Worried About Climbing the HR Ladder Without an HR MBA? Here's What You Need to Know

Hi friends, kindly solve my problem. I have completed an M.Com (Business Administration) and an MBA (IB). Presently, I am working in the HR Department as a Senior Executive-HR & Admin with a total experience of 3.5 years, and I don't want to leave the HR field.

Concern About Career Progression in HR

Now, my problem is this: I am not an MBA in HR. Could this be problematic in achieving the highest designation in HR? If yes, kindly suggest to me what I have to do.

Dear Mr. Ranjeet,

There are many one-year PG Diploma courses (Correspondence) in HR available at several reputable universities in India. Especially, Symbiosis, Pune offers a one-year HR course through correspondence. Typically, once you have gained experience and possess a minimum educational background in HR, it is sufficient to progress further. Undertaking such programs at renowned institutions can significantly accelerate your professional growth.

Regards,
Thiru

Hi Ranjeet, even you can pursue an Executive MBA in HR from Symbiosis. However, I have observed that experience is what truly matters for attaining a higher position. Education merely adds another feather to your cap. 

I agree that ultimately your experience and capability count. However, it is seen that there are certain companies that specifically look for a full-time MBA from a good university as essential criteria for considering a candidate. So, if you find time to pursue a full-time MBA in between, it would be beneficial.

Regards,
PRITHA

Whatever the situation is, there would be a way for enhancement of qualifications in the field of interest. You can go for MHRM, MBA HR, or any other PG Diploma courses in HR. For this, your previous field of study will not be a constraint.

Good luck.

Regards,
CRK

Friend, no need to do any course now. You are fully qualified. If you can utilize half of your bookish knowledge with common sense and confidence, you can reach any level. Believe in yourself and make the best use of any opportunity.

Regards,
Capt. MMS Boura

Dear Ranjeet,

I had the same scenario as you have right now. About myself, I am an MBA (Travel and Hospitality) Full-time and PG (HR) Distance Learning Program from IMT Ghaziabad with a work experience of 5 years and presently working as an HR Manager for an Infra company.

Criteria for MNC Recruitment

Some MNCs do have a criterion, i.e., Full-Time MBA (HR), during the recruitment process. However, if you have a strong grasp of your HR concepts and perform well in the interview, they will definitely hire you. Believe me, I have come across many individuals who, despite holding a Full-Time MBA (HR) degree, fail in real-time scenarios compared to Correspondence/Part-Time PG (HR) professionals. For example, confronting and resolving conflicts between employer and employee, handling sexual harassment scenarios, negotiating, and maintaining healthy labor relations.

Importance of Professional Degrees

Professional degrees do not play a significant role when it comes to resolving real-time scenarios. Professional degrees serve as a license to gain entry into any industry. What truly matters is your mental alertness and how you manage and maintain manpower.

So, be positive, work hard, and most importantly, stick to your HR basics.

Regards

Hard work always pays off. Make the HR concept clear and consider taking a correspondence course. I promise nobody can stop you. I have experienced many people without qualifications related to HR who are doing well. Don't worry and move forward with confidence, continuously improving your leadership qualities.

Regards,
Rajender Singh
Manager HR

Dear all,

I'm facing a similar situation. While working as an Admin Coordinator at a respected Educational Institute, I registered for an MBA program from ICFAI, Tripura in 2008. Since then, I have struggled to pass exams due to job pressures and other constraints (including the difficulty of the course). I have accumulated nearly 4 years of experience in HR, spanning the Educational and Automobile sectors. At present, I am confident in handling all HR aspects, having gained practical exposure over these 4 years. I am currently leading the HR & Admin Department at a Toyota passenger car dealer point. My concern now is whether to continue with ICFAI for my MBA or switch to a different recognized university for an MBA in HR. This change would allow me to balance my job responsibilities while pursuing my MBA to advance in my career. If this shift is advisable, please suggest some reputable universities where I can complete my MBA.

I urgently need assistance.

Regards.

It depends on the company policy; some prefer a full-time MBA in HR, while other companies prefer experience as their criterion for selecting candidates. It all depends on how your interview has gone. However, the weightage of a full-time MBA is greater than that of a part-time MBA.

Regards,
Derek Gomes

Qualifications and Job Roles

The qualification is nothing to do with the job one is handling. I know a BA graduate holding as high as the Vice President post in a particular group of the company. He was a mentor and philosopher for his subordinates (with MSW or such qualifications) who were in the rank of GM, DGM, Factory Head, etc., in his own company and group companies. No decision with respect to Personnel/IR/HR is taken in any of the group companies without consulting him. This shows the command and proficiency he attained in his area of operation. The company retained him even after his retirement until his death at the age of 73.

The Reality of MBA Graduates

Most of the MBAs are just bookworms and do not have exposure to the technical aspects of IR/HR. In many such cases, the MBA (HR) individuals are not even able to continuously speak in English. These individuals do not even realize that they lack the fundamental skills.

Learning and Mastery

In my opinion, whatever job you do - it is not the HR job or accounts job for that matter - learn the ins and outs of the process thoroughly. That will fetch you the reward without being asked for.

Regards,
Balaji

I'm facing a similar situation. While being on the job as an Admin Coordinator in a reputed Educational Institute, I had registered for an MBA program from ICFAI, Tripura in 2008. Until then, I could pass very few exams, as many times I was not able to appear for the same due to job pressure and other reasons (including that the course is too tough to pass). To date, I have almost 4 years of work experience in HR in the Educational as well as the Automobile sector. Right now, I can confidently handle all aspects of HR, as I have managed to gain practical exposure in the same during all these 4 years. Presently, I am heading the HR & Admin Department of a dealer point of Toyota passenger cars.

Concern About Completing MBA

Now, my concern is that I want to finish my MBA, but since ICFAI is too tough, I could not really bear with it. Would it be a wise decision on my part to discontinue with ICFAI and register with some other recognized University for an MBA in HR, so that I can carry on with my job and at the same time pursue the MBA course, which will help me proceed further in my career? If yes, then kindly suggest some names of recognized Universities from where I can finish my MBA. I need help. It's urgent.

Regards.

Request for Advice on Universities

Friends, please give your advice regarding the matter. By the way, how is MS University, Tamil Nadu, or Madurai University for an MBA?

Regards.

If your company rules permit, you can avail of study leave to pursue a postgraduate full-time course in HR at any recognized university. If your company sponsors this option, that is the best choice. Otherwise, you would have to opt for a correspondence course, which, in fact, does not carry as much weight.

Improving Core HR Skills

I am Pavan Kumar, working as an HR professional at Kakatiya University. When my HR career started, I was working as a Senior HR Executive. However, my problem lies in completing core HR tasks such as payroll generation, ESIC, PF challenges, and other related tasks. I lack knowledge in these areas. Please suggest how I can improve in these aspects.

Regards,
Pavan Kumar