I am doing my MBA online and I am at the point of selecting a specialization. My options are finance, HR, business analytics, and marketing. I went only as far as being able to eliminate marketing and business analytics because the former has never been to my liking and the latter is an unknown universe to me.
To say a few things about myself, I am a 32-year-old bank teller who has around 7.5 years of experience manning the cash and front counter in a bank. I have come back to study after an 11-year gap.
I am now in a dilemma about whether to choose HR or Finance. I have been told by my family and friends to pursue Finance since I have a bachelor's in commerce. While I don't mind studying Finance for an MBA, I am not great at analytical reasoning. My mathematical ability is below average. I am extremely pathetic at decision-making. The subjects in my university curriculum for finance are not so daunting. However, I am not too keen on working in the investment banking domain. I like HR because I am interested in administrative roles as I have been part of customer relationship counters. I do have an affinity for accounting as well. The thought of not being able to pursue finance also saddens me. I have been given to understand that in order to get a job in accounting, I need either CA, CMA, or at least an MBA in finance. I would attribute the cause to my relatives scaring me with unemployment horror stories when one takes HR or anything that's not close to number crunching. I could have done CA or ICWA, but due to poor decision-making in the past, I ended up taking ACS and completing the ACS final exams. But I have not applied for membership. Over the last few years, I realized that the job profile of an ACS was never my cup of tea. I don't see myself doing LLB either as I don't have what it takes to be a lawyer. Now I don't have the financial freedom nor time to work on acquiring a CA or a CMA license whether from India or from abroad.
Today when deciding on which field to pursue, I am completely confused. All I hear about HR is that it has low vacancies and less pay, replaceable job roles. It scares me if I can't have decent prospects in the field. On the other hand, people say Finance has a great future. Having worked in a bank, I have less exposure to actual finance. I am comfortable working with people. Due to ACS, I also like labor laws. But I don't know whether I can shift domains to HR.
Queries
So here are my queries:
On paper, HR looks good for my profile, but is it worth missing out on Finance?
If my analytical ability is not much to talk about, can I still be able to learn and become better?
Do companies offer accounting roles to MBA finance candidates?
Can I do HR roles after completing MBA finance? I like HR as much too.
Is online MBA treated on par with a regular MBA by recruiters?
Also, what technical skills do I need for HR as well as Finance to better my chances?
Kindly help me out by sharing your wisdom. Eagerly waiting for replies.
From India, Chennai
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To say a few things about myself, I am a 32-year-old bank teller who has around 7.5 years of experience manning the cash and front counter in a bank. I have come back to study after an 11-year gap.
I am now in a dilemma about whether to choose HR or Finance. I have been told by my family and friends to pursue Finance since I have a bachelor's in commerce. While I don't mind studying Finance for an MBA, I am not great at analytical reasoning. My mathematical ability is below average. I am extremely pathetic at decision-making. The subjects in my university curriculum for finance are not so daunting. However, I am not too keen on working in the investment banking domain. I like HR because I am interested in administrative roles as I have been part of customer relationship counters. I do have an affinity for accounting as well. The thought of not being able to pursue finance also saddens me. I have been given to understand that in order to get a job in accounting, I need either CA, CMA, or at least an MBA in finance. I would attribute the cause to my relatives scaring me with unemployment horror stories when one takes HR or anything that's not close to number crunching. I could have done CA or ICWA, but due to poor decision-making in the past, I ended up taking ACS and completing the ACS final exams. But I have not applied for membership. Over the last few years, I realized that the job profile of an ACS was never my cup of tea. I don't see myself doing LLB either as I don't have what it takes to be a lawyer. Now I don't have the financial freedom nor time to work on acquiring a CA or a CMA license whether from India or from abroad.
Today when deciding on which field to pursue, I am completely confused. All I hear about HR is that it has low vacancies and less pay, replaceable job roles. It scares me if I can't have decent prospects in the field. On the other hand, people say Finance has a great future. Having worked in a bank, I have less exposure to actual finance. I am comfortable working with people. Due to ACS, I also like labor laws. But I don't know whether I can shift domains to HR.
Queries
So here are my queries:
On paper, HR looks good for my profile, but is it worth missing out on Finance?
If my analytical ability is not much to talk about, can I still be able to learn and become better?
Do companies offer accounting roles to MBA finance candidates?
Can I do HR roles after completing MBA finance? I like HR as much too.
Is online MBA treated on par with a regular MBA by recruiters?
Also, what technical skills do I need for HR as well as Finance to better my chances?
Kindly help me out by sharing your wisdom. Eagerly waiting for replies.
From India, Chennai
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Hi, The initial post was made on 1st November 2023, and today (25th June 2024) you have requested advice again. There is an 8-month gap, and you still need to choose a specialization for your online MBA course. I'm not sure if my advice will be relevant or useful now, but I would suggest choosing Finance, considering your undergraduate degree in Commerce and your 7.5 years of experience in a bank.
Online MBA treated on par with a regular MBA by recruiters
A regular MBA from reputed universities cannot be compared with an online MBA. Employers typically give more preference to a regular MBA course than an online or correspondence course. However, in your case, your past experience of 7.5 years is an added advantage.
If you choose HR, you need to start from the bottom line. Initially, to perform basic HR clerical work, your MBA HR degree would be sufficient. However, to advance and reach the pinnacle of the HR domain, you should gain in-depth knowledge of various labor laws and statutory compliances as well.
From India, Madras
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1015Online MBA treated on par with a regular MBA by recruiters
A regular MBA from reputed universities cannot be compared with an online MBA. Employers typically give more preference to a regular MBA course than an online or correspondence course. However, in your case, your past experience of 7.5 years is an added advantage.
If you choose HR, you need to start from the bottom line. Initially, to perform basic HR clerical work, your MBA HR degree would be sufficient. However, to advance and reach the pinnacle of the HR domain, you should gain in-depth knowledge of various labor laws and statutory compliances as well.
From India, Madras
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Thanks for the insights. I had to take a gap due to personal reasons, and I will be continuing starting next month after choosing a specialization.
Considering an MBA for HR Growth
If I need to grow in the HR field, should I look towards a regular MBA? If so, should it be from the top schools?
From India, Chennai
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Considering an MBA for HR Growth
If I need to grow in the HR field, should I look towards a regular MBA? If so, should it be from the top schools?
From India, Chennai
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