Re: Benefit of MBA for intl students in this market scenario
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01 Jun 2011, 17:17
Sivaavis,
I think you're missing the point here.
Based on my interaction with current students and recent alumni, a lot of them chose schools based on where they wanted to work after B school. If somebody wanted to work on the US West Coast, they applied to Stanford, UCLA and Haas. For the East Coast, schools in NY, Boston. However, international applicants who have not worked or lived in the US tend to or should be more realistic about the schools they apply to since the competition to get into these schools is fierce. So, if somebody wants to work in South East Asia or Middle East, it would probably make more sense to apply to schools in those parts of the world.
You talked about courage and fortitude required to "MAKE IT" in Dubai as if its the toughest place to do business in the world. Entrepreneurship is more risky than working for some big firm no matter what the location. I wouldn't consider Dubai any different from Singapore and HK since these are regional powerhouses and almost all consulting and finance companies will have a presence there. There are subtle differences between these cities but I think you're leaning towards Dubai since you've lived there.
I would strongly contest your statement that it is possible to land a job that pays 100K US$ in India after an MBA from a US B-school. I doubt if any recruiter would pay that kind of money to somebody in his/her late 20s or early 30's unless he/she had an out-of-the-world resume and stellar achievements. Would you happen to know any firms who recruit B school students in the US and pay that kind of money for them to return to India? If yes, then I doubt the MBA was a deal-clincher. It may have aided such an offer but it wouldn't have made the deal for him/her. An MBA does not turn you into a rock star overnight.
After reading your statement about Greencards, I do get the impression that you concluded that all Indians who go to US B-schools go there with the ulterior motive of getting a greencard. I would say that it is definitely not the case and its insulting to those who go there for other reasons. If you wish to work in the US after B school, you need your employer to sponsor your H1 Visa for you. Consulting and finance companies have been willing to do that for years. However, marketing and General management positions may not have that advantage. But it depends on the recruiter. I have seen one example of an international student who was accepted to the Rotational Leadership Development Program of a manufacturing company. How did this happen? The recruiter sensed her enthusiasm and passion for the role and decided to sponsor her work visa anyways. This coming from a company which recruits in very small numbers. So, it depends on what you want to do, how kicked up you are about it and how effectively you put across your motivation and passion to the recruiter.
Good luck for your apps!!
Cheers!