Does the Prestige of Your MBA School Matter if You Have Years of HR Experience?

Dear All,

I am new to this forum. Many of us in the HR fraternity are experienced professionals. We have learned the nitty-gritty of HR after spending a considerable amount of time in actual working conditions. I want to know whether the name of the institution matters from where one has obtained a degree or diploma, or the actual experience in the case of a person who does not have an MBA from a reputed institution but still has gained full knowledge through independent studies and actual work experience.

My question is, does the name of the institution still matter in the case of an experienced person who, after working in HR for a long time, decides to pursue an MBA but, due to various constraints (such as economic, time, and other factors), cannot do so from a well-known institution and instead obtains it from a lesser-known institution.

Your views are invited on this matter of great concern for many experienced individuals who do not hold a degree from a well-known institution.

Regards,
Vijay Shankar

Dear Vijay Shankar,

When an institution gains a name and becomes a reputed establishment, you must agree that it has achieved this status by maintaining certain standards. Your remark "so-called good institution" is not accurate.

There are specific admission norms, prescribed syllabi, renowned professors, industry collaborations, and various other factors that contribute to the quality of these institutions. Examples include IIMs, XLRI, TISS, IIT, SP Jain, MDI, and several others.

However, mere qualification is not the sole measure of success. Failures also emerge from these institutions, although they may have an initial advantage.

In my experience, reasons such as time constraints and financial limitations are not sufficient excuses for someone to claim they could not attend a reputable institute. I personally know individuals from extremely modest backgrounds who have successfully pursued education at prestigious institutions like IIMs and IITs. Recently, you may have read about a waiter who became a collector in Tamil Nadu – sheer grit and determination are the key.

In essence, it is crucial whether one accepts it or not.

I am not engaging in a debate on whether this is right or wrong.

I am simply elucidating the reality.

Siva

Dear Siva,

I agree with you. I am not talking about some fresher searching for a new job; my point is about those who are already in the job and now they want to go for further studies just to compensate themselves. Can now, after putting a considerable amount of time into the job, they still need to undergo an MBA from a reputed institution? If due to some reason they cannot, then if they are joining some less-known institution like NIBM Chennai, then does it matter or not? Like in my case, I have around 8 years of working experience, but my PG Dip in HR is not from a well-known institution. Now I want to go for an MBA (distance) through NIBM Chennai rather than doing it from Symbiosis or some other institution where it's really expensive. Please give your valuable suggestions.

I am presently working as Executive HR and looking after the duties of Head of dept HR and Admin in a relatively large industry. But I do not have an MBA degree with me.

Regards,
Vijay

Dear Vijay,

It matters. The reputation of an institution matters a lot. If you were to name 100 well-known senior executives in big companies across all professions, more than 60 percent would be from reputed institutions.

In Chennai, you can consider trying to get admission to the evening program at Madras School of Social Work, which is good rather than opting for a lesser-known institution.

It matters.

Siva

Dear Siva,

Actually, I am based in Uttarakhand state where we do not have any facilities for part-time courses. That is why I enrolled in NIBM Chennai for a one-year Executive MBA course through distance mode, with a fee of Rs. 7500/-.

Regards,

Dear Vijay,

I understand and appreciate the difficulties. These one-year programs are not recognized by many good companies. You can work to enhance your knowledge, but do not get disappointed if some big companies do not recognize these courses.

If you can manage XLRI or Symbiosis, you should consider that instead of pursuing this program. Give it a try. Of course, no one can guarantee that after completing a program from XLRI or Symbiosis, you will be immediately recognized. However, you will definitely be in a better position.

Siva

Hi Vijay_shankar,

I understand your concern. Whatever the case may be, whether you study at IIM or a local college, what you need is determination. If you think you can, then that's it; nobody can stop you, and you will win. There are many people who have succeeded even without basic education, but what they possess is just determination and the refusal to give up the task under any circumstances.

Even two years ago, I thought that an undergraduate degree was not enough to pursue career growth. So, I discontinued my job and joined an MBA program through counseling. I didn't even know which college to choose on the first day of counseling. Now, I feel that I have lost two years of work experience, but I still have great confidence that I will surely achieve my goal of becoming a manager, VP, CEO, or even President.

I don't know if I will reach those positions, but I will try to navigate through all challenges with confidence and continuous knowledge updating. In institutions like IIM and IIT, everyone gets placed, but there is variation among individuals. My suggestion is that you will surely be appreciated if you prove yourself at the entry level. Getting a good opportunity is difficult initially, but after some time, what matters is your performance.

So, target your goals, and you will surely succeed. If you find my post helpful, I am happy. If you have any queries, please reach out, but don't worry.

Regards,
Ajithaa

Dear Ajitha,

Thank you for your encouraging words. I feel emboldened now. I would certainly like to undergo some sort of practical training or maybe a short-duration course conducted by IIMs, but first of all, I will have to complete my basic qualification, i.e., MBA.

Thank you for your mail. I look forward to guidance from you in the future.

Regards,

Dear GG,

Thank you for your valuable contribution. It's really surprising sometimes that after dedicating so many years to a job, you are still asked about your educational background. I believe that experience should also carry some weightage, especially considering the significant role an institution can play in the case of freshers.

Regards,

Ok, so you're a privileged brat, and the next moment you've wasted all the cash, and you're a pauper... Well, even if you're not from a "brand name" and if you're not privileged, but use your brains and do smart work, then you're the "dude". Remember, people aren't lucky all the time. When some "brand names" start working in corporates, they don't really live up to their brand name. That's when the lesser-known get known. If you're really passionate about HR, then stop thinking of the comparison and work your ass off on live projects and domain knowledge.

Regards,
Wabbit (student 2nd year MBA)