Why can’t I get multiple job offers in international business schools abroad when I can get them easily in IIMs? If I come back to India after my MBA, will the degree be recognized?
These are the top MBA placement related questions that Sudershan ‘Suds’ Tirumala (Regional Director, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth) addresses in this article.
MBA placements & opportunities abroad for international students
Top MBA career and job related questions
We’ve tackled a number of questions in this series of blogs aimed at developing a more informed applicant base in India, when it comes to business school applications.
Sometimes, I may have reinforced what is common belief, and some other times, I may have debunked the usual suspect theories that tend to float around when it comes to business school admission process.
In case this is the first time you’ve run into my blogs, then look up the rest here.
This blog post will explore some of the common questions posed by applicants as they pertain to career placements and general advice on that topic.
Since enhanced career opportunities are one of the primary drivers of a candidate’s desire to pursue an MBA, start your business school research from that angle. Some of the questions you should be answering for yourself are:
- Which schools have a highly approachable career development office?
- Which schools’ CDOs have some interesting policies when it comes to on-campus recruiting that I can take advantage of, as an international student?
- In which schools am I competing with relatively fewer Indian students, so I have a better shot at that dream career? (Think 15% of 1000 Vs. 12% of 500 Vs. 10% of 250 and so on.)
- Even among these numbers, which school has the most supportive CDO?
- What kind of answers have I got from current students at these schools about their recruiting experience?
- Because of competition, have they had to compromise on the quality of the company they were targeting?
- Have they been able to find their way around and get into that career they were so looking forward to at the outset?
These are all questions you’ll need to think about and get answers to, if you’re serious about figuring out the school where you should be matriculating from.
Let’s evaluate some of the questions that come up in my discussions with applicants more often than not.
1. How many Indian students return to India after completing the MBA abroad and how many stay back?
The answer is, “It depends on the person.” Some candidates really want to get the overseas work experience which they believe will stand them in good stead if and when they decide to get back to their home country. Some others believe that the cachet of the overseas MBA is best put to use if they return to their home country right after the MBA and demonstrate their commitment to making a difference in their own country.
All said and done, the percentage of students coming back to India right after getting an international MBA is fairly small, although the number of such individuals coming back to India after a few years of working abroad is trending upward year after year.
2. Why can’t I get multiple job offers in business schools overseas when I can get them easily in IIMs and other Indian MBA colleges?
Honestly, I don’t know how to answer this question since at Tuck, Indian students (and more generally, international students) often end up with multiple internship/job offers and they get to pick and choose what they want to pursue after due consideration and discussions with their potential employers, alumni, faculty, CDO, etc.
And in cases where they are very specific about the industry and the kind of work they want to do, they will target their recruitment in such a way that they ultimately get to the destination. So I don’t see the situation as much different.
Having said that, companies sometimes may not want to hire international students because they don’t want to get entangled in the whole issue of visa uncertainty. In spite of this constraint, I’ve seen Indian students get multiple offers, so you just need to be smart about how you want to approach the whole recruiting process.
3. The million dollar question I’m always asked is about the H-1B visa and how that’s going to impact the candidates’ ability to work in the US in the future.
Now, that’s a question that even US Senators cannot answer with any degree of certainty. In the election year, rhetoric is always high and in other years, things get back to a sense of tempered expectations – the realization that high-skilled workers are indeed needed in the US and that’s something the country cannot simply ignore. So lottery or no lottery, visa cap or not, Indian students who have studied in the US have, for the most part, been able to make things happen for themselves.
Again, no one can say with any sense of certainty about how things are going to evolve. Suffice it to say that it’s a systemic issue and has nothing to do with which business school you go to. It all ultimately boils down to how well you impress your boss and the company you work for so that they’re going to bend over backwards to retain you, in spite of visa related setbacks.
I’m a believer of examples since that’s where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. Let’s talk about this Tuck student who went to work for McKinsey in their Chicago office after graduation. He did really well there, the company applied for his H-1B visa – not once but twice – and didn’t get through both times.
The company didn’t want to lose him, so they came up with the idea of placing him in their Sydney, Australia office for a few years, and then bring him back to the US office. And that’s precisely what they’ve done. This is not a bad outcome by any means!
Not only from a company perspective, but even the Tuck CDO follows up with students (who are now alums) to makes sure there are no visa-related problems that are cropping up. And if they do find out that there are some issues, they will do whatever they can, to help/advise the candidate in question. That’s where it helps to have a CDO that is invested in the success of not only the current students but also the alumni.
4. If I come back to India, will the brand be recognized?
This is a question that I’d like to turn on its head. Maybe, this is a question that merits its own blog post. In any case, what is a brand? An MBA will give you a toolkit, a set of frameworks, a network you’re a part of for the rest of your life.
More than anything else, it will give you the confidence that you can take over the world if you believe in yourself. How you leverage all of these and how you make things happen for yourself is up to you. The school will be there in the background. It’s you who’s got to make things happen.
In that sense, who’s the brand? It’s not the school. It’s YOU! The school is simply an enabler. You’re the one who’s on the front lines. And through your brand, you will help the school’s brand to improve in the part of the world you’re in. When you rise and shine, so will your school.
You are the brand builder. You are the brand!
Related article:
– How the recruitment process works at the top MBA programs
– Best Universities for Placement in USA
– Top MBA Programs and Employers in New York
Hello,
I am Jahanzaib from Pakistan. I have done B.com (2 years) from Punjab University. My marks are approximately 90 %.
I want to do MBA from abroad. Am i eligible for it.
please help me. i am tense for it.
Thanks in advance
Hi Jahanzaib,
You mentioned your B.Com is a two-year course. Is that a common occurrence or did you finish in two years? Normally, I’ve seen undergraduate courses to be at least three-year degrees. Schools in the US expect at least 15 years of education (some even ask for 16 years). To satisfy that criterion, you might want to complete a graduate level degree such as M.Com or something similar to be considered a serious applicant. Also, you didn’t mention how much work experience you have. As long as you maintain your academic record in M.Com (or similar course), and do well in GMAT/TOEFL, and have good work experience, nothing stops you from going for an international MBA. So no need to get tensed about it!
All the best,
Suds.
Hello sir..I want to do my MBA in Monash University right after completing my bcom.. IELTS score is needed for getting admission right sir? Without any work experience
Hi Drisya,
In general, competency in spoken and written English is verified by the school one way or another – whether through tests like TOEFL or IELTS or through verifying the fact that someone lived and studied in an English-speaking country for a significant period. In your case, yes, they will look for a good score in one of these tests. However, I would sincerely advice you to get some work experience, even if it for a year or two, before thinking about going for the MBA. It’ll be beneficial for you as you will be able to contribute better to the class by drawing on your experiences and will be able absorb the learning better since you can reflect on your prior experiences while pursuing the MBA. Whatever you decide to do, all the best in your future endeavors.
Best,
Suds.
Thanks a lot Brother…….
Hi,
I have completed MBA and i m having one year job experience . I m interested in working aboard .please suggest how to search for MBA jobs in aboard.
Anjani,
Since you’ve already completed your MBA (I assume you’ve done that from India), if you want to work abroad, the most straightforward option I can think of is to work with head hunters and see if any opportunities fit the bill for you. Typically though, they’ll need you to have more experience before placing you overseas. Either this or you pursue another master’s degree overseas with the intent working there after graduating. That’s the best I can suggest. Hope that helps.
Best,
Suds.
hello sir..i have completed my BE in Cse…i have 18 months of work experience including 6 months of internship in sales and marketing from a flourishing recognized start up in india…iam really interested to study mba from tuck school..i have 95% in both 10 th 12th and cgpa of 8.5..my gre score is 306 and toefl score is 89.Do i have a chance to get into your school…considering my less work experience and scores.
Hi Pavithra,
Thanks for your note and question. Tuck requires a minimum of 2 years work experience at the time of matriculation, we count internship as part of that, so it seems like you’re able to apply. We don’t have a long history of accepting GRE scores, and we don’t require TOEFL as long as the medium of instruction in school and college in English. We’re truly holistic in our application review process (please be sure to read the many blog posts by yours truly on this platform). If and when you decide to apply, make sure you put your best foot forward and make the strongest application you possibly can. All the best with your future endeavors!
Suds.
Respected Sir, This is Vishnu, I had pursued BEeng Mechanical Engineering from University of Greenwich and have 3 years of experience in the Merchant navy. I am currently sailing as a 4th Engineer and I am very ardent to Shift to shore job. Thereby I need your guidance in what type of MBA should I pursue (For eg. Supply chain, marketting, logistics etc.). And also please tell the way for moving ahead with the particular type of MBA that your good self would suggest me. It will be highly appreciable if you could guide me with this question.
Vishnu,
Thanks for your query. What type of MBA you should pursue is up to you – I encourage you to think long and hard about what you’re good at and how you want to leverage your strengths to grow further in the future. There are sector-specific MBAs, general management MBAs, global MBAs, local MBAs – the flavors abound. At some point, you’ll need to give your GMAT. All things considered, which flavor of the MBA fits you best is something only you’re equipped to answer. So get going with the thinking hat on!
Best,
Suds.
Hi Suds,
I am a corporate lawyer with more than 5 years experience in transactional work (i.e. mergers & acquisitions etc) thinking of a transition to MBA. I have been researching on Tuck and trying to speak to Tuckies (notoriously difficult without common contacts!). How does Tuck look at lawyers (especially if they are Indian applicants). In most cases, lawyers tend to be wedded to their jurisdictions and may not necessarily have international experience (unless they are trained as international lawyers), is it a major factor? Thanks
Gokkamokka,
Thanks for your note and question. I’m quite surprised you’re unable to connect with Tuckies. If you haven’t you should sign up on Tuck Connections and you’ll be connected with a current student/alum that matches your criteria. Tons of Indian applicants connect every year with students and alums, through this program. International exposure doesn’t only mean you have to be based outside India. Have you worked on cross-border deals? Have you interacted with teams outside India as part of your work? How have you impacted the parties through your input? Think along these lines. And no, we don’t look at applicants with a law background any differently than we would look at any other applicant. It all boils down to how well have you researched the school, how well you have thought through your goals and how well you have articulated them. Good luck!
Best,
Suds.
Hello Stud,
My name is zamir, I have around 4 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry, I like to pursue MBA from a reputed B-school where my investment of time and money is worth.Which B School is good for an average student who is serious about his career.How to choose B schools?What are chances of getting funding for the Course?
Zamir,
Thanks for your note and question. As with any open-ended question, the answer is “it depends.” It depends on how high you want to aim; it depends on being mentally prepared for a marathon; it depends on how well you are able to articulate your accomplishments and failures; it depends on how solid your research of schools is so you know where you belong; it depends on how thorough your introspection is. And all this without the expectation that there’s even a single dollar or rupee of funding (if you manage to get it, then consider it bonus, but don’t expect it at the outset). That’s where I’d start. And things will start falling in place as you move forward. So get going!
Good luck with the planning process.
Best,
Suds.
Hello,
Your article was really helpful.
I am from india. I did my masters in earth sciences and have 4 years of on site tunneling experience in bhutan. Due to prolonged exposure to fumes and gases inside the tunnel i had lung infection and had to leave the job immidiately. after that i had 1 year gap from professional life. Now i want to do mba. I have 2 questions. How badly will this one idle year affect me during application in top b-schools. And 2ndly, being a geologist, will mba help me ?
Arghya,
Thanks for your query. Tackling your last question first, whether the MBA will help you is a function of what you want to accomplish – career-wise both in the short-term and the long-term. Getting an MBA just to check a box is hardly the wise thing to do. I encourage you to first think clearly about what you want to accomplish in life – reflect, introspect, discuss with family, etc., and come to a reasonable conclusion. If those plans merit doing an MBA, then you can consider it. About the gap in your career, think about what you have done while not working, and how you can articulate your experiences to the Admissions Committee. But those aspects of your candidacy come later. The most important consideration is whether the MBA is even the right thing for you to be doing given your professional and personal goals. So put that thinking hat on!
Good luck with your future endeavors.
Best,
Suds.
Dear Sudershan,
First of all, I would like to thank you for sparing out from your busy schedule and throw some light on this topic which is not covered really well on this internet.
I also have a similar query as asked earlier by few others but more specific to myself.
I have done my MBA from a reputed institute in India (FORE school of Management) and now have 4.5 years of experience post-MBA in the domain of Market Research. It seems that things are getting stagnated from career perspective and Market Research as an industry also not promising me a very bright future (my personal point of view, few may differ). Therefore, I am planning to do another MBA from abroad which could help me in changing my industry as well as my role.
Would request you to kindly throw some light on : –
1. Does it make sense for me to do another MBA right now or should I wait for some more years to gain experience and then think about it?
2. If you think that I should do it right now, then what are your thoughts on my candidature?
3. Will it provide me any advantage of already having an MBA degree?
Appreciate your help!
Thanks,
Arjun Singh
Arjun,
Thanks for the inquiry. While some business schools accept prior MBA degrees when admitting applicants, some other schools are wary of applying second-MBA applicants. So you might want to research schools that encourage second MBAs before jumping into the application process. As for the timing of the application – now or a few years down the lane – if you’ve already made up your mind to go for a second MBA, why delay? On the other hand, if you want to spend a few more years in the company and then get yourself sponsored for an Executive MBA, that’s something to think about as well. So figure out what you’re most interested in pursuing, and go all out. Hope that helps.
Best,
Suds.