4 Ways An Executive MBA In India Prepares You For A Top Management Role

No matter how content you are in any career path, there comes a time when you want to level up–and, for many, this means going into management.

Calcutta-born Srijita Neogy (pictured right) reached that point while working in India’s fast-growing tech industry. Though enjoying her analyst role at Tata Consultancy, she knew if she wanted to elevate her position she would have to make a conscious move to upskill.  

“I realized that if I really wanted to make that move to a leadership role, since I already had the technical skills, the next best path was to go for a management degree,” she says. 

With nine years of experience in the field, a regular MBA wasn’t quite going to cut it for Srijita. Instead, she decided to embark on the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC) Executive MBA program: a one-year intensive course designed for experienced professionals looking to transition into management.

Now a consultant at Accenture–a Fortune 500 company–the decision has clearly paid off. And Srijita is far from the only professional who has found success with an Executive MBA. 

Similarly, Shahvir Irani (pictured right) had been working for nine years as a computer engineer in London when he began to think about expanding his career opportunities.

When he finally came upon the IIMC MBAEx, it seemed like the perfect fit. Not only did its campus have an amiable, student vibe, the program also attracted an experienced cohort from a range of industries, such as IT, oil & gas, automotive, BFSI, Consulting, Defense, and others–the exposure to which led him to switch direction and to take up position as a HR lead at Accenture.

Plus, with a recent GMAC survey finding that almost 19 per cent of all Indian MBA candidates search for executive programs, the demand to gain skills in an already-competitive management landscape is clearly growing.

So, how exactly does an Executive MBA prepare you for a top management role? 

1. Develop experiential leadership skills 

There’s no better way to learn than by doing–especially when it comes to leadership. 

On the IIMC MBAEx, students are encouraged to enhance their management skills by engaging in real-life case studies as well as the Live Project, which allows students to work on a business or research project in any industry of their choice.

One course component that Srijita found particularly beneficial was a series of Managerial Communications workshops, which focus on developing students’ ability to command a team effectively through strategic communication.

“My ability to develop a narrative definitely improved,” she says. 

2. Expand your knowledge in new areas 

Given the decade Srijita spent working in tech, she felt her expertise was limited to one area upon enrolling in the MBAEx. 

However, once she started the program her horizons were immediately widened. 

The curriculum features core courses focusing on everything from math, to macroeconomics, to business ethics. 

“That gave me an understanding of the entire ecosystem; something that would be very important for me to position myself into mid management or a senior management role,” Srijita explains.

Plus, the course also offers a wide range of electives that students can pick in the second half of the one year program, including highly topical subjects such as Cybersecurity for Business, and Digital and Social Media Marketing. The variety of subjects allows IIMC MBAEx students to expand their knowledge in specific areas even further.

3. Broaden your career opportunities 

After Shahvir began the MBAEx he found that the diverse network of people–alongside the eclectic nature of the curriculum–provided him with the perspective necessary to pivot to an entirely new industry.

Though he initially took on a role post-graduation as a consultant at the telecommunications company, Ericsson, a recommendation from a batch colleague led to his decision to pursue a role as HR lead for Accenture instead. 

“The confidence I got to take the job was because the MBA had enabled me to see the broader world of what was out there,” Shahvir says. 

Typically, graduates of the IIMC MBAEx land placements a variety of top companies in diverse industry segments and roles.  

4. Gain a life-long network

As of now, a large part of Shahvir’s current day-to-day is spent listening to employee concerns, as well as designing and implementing workplace programs to benefit them. 

This is something that he feels the MBAEx prepared him well for, through opportunities to study core modules such as Human Behavior at Work, as well as undertake a program with a large focus on employee management. 

However, there are still times when Shahvir feels the need to reach out for additional advice–which is where his IIMC network comes in. 

“I’m still in touch with a few of the professors and my batchmates, and we still engage when we have doubts,” he says. 

He adds that he feels blessed to have had the opportunity to build such authentic and lasting relationships with his professors–a testament to the warm and open academic community that IIMC fosters.  

Ultimately, Shahvir believes that the most important thing any professional on the fence about pursuing an executive MBA can do, is to just take the plunge.

“It opens your mind to all the possibilities in the world,” he says.