Experience works

Updated on: Monday, June 22, 2009

In today’s competitive world, many students do not prefer pursuing their postgraduation immediately, but they are rather on the hunt for a job trying to equip themselves with work experience.

“I chose to work after my degree because I thought that when I do my PG, my work experience would help me to understand the subject more deeply and in a much better way. And having a work experience in your resume is very useful and it creates a sort of impression,” says Giridharan M., a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate from Madras Institute of Technology.

“I feel one must always try for a job after a degree programme so as to gain practical knowledge about the subject. That is what I am doing too. Today there are companies that ask for your work experience and not for master’s. It makes you more clear about your career goals and interests,” says Bilal Mohammed Refae, who has recently completed his B.E. in Instrumentation and Control Engineering from Crescent Engineering College.

Poornima Murali, who has just graduated from the Mass Communication programme at M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women, wishes that she had opted for the work experience route. “I did my postgraduation in mass communication immediately after my UG and I found it difficult to understand the concept whereas my classmates who had a year experience in the field of media could cope up with the subject effortlessly. Work experience gives you more knowledge about your subject. And you will know what they expect out of you,” she says.

Management schools like the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, prefer to offer PG seats for students with a minimum of two years’ work experience in the field. Though they also consider students with no work experience, preference is given to those who have experience. This is in conjunction with the global trend where it is impossible to apply for an MBA degree in many countries without some work experience. The Indian Institutes of Management also look forward to students having a minimum of two years of experience. Eligibility for many PG diploma courses also require a minimum of two or three years’ work experience.

Peeru Mohamed, a professor of management at Anna University, said, “Some institutions have this policy because a subject cannot be completely taught based on theory. Students must have practical knowledge because it’s only then that they know how the field works.”

However, he also sees some disadvantages in these cases. When a person starts earning, he becomes independent. Once a student has got a good job offer with good pay, he often does not wish to leave his job and go for a PG degree, thinking that it would be difficult to get another opportunity like the one in hand. In that case, he has lost out on the opportunity for a higher qualification. Sometimes, however, students can discipline themselves to work and study simultaneously through distance education.

Many students here desire to go abroad for their master’s programme. In such instances, universities abroad offer seats for PG where the students have work experience. Most U.S. and U.K. universities recommend or even require a minimum of two to three years of work experience. Though some universities may accept you without any work experience, preference will be given to candidates with work experience.

Employers in many fields are more interested in hands-on experience, rather than theoretical knowledge. “In our company, we look out for those having a work experience in sales department. When a person has work experience in the company we don’t have to invest on training programmes to teach them their work,” says P.M. Vijayan, managing director of Snams Book House.

The hindu

Experience works

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