

Marketing departments at various firms require fresh young blood to drive their marketing strategies and plans. MBAs serve as prime candidates with key insights into the generation Y mind set. Not only does this mean significantly higher compensation than your peers, but it also means working with some of the biggest brands, such as Procter and Gamble or Coca-Cola.

The marketing manager role involves overseeing the promotion and maintaining the image of a business line/product/service or brand. Depending on the job, hey may be managing the marketing of a whole line of business, or that of a particular product. MBA colleges produce marketing specialists who influence people’s lives daily, with the consumers being blissfully unaware!

To excel in this domain, one must have a fresh perspective, stellar presenting skills and above all a creative bent of mind. While some argue that creativity while studying for MBA, the degree is what equips one with the necessary technical capabilities. Extracurricular activities are the ideal outlet for your creative energy. Recruiters do prefer students who balance academic and extracurricular endeavours . So go for a student council position or join one of the various committees and student governing bodies to showcase the creative nature of the MBA. That is where it will really help if the student sees himself as a marketing guru.

‘MBA HR– Recruiting Manager jobs after MBA.’

Human resources MBAs are surprisingly underrated. A person looking to build a career as a human capital specialist can see very early fruits of his MBA. Not only is the job fun and sociable (until you need to fire someone!) but the importance of developing networking and people skills cannot be overstated. Backed by technical knowledge of HR concepts, the MBA in HR is unstoppable if he or she plays their cards right and leverages upon their MBA experience.

Networking is the key skill here, along with managing people. However, this is a job best suited for individuals who seek out interaction and thrive on collective effort.

‘MBA Operations– Supply Chain Manager jobs after MBA.’

Supply chain management is all about efficiency. The modern MBA programme promotes efficiency- be it through improving productivity or managing time. Any MBA student can attest to this fact.

Specializing in operations management allows for students to take efficiency to new levels. Supply chain management is all about finding a balance between productivity, quality and efficiency. It puts him leagues above his colleagues in achieving career success and in jumping out of the rat race.

‘Consultant – Technical consulting jobs after MBA’

Accenture, McKinsey, Bain and so on, we have all heard these names being referred to in high regard. Consultancy jobs are definitely among the most rewarding jobs after MBA. Also, the sheer prospect of being able to work on real life organizational problems for different sectors is as exciting as the pay packages.

A management degree grants a definite edge when vying for such jobs. As a result, companies pick candidates with the desired grounding in management education. For a student, it is a chance to go from solving cases to solving problems in real time.

‘Jobs after MBA – the Verdict.’

An MBA degree especially from the best MBA colleges in India, such as the IIMs, XLRI, SP Jain etc. opens up wonderful job prospects for you. For getting these highly coveted job roles, an MBA degree can be considered to be a massive springboard.

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Image Sources

good financial analysis

marketing management

recruitment-management

supply chain management

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Jobs after MBA – International or National

Praqtise — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:51:05 +0000

The final reward

A fat pay package job – The final reward of your years of toil though the educational system. Let us be point-blank pragmatic here, while your endless educational expedition does leave you learned and wise, the only tangible reward that you can flaunt are the jobs after MBA. What better way to land yourself a fat pay-package than an MBA from a top B-School. There is enough discussion among anxious CAT candidates that securing a good B-School is the penultimate step to success.

And why not! It is almost certain after that that you would land yourself in a respectable company, with a respectable position. Over the last few years, apart from the best Indian companies, top MBA colleges have managed to get International companies on their campus too. This gives a choice to the students to eye at a career outside India. While this option looks extremely mouth-watering, let us dissect it a little further. We shall look at the countries you actually get to go to, the salaries offered and other pros and cons of international placements.

The idea is to leave the reader better informed. Are International Jobs after MBA actually as good as the top-notch offers from Indian Companies? If one finds international placements really attractive – what is the right way to prepare for the same?

Dissecting International jobs after MBA

It will be interesting to know that international placements have postings across the globe. The lustre around an international placement might die for some if you get posted in an unknown country of Africa. Some important things you have to consider are –

Location

Most B-Schools do not easily reveal their international recruiters on their website. Yet a detailed analysis of the placement reports shows that 90% of the international jobs after MBA are located in The Middle-East, Africa and South East Asia. Some well-known recruiters are Olam International (Africa and South East Asia), Landmark Group (Middle East), Goldman Sachs (USA and South East Asia), Deutsche Bank (USA and South East Asia).

An international location means experiencing and adapting to climate, food and culture. How smooth this transition will be is likely to differ from case to case. “Dubai feels a lot like India! The food is wonderful, maximum expats are Indians or Pakistanis so you tend to feel at home.” – said Abhinav after working in Jumbo Electronics for three years. He was placed there from IIFT, known for its flagship International Business course, in 2012.

On the other hand, Anubhav of FMS 2012 batch, has a different opinion about his placement location Abidjan (Ivory Coast, Africa) in Olam International – “It took me some time to get used to the culture here. The place is beautiful but I am a vegetarian so I had to literally innovate with the food here.”

Good research of the location that you would get is very important to have the right composure. While some students revel in the alien culture, some get extremely anxious.

Relevance of the pay-package

Converting a foreign currency to Indian equivalent just through the conversion ratio might not work! PPP (Purchasing power parity) is a much important way to guess the value of the package.

Comparing with Indian Jobs

In all these parameters discussed above, do overseas jobs after MBA stand to be outright winners? Not really! India is a diverse country geographically, culturally, and economically. Location, local rents, and cost of living in each location vary drastically. Yet, within the country, transfers and movements are much easier.

Also, a secondary consideration is that you would have a much colourful social life in your country! You will have to make difficult choices – a fat pay-package or staying closer to home, long-term savings or a happening social life! Like in every decision in life – you will have to leave a few things behind!

Future professional growth prospects

An international placement does not guarantee exceptional career growth. On the other hand, domestic placements are not necessarily inferior. A number of factors are at play, including geographical location. A job in Africa or Middle East is likely to pay handsomely, but will not paint a clear picture in terms of long term growth.

The state of the economy of any country has a very direct impact on the job market . A country experiencing sluggish growth will offer limited prospects. The sentiment prevailing in the country regarding immigrants also plays a key part.

It is a different story when it comes to working within India. You can apply to work in parallel industries and improve your job profiles gradually.

Preparation to get your Dream International Job

If international placement is looking attractive to you, how do you ensure that you get one of those jobs after MBA ? It is always good to have a rough idea of which are your dream companies as early as possible. This helps in developing a profile which is attractive to them.

The first step is to get noticed. Your resume should bring out your best professional qualities and give a glimpse of your personality. Plan your resume keeping the company you are applying for in mind. Company related, industry related and geography related preparation would be very necessary.

So are you excited to travel outside India for a job? Do write to us if you wish to know more!

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Image Sources

Cheque

Location

Burger

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5 well-known media personalities who cracked the CAT exam with great results

Praqtise — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 11:28:50 +0000

Numerous disciplines are offered if you plan to do an MBA

One evening, I was having a conversation with my father about my plans after graduating in Mass Communication. My dad suggested that I should pursue Masters in Journalism. But I was not sure if that was indeed what I wanted to pursue.

I countered my father, saying that I would like to give the CAT exam and pursue an MBA. My father said that how would I study accounts, statistics, business studies, and other subjects without having the basic knowledge. To him, MBA is limited to a few disciplines like Marketing, Finance, HR, and Operations. It was then that I told him that one could pursue an MBA in Journalism and Mass Communication as well. He stared at me wide-eyes for a few minutes, not believing what he had heard. But then again, at his age, and with such a limited exposure, who can blame him?

Let alone my father, many MBA aspirants do not have enough exposure to know the number of disciplines on offer. Avenues like Brand Communication, Media Management, Research Analytics are up for grabs.

MBA in Communication is the new ‘MBA marketing’

The concept of the conventional MBA with only a few specialisations is changing with the times. Today, you can find some of the most unconventional disciplines to pursue if you plan to crack the CAT exam and pursue MBA. And what better way to catapult your career to success than pursuing an MBA specialisation in the discipline you wish to make a career in? I wish to pursue a career in Journalism, which is the reason why I plan to pursue an MBA in Journalism or Communication. With the advent of social media and hence, social media marketing, an MBA in Communications is gradually becoming equally and even more valued than MBA in Marketing. As more and more companies start realising the importance of social media, communication, and brand management, numerous opportunities are going to open up for MBA graduates specialising in Communication and Journalism.

Five celebrities who aced the CAT exam

The following is the list of celebrities and media celebrities who have studied MBA and have scaled great heights of success.

Prasoon Joshi

We all know Prasoon Joshi for his award winning lyrical work and screenplay . However, a lot of people don’t know that he is also the CEO of McCann World Group India, which is a subsidiary of McCann Erickson, a global marketing firm. Prasoon Joshi has successfully completed his MBA from IMT, Ghaziabad, which is one of the most prestigious colleges for studying MBA in India.

John Abraham

John Abraham is one of the top stars of Bollywood. John holds an MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai. NMIMS is one of the most prestigious Business Schools in India.

Siddharth Suryanarayan

Siddharth who is a successful actor and an MBA graduate from SP Jain

Siddharth is a beloved actor well known for his performances in movies like Rang De Basanti. He is also a singer and a screenplay writer. Siddharth too is an MBA graduate, from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in Mumbai.

Mini Mathur

Mini Mathur, the successful model, actress, and host; best known as the host of Indian Idol season 4. She is also a Video Jockey and has hosted many shows on the popular channel MTV. However, not many know that Mini is an MBA graduate from Institute of Management and Technology, Ghaziabad.

Ira Trivedi

Ira Trivedi is a columnist, yoga teacher, and an author. Her most popular works include ‘What Would You Do to Save The World’ and ‘The Great Indian Love Story’. Ira Trivedi is as a successful MBA graduate from the Columbia School of Business.

PRAQTISE Fact File

Mallika Sarabhai is yet another minor celebrity turned politician who cleared the CAT exam and pursued MBA from the most prestigious B-School in India – IIM Ahmedabad. Similarly, Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, the independent film-maker holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media.

A Praqtical Look

It is inspiring to look forward to a role model in the field that you want to pursue. Knowing that people who have studied the same discipline have excelled at whatever they have done gives you the much-needed motivation to achieve your career goals. Keeping an update of the successful people in the discipline which you want to follow can inspire and motivate you in the right direction.

Which of your heroes also hold management degrees? Do share with us in the comments.

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Image Sources

Prasoon Joshi

John Abraham

Siddharth Suryanarayan

Mini Mathur

Ira Trivedi

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Career options after MBA in Operations Management

Praqtise — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 08:59:11 +0000

What is Operations Management?

Operations management refers to the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency within an organisation. It involves managing materials and labour to produce goods and services as efficiently as possible. Operations include planning, organising and supervising the core production and delivery processes of a firm.

Operations management teams attempt to balance the costs with revenue to achieve the highest net operating profit. This requires utilising resources from staff, materials, equipment and technology. Operations managers acquire, develop and deliver goods to clients based on what the client wants and the abilities of the company.

PRAQTISE Fact File: According to a recent survey, the average salary for a fresh engineering graduate ranges from Rs 3 to 5 lakhs per annum. On acquiring enhanced qualifications such as MBA in operations management one can easily draw an average salary of Rs 6 to 9 lakhs per annum.

Advantages of MBA in operations management

MBA in operations management or a specialisation in a related field, such as logistics or supply chain management, allows a candidate to enter the industry by developing the requisite skill set. It also helps those already present in the industry to widen their knowledge base and push get into a business leadership role. Studying MBA in operations management offers a global perspective on industry trends and an awareness of trade regulations and political uncertainties which could impact an organisation. During the course students learn risk management, getting to grips with the industry’s inherent complexities and responding well to change.

Jobs of an Operations Manager

There are a diversity of opportunities and jobs for MBA in operations. Operations management handles various strategic issues including determining the size of manufacturing plants, project management methods, implementing the structures of information technology networks, management of inventory levels, raw materials handling, quality control, maintenance and so on.

Career Options after MBA in Operations

Supply Chain Manager

Supply chain is a holistic term, encompassing the entire process of value creation. A supply chain manager can be someone having a bird’s eye view of the company’s operations. It can also mean looking after a particular aspect of the supply chain.

Let’s talk about individuals in the roles of purchasing agents, buyers or purchasing managers. Their job requires buying goods and services for the organisation. It is their responsibility to find the superior inputs for the lowest price. They must have sharp networking skills. They are usually experienced in market aspects of particular type of commodities and know how to analyse the buying preferences of customers.

A supply chain manager is thus one of the most important members of any business entity.

Logistics Manager

A logistics manager has to work with the departments of purchasing, marketing and manufacturing. He then implements and manages those channels (both export and import) which are cost-effective. They are accountable for developing strategies for distribution and creating and maintaining contacts with logistics mediators.

Consultant

A consultant may work with a company to improve various aspects of its operations associated with logistics and supply chain management or any other department involved in the operations management. He must have prerequisite knowledge of information technology and use strategic planning to recommend operational changes. A consultant may work on global optimisation of a supply chain, selecting software and strategic sourcing. Their fundamental job is to assist an organisation in enhancing its logistics to increase the profitability.

Inventory Control Manager

An inventory control manager has to create, improve and put in place strategies that minimise costs associated with inventory and logistic. They try to increase efficiency and meet customer service expectations. It is also their responsibility to supervise the systems used for inventory management as well as any actual, physical inventory processes. The key focus areas for this profile are quality control and the smooth flow of inventory through the system.

PRAQTISE Factfile: A Snapshot of Operations Management Jobs

Sector	Company
E-commerce	Amazon, Flipkart
Automobiles	Tata Motors, Bharat Benz
Agri business	Olam, ConAgra
IT/ITeS	Infosys, Accenture
FMCG	ITC, Colgate
PSU	HPCL, Indian Oil, BPCL

The above were just some of the career opportunities available in the field of operations management. Do you know of some unique roles in this arena? Please let us know in the comments.

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Image Source:

https://thumb7.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/1479299/249461419/stock-vector-operations-management-chart-with-keywords-and-icons-249461419.jpg

https://marialukas180.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/shutterstock_fc00031.jpg

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Five women who choose unconventional careers after MBA specialization

Praqtise — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 09:32:11 +0000

Shreya’s life at IIM-L was one that was truly memorable. This included the frequent secret outings as well as the periodic bouts of craziness. She was never too interested in studies; however, she always had a knack for the creative and the crazy. She used to persuade and help her friends whenever they had second thoughts during the late night hostel bunking, or the early morning trek into the hills. After coming out of IIM-L, almost all of her friends took up dream jobs, with great salaries, perks, paid leaves, and guaranteed personal growth.

However, whenever her friends wanted to get out of the mundane routine of their everyday lives, they would go to Shreya for some much-needed respite. However, Shreya did not care much about them, especially when it came to pushing them out of an aeroplane! Oh, do not take that part too seriously. What I meant to say was, even when her friends screamed on top of their lungs, she would carry them to the door of the plane and jump with them into the skies. I’m sorry if I sound too vague, but it might be because of the fact that I have not told you how Shreya became a full-fledged sky-diving instructor after her exit from IIM-L. But, that is a story for another time…

MBA aspirants are usually consumed with the need to have a secure job and a six-digit salary, rather than using their experience for exploration of unknown and unconventional professions. They want more from their career, which is gratifying and satisfying at the same time. These people have the capability to leave their MBA salary and job to venture into uncharted territories and achieve something truly unique. The world has many examples of people who dared to do this.

So let’s look at five ladies who dared to choose an unconventional career after MBA specialization.

Parineeti Chopra

Parineeti Chopra has a triple honours degree in business, finance and economics from Manchester Business School in the UK, with a dream to be an investment banker. However, the 2008-09 recession forced her to return to India. Here she landed an internship at Yashraj Studios as a PR consultant. By spending more time on the sets and learning about filmmaking, she went ahead to become an actress in the Bollywood. Her first movie was Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl, and since then, she has not stopped excelling in her passion.

Rashmi Bansal

Rashmi Bansal is the author of 2 bestselling novels – Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish and Connect the Dots. She is an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. Being a scholar throughout her life, Rashmi is a prolific writer with over 100 articles featured in leading newspapers and magazines. She initially took a job as a brand manager at BCCL but now she is a renowned author and entrepreneur. Most of her books have been on entrepreneurship and successful startups.

Richa Kar

As the founder and CEO of Indian lingerie e-tailer, Zivame, Richa Kar has been a successful entrepreneur. She holds an MBA degree from NMIMS and has worked for companies like Spencers and SAP retail consulting. During her stint in the corporate world, she learnt that there was social discomfort surrounding lingerie shopping in India, which created problems for consumers as well as retailers. This lead to the beginning of her entrepreneurial venture in the form of an online lingerie store, which is now a leader in its domain. The store offers more than 5,000 styles, 50 brands and 100 sizes.

Chhavi Rajwat

Popularly known as the Sarpanch with an MBA, Chhavi made headlines in 2011 for being the youngest Sarpanch in India. She has studied at LSR and completed MBA specialization from Sri Balaji Society, Pune. This got her into a regular MBA jobs at a top corporate. But, she gave up her job to help in the development of Rural India. Now, she is taking the lead in the development of Soda Village in Rajasthan. She has implemented many projects successfully, like rainwater harvesting, toilets facilities and more in her stint as a Sarpanch.

Sona Mohapatra

People know Sona Mohapatra as an Indian singer, music composer and lyricist. She has sung famous songs like “Ambarsariya”, “Jiya lage na”, etc. But not many know that she has an MBA specialization from the Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD, Pune in Marketing & Systems. Before pursuing a full-time career in the music industry, she has worked on big brands like Marico, Parachute and Medikar. But, passion is greater than big brand names, so now she works on her music and creates wonderful pieces for her dedicated audiences.

Praqtise Fact File:

Person	First Job
Parineeti Chopra	PR Consultant
Rashmi Bansal	Brand manager
Richa Kar	Retail Consultant
Sona Mohapatra	Brand manager

A Praqtical Look: Getting an MBA specialization does not mean that you have to do only an MBA job. If one has dreams and passions beyond their current state, they should give it a try. Take up a job that gratifies and satisfies you and not the one which is set in stone because of an education degree.

Do you agree, tell us in the comments?

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Image sources:

Parineeti Rashmi Richa Chhavi Sona

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How have MBA graduates impacted the advertising industry of India?

Praqtise — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 11:22:05 +0000

“Time to get some inspiration!”

Mitesh and Aazib were best buddies. Aazib was a smart, talented and creative boy. He liked to take part in advertising competitions. He was able to deal with the creative aspect of such events very naturally. Mitesh was the IT expert. He managed the technical part. Their duo won most of the competitions. After graduation Aazib wanted to do MBA in Marketing and Mitesh wanted to do M Tech in IT from the Unites States. College ended, years passed, both of them became very successful in their respective fields and countries, but they lost touch with each other.

Mitesh wanted to grow his business in India, so he began to talk to his friends here about leading Ad agencies. He happened to look at the Forbes Magazine of that month and he was stunned to see the cover page. It was his teammate, his friend, Aazib on the front page, the new CEO of one of the most prestigious Ad agencies in India. Mitesh was happy because he had found a way to get in touch with his old friend and also because his friend was the CEO of one the leading Ad Agencies in India.

‘The ever-changing Advertising field of India.’

Advertising in India in the past meant printing ads in the classifieds and jingles on radio. After the television was invented, ads were shot and displayed on TV. Door to door publicity, advertising mailers, marketing hoardings soon followed.

Some of these advertising methods still exist, but most of them have become old and obsolete.

But soon the times changed and so did the field of Advertising in India. With the introduction of social media, knowledgeable customers and competition, it became necessary for the media companies to strive to do better.

Fact file: Digital marketing is the new marketing. Digital marketing industry is estimated to be worth $68 billion. While all the other sectors are struggling with a growth rate of 5 to 10%, the media industry is growing at a rate of 40%. And the growth is not going to be stagnant in the coming future.

‘Get inspired by the big shots of the Advertising industry who are MBA graduates also.’

Leaving aside the change brought about by technology, the growth in advertising as an art is the result of certain outstanding creative minds.

Some of the best MBA colleges in India have been producing graduates who have changed the face of advertising in India. They are making an impact on our lives on a daily basis, but we might not know about them.

Some of the MBA graduates who made it big in the industry and the highlights of their career are mentioned below.

1) Prasoon Joshi

Prasoon Joshi is known for being a famous lyricist, screenwriter and ad-guru, but not many people know that he is a student of MBA Marketing from IMT Ghaziabad. Yes, that’s surprising! Prasoon is the the CEO of McCann World group India and the Chairman. He is also a writer and poet, mainly in Hindi and English languages. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 2015 by for his contribution in the fields of Arts, Literature and Advertising in 2015. He also won himself the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award three times, in 2007 and 2008 and again in 2014. Prasoon has also received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice, once for his work in Taare Zameen Par, and the second award for Chittagong.

He started writing a book at an early age of 17. While pursuing MBA, he decided to fuse his love for culture and art and his passion for advertising to build a career in the field.

He started his career with one of the world’s leading agencies, Ogilvy & Mather. He became a creative star in the company. Prasoon rose to be executive creative director of the flagship Mumbai office within ten years of joining. In 2002, he joined McCann-Erickson as executive vice-president and national creative director. By 2006, he was the regional creative director of South East Asia. In December 2006 he was elevated to executive chairman for McCann Worldgroup India and regional creative director for Asia Pacific.

2) Kunal Jeswami

Kunal Jeswani, the Chief Operating Officer of one of the most prestigious advertising agencies of India, Ogilvy and Mather. He is an alumnus of one of the very first PGP batches of MICA, Ahmedabad. He completed MBA specialization from MICA in 1996 and started his career by working for Enterprise Nexus. After that, he became the Managing Director at The Republic. Before he became the Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy and Mather, India, he enjoyed working as Senior Vice President, President & Country Head and Chief Digital Officer. Some of his clients include Unilever, Cadbury, Vodafone, the Indian Premier League and Tata Motors.

3) Madhukar Kamath

Madhukar Kamath is the Chairperson of the Governing Council of MICA. He is an Economics graduate from Loyola, Chennai and he studied Management at XLRI Jamshedpur. In 2011, Madhukar helped Omnicom in acquiring Mudra Group and in steering its integration into DDB Worldwide. This new entity became the DDB Mudra Group. Currently, he is the CEO and MD of DDB Mudra Group. With more than three decades of experience, he has spent close to twenty-five years in the DDB Mudra Group. He is responsible for the acquisition of Clarion and bringing Bates and Zenith Media into the country, facilitating the entry of Abbys in Goafest, opening the doors for Media Agencies into AAAI and chairing the highly successful AdAsia 2011 in Delhi.

4) Diwan Arun Nanda

Diwan Arun Nanda, Chairman and Managing Director of Rediffusion- Y&R is a graduate of IIM Ahmedabad. He was the advisor to the late Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru and also a jury member to Cannes Film Festival. Between 1993-1995 and 1999-2000, he led Advertising Agencies Association of India as President. He holds the Distinguished Alumni Award by Loyola College, Chennai and IIM-A.

You could be one of them too! So, don’t waste time and start preparing. If you have any doubts or queries, or if you want to share something, do write to us. We’ll be happy to help you.

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Image Sources

[1]: http://www.pinkvilla.com/files/images/k_23.jpges

[2]: http://images.indianexpress.com/2015/03/prasoon-joshi.jpg?w=438?w=370

[3]: https://www.mica.ac.in/alumni-in-news/kunal-jeswani-becomes-the-ceo-of-ogilvy-mather-india

[4]: https://www.mica.ac.in/madhukar-kamath

[5]: http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/institute/about/alumni/illustrious-alumni.html

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Five Non-Mainstream MBA Jobs offered to B-school students

Praqtise — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 12:51:02 +0000

Management studies opens up a plethora of career options from construction management, tourism management to luxury management and so on. We see MBA jobs opening up in an increasing number of unconventional domains.

One aspiring to land up in the non-profit sector can now achieve this through their MBA degree. Similarly, students with a strong inclination towards arts can now combine their vocation and avocation in placements.

A lot of hype is created by the best MBA colleges in India, about dream jobs like a brand manager at HUL, a consultant at KPMG or an analyst at Barclays. But careers after an MBA shouldn’t be restricted to these. Instead, there are lots of dream jobs waiting for those wanting to get into non-mainstream (from an MBA perspective) sectors.

We compiled a list of non-mainstream job areas that have taken in MBA students in significant numbers in recent years:

MBA JOBS IN NGO

NGO’s provide an excellent outlet for a broad range of society’s skills and labour force, remarked Peter Drucker, a management thinker. A research study indicated that there are 19 million people employed full time in this non-profit sector. When it comes to MBA graduates, they have the skills (strategic as well as analytical) and accreditations which non-profit segments need.

PRAQTISE Factfile: Habitat for Humanity International, which aims to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness, has recruited an MBA team that won the Hult Global Case Challenge for 2012. The students exhibited proficiency in planning and organising limited resources, much akin to the working environment in an NGO. Such jobs also offer good exposure since the stakeholders involved are large entities such as local communities, environmental bodies, governments, etc.

NGO’s: Teach for India, Goonj, SOS, Rotary Club, Give India

MBA JOBS IN PERFORMING ARTS & CULTURE

Every one of us has hobbies since our childhood whether its dance, drama or music. MBA careers have now opened up even in performing arts and culture. Today, there is a realisation of inculcating business and administrative skills in creative fields like those of entertainment, film, theatre and stand-up comedy. As a result, many companies look for a blend of management and artistic knowledge including Book My Show, Wiz Craft, Canvas Laugh Factory, Yashraj Studios, TVF and MTV Indies.

MBA JOBS IN AGRI – BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Agri-business sector is growing rapidly with a CAGR of 13%. IFAMA, 2012 reports confirmed that food and agriculture business is going to triple itself by 2020. It presents huge opportunities with the scale of investment required in production and processing. Hence it is on an exponential trajectory and demands people with managerial skills. It opens up opportunities to work with government (NABARD, FACT, and FCI) and non-government organisations. Also, the scope is not limited to PSU and NGO’s but extends to FMCG; retail chains like Big Bazar, Reliance Fresh; organic food producers, biotech food manufacturers; and food processing companies. It requires one to be very operation and quality oriented.

GREEN JOBS AFTER MBA

Green jobs have been on the rise and are going to thrive for another decade. Clean energy and sustainable development are issues of global importance. Companies like ITC, HUL advocate the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ concept of ‘People, Planet and Profits’. As a result, firms are always on the hunt for efficient and diligent MBA professionals. Managing finance, law, logistics and marketing requires significant expertise. Many companies like Tata, SBI, Amul, Taj, and Godrej are adopting green marketing practices and policies. MBA professionals contribute by designing campaigns to educate customers and reach them. Some of the best MBA colleges in India like IIM Lucknow, TERI University, IMTS, Amity Institute of Energy and Environment are providing MBA courses in areas such as environmental management, sustainability & disaster management.

MBA JOBS IN SPORTS MANAGEMENT

Sports Management is one field that is growing with increasing grandeur of events such as RIO Olympics, UEFA league, T-20 World Cups, Futsal, IPL and EPL. A greater number of MBA graduates are taking up sports as a career option. Job profiles include roles such as organisers, managers for teams and spokespersons. NBA, NFL, MLB, EPL, NHL, and PGA – the biggest of sports leagues are expanding aggressively, with no signs of slowing down. This field is ideal for people who are sports enthusiasts as well as have credible business acumen. Today games like Football, which has a market size of $28 billion each year presents a plethora of opportunities for football freaks such as team managers for football clubs, customer and ticketing managers and officials of governing bodies.

A Praqtical Look: Strong and sincere passion should dictate the choice of going for a non-mainstream job. Entering into verticals such as sports management or the non-profit sector will require more than just a managerial outlook. In the long run, a person possessing the genuine interest in such fields is likely to reach further than one treating it just as a job.

What is the most interesting non-mainstream MBA job that you have heard about? Do tell us about it in the comments.

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Career options after MBA Marketing

Praqtise — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 19:24:50 +0000

“ MBA Marketing – The gateway to the most sought after corporate jobs.”

A group of students from an MBA Marketing class are talking about their upcoming campus placement schedule. It is fascinating to know their viewpoints for jobs after MBA in marketing.

“Guys, keep your fingers crossed…all of our dream companies should participate in campus placements this year.”, Ganeshan said.

“Yeah, I have always dreamt of getting a sales job in MNCs such as P&G, Johnson & Johnson, HLL, etc.”, Vinayak replied.

“Why do you think of just sales jobs? There are many better options for MBA marketing students”, Gajanan pointed out.

“Yeah, I also prefer advertising, media, or digital marketing jobs.”, Bhalchandran said.

PRAQTISE fact file: MBA marketing contributed to 1/5 of the total campus placements for PGP program of IIM-Ahmedabad for the year 2016.

Sector – wise scope

Marketing is an essential field for all the industries across the economy starting from pharmaceuticals to IT. These industries recruit thousands of students with MBA marketing degree every year. They also provide excellent career prospects and handsome salary packages in India and foreign countries. There are brilliant opportunities in both public as well as private sectors. The major industries that recruit MBA are listed below.

1) FMCG

This is one of those sectors that hire the most number of marketing students. FMCG sector offers the highest packages to students of almost all the Top B–schools. The top recruiters in the industries include:

Colgate – Palmolive
P & G
Johnson & Johnson
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)
ITC
Nestle
Parle Agro
Britannia Industries Ltd.
Godrej
Marico, etc.

2) Telecommunications

Telecommunications is one of the best sectors to work for with a great scope for future growth. Telecom sector companies participate in all the top MBA colleges and offer attractive packages to MBA marketing students. Here is the list of top recruiters:

Airtel
Vodafone
Tata
MTS
Reliance
Idea (Aditya Birla Group)
Aircel
Uninor etc.

3) Manufacturing

Students with an engineering background and MBA marketing degree get the most number of offers from the top manufacturing companies in India. This sector provides lucrative salaries and incentives both in India and abroad. Top recruiters from this area include:

L & T
Aditya Birla Group
Apollo Tyres
Jindal Steel
Videocon
Asian Paints etc.

4) Public Sector Companies

Almost all the Maharatna and Navaratna companies of India participate in campus placement of top MBA colleges in India. They provide great packages coupled with high job security and prestige. Top recruiters in public sector include:

BSNL
MTNL
ONGC
NTPC
Public Sector Banks, etc.

5) Digital Marketing Jobs

Apart from the conventional sectors listed above, internet marketing jobs are also preferred by students. The online marketing jobs include profiles for e-commerce, SEO strategy, online advertising, social media marketing, e-networking, content marketing, etc. Some companies that offer MBA jobs in this domain are:

Flipkart
Amazon
ShopClues
Paytm
SnapDeal
GoDaddy, etc.

6) Consultancy/Market research

Consultancy jobs are the cream of the crop in MBA placements. The global powerhouses of consulting are very picky and only hire from the top 10 ranked institutes. Market research firms are less selective and open up an incredible field for aspirants from many MBA colleges. Some of the most recognised names are

Deloitte
Accenture
McKinsey
Nielsen
IMRB, etc.

Growth – wise scope:

The work profile, position, designation and salary package offered to a student depends on grades, the repute of the MBA institute and work experience. Here, we have compiled the designations at which a student with an MBA Marketing degree gets recruited.

Business Development Executive/ Manager
Area Sales Manager
Market Research
Brand Manager
Sales Manager
Media Planner
Internet Marketing Manager
Product Manager
Research Analyst/Associate

The roles and responsibilities of these positions involve team building, team handling, strategy formulation and implementation, etc. The majority of these posts require some amount of field work. Hence, a marketing professional needs to be more dynamic and prepared for travelling. For those who thrive in a challenging environment, there are great possibilities of reaching top management levels such as Vice President, President, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Executive Officer. So, put in all the hard efforts to get your desired goal. A brilliant career awaits you in the field of marketing.

A PRAQTICAL Look

A marketing graduate gets exposed to some opportunities within their industry sector. However, now and then one might wish to switch from one area to another. This might be easier to achieve early on in one’s career. However, changing sectors after a significant amount of experience is tough. Ground realities of each industry are very different than others. Companies seek to employ people who have proper exposure to an industry vertical over newcomers. Students should, therefore, invest time in building knowledge about the work environments in different domains. The ideal way is to have a long term plan for the construction of a career in a particular sector.

Have you wanted to build a career in the field of marketing? Do you have a dream role or a dream company? Please tell us in the comments.

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MBA jobs for female candidates in 2016

Praqtise — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 08:30:35 +0000

After completing the management degree, the big question pops up- what about the right MBA jobs for females? All you know is that you need a job. But you go through a series of doubts. You don’t know which job you want or what package. What will be a good environment for a female to work in? Is the company favourable to hiring women? Will there be any late working hours?

To encourage the presence of female workers, companies come up with various female-friendly policies such as transportation arrangements and maternity leaves. However, the fact that female workers are still a subject of discussion, itself shows that inequality persists. Why is women employment regarded as a topic, which requires special attention in the first place?

Overview of the female workforce

It is assumed that gender roles are blurring, and more women are opting to work. However, an article in Mint suggests even though we are urbanizing, the number of female workers is high only in states with better sex ratio and high female literacy. It mentions that only a quarter of the women population is employed.

Economic Times came up with the following statistics. The following table shows that even the top companies in India, have an unhealthy gender ratio.

Why do the above companies have such low number of women employees?

To be fair, most of the above companies belong to the manufacturing or heavy industrial sector. Women generally do not prefer to work in these sectors.

MBA jobs – How campus placements are different…

Recognized companies follow a hiring ratio to promote employee diversity. Women are provided with the same options as men. In MBA jobs, for example, they are provided opportunities to work in industrial areas or given the opportunity of a field sales job. During campus placement, the same offers are available to both male and female students. It is all based on your academic merit. All this is ensured so that women, who are equally talented, get the job they deserve. In case you are wondering how to start on searching for jobs after MBA we have listed a few options which would best suit a female candidate:

Explore Human Resource Management

As HR functions require soft skills, Human Resource has been a preferable choice for women for a long time. If you have a specialization in HR, go for MBA jobs in recruitment, admin, generalist, etc. The salary ranges for an MBA in HR are different for each category. Recruitment, training, evaluation etc. are tasks that corporates have to keep performing on a daily basis. Hence, there is always a demand for MBA HR professionals.

For the Marketing geeks

If you have done your MBA in marketing, you have the advantage of choosing from a variety of options ranging from sales, advertising, public relations, research, etc. If you’re into advertising, start your career from prestigious advertising companies. They have good hiring ratio. Furthermore, companies also often prefer female candidates in public relations. The MBA salary ranges for each specialization can vary. However, according to India Today, a marketing professional can earn an average pay of 6-7 lacs annually, and it can go up to 22 lacs with increasing experience.

Career in Finance

A degree in finance opens up opportunities for MBA jobs in the BFSI sector as well as corporate finance roles. These companies are among the biggest recruiters for MBA finance students. Payscale.com offers statistics which show that average salaries in finance are higher than other sectors and is therefore a very good career choice after MBA

IT professionals

IT companies like Capgemini, Google, etc., are hiring more women for the technical roles to bridge the gender gap in the organisation. Companies are enforcing laws for promoting equality. For example, Accenture has a formal community for women employees to bring about their inclusiveness in the organisation.

Jobs in Hospitality and Tourism

Hospitality already consists of up to 50% female workforce. To add grace and elegance in the hospitality industry, women employees are given priority. If you have an MBA in hospitality and tourism, then you can try for management roles in top hotels or tourist companies. For example, Marriott is working on hiring more female employees not only on middle and lower level of management but on top level management as well to improve its diversity. According to Economic Times, Marriott is currently employing 1200 women across India out of which 25% are managers.

Ever wondered why a female never delivered your pizza? Or why you didn’t have female cab drivers that drove you home?

PRAQTISE Fact File: According to a report by Times of India, women are taking jobs in which males held an upper hand. More women have started taking odd jobs like rickshaw drivers, security guards, and delivery executive.

A Praqtical Look

This is the other element we have to add. As per a TOI article, following was the share of women employees in various sectors:

Sectors	Percentage
Dairy production	93%
HR services	60%
Small scale industries	58%
Apparel, fashion, and textile	51%
Hospitality	50%
Financial services and Insurance	44%
Software Services	44%
Media and development	40%
Leather and food products	30%
Pharmaceuticals	30%
Wholesale and retail	30%
Electronic products	23%
Chemical products	23%
Automobile	20%
Manufacturing	18%
Mining	18%
Infrastructure	7%

The reason why certain sectors have high numbers of women in the workforce is the ease of maintaining work life balance. We no longer live in a time where genders follow a particular set of rules. Breaking stereotypes is what the current generation is doing. No gender is confined to just a particular place anymore. Try and pick a good career option, not just a job.

So, it seems like MBA offers a fair opportunity for female candidates. Do you agree, tell us in the comments.

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5 lesser known MBA specialization with great career prospects

Praqtise — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 10:23:42 +0000

Hi, my name is Kartik! I am fond of the workings of my native place and rural areas in general. Case stories of Amul, ITC e-Choupal are so exciting and I want to work in rural India. Which MBA specialization should I go for to kick start my career?

Hello, my name is Vidyut! I like to play with numbers and I want to make a career in energy management. We all know how important energy sufficiency is for economies. The way I see it, I can be great in handling energy trading. But how do I equip myself to get such a job?

Hi, my name is Rohit! I have always been interested in the retail sector. Having graduated with a BBA, I’m keen on making a career in retail. MBA is a great way to launch your career, but is there an MBA specialization that caters to my needs?

The majority of MBA specialization courses are broad based. They cater to overall business functions such as marketing, finance, HR.

The specializations that we have picked out offer a different approach. They have marked out business domains in a different way and train students in skills specific to these domains.

1) Rural Management

There are numerous statistics that highlight the importance of the rural economy.

PRAQTISE Fact File:

68% of India’s population is concentrated in the rural areas.
The rural sector accounts for half of India’s GDP.
People are steadily moving away from agriculture and into other industries.

Rural management explores facets of rural business in depth. It equips students with a detailed understanding of the marketplace. Factors like spending and saving patterns, development issues, religious and cultural nuances play a big part.

There are miles to go in terms of infrastructure and commercial development. This is why rural economy presents a tremendous opportunity for aspiring managers.

Institutes offering rural management specialization:
a) Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) – Post Graduate Program in Rural Management
b) Xavier’s School of Rural Management, Bhubhaneshwar – Masters Program in Rural Management

2) Energy Management

Energy is one prime issue of universal concern. Insufficient energy infrastructure can stall economic progress. While we have always studied energy from a scientific perspective, it is equally important to look at it from a managerial perspective.

Energy management courses cover

The structure and functioning of the power sector
Global power economics
Functional aspects such as contracts, pricing agreements, financial management, supply chain
Alternative energy sources

India is power starved and the Government is keen on becoming self-reliant. Energy management as a field is sure to offer great career prospects.

Institutes offering energy management specialization:

University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) – MBA Energy Trading
Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon – Post Graduate Program in Energy Management

3) International Business

Globalization is perhaps the most overused jargon in business theory. But what does it mean to have a multinational presence? What are the demographic factors that need to be considered? What is the framework of international trade, and the regulations that govern the business?

An MBA in International Business will equip students with the required expertise on the above mentioned fronts. Pursuing an international business major can be a very exciting journey. Some courses are structured to take place in more than one country.

International business will always be a key domain and a great career prospect for aspiring managers.

Institutes offering international business management specialization:

International Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) – MBA in International Business
Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon – Post Graduate in International Management

4) Media & Communication

Marketing specializations give a good overview of the end to end marketing function. All aspects beginning from market research and product development to customer relations and after sales service are dealt with.

However, treating communication as an individual aspect is important. Communication can be specific to an ad/PR campaign, or the overall image of the brand. It becomes critical in crisis situations where the brand needs to answer tough questions about its practices, mishaps or even underperformance. Perception goes a long way in determining whether the company is considered to be good or evil.

Organizations will always require people who can be the voice of the company. Pursuing this MBA specialization is recommended especially for those who wish to put their communication skills to use.

Institutes offering media and communication management specialization:

Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad (MICA) – Post Graduate Diploma in Communications
Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Pune – MBA in Communication Management

5) Retail Management

We have witnessed the boom in India’s retail sector unfold over the past decade. Future Group, Reliance Group and Tata Group all have nationwide retail chains.

Retail management makes the store as the central point of reference. A lot of attention is paid to store layout, design and buyer psychology. On the other hand, there are aspects such as category management, negotiation with manufacturers and inventory management.

From the perspective of the retail brand, macro level planning for locations and the overall appeal of the brand have to be done.

Institutes offering retail management specialization:

KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR), Mumbai – Post Graduate Diploma in Management-Retail Management
WE School, Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research – Post Graduate Diploma in Management-Retails Management

A Praqtical Look: Here is how some of the above mentioned MBA specialization programs compare in fee and placement numbers

Course	Institute	Fee	Placement 2016
Post Graduate Program in Rural Management	IRMA	INR 4,17,700	Average CTC INR 8,50,000
MBA Energy Trading	UPES	INR 9,50,000 approx. (as of 2016-18)	Highest package in 2016 – INR 13 LPA
MBA (International Business)	IIFT	INR 16,00,000	Average CTC 18.01 LPA
Post Graduate Diploma in Management – Communications	MICA	INR 13,50,000	Average CTC INR 9,30,000 LPA
PGDM – Retail Management	KJSOM	Rs. 4,40,000	INR 8,25,000 (average domestic CTC)

*Numbers are indicative, please refer to the course brochures/placement reports on institute websites for details.

Are you interested in a building a career in a particular domain? Which other lesser known MBA specialization streams are worth paying attention to? Tell us in the comments.

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