If you are just out of college and thinking of pursuing an MBA, it must be confusing for you to decide whether to enter a business school directly or to gain a few years of experience before MBA.
Although work experience is not a must-have criterion for entering a business school, it is always wise to have some experience under your belt. Not only will it give you an edge over your peers in business, but it will also help you to receive an online MBA with a GMAT waiver and save your time, money, and sanity at the same time.
Let’s find out more about the benefits of work experience before MBA.
7 reasons to get work experience before mba
- You’ll Be Off To A Better Start
Having prior work-ex can help you land a better job than entry or mid-level positions during the placements, once you complete the MBA degree. This means you have the possibility to earn a higher salary and a signing-off bonus too.
- You’ll get an edge in the competition with previous work experience
Your business school experience will be a lot different compared to college as the competition would be cutthroat! Everybody will be aware of how close they are to their dream job and would not leave any stone unturned to bag it. Having prior experience will give you an upper hand on such occasions.
- You’ll be more experienced to fill in a job position
Owing to your previous job experience you will be aware of how to maintain yourself in a high-powered environment and contribute to a business’s profit-making strategies. You will already be possessing the necessary soft skill qualities like communication, teamwork, networking, management, and more. All of these will positively impact your portfolio and make you eligible for higher roles in a company.
- Have better practical approach towards academics
Due to your firsthand experience with corporate work culture, you will have a clear direction. You’ll be able to develop and implement business programs more quickly and effectively than inexperienced students. Your business decisions will be more logical as a result of your prior work-ex.
- Work experience adds up to your independence
Case studies, practical work, networking, and collecting professional knowledge are just a few of the demanding tasks you must be juggling while studying for an MBA. In business school, things will be much easier for you if you have extensive experience managing deadlines or managing professional challenges in a corporate environment. This is because you will already know how to remain calm under pressure. - Work experience can help you to manage fund for your mba degree
Everyone is familiar with the high cost of attending business schools. That’s why many aspirants decide to work initially to save money for their Master of Business Administration courses. Some people choose to work in order to pay off their student loans, while others choose to work to pay for their MBA school fees. Having a job before business school will enable you to handle your money more effectively and stress-free. In addition, based on how much money you have accumulated while working, you can set a budget for your MBA.
- Considering networking seriously
Building networks is a key component of any business degree, but when you have some prior professional experience, things change. Your future colleagues will be in the same field as your present peers, mentors, seniors, business analysts, etc.
You learn how to create professional contacts and how to make the most of them from prior employment. You may learn a lot from the people you’ve worked with in the past and use their perspectives to advance in your course, making this a two-way street.
How Many Years Of Work Experience Should You Have Before Enrolling For MBA?
If you still have some questions like “Is it good to have work experience before MBA?” or “What counts as work experience for MBA?”, let’s clear it out. It is definitely good to have a work experience before MBA since a lot of business schools prefer it. Deciding on what counts as a good work ex, depends on a lot of factors. Most programs prefer a minimum of two years of experience, however, there are exceptions too depending on your circumstances. If you have grown up working in your family business, or have your own start-up, those can be counted as exceptions.
If you’re wondering “Is 2 years of work experience enough for MBA?”, then you should know that there is no specific amount of the years in the field that will ensure your admission to an MBA program. To determine how much work ex is required, look at the demographic data of the program you are considering.
Let’s Wrap It Up
Work experience may make the difference between your job application being accepted or being put on hold. Take some time to analyse your options before deciding between attending graduate business school soon after graduating from college and taking up a job for experience.
Nevertheless, not having a degree doesn’t always put you back in the race. You can always work your way to the top. While some prefer to gain work experience before an MBA degree, some might prefer to start after completing the MBA degree. It completely differs from person to person and also on the financial conditions.
Why Sunstone?
Remember, when the time comes for you to submit an MBA application, expert guidance and support from Sunstone can make a huge difference. Driven by our mission to connect learning and career growth with better opportunities, you will not only be industry-ready but also be in a better position to find the perfect institute and the right course.
Sunstone is a leading higher education services provider that works with academic institutions in upskilling students for employability. Sunstone offers career-oriented training interventions for undergraduate and postgraduate students at 40+ institutions across 30+ cities.
Sunstone’s training programs are industry-endorsed to enhance employability. These programs are designed for hybrid delivery with an unparalleled focus on soft skills and personality development. Sunstone’s focus is to provide students with a holistic educational experience.
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