The world outside awaits…….
Freshly out of a top tier B School, raring to go, equipped with analytical tools and the latest power point templates, lot of strategic work to be done, best of the best is what is at test, competition, jargons, Kotler & forces of Porter and a fat paycheck job; that is a typical mindset of a passing out/aspiring MBA. Aint it?
But as much as an MBA is raring to go and prove himself, so is the corporate world waiting to embrace him and cloud him in the shadows of unexpectedness. Well, not quite as scary as it sounds; but for most of them, it’s a job that is completely against expectations or decorated & conveyed JDs or textbook models. Some days of waiting for work, other days of trying to get your work done through a bureaucratic lot which would make u understand government functioning even better. And alas! final profile given against your choices and against your liking after a training where you think this is the last of it. U sulk, u dislike, u think “Ah! Wish there was a dislike button on my boss’ forehead like facebook”. “Is this the job for me”, ”is this why I did my MBA?”, “Is this how all organizations work?” , “all others have got a better profile”, “am sure there is a better job elsewhere!”. While these thoughts keep pinging your head every other day, u gradually come to terms with ground realities and realize that the bed of roses has ended, and the path is sure to lead to pinnacle, but is rocky. However, It is paved with roses.
What I am trying to convey is that the life in high paying roles post B Schools is not as fancy as it sounds for most of them. It applies to eighty percent of the lot and it has multiple effects; wherein you either take a couple of years to figure out what you actually like or you get acquainted to the constraints and make your way through it. Either ways, glory is sure to touch your feet. It’s just about managing your personal expectations vis-à-vis professional demands, strike a balance somewhere and then taking the status quo forward to achieve what you would define as SUCCESS. And yes, suddenly success becomes a relative term. A simple thumb rule with management jobs is ‘higher the job risk and work pressure, fatter will be your wallet!’ It is the decision to strike that balance that charts out your path. U can walk on the rocks, or tread near the rosy pavement or choose to take other route; either ways you will make it big.
MBAs we are!! True, the world awaits; but, Caution!!
