Help selecting MBA field - really clueless which one is good in the current scenario

Hello, I'm currently working as a software engineer, and I really need to pursue a part-time MBA. Could you please help me select an MBA field? I'm not a very talkative person, so I'm considering the Finance domain. I'm really clueless about which one would be good in the current scenario.

It all depends on what you like to do in the long term. I know of people who started out as engineers and ended up as professors teaching operations management and marketing management. I also know engineering graduates working in the financial sector and as accountants. Recently, I have come across a person who is pursuing a post-graduate degree in child psychology because her passion was to open a nursery for children. Hence, please put on your thinking cap and tell us what you feel passionate about and why you want to pursue an MBA.

Dear Harsh288,

Let me tell you, DECISION MAKING is an integral part of HR Management.

Being a SW Engineer, you should be in a position to decide what you NEED since the ultimate choice is yours.

However, since you have asked for guidance on this forum, I feel you should weigh all the options available to you and then choose the best one suited to you. Your decision-making process could include not only the options and their evaluation but also some other factors like:

1. Reason for your NEED
2. Your ultimate Objective
3. Your INTEREST (Most Important) - a branch that will give you Happiness all the way, while Learning as well as Practicing it.
4. Availability of the course in your current vicinity/online.
5. Part-Time availability and the possibility to attend classes without affecting your current work.
6. Affordability
7. Quality of the Institution (Faculty) - its reputation and standing in the Global Market
8. Chances of enhancement of your Job prospects after that Particular course (branch)
9. Lastly, MATCHMAKING - your plus points + your minus points

As a Management Faculty, I always feel one (every student) must evaluate in their mind WHAT they want from a Management course - 1. More money... 2. Certificate for Good prospects... or 3. Higher Knowledge and Happiness.

Once you have evaluated all, I am sure "U" will be able to see clearly what "YOU" want!... and that's Ultimately IMPORTANT.

My Best wishes to you.

Regards,

Dr. VS Rege

Dear Harsh,

I believe the best combination for you is HRM. After completing an MBA in HR, you can pursue a career as a software engineer and progress to the next level based on your experience and MBA degree. Another option for you is MIS, which is computer-related.

These are my suggestions, but, of course, your interests are paramount.

Regards,
Umm-E-Abdullah

You are in the planning stage right now. My suggestion - don't think about specialization yet. Almost all courses will be compulsory anyway for the first year. The best strategy would be to finish your first year, get more exposure into what each specialization entails, what type of stuff it includes. Gather more info and then make the decision when you have to choose your electives.

Also, "I am not talkative so rule out marketing" wouldn't be a smart strategy. Study compulsory courses on marketing (and finance and HR and strategy and systems), know more, and then decide which one you will do your best in.

As Bodhisutra said, you need not worry about specialization now. After finishing the first year of MBA, you can develop a fair idea about it. However, reflecting on the following factors may help you make a decision.

1) Try to understand what area of management interests you. The indicators of interest are: Do you feel passionate about it? Or do you enjoy talking about it? Suppose you are passionate about marketing but hesitate to opt for it because you do not have good communication skills or you are an introvert. In that case, try to overcome those weaknesses to study what you love rather than opting for something that does not interest you much.

2) Understand that communication does not mean being talkative. It involves talking that makes sense and is meaningful. Skills like communication can be acquired through coaching, self-learning, and practice. Traits like shyness and introversion can be changed into assertiveness and extroversion by conscious efforts we make to change, helped by the environment that facilitates such change. For example, being with marketing professionals for some time, observing them, and receiving training from them can help you change these traits.

3) Gather enough data about the field of your interest to know about it in its entirety. For example, the subject of marketing may make someone conjure up images of people sweating in the field under the searing sun, canvassing the products. It is not merely about canvassing products; it also includes other areas of specialization like brand management, media management, or market analysis, which may interest you. Therefore, gather enough data about the field of your interest.

Hope this helps.

B. Saikumar