In this article we will focus on one of the most widely stated concerns of management aspirants i.e. the importance given to work experience in the selection process of MBA.

The challenge

This is basically an issue specific to a particular case and the answer varies from one person to another. An understanding of what pioneer B-School needs and what you have to offer, will help you to manage the challenge better. At Certain B-schools work experience is mandatory, and therefore prior work experience becomes a basic eligibility criteria in such cases.

What qualifies as work experience?

A lot of myths are there regarding the definition of work experience. The following may be of help in dispelling these misconceptions:

  • A full time engagement with a firm will be considered as Work experience, a part time association will not be considered a work experience.
  • It has to be an activity undertaken after completion of at least a Bachelor's degree. If this is not the case, then it may qualify more as an extracurricular activity which was taken up along with academic activities.
  • It should be a paid job, and you should be ready to produce the relevant salary slips on request.
  • The experience tenure has to be at least six months, for you to demonstrate professional learning and alignment. Anything less than this should not be mentioned in the application as it only projects a frivolous attitude.
  • The weight assigned to your experience will be even more if there is a positive correlation between your professional responsibility areas and your graduation stream. For example, a banking professional with graduation in commerce is apparently more relevant as compared to a banking professional with an engineering background.

What happens at the workplace?

The workplace is a great platform to grow professionally as it ensures the following:

  • Application of theory for practicing
  • Alignment with organizational culture
  • Sensitization with respect to working in teams
  • Developing task orientation & a sense of responsibility Developing domain expertise
  • Professional networking
  • Practical learning

Is it possible to get into a management firm without work experience?

It totally depends on your profile. B-schools prefer applicants with well-rounded multi- faceted personalities. They appreciate diversity in profile intake. On one side, if they value industry orientation as manifested in work experience, on the other side they also value ‘freshers’ as they are capable of adding bold ideas.

Therefore, You stand a chance without work experience as well, unless it is stated as a mandatory requirement. You just need to look within and assess your opportunity- aspiration spectrum. For example, you may be placed in a company in the final year of your graduation program, and you may get an admission offer in an MBA program. The decision depends on the ranking of the b-school and the professional equity of the company in which you have been placed. Having clarity w.r.t goals will project the answer as a writing on the wall!