Excelling in MBA in the times of Covid- What all to keep in mind

Given the numerous MBA entrance exams planned for 2021, it is imperative that students understand how the online education system is evolving. Both work and education have shifted online, transforming how management education and training are delivered. According to reports, the placement of India’s management school graduates reached an eight-year high in 2019–20, despite the country still grappling with the second wave of the pandemic. This demonstrates the resilience of MBA education in India and the growing importance of digital learning platforms in preparing future business leaders.

Considering the current stagnation in the national market, what motivates top corporations to actively hire and offer competitive compensation to management graduates? With the ongoing shift in teaching methods and styles, especially towards online and hybrid learning, what should students keep in mind to excel academically? Most importantly, what key qualities and skills must you develop to become the “hot pick” for your ideal business in today’s competitive job market?

Often, students are observed treating online education in a trifling manner because of its unavoidable drawbacks and loopholes. Various major aspects of interpersonal growth like presentation skills and communication skills have been inevitably compromised upon. Various online course provider portals offer free as well as paid courses where one can learn about developing soft skills, presentation skills and other skills as well. Students should make sure they are capable of confidently presenting themselves. These skills are most neglected upon by the students but are quite essential before entering into the corporate world. The pandemic has changed the ongoing industry requirements in various domains of the workforce and so has it increased the benchmark for the students to make themselves “count” in the rat-race.

It becomes essential for students to understand the industry requirements in their respective domains as it helps one understand the areas to majorly focus on during their tenure of MBA. Online Learning is more of a proactive process of studying. Apart from college curriculum students should take up research projects to apply what they’ve studied in their academics. Such research projects signify that one has understood the concepts and also adds up value to the resume. Students are advised to write the research papers under the guidance of a faculty from the college.

Apart from doing well in college examinations, students should actively look to participate in intra and inter- collegiate competitions organized by various colleges across India. Such participations not only build up one’s competitive spirit but also provides with an exposure to people from various streams and domains. In the times when answering in examinations are suspicious to malpractices and unfair means, such certifications not only proves your mettle but also adds a great value to the resume. Dare2Compete (D2C) is one online global platform that provides students, professionals and educators opportunities to participate and organize various business competitions like Case Study Challenges, Hackathons, Quizzes, Article and Blog writing competition and many more. Students can simply register themselves on D2C by logging in with their Email IDs. B-Schools have various “Cells” or “Student Committee” which are managed and run by the students themselves under the guidance of concerned faculties. By being a member of various cells, students can develop the ability to work in team and learn to generate synergy. Cells organize and manage various competitions and events which helps student in exploring their creativity and managerial skills. Management certificates indicates that student is capable of working in team and possesses leadership and managerial skills.

MBA is not just about sorting, organizing and showcasing the data in the most presentable way but its ambit is much more than that, which is coming up with innovative strategies and long-range blue prints for the organization. Entrepreneurship is one quality one should try to self introspect and foster during the 2 years of MBA. B-Schools heavily promote ideas and business plans and even fund potential ideas.

The biggest litmus test is starting a business of your own! Being a student entrepreneur proves that you can multi-task and this will surely result in a gold star on your resume as well as impressed future employers. Take advantage of mentorship programs and all the resources available by the college. A growing trend noticed over the past few years is the rising interest in working for start-ups.

The rate of growth along with competitive salaries attracts MBA students to these aspiring enterprises. This is a mutually beneficial situation as the start-ups also gain from having MBA graduates in their company.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything about how we learn and work, and Vivekanand Business School (VBS) quickly adapted to keep students on track. Even when classes couldn’t happen in person, VBS shifted to online teaching without letting the quality drop. The teachers stayed connected, making sure students understood concepts well and didn’t miss out on practical learning.

Besides regular classes, VBS organized online workshops, webinars, and industry talks to help students improve important skills like communication, leadership, and teamwork. They encouraged students to take part in virtual competitions and research projects, so learning stayed active and engaging even from home.

Thanks to this strong support and flexible approach, VBS students continued to do well in placements during the tough pandemic times. This showed that with the right guidance and resources, it’s possible to keep growing and succeed—no matter the challenges. Vivekanand Business School’s focus on adapting quickly and supporting its students helped many future business leaders stay motivated and prepared for their careers.

Lastly, Students should keep on networking and making new connections. Starting from your first day at B-school, get into the habit of introducing yourself and talking to new people. This ability will help you meet a variety of people across ages and industries. You never know just when a group mail could result in you landing your first job! Create your profiles on job portals like LinkedIn etc. Interact with more and more people, exchange ideas, learn a bit about something even if it is not about your domain.

Networking is very essential, especially for budding entrepreneurs. The saying “Your Network is your Net-worth” is an axiom in today’s time and students should continuously interact with as many people as they can and establish connections.

Dhawal S Mamtora
PGDM 2020–22
Vivekanand Business School