Myths on pursuing an MBA while having a full-time job

Pursuing an MBA helps people build leadership skills to succeed in their areas of interest to work at a managerial level in the industry of their expertise. Graduating from top B-schools with an MBA degree holds an enhanced value because over 98% of these students are offered jobs from campus. Moreover, an MBA degree can help you connect with diverse professional groups and become a part of the extensive global alumni network.

Juggling an MBA degree and an in-office job is common, but only a few achieve their goals perfectly. This strategy surely saves time, but is it worth the pressure? Can you balance both pursuits while studying? Is this whole process of studying and working made any easier when the same is done online? Do you need a bachelor’s degree in business to pursue an MBA while working? Let’s find out.

Common myths about getting an MBA while working

The following section helps in debunking myths about doing an MBA with a full-time job. These common myths discourage several students from applying to the graduate program. Let’s learn about them in detail:

1. You are too old to pursue an MBA.

One of the false impressions that working professionals fall into is that they are too old to return to business school. Online MBA degrees are tailor-made for working professionals because it requires a minimum of 1 to 3 years of experience. Therefore, you are always young enough to attend classes for MBA and get the degree.

2. You must pursue an MBA for a job only.

Some people believe that getting an MBA degree means you are searching for a new job. Sometimes, career prospects become stagnant in the working field, and no new growth or challenges seem to exist that would excite you. To disrupt this cycle, working professionals can enroll themselves in online MBA courses and break the monotony of work perspectives.

3. You will face a shortage of time.

Time is a significant factor for working professionals to pursue studies regularly because it is a challenge to fit a full fledged studying cycle into their personal life and office hours. Individuals feel discouraged and step back from enrolling themselves because of the pressure. However, when you enroll in the online MBA program, you automatically learn time management. It is all about prioritizing important work and getting better at managing life.

4. You should only pursue an MBA to become a financial expert.

Many believe that MBA is all about finance, human resource, and general management. However, famous clothing companies, food giants, hospitals, and construction businesses in metropolitan cities recruit MBAs for different roles. Management skills are essential everywhere and not only in the finance sector.

5. All online MBA degrees are equal.

It sounds obnoxious, but online MBA degrees are not equal. Thousands of institutions and B-schools offer online MBA degrees varying in accreditations, prestige, cost, and education quality. Working professionals must choose a reputable institution like MAHE that distinguishes one MBA program from another with expert faculty.

Pros and cons of pursuing an MBA while having a job

Whether an individual pursues an MBA online or offline, it provides similar promising opportunities. However, there are always two sides to a coin, as with the graduate program-online MBA while working. Know about the pros and cons of pursuing an MBA while working full-time:

Challenges of balancing work and studies during the MBA program

There are several challenges one would face while pursuing an MBA. A few are described below:

• Working professionals need more time to balance work and personal life and prepare for the exam. It leads to insufficient sleep, exercise, and change in eating habits. People become prone to fatigue and stress and develop weak immune systems.
• Being unable to balance the overwhelming coursework and full-time job leads to anxiety and depression.
• Enormous work demands and hectic learning schedules lead to burnout, lack of motivation, and isolation. 

Also read: What are the different types of MBAs you can do in India?

Tips on how to balance work and school successfully

Pursuing an MBA while doing a full-time job is a stressful task demanding significant time and dedication. The following section will help you in easily overcoming challenges of doing an MBA with a full-time job:

• Establish a designated study place to physically and psychologically separate the studies from daily commotion.
• Prepare a schedule with professional working hours so that you can decide how much time to dedicate to friends and family. Pursuing MBA with premium maintaining the schedule tends to decrease the chances of procrastination. It will lead to successful experiences of pursuing an MBA while working. 
• Try to set realistic goals, prioritize tasks, and seek support from colleagues and mentors.
• Working professionals should take proper breaks, practice mindfulness, and seek support from friends and family.

Specializations to consider while pursuing an online MBA

• Business Management – It is one of the popular specializations in online MBA programs that help working professionals prepare, organize, coordinate, and manage business activities within the company. 
• Entrepreneurship – It prepares working professionals to become excellent leaders and run successful businesses. This program hones all the leadership skills to lead a group of people toward success.
• Human Resource Management – This online program teaches professionals about effectively managing employees. Jobs in this human resource sector are always in demand, making this MBA field one of the promising career prospects. 
• Data Analytics – Online MBA in this field rules the technology world because IT professionals learn analytics and data science for many career scopes at the managerial level.

Also read: Why is an MBA in HRM a top choice for many students?

How does the MBA from MAHE help you accelerate your career?

An online MBA from MAHE will help you get theoretical and practical training in the business sector. Studying an online MBA from MAHE gives you a globally recognized degree accepted by governments and organizations. It opens better professional opportunities for all working professionals. You can find other finance, HRM, business, analytics, and healthcare specializations from prestigious institutions like the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).

Conclusion

Thus, pursuing an MBA degree while working full-time is a wise decision. The program helps you gain time management skills, save on an online MBA, learn to balance important aspects of life, and save valuable years. An online MBA from MAHE while working in-office offers flexibility and freedom to complete the course at your pace.