Every year thousands of students opt to get a management degree or diploma immediately after completing their graduation or after having acquired a few years of work experience so that their careers can take off to new heights. It is always a tough battle to choose the right institute and most often students prefer to take the easy way out and rely on B-school rankings published from time to time to make up their minds instead of delving deep into some of the features that would make their choice more sensible. Here are a few tips on how to select the best management institute that can make your career more fulfilling.
Management Programs Offered
Before you try and evaluate management institutes on the basis of the profile of courses offered, you should first decide what sort of management education you want. You could opt for a general management program that gives students the flexibility to take up jobs in virtually any sector. Consequently, those passing out with a general management degree get the maximum opportunities because hiring companies can place them in any job profile. Almost all top-notch B-Schools in the world offer these programs, including all the Indian Institutes of Management. The MET's guide on PGDM offer details on courses offered by various B-schools.
There are other management institutes that offer finely-focused programs on specific domains such as human resources, retail, rural, forestry, energy, etc. that are ideal for students who have already acquired work experience in these domains and would like to specialize in them. Students should be aware that their fortunes would be tied to that specific sector and they would have to live with any cyclical ups and downs in that sector. Placement opportunities also tend to be limited to companies and organizations in that sector so students should do a thorough study of the job potential before signing on for a specialized course.
Institute Reputation and Image
Prospective students of management should include the reputation of the institute as one of the prime factors to be considered while making a choice. Generally, it is seen that the older institutes are better reputed and trusted to deliver a certain level of quality.Although, you may have a very wide choice of the new-generation institutes that claim to have better infrastructure, facilities, faculty, and global affiliations. Even though these departments or schools are new, the parent institute takes a lot of initiative to provide support in administration, teaching and placement in the formative years.
Location Makes the Difference
Even in a global economy, the importance of the geographic location of the B-school continues to play a vital part in the students being able to obtain industry exposure and final placements. Having said that, the significance of the location of the institute is relatively low for the top-ranked institutes but assume critical importance for those lower down the rungs. Generally, hirers find it more convenient to choose employees from the city it is located in due to sheer logistical issues. Another good reason for students to prefer management schools in Tier-1 cities is that the access to part time faculty from various industries is far more, giving students an invaluable competitive edge. If you intend to acquire management education through part time courses, you have no option but to enroll in an institute in the same city where you are currently working.
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This guest post is courtesy of Jack Dawson.