With the economy growing at a robust pace, employment opportunities are multiplying, particularly in the rural sector, with companies focusing on the untapped potential there. Mint presents a fortnightly column on jobs and careers.
I am about to finish graduation in agriculture and have received an interview call from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) for admission to its agri-business management (ABM) course. I am told that experienced candidates receive better job offers. Should I join this year or try after two years or so?
Admission to the ABM stream offered by IIM-A is a prized offer. In the event you receive a firm offer for the forthcoming batch, it appears worthwhile to accept the same. You are right that experienced candidates get far better and more
remunerative job offers from campuses than those on offer to a fresher. However, you cannot take a chance as you may not be able to receive a firm admission call after two years. Also, considering that there is a trend towards young senior management, completing management education at a relatively young age is likely to provide you an edge in the years to come. Hence, in your case, much thinking may not be required and it looks like a straight case of joining management course this year unless there are other constraints on the domestic front.
I am a postgraduate in agriculture with 15 years’ work experience. I am a hard and sincere worker. Yet, some of my younger colleagues, who have done management courses from ordinary institutes, have overtaken me in hierarchy and compensation. I’ve been advised to go for management education on a part-time basis. Will it help?
Many of us face the kind of problem being encountered by you. Different organizations award different weightage to the value of education and work experience.
In India, there is a growing trend to award extraordinary premium to business management programmes. This education helps an individual gain skills to grasp situational problems, its analysis, arrive at alternative solutions, and learn to execute the chosen solution in a step-wise manner. It also enhances the ability to communicate the entire thought process in a sequential, logical pattern. Hence, the learning at a business school happens to be a critical requirement in an organization that is going though a booming phase and where it is a challenge to meet defined targets in a short period. Hence, this skill is receiving a premium. From your point of view, it may not be difficult to undertake a one- or two-year part-time course to grasp the basic principles of management.
Plus, you will polish your own personality. Thus, it is best to respond to the demanding corporate world rather than lamenting on changes that may not suit your present circumstances.
Ajay Gupta is CEO of ruralnaukri.com. Comments and feedback are welcome at askmint@livemint.com