Did you know that according to a report by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) approximately 23% of the graduating students in 2018 wanted to pursue higher studies in the genre of banking and finance? The world of finance is evolving and hence the banking sector is full of endless opportunities, especially for those who have an MBA degree. Post-graduation degree in Business administration develops in students develop exception communication, data analysis, time management, teamwork, critical thinking skills along with economic, commercial, and cultural awareness. The above-mentioned skills are highly required in the banking sector and hence MBA degree holders have promising career prospects in banking.

With the advancement of the finance world field and its related technologies more trained professionals in the field of banking, technologies are required to keep the business process running securely. So if you have an interest in businesses finance, accounting, or investment then pursuing an MBA will be a great career move for you.

However, you must also be curious about the career scopes MBA provides you elaborately.

Following are some of the prominent career advantages that an MBA can offer you:

• Ample job opportunities – Finance is an indispensable part of any organization, so there will always be a requirement for finance professionals. Upon completion of this postgraduate degree, you will be able to enjoy a fast track career, you can grab lucrative job offers like:
  • Bank Manager
  • Investment Banker
  • Financial Manager
  • Portfolio Manager
  • Financial Advisor
  • Equity Advisor
• Accesses a dynamic Industry - The banking industry will always be in business; it is dynamic too but it will never be out of business. Even if there is a recession or in times of ups and downs in an organization, there will always be a need for banking professionals. Furthermore, banking jobs profiles are well moderated which makes them a safe career choice.
• Numerous job opportunities and Scope of further education - International Business provide you ample job opportunities some of which we have mentioned above, however, while completing the course you can explore your fields of interest and make a career in the respective field. This course additionally provides you a scope of further education or professional education if you are willing.
• Lucrative Salaries - Completing this professional degree course makes you capable of earning jobs with lucrative salaries and excellent benefits. However, a lot will depend on the organization you choose to work with but be assured that you are already holding a poised position. In case you have prior experience, accomplishing this course will open to you more career-enhancing opportunities.

MBA is typically a four-semester program that prepares students for a managerial and advisory position in banks or other financial institutions. This course aims to convert students to skilful banking professionals who can provide innovative banking solutions by understanding the modernization needs and the evolving consumer behaviour trends. MBA pass-outs are trained to build profitable business models, implement automation in the banking procedures, introduce digital payment systems and create a highly secured banking system. A management degree is hence a good choice if you are looking for a professionally successful career.

Unconventional B school interview questions you should prepare for!
“Tell us something about yourself”?
Or
“Describe some of your best achievements”?
Or
“What is your goal after MBA”?

These are some of the mandatory questions that might come to you when you are preparing for your MBA interview. Personal interviews serve various purposes to B schools (Business Schools) and each of them follows a different pattern. For some institutions, interviews act as screening tools while some interviewers sketch down the psychology and personality of prospective students by using an unconventional questionnaire. Some B schools even use interviews for gathering information about the students.

While there are plenty of resources for preparing for the common interview, the unconventional is the most dreadful. Here we have lined down some unconventional categories of questions you must prepare for your B school interviews.

Question about failures:
Look at the below questions:

• Describe a failure in which you were involved.
• Provide an example of a team failure of which you have been apart. If given a second chance, what would you do differently?
• Give an example of a failure.
• Describe a situation where you failed and how the experience. . .impacted your relationships with others.
• Tell me about a time you failed.

All these are some unconventional questions you might come across in B school interviews. We all surely prepare for answering questions on achievement, however, we tend to fumble when we are asked about our failures. The interviewer’s motive is not about finding your failures but knowing how you dealt with that episode of your life and what you learned from it.

You will have to handle such questions tactfully. Instead of narrating your fears, you must describe them how you handled your fears, what you learned from those incidents, and how you emerged stronger from them. In this way, you will create an impression that you have dealt with even a discomfiting situation as a positive one. Remember never to pass on the blames of your actions on others, it proves a sense of responsibility.

Questions on Personal Weakness
Refer to these two questions:

• What are your weaknesses?
• What is your biggest weakness?

Responses to such personal questions too should be answered in a positive tone. You can highlight sharable personal stories of how despite having a personal weakness, you emerged from a situation. However, it would be cleverer if you can highlight instances of situational weakness instead of character weakness.

The motive of your interviewer is to understand whether you will be able to contribute actively throughout the program. He/she will also try to accesses whether you have a clear vision of your future and whether you are confident enough to use your MBA degree for productive purposes in life.

Though an interview is not a mandatory medium for admission to a B school, if you do not present yourself confidently, you might miss your dream school! So keep your chins high and do your interview homework well. Follow these tips and prepare for unconventional B schools' interview questions.

The world today is digitally interconnected and for every business to flourish, the management must be acquainted with international contexts. Organizations hence look for qualified professionals who are trained to ideate strategies and resolve org level issues on a global level. An MBA degree in International Business (IB) trains you in understanding the global economic trends and solve cross-culture problems and also implementing leading global trends in the domestic business for expansion and growth. Apart from ideating and implementing strategies, a student of International business has the scope of traveling abroad to understand cross-culture trends which can aid in the growth of a corporation.

Pursuing MBA in International Business

Pursuing a degree in international business does not need you to be in European or American nations, there are many top-grade colleges in India where you can pursue this course. Typically, MBA in International Business is an extensive two years course in International business that is comprised of a comprehensive combination of both theoretical and practical knowledge that helps students to gain acumen over workplace ethics as well as solve business challenges.
The eligibility criteria are

• Having a bachelor's degree with 50% aggregate.
• Having a CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA, CMAT score, or any other similar qualifying examination.
• Those who are in the final semester of their graduation are eligible to apply.

 This course is a great scope for working professionals to augment their careers. Apart from the solid foundation of the management and International business discipline, this course imparts education in Marketing, Finance, and HR.

Career scopes with MBA in International Business

We all pursue higher education to achieve higher ambition and, MBA in International management offers one. Pass outs of IB management are hired by top-tier organizations like Amazon, Apple, Bank of America, Walmart, Cognizant, Capgemini, Deloitte, Wipro, Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Accenture, TCS, BCG, Goldman Sachs, and its contemporaries. Upon completion of the course, the students acquire all the required expertise and subjective knowledge regarding the international market scenarios and contemporary economic trends. They can hence choose from an array of career opportunities in their preferred geographic location.

You will not only have the scope of working for big corporates but also working in association with the government departments. However, if you have a knack for entrepreneurship, your studies in International Business will be your asset as you have a fair understanding of the global financial scenario with acumen in research and analytics. With a degree in International Business, you can achieve any of the following roles.

• International finance executive
• Foreign exchange management
• International marketing
• International logistics
• Management analyst
• Administrative service manager
• Chief executive officer
• Consultant for an international organization
• Export and import management
• Export coordinator

These are only some opportunities we have mentioned here, you can also explore opportunities like the business manager (domestic and international) or investment-banking manager. As we said there are endless opportunities for exploring, and it is up to you how you are going to explore your skills.

In today’s world, there is an enormous choice of careers to choose from and a plethora of well-educated people to compete with. Finding the right post-graduate program to enroll in often proves to be quite a challenge for students to choose from so many career choices. However, if you have made up your mind to start a business of your own or join your family-owned business then look no further, an MBA is the best fit for you. Pursuing MBA will provide you with the required knowledge, skills, and morals that will help you to fit right in with the business community.

Top Reasons as to why to pursue MBA:

1. High Salary package: Whether in any private or public company, it is a well-known fact that an individual holding an MBA degree’s salary package will be significantly higher compared to the one without an MBA degree.
2. Start your venture: With an MBA degree, many graduates can pursue their dream of becoming an entrepreneur. By pursuing an MBA degree, you can attain the required knowledge and practice that will be needed to develop and operate your venture. While pursuing your MBA degree you will be trained in business management, planning, and handling of finances. All the aforementioned skills will be a perfect blend for you to manage your business effectively while playing an important role in developing the economy of the country.
3. Better career opportunities: The curriculum of MBA programs is designed in such a way that you get a broader knowledge across varied verticals. During the tenure of the 2 years program, several core areas are covered, including but not limited to, Human resources, Communication skills, Statistics, Technology, and Information systems, Economics, and Finance. Gaining expertise in these key areas will qualify you to pursue a successful career in multiple areas and business sectors as well as public sectors.
4. Great opportunity to expand your networks: Pursuing MBA provides opportunities to meet new people across different industries and expand your network. During your 2 years course, you will get an opportunity to meet people who include: recruiters, keynote speakers, prominent leaders from the industry, budding entrepreneurs, etc. Pursuing MBA will allow you to meet and interact with future and ideal business managers and executives.
5. Improves communication skills: In the MBA program, you will be taught how to speak, communicate effectively, carry out business conversations, etc. You will be trained to develop effective presentations. Having a stronghold on your communication skills is very important since it plays a major role in the business world.
6. Personal Development: After pursuing MBA it makes you a completely different person, ready to compete in any aspect of the world. It will give you a new outlook and a different perspective on the business world. In the MBA program, you will develop survival skills, professionalism, expert communicators, etc.

Tips for Excelling in an MBA Program:
The MBA program is a great opportunity to upscale your knowledge of the business world and to pursue valuable skills for a successful career after graduation. But between the links to the completion, there is a certain task that needs to be completed to have a successful career. Below are some tips that will help you excel in the MBA program.

1. Be clear on the objectives: One of the best ways to excel in your MBA program is to be very clear with the objectives. With a set objective it will help you in choosing the right course and the specialization and you can concentrate on the course completion without any second thoughts in mind.
2. Get your priorities set: Among the tasks listed, it is very important to list out the activities that are on priority. Learning to prioritize the tasks helps you to succeed not only in the MBA program but also in balancing work out in the competitive world.
3. Ask for help when needed: If you get stuck in one activity then it is always advised to ask your teammates, professors, alumni to help you out in the work they will only add on or enhance your learning experience. There is no shame in asking for help from others when needed.
4. Study tactically: When you are studying MBA, your time is very valuable. It is of utmost importance to maximize your time by developing good study habits. To boost your daily productivity in your studies is it always advised to prepare a to-do list one day prior. Doing this will help you sort your task and help you to achieve your goals.
5. Take adequate rest: Studying and completing the task might be tiresome and might end up consuming an entire day. It is important to make sure there are sufficient and frequent breaks in between long hours of study. Taking a power nap and going to bed on time will help. You may also try to do some meditation and yoga to keep you focused and active.

All said and done, if the business is the way forward, there can be no better degree than an MBA. From bringing out effective communication skills to developing business acumen, an MBA degree outclasses most other degrees and helps in developing character and a strong business sense.

In today’s competitive world, it is of utmost importance for MBA graduates to have skills that will enable them to stand out from the crowd. One of the best ways to do this is to pursue a dual specialization MBA program. Such programs offer dual specializations, which are highly desired by recruiters as they look for people who can handle a lot of responsibilities and bring in experience from two different functional areas.

What is Dual Specialization MBA Program?

The dual specialization MBA is a two-year post-graduate program. The program focuses on offering students skills that will help them take up attractive positions in industry, trade, commerce, and other services. The dual specialization MBA program emphasizes on professional skills of the students in various ways. It is done both systematically and creatively to improve business and management practices.

The program offers specific training to students and empowers them to work with self-determination and have an innovative mind. In addition to this, students are equipped with skills that they can use to apply the knowledge they have learned and in general contribute to business and society as a whole. The dual specialization MBA program offers students various career options, like accounting, business technologies, communications, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, operations management, organizational leadership, etc.

Duration of the Program

The dual specialization MBA is a two-year degree program with equal emphasis on two separate verticals. The program offers a Master’s degree in two different concentrations.

Why should you pursue an MBA?

Below are the top reasons as to why you should consider pursuing an MBA:

1. Higher salary package: Individuals with an MBA degree have better chances of being hired and getting a better salary package than individuals without an MBA degree. The differences in the salary packages are also evident. This is mainly because the MBA degree holder will be much more capable of handling business and managerial roles.
2. Start your venture: Many MBA degree holders can fulfill their dreams of becoming successful entrepreneurs. The MBA degree will provide the requisite knowledge and practice needed to develop and operate one’s own business. In MBA programs, one is taught business management, planning, handling of finances, and managing the business efficiently and effectively.
3. Better job prospects: An MBA program provides various options for graduates to explore their interests. There are many core areas for students to pursue their studies, including human resources, technology and information systems, finance, and economics.
4. Better networking: Meeting new people is one of the advantages of pursuing an MBA degree. This helps in building and expanding your professional network, which can always come in handy. Interactive programs are part and parcel of an MBA program, where students get a chance to meet alumni and prominent leaders of various industries, which proves beneficial for their future.
5. Enhances knowledge: An MBA degree provides an in-depth view of the business world, enabling students to pursue their dreams without looking back. Business decision-making is something that the individuals pursuing an MBA degree are taught in their courses, and thus they have no trouble in taking calculated decisions and risks with confidence.
6. Boosts communication skills: Pursuing an MBA degree boosts students’ communication skills and teaches them to communicate clearly and specifically. Students are taught how to effectively put down their thoughts and opinions which makes them create effective presentations that can be of immense significance in the business world.
7. Personality development: The change in the personality of an MBA student is visible almost immediately after the program commences. A new outlook and impressive communication skills are just some of the highlights that one can see in an MBA student’s personality. There is no doubt that one’s perception towards life and business gets altered for the better after completing an MBA degree.

Advantages of Dual Specialization in MBA

1. Market Trends: Throughout the businesses, market trends drive the careers of students. In such cases, a dual specialization opens up varied avenues for students in various areas of business. With the diverse skills acquired in the dual specialization program, market trends can be an opportunity for development rather than a hindrance in your path to success.
2. Job Security: When you are skilled in more than one field, there are higher chances of being employed and having a secure job. Having job security enhances one’s work performance and gives more confidence to survive in the harshly competitive world.
3. Networking: The dual specialization MBA allows students to work on their professional network, build connections, communicate effectively, and helps them become good entrepreneurs, leaders, and team players.
4. Versatility: A dual specialization program allows a student to explore more diverse career options. Having options is always good, as it helps you make calculated decisions and choices based on your interests. Dual specialization program graduates are better equipped with industry-specific skills and have the upper hand over management graduates with a single specialization.
5. Entrepreneurial Edge: A dual specialization degree empowers students with knowledge of different kinds of specializations. These are the situations where they learn to tackle critical situations that go a long way in helping them in their future career.

In conclusion, a dual specialization MBA degree takes the already beneficial MBA program to another level and adds even more advantages to it with a variety of skills, knowledge, business handling capabilities, and many more rewards that help students pursue careers of their choice. Aspiring students need to look no further than a dual specialization MBA for a successful career.

Today, most organizations seek additional qualifications while hiring for technical roles, which are mostly filled by engineers. Organizations scout for employees who have a basic understanding of the business environment and who can lead teams in the future. They also look for leaders who can drive the business initiatives and projects by taking ownership of the tasks assigned to them. These days, management skills have become the key requirements of the organizations that are considered before hiring. Hence, technical skills along with managerial skills are essential to have in your future workplace.

B.Tech graduates students can pursue their MBA degrees either from India or from foreign countries. However, before pursuing an MBA one should clear the standard entrance exams like CAT, MAT. Other entrance exams include XAT, SNAP, GMAT, CMAT, etc. These exams can be challenging and tough nuts to crack but one can clear the entrance exams by early preparations and proper dedication. Once you clear the entrance exams, the institute might call the student for group discussion and personal interview. However, many MBA colleges prefer students who have a minimum of 2-3 years of work experience.

Why should you pursue MBA after Engineering?
Getting into a suitable and technical role is perfect for those who have sound and in-depth technical knowledge. Most engineering professionals dream of working in multi-national companies which one can achieve with the right skills and directions. To reach higher designations in the company it is of utmost importance for one to have managerial skills.
Therefore, to break through from a technical role and smoothly traverse up in their career to fill managerial roles, it makes absolute sense for engineering graduates to get into an MBA program.
Below are the pointers as to why should you pursue MBA after Engineering:

1. Gain Managerial Expertise: A B.Tech graduate student will possess all the technical skills that an engineer should have. They will have a strong base in Mathematics, Statistics, and broad domain knowledge about the specialization taken in the B.Tech course. However, it is very essential to pursue MBA to help one have business and management skills that are essential to managerial and other senior-level roles in an organization. MBA will help one understand the importance and role of the human factor in business. One will get to know more about business communication, business intelligence, human resources, crisis, and time management, and much more. Pursuing MBA after B.Tech gives a clear picture of both technical as well as business management skills.
2. Demand for Dual Specialization: In the present scenario, professionals should pursue advanced training certifications. Organizations hire professionals who can wear multiple hats simultaneously and can consequently add more value to the organization. Pursuing dual specialization will benefit one since they will have the required skills and knowledge to handle both technical as well as a managerial side which makes the professionals a valuable asset for the company.
3. High Pay Scale: Generally, the pay scale in any organization depends on multiple factors like candidates’ qualifications, work experience, skill set, etc. However, if a candidate is graduated from B.Tech and MBA from a reputed institute will be drawing a higher package from the ones who do not. Candidates tend to get a higher package since they qualify for dual specialization and will have more knowledge both in terms of business and technical aspects which companies consider while hiring an employee.
4. Enhanced Career Prospects: MNCs hire candidates who possess a strong grasp of a technical background with management skills. Professionals who are MBA graduates will come on the top list since they all will be informed about the basics of the business domain
5. Personality Development: Although MBA teaches the fundamentals and managerial aspects of a business, it also helps a student develop soft skills, communication skills, crisis management, and leadership which results in the overall development of one’s personality. An MBA program helps students develop their confidence levels, and making them ready for the real world.

Advantages of Pursuing MBA after B.Tech:

1. A better understanding of business as a whole: Pursuing an MBA will help one understand the various conditions of the business environment. Engineers will have different perspectives on different business problems. After the completion of an MBA, one will be able to adjust themselves to the complex and dynamic environment of the organization and also learn to solve the problems strategically with different teams.
2. Climb up the corporate ladder: The corporate world eagerly looks for skilled engineers with an MBA degree. Technical education with a combination of management skills is the key to climb the corporate ladder quickly. An MBA degree after engineering will fast-track your career and will help you crack into mid and senior management roles at a quicker pace.
3. Develop managerial skills: As an engineer, it is common to have great command over the technical side of work along with scientific acumen. Couple that with managerial skills and that will build up the concepts of finance, marketing, and communication, human resource management, time management, enterprise management, and more. These skills are extremely sought after by most companies and are hence very important for those who want to take up managerial roles going forward in their careers.
4. Command higher salaries: The salary slab for a particular job depends on various factors, chief among which is the candidate’s educational background. Apart from that, experience level and skillsets are also highly desired. Pursuing an MBA degree after completing graduation in engineering will help raise one’s salary bar drastically.
5. Better career prospects: Many of the large conglomerates recruit candidates with a combination of technical and sound management skills. There is no shortage of jobs for candidates that possess both. Furthermore, industries such as IT/ITES, BFSI, E-commerce, Healthcare, and others seek such professionals, considering them ideal for the job.
6. Developing a personality: An MBA program teaches students soft skills, communications skills, leadership qualities, team spirit, organizational skills, presentation skills, and many such skills which are highly desirable. These are key in the overall development of a professional and are commonly referred to as ‘Personality Development’. The MBA program also assists students to become confident professionals.
7. Become entrepreneurs: For aspirants who have a product or a business idea, an MBA program will help them set up their own business from scratch, by developing entrepreneurship skills. Engineers are usually technically sound in their specific domain of expertise but often lack business acumen. This is where an MBA fills in the gap by making them better entrepreneurs. They will be able to produce and market their offerings and ideas in a much better way to create profitable businesses.