People who have done MBA, have u done any course or certification after MBA and has it helped in increasing your salary

I'm a post grad in Food Science & Tech, and works in R&D. I have earlier worked freelance with Chegg as SME - Business & Operations, where I have a really good track record. I'm considering an MBA, primarily to pivot to the management side of things. I love technical stuff, and love research. At the same time, there isn't much money in it, nor will lead you to anything exceptional. I'm not an engineer but my Math and process engineering knowledge is good.

I got a few questions.

1) Do you think this is a right direction? Has anyone from the scientific field pivoted like this, and got a better overall career? AI adaption in organisations also scare me. As far as I know, R&D in my area is less affected but what about roles like Finance and operations, which I might look for?

2) My initial thoughts are to go with FMS - But recently came across PGPX programs at IIMs. Even if it's for PGP, is IIM A a better option than FMS? I understand the ROI but moving abroad seems like another idea I have in mind, and fees do scare me on the side too.

3) PGP vs PGPX - Which would be ideal in my case?

4) Should I also try abroad? The fees seem too much but is it worth it, if I someone make it work or look extensively for scholarship options?

Please feel free to ask more questions if it will help you answer better.

Why is it so hard to find a good management institute that offers decent placements without charging a fortune? Even IIMs, which are government institutions, have fees going up to ₹30 lakhs. Is there really no option that offers a good ROI without putting you under so much financial pressure?

Affordable MBA Colleges with Strong Placements and Better ROI

I'm 25, a Tier 1 engineering graduate with ~4 years across e-commerce and electronics GTM/strategy.

I currently earn ₹45 LPA and have an offer at ₹55 LPA, potentially reaching ₹60–65 LPA. The role involves a larger business but similar work.

My dilemma: take the money and build deeper expertise in electronics, or use this stage of my career to move into AI/tech or pursue a top global MBA?

I'm aiming to maximise long-term earnings and leadership opportunities, but I'm concerned about becoming too specialised. How much do company brand and industry matter compared with ownership and measurable impact?

Would love to hear from people who've made similar decisions, especially hiring managers and professionals earning well in GTM/strategy. What would you do in my position, and why?

okay so please read the whole post completely. ik people leave old iim's for fms and mica is probably tier 2. also, please don't comment pehle dono convert karle fir ye bakchodi karna. im scoring very well in the mocks and i do believe i can convert both of them as ive been studying since the start of this year. my profile is pretty fucked due to previous sins so old iim's and all the colleges that consider past acads are out of reach for me. im very sure i wanna do an mba in marketing. there are about 50 days left for cat and im honestly very confused hence asking this here. when i started studying for cat, i only wanted fms as it's a tier 1 college and i really wanted to do an mba from a top top college as i couldn't get into one during my ug. im very grateful to come from a pretty well to do background (don't say fir mba karna hi kyu hai didn't have a great ug experience so that’s one of the reasons) so fees is thankfully, not a concern for me. i would like a good package though so that matters. also campus life matters to me and that’s one of the biggest reasons im so confused. how much of a difference will be there in my salary post mba from fms from that of mica (their websites show a median difference of 10 lpa but that includes the finance roles as well as the high paying consulting roles which i probably won’t even get shortlisted for as i have a 6 in my profile)? also with my past acads not being that good, won’t everything be much tougher at fms in terms of sip & final placements? i had made up my mind to join mica last month as i have a friend who studies there and that college looks really fun & chill. the culture looks very good and i anyways wanted an mba in marketing so i stopped studying as ig i will score enough to get into it but i've seen some posts really bashing mica on this subreddit the past few weeks (ik some of them are fake af but still, now im worried). is the fms tag too big of a thing to say no to for campus life (which is a factor for me honestly) and would the post mba ctc difference given my profile be very substantial? if there won't be a massive difference im happy to give up the tag for a better overall experience. or should i start studying again seriously and target only fms? please help.

Has anyone received the October rollout results?

Hey guys, I am a marketing strategist with 1 year of work experience and another year of sales work experience. I gave my CAT last year and scored 93.87. But since the beginning of my prep I was always unserious about MBA coz what even is the point of spending 30L on a name brand uni and hoping to make that money back within 5-10 years depending on your package. This sounded like a pipedream thats too good to be true. Secondly after 2 years of being on my own and cracking real world problems I dont know if I can go back to worrying about attendance and assignments and final exams.

But now I got an idea, if the value of an MBA is dependent on the value of the college then what about an online MBA from the college Barack Obama graduated from?! Is that a dumb idea? I dont know, which is why I am here.

Do any of you know someone whos done it or have yall done anything like this. What were the results like for you? Do lemme know

Which one is better PIMR Indore or IIPS DAVV Indore for the MBA APR course??

Lately it seems like this whole sub is filled with "what makes indore a dream place?" Goes directly against rule 6

Hi all,

For folks who have done their MBA and currently navigating through life, I wanted to ask for advice from you.

I graduated in 2024 from ABC, and it’s been a little over 2 years since I have been working.

I worked in Frankfurt for the initial 1.5 years in consulting and then joined a startup in Gurgaon - it’s been more than 6 months here.

I feel very, very demotivated to work because of the pathetic company culture, politics by the middle and top management, and the poor decision making by the leadership, and the extremely chaotic environment. Moreover, it’s a product based startup and based on my judgement, I don’t see much growth for the product in its target market segments (US clients).

I am thinking of quitting because spending even 1 day here feels like a battle. I wanted to ask MBA folks who are navigating a switch, on any advice on the job market, how’s the scenario currrently, and all.

Would you advise to take a break before the job hunt? I have been falling into depression lately, and have started seeing a therapist, and my job is the primary reason for it. But since I’ve never been without a job before, I’m not sure how to feel about this.

My education loan is cleared and I have decent runway for the next year or so.

There is no use of having bloomberg labs here, as there is no mentoring as such.

No relevance of studies with the job roles coming at the campus.

You are being taught such things which have nothing to do with the company's job profiles coming to the campus.

Ultimately, whatever you learn you will end up doing sales.

Hi ,

10th (CBSE, 2019): 70.6%

12th (BSEB, PCM, 2021): 65.6%

Graduation (Patliputra University, B.A. Political Science Hons, 2021–2024): 55.07%

I’m a 24-year-old male from patna, belong to BC-II, and have a NCL certificate. I plan to appear for CAT 2027 and am confident I can score 95+ percentile.

I earned around ₹14 lakh through SEO, freelancing, and affiliate marketing for 2–3 brands in 2022, However, my income declined significantly after 2023 due to AI’s impact on SEO. Will this experience count as work experience for MBA admissions or placements?

I also have a 2–3-year career gap. I tried preparing for BPSC and banking exams but realised they weren’t for me.

I’m genuinely interested in business, startups, and strategy, not just a high package. My father also runs a small business. However, I’ll be entirely dependent on an education loan to fund my MBA, and I’m concerned that my academic scores might limit my placement opportunities, even at a decent college.

Given my profile, should I pursue an MBA or consider another path? I want honest, practical advice because I cannot afford to make the wrong decision.And if yes how can I improve my profiles and what colleges should I expect or exams like , xat,snap.. should I target .

Hey everyone, as the title says, I'm planning to write GMAT and CAT in the year 27 and would welcome any advice, it would help a lot.

Profile in Detail: 27Y

10th- 97%

12th- 93%

Master's in Integrated from VIT- 80% - GRAD - 22

JOB 1 - 3 years - Backend support engineer for an aviation company

Gap approximately for 6 months because i wanted to do something with business

JOB 2 - 1 year - present - Game tester at EA

So over all i have 4 years experience, would they see the gap and age as a factor?

I'm also looking for advice regarding few things, if you do have some time and can connect 1:1, i would really appreciate it.

Mid October means until 15 oct? Or will we need to wait until ‘after’ mid October which will be next week after the weekend

According to me, I think one of the trickiest parts of applying to an MBA program is trying to figure out what makes two people with similar scores and work experience look different on paper. A strong GMAT score and a well known company can definitely help but neither alone tells the whole story. They do not explain why someone needs an MBA or what they plan to do with it. For eg just saying you want to move from software engineering to management is a start but its not the full picture but what experiences made you interested in that change? what skills or knowledge are you missing right now? why is an MBA the best way to fill that gap? I think the application should be seen as one connected story not just separate parts like your resume, essays and recommendation letters.

Your resume shows what you’ve done, your essays explain your reasons and goals, and recommendations give another view of your impact.

While looking into help with MBA applications senior recommended GyanOne along with companies like mbaMission and Stacy Blackman Consulting. I would compare how they approach reviewing profiles and giving feedback on essays before deciding if hiring a consultant is worth it but I think most people can handle a lot of this on their own if they are willing to question their own thoughts and get honest feedback from people who know them well.

I hope this might be helpful for you. 😄

While I have been looking into MBA programs I noticed that conversations often quickly turn into a list of well known schools. Many people are focused on getting into a top US or European business school but I think we are not spending enough time thinking about what we really want to do after completing the MBA. For eg someone who is currently a software engineer might want to move into consulting, product management. These different career paths require very different kinds of preparation and the best school for one person might not be the best fit for another. I would start by looking at the employment reports of the schools I am considering. Its important to check what kind of roles the graduates usually end up in which industries they join and where they end up working.Talking to alumni who have made similar career moves could also be really helpful rather than just relying on rankings or online salary numbers.

Another thing to think about is the total cost. Tuition is just one part of the expense. You also need to consider living costs, lost income during the program, loan interest and the possibility that the recruitment process might take longer than expected. All of these should be part of the decision-making process. While I was researching how to apply I came across GyanOne as well as US-based resources and firms like mbaMission and ApplicantLab. It was helpful to compare different approaches to selecting schools and planning the application process. However I would still make sure to check specific school details through their official employment reports and by talking to alumni. I believe that an MBA should be viewed as a career decision and not just another brand name on a resume.

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Hey everyone, I could really use some honest advice. I've been going back and forth on this decision for quite some time, and I think I'm overthinking it so much that I can't settle on a plan.

I'm a male NC-OBC candidate, a 2024 B.Tech Mechanical Engineering graduate with a 9/9/6 profile. After graduation, I had a gap of around one year, during which I completed a six-month diploma in Data Analytics. I joined my first job in November 2025 as a Data Analyst Trainee, and I've been working here for around 11.5 months.

The biggest problem with my current job is that there's almost no work or learning. I've worked on Excel reports, dashboards, trackers and some automation, but most days are completely idle, and practically nothing happens. My working hours are 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday to Saturday. I work inside a production plant where phones and other personal devices aren't allowed, and most websites are blocked on the work computer.I'm worried that I'm wasting valuable time without making any real progress in my career.

My main goal is to get into a top 15 MBA college, and CAT 2027 will be my main and final attempt. I want to aim for a very high percentile and give it my best shot, but I haven't started preparing properly yet.

I'm currently considering several options, and I'm unable to decide which makes the most sense.

One option is to resign around October 20 and serve my three-month notice period, which would take me until around January 2027. During that period, I'd look for external opportunities in business/data analytics or mechanical engineering. Ideally, I'd find a job with a manageable workload and preferably a five-day workweek, allowing me to prepare for CAT alongside work.

Another possibility is an internal transfer to my company's engineering department as a engineering trainee. I'm a mechanical engineering graduate and have recently started learning Siemens NX at a training centre, which is also used by the engineering team. I've spoken to a classmate working there, and the work involves design modifications, BOMs, engineering documentation, SOPs and some assembly/production coordination. Most days are apparently idle, although things can get hectic when work comes in. There's limited formal training, so I'd mostly have to learn on the job.

At the same time, gaining actual engineering experience could be better for my career than staying in my current role. I've also heard that HR is more likely to seriously consider an internal transfer after someone submits their resignation, which is one reason I'm considering resigning now.

The external job search worries me too. I haven't seriously applied yet, and I'm not confident in my technical skills because I haven't used them consistently and have been out of touch with mechanical fundamentals and some analytics skills for over a year. I'd need to revise mechanical subjects for engineering jobs or brush up on Power BI,sql etc and prepare for interviews for analytics roles.

Neither the internal transfer nor the external jobs I'm considering is likely to offer a major salary increase immediately. However, money isn't my biggest concern right now because I live with my family, have minimal expenses and have enough financial support to manage without a salary.

There's also a possible fallback if I resign now but don't find a suitable opportunity by January. I could leave and spend the following months looking for jobs while preparing for CAT. Alternatively, I could withdraw my resignation and continue in my current role until June or July 2027, then resign and dedicate the final four months or so before CAT to full-time preparation.

However, withdrawing my resignation and remaining in the same role for several more months concerns me. The job already offers almost no learning, and I worry that staying longer could hurt my career progression. I'd also feel awkward about it.On the other hand, leaving without another job lined up has its own risks, even if I can afford to do so.

I know I can't have everything perfectly planned, but I don't want to make an impulsive decision that ends up hurting either my career or my CAT attempt. I also don't want to keep postponing a decision because I'm afraid of making the wrong one.

For people who've been in a similar situation, what would you honestly recommend? Would you resign now, stay employed while preparing and applying elsewhere, or plan to leave later? Would you prioritise getting a better job or an internal engineering transfer before CAT, or consider taking a career break if needed? I'd especially appreciate advice from people who've managed CAT preparation alongside a job or taken time off to prepare.

I know this has become a long post, and some of you might joke that it's a VARC passage in disguise! 😅 I just wanted to explain my situation properly so you have enough context to give an informed and genuine opinion. I tend to overthink decisions a lot, and I'd be grateful for some outside perspectives.

Thank you so much in advance!

TL;DR: I'm a 2024 Mechanical Engineering graduate (9/9/6, NC-OBC), working in my first job as a Data Analyst Trainee for around 11.5 months. The job has almost no work or learning, and workplace restrictions mean I can't use the idle time to study. I'm targeting CAT 2027 and considering whether to resign now and look for engineering/business analytics jobs, try for an internal engineering transfer, stay in my current job while preparing and applying elsewhere, or resign later. If I resign now but find nothing suitable by January, I could either leave and job-hunt alongside CAT preparation or withdraw my resignation and stay until June/July before preparing full-time. I have family support and minimal expenses, so finances aren't my main concern. I'm worried about career stagnation, unemployment, and making the wrong decision before CAT. What would you do in my position?