10 things every MBA aspirant in India should keep in mind

It goes without saying that the popularity of an MBA as a preferred post-graduate degree is unprecedented, with more and more students slogging it out giving numerous exams in the hope of joining an elite B-school and landing a cushy job.

Incase, you're one of the lucky one about to start an MBA, we have some advise. Pause for five minutes and read this. Remember, an MBA degree would be useless if you don't make the most of it. On the other hand, don't let the course rule your life.

To help you, we dug up this post by Quora user Deepak Mehta, who went to IIM-Ahmedabad himself. Mehta addresses some key things every MBA student should keep in mind lest they don't have any regrets later. Mehta has divided his ten tips in two sections each- Pre-MBA and during MBA.

Read on:


Things you should keep in mind pre-MBA

1. Have a realistic view of the current job scenario:
Today is not the best time to do an MBA. The market is already flooded with thousands of us. Plus, the whole Euro crisis is still lingering and particularly the investment bank scenario doesn't look really good.

Growth is still slow. i-Banks are not hiring currently. And even if the entire economic downturn was to completely go away (for example, by magic), they still wouldn't. The reason being that during the boom and just before the bust, they over-hired.

2. Keep a check on expectations:
It's just another degree. Yes, they do teach you a lot of stuff in 2 years, but that's it. There is nothing magical about the course. It's just that currently the MBA degree is in hype, so you will get he perceived benefit of it. But do not expect that the course will make you the perfect manager or a suave entrepreneur.

3. The news are crap:
You know, the ones that your family and relatives rub your nose in once every year? The one that glorify a bunch of young, clueless people for having a 2 crore package? It's all crap. No one gets a 2 crore package. The highest you get in India would be Rs 40-45 lakh pa. And that too for i-Banks which are not hiring currently. Anything else would be a maximum of Rs 30lakh pa. And this too would be raked in by the top 5% of the batch. International salaries seem pretty high in absolute terms, but do remember to also factor in the PPP index to get a more realistic view.

4. Be ready to slog it out:
The MBA will be far more hectic than your undergrad. This is true irrespective of the college. So be ready for sleepless nights, multiple simultaneous deadlines, a few failures and stressful times.Also, there will be a lot of people far more intelligent, hard-working than you. So be ready to face really tough competition.

5. If you have time, develop your resume:
Admission is just the beginning. There's an entire trilogy after that - summer placements, final placements and then finally long-term job satisfaction.For the first two, you will need a stellar CV in order to maximize your chances of landing your dream job. So, utilize all the time you have now. Pep up your resume. Start reading up about economics and finance. There's literally thousands of resources - free e-books, blogs, courses, certifications on the internet.

Things you should keep in mind during the MBA

1. Academics:
Make the most of what you get during these 2 years. Attend all classes. Read as much as you can.Work smart. Exams aren't the perfect measure of ability and intelligence. However, they are the norm and you have to deal with it. So game the system. Go through previous years' papers. Know the most crucial and oft-asked concepts. Research about the type of questions that are asked for various subjects - case studies, MCQs, theory, calculation-intensive. Customize your prep plan accordingly.

2. Co-curriculars:
Make sure you have a decently diversified resume. Participate in case study competitions, B-plans, paper presentations. The exposure will be a really intense learning experience.

3. Clubs:
Follow the golden rule: Be part of 3 clubs - one that will help you with the placements, one that is in line with your interests and will help you hone your skills, one for fun.Do not overload yourself. Know when to say "no" or to walk away. People usually take on more responsibilities than they can manage. Don't do it.

4. Having fun:
As goes with everything, do not let one part of your life dominate the others. Hang out with friends, get drunk, go out on unplanned excursions, say yes to that late night movie even though you are extremely tired. Friends are always good to have. Make sure you have a few to last you more than 2 years.

5. The dreaded social media:
When you are a student, it is fine to have an archaic LinkedIn profile or a Facebook feed filled with stupid stuff teens do. However, recruiters nowadays actively scourge the social media profiles of potential candidates. So clean up your act, especially before placements. Do not let something as random as a stupid website ruin your chances.