Navigating Career Choices: From Engineering to HR - Seeking Guidance and Maximizing Qualifications

I am Swati Ohri. I have completed B.Tech in Electronics and Communication. I don't have any experience after my B.Tech. Currently, I am pursuing the final semester of MBA in HR. I want to know what career opportunities I can explore where I can maximize the benefit of my qualifications.

Thank you.

Swati,

Pursue your core area of Engineering. Are you going to waste your Engineering degree? HR is totally different from Engineering, and I wonder why you chose HR as a specialization in your MBA.

Pon

I know, but now, as it's been 3 years of gap since I completed my engineering, I don't remember everything. It's getting very difficult to search for an engineering job because of my 3-year gap. Can you please advise me on what steps I should take next?

Dear Swati,

There are two types of benefits any of us can get from our careers. The first is personal satisfaction and fulfillment, while the second is professional satisfaction and fulfillment. The interesting thing is that they are both only possible by doing the same thing. And that thing is: Don't worry about what opportunities you can get based on your qualifications. Instead, figure out what it is that you really want to do. Figure out why you invested your time, effort, and money in doing a BTech and now an MBA. What did you have in mind when you commenced these programs? Or, was it the case that you simply followed what your best friend, neighbor, uncle's child, etc., were doing (you get the point I am making here).

So, first, figure out what it is that will make you happy. Worry about your qualifications later. And in the meantime, send me your CV at gaurav@trainingstudio.in.

Take care!

I will answer Pon on your behalf; please correct me if I am wrong, as I did my graduation over 50 years ago. Opportunities those days were not like the present doc.com age.

A number of us go for engineering or medical, as those were the fields that paid more. After graduating, I also thought that we had to stay in that field. However, electrical engineering did not satisfy my interest, and I changed the field to Industrial Engineering. Due to problems of opportunities, I did a Masters in Mgt Sciences and went to teach. I have enjoyed that more than any of my previous jobs.

Thus, one need not worry about what the basic degree was in. Most of the professors that teach Operations Management/Operations Research have a basic degree in engineering.

Have a nice day. Simhan Learning and Teaching Fellow (Retd.) The University of Bolton, UK. Brief profile in "About us" at <link no longer exists - removed>

Please do not think I am promoting myself or the company. As my brief profile is there, I have given the link.

"It is never too late to learn or improve oneself."

Swati, pursue in your core area of Engg. Are you going to waste your Engg degree? HR is totally different from Engg, and I wonder why you chose HR as a specialization in your MBA.

Pon

Mr. Simhan,

Your contention may be suitable for teaching line. In India, the growth prospects of engineering professionals are better than in the HR field. I meant it in that way.

Pon

Dear Pon,

I was not talking about seeking monetary satisfaction, but personal satisfaction. Money is important, but not everything in life. So, one has to seek what satisfies them most. In the UK, where I have worked, industry pays better wages than the teaching profession. It may be true of other countries, including India.

Have a nice day.

Simhan

I would tend to agree with Simhan&mdash;Money is IMPORTANT in life, but not THE important thing in life. At the end of the day, what finally matters is 'Satisfaction/Fulfillment'&mdash;like Gaurav Sareen mentioned. Unfortunately, many of the present generation make decisions based on 'this profession leads to good salaries, stature, etc.' and 'this doesn't' OR 'this profession pays MORE than the other profession' logic. Not much thought is given to the very crucial fact 'whether the particular profession SUITS HIM/HER or not'&mdash;which is linked with Satisfaction/Fulfillment.

Coming to Swati Ohri's query, a lot regarding her next step depends on her answer to Gaurav Sareen's query&mdash;what made her take up MBA after BTech. And that too in HR.

Regards,
TS

Well, all my dear friends, thank you a lot for your concern. Actually, when I did my BTech in Electronics and Communication, it was the best discipline that was popular at that time, so I decided to pursue it. After completing my degree, as I was not aware of the job opportunities in engineering, I took the MAT exam and got admission to pursue an MBA in HR. At that point, I did not realize that there would be no direct link between my electronics background and an HR career. Now, as I am actively seeking job opportunities, I am finding that the salary offers I am receiving are comparable to what a normal graduate would receive. This situation is making me feel like I am not able to fully utilize my BTech degree in my professional life, which is quite disheartening. Even though I know that a BTech degree is more powerful than many other graduate degrees, I am struggling to leverage it effectively in my current job search.