While we quickly climb the ladder as a fresher with sheer dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm to reach the middle management position, it becomes a little tricky to jump to the next level. Many professionals feel stuck as mid-level managers for years together waiting for a promotion, some are even convinced that they have touched the ceiling in their career graph.
So, what is it that brings careers to a standstill? Essentially, entry into the top management and senior positions requires a different kind of skill set, which sometimes can’t be learned by just doing what a certain job profile requires. Apart from the job function, one needs to have a fair amount of knowledge about all aspects of business from strategy, leadership, and communication to operations, marketing, and management. This is where an MBA comes into picture—in fact, MBA is the key that can help acquire these skills and open the door to leadership roles.
Improving Career Prospects
An MBA can give your career the much-required kick-start that you have been waiting for. While MBA offers many advantages to advance your career to the next level, let’s take a look at some prominent ones and how they can transform your career:
1. Developing Leadership and Management Skills: MBA programs lay a major thrust on improving one’s leadership capabilities, management skills, decision making, communication and out-of-the-box thinking, all of which are critical skills for senior management positions. Equipped with these competencies, you are geared up to take on bigger responsibilities and roles that are more evolved than your existing profile. Organizations also recognize professionals with MBA degrees as valuable assets and consider moving them up the ladder.
2. Networking: An MBA classroom includes professionals from various functions, industries, and job profiles. Not only does this huge diversity present a great opportunity for interaction and learning, but it also serves as an enormous networking platform. Making contacts with fellow students and lecturers opens up new job prospects for participants in the program.
3. A Route to Career Transition: Mid-level professionals often realize that their career goals do not match with their current job profile or their skillset matches another job profile better. An MBA degree is a great way to change your career path and take on a job that you feel best matches your strengths and liking. As an MBA program focuses extensively on managerial and leadership skills, it also prepares professionals who want to undertake their entrepreneurial journey.
4. Placement Opportunities: While an MBA degree helps you climb the hierarchy level in your current company and gives you the opportunity to re-negotiate your salary, it also opens up doors to new organizations. With most programs offering placement opportunities near the end of the program, you have more options to choose from, both in terms of job profiles and salaries.
Another important aspect is the mode of MBA that you select. For example, an Executive MBA program is a perfect option for working professionals as it offers the flexibility to continue working while preparing to move up the ladder. Reputed institutes provide flexible study options like classes over the weekend, webinars, online discussions, and assignments, etc., which can help you study as per your convenience and availability.
