GMAT and management career

Career Platform For Management Consulting and Investment Banking

Most MBA applicants take the GMAT because they want to get their MBA.

Perhaps the two most popular reasons people pursue the MBA is to gain access to the management consulting and investment banking industries. Assuming you are currently in another industry and want to break into these industries, read on.

There are basically two common times to break into these industries-it's just the way the system works. Obviously there are exceptions, but the majority of people get into these industries via school recruiting at:
1) specified undergrad programs
2) specified B school programs

Let's take a look at these two options

Option #1: Business School Recruiting

A few pros with this option include entering the management consulting firm at a higher salary and generally more responsibility. If you come from another background (IT, engineering, retail, etc), then you'll need to do the MBA route in order to have access to these recruiting channels.

Is it possible to get in directly to management consulting without doing the MBA route? Sure. But it's definitely not as common.

With business school, not only do you have access to management consulting recruiting programs, but you'll also have access to a variety of other career channels including investment banking, corporate business development, etc.

But be careful! Do NOT assume that getting a top MBA automatically = getting into a top investment bank or management consulting firm. Whatever your career goals are, you should definitely do your research on them NOW. Even if you decided to do the MBA, don't just sit there and wait for the offers to come to you.

If you want to get into real estate, then call up your school's alumni contacts and tell them you are about to attend ABC business school and want some career advice. Set up an informational interview/phone call to get their perspective.

Remember, the MBA is a great platform to be on-it increases your personal branding and opens the doors for networking. However, you still need to JUMP off the platform and end up where you want to be! Do NOT assume the MBA is a magic bullet like most people assume.

Action Items for Option #1: Business School Recruiting:

Learn about your industry NOW -- Google it, reach out to your network
Take your GMAT Now (Or you when you are relatively less busy)
Sometime in the next 5 years, get into a good MBA program that attracts the recruiters you want

Option #2: Get in via top undergraduate school recruiting:

This is how I entered the management consulting industry with Booz & Company. Most top consulting firms with an "up-or-out" policy will want consultants from undergrad to stay for 2 or 3 years and then make a career decision: either you go get an MBA and come back as an Associate or you find something else to do. So even if you are in the management consulting industry or are on track to getting into the field from undergrad, you will eventually find yourself at a fork road deciding to MBA or not to MBA.

Talk with your company to find out if an MBA is required for upward mobility. Most management consulting and investment banking firms require it, although a few do not.

Getting an MBA is a deep decision that requires mush self-thinking that extends beyond the scope of this article. But if it is even remotely within your potential career plan within the next 5 years, it might be a good idea to get your GMAT exam out of the way as the exam score is valid for up to 5 years.

Up to 5 years.

That's a lot of time. Say you just graduated. You are just starting your first job.

If you take your GMAT now, then by the end of your 2 or 3 years at your current job, you will have already completed the first major step in the MBA application process.

Trust me, the GMAT is the last thing you want to think about at the end of your 3 years as you contemplate on an MBA and have all kinds of extracurricular, social, work, and life issues to deal with.

Action Items for Option #2: Get in via top undergraduate school recruiting.
Get some relevant internship experience and develop a good story showing your interest in management consulting or investment banking.
Get your offer and start learning as much as you can. Find out your firm's policy on promotions. Some firms require the MBA to move up, others do not.
If your firm requires MBA for promotion, then take your GMAT now to get it out of the way, and then apply to MBA sometime in the next 5 years, depending on your career status.

Now, depending on your career situation, you may be in option #1 or option #2.

So what do options #1 and #2 have in common?
Both options involve taking the GMAT exam at some point.

With business school, the GMAT is required at most top schools. And even if you get into the industry through your undergrad, you still might find yourself taking the GMAT.

Bottom line: Whether you are currently in management consulting or investment banking, you MIGHT find yourself in a situation where you'll need an MBA to be where you want to be.
If this is the case, then I recommend you get the GMAT out of the way now so you can focus on the other aspects of your career going forward.

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Career in law

Career prospects in law

Essential Abilities For A Career In Law

Very often, students enroll themselves into a law school without having a clear idea of what the profession is all about. Many are attracted by the title of lawyer and decide to pursue a degree in law without having proper knowledge of the career.

There are certain characteristics that one needs to have to succeed in a career in law. You should assess yourself before actually enrolling into any institution. To have a clear idea, you can visit local courts, attend trials, talk to lawyers and observe the functioning of the legal system. Observing lawyers and judges at work will enable you to identify some of the skills, knowledge and values necessary for a career in law. You can even get advice from a career counselor.

Law is the field for those:

o Having outstanding and above average independent learning skills such as reading, listening, writing, talking and analysis

o Having excellent verbal, public speaking, arguing and debating skills

o Having a high level of patience and confidence.

Before beginning the application process, consider carefully if a law degree is right for you based on these attributes. You may also need pre-law courses for admission to particular programs in law.

Preparing For Law School

The field should be explored through research, investigation of resources on the Internet, discussion with law students, and counseling. Joining some pre-law courses offered by various institutes will enable you to develop skills which will be helpful for law school, such as study of the English language and principles of accounting and finance. There are many branches in law practice such as tax law, corporate law, labor/employment law, civil law, family law, international law and real estate law among others. You need to be clear about your interests, which will help in choosing the appropriate program of study.

Applying to Law School

Information on law schools offering programs in law can be obtained with the help of education counselors or on the Internet by visiting law school websites which provide details of the programs on offer by them and the application process. The best sources are law school catalogs or reference books that profile law schools and their admissions criteria. The Law School Admissions Council ("LSAC") sponsors annual law forums throughout the country that give interested persons time to speak with representatives from accredited law schools.

Programs leading to the presentation of the Bachelor of Science in Law (B.S.L.), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) degrees are some of the common programs on offer by law schools.

American law schools are expensive, especially the private ones. The competition to get into top-rated law schools is tough. Applications are accepted based on an individual's grades.

Career Choices With A Law Degree: Job Or Business/Self-Practice:

A degree in law is extremely rewarding. It is very marketable and most lawyers manage to earn a comfortable living. A lawyer in the US can easily make more than $100,000 annually.

o Business/Self-Practice: You can have your own business setup such as a consultancy firm providing legal consultation and guidance to your clients, self-practice - legal representation in courts, drafting legal papers for clients or just having your own coaching classes.

o Job Market: You also have various options in the job market - teaching, working with law firms, and with companies and corporate bodies as legal advisors and attorneys. However, your legal qualifications alone will not help. You need to market yourself and your law degree to reap the benefits of all your hard work. You need to find the right job for yourself and then market yourself to secure the position.

A career in law is rewarding and worthwhile, provided you have the essential abilities and skills to pursue a career in law and the willingness to face the challenges ahead.

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Online Career in Computer Engineering

Online Computer Science Degree

The area of computer science includes the development of new software, the improvement of present software and database management for current companies. Most companies rely on computer-based programs for their day-to-day tasks and careers in the computer science arena have increased dramatically as a result.

People with a technological mentality and an interest in math and science might find that earning a computer science degree is the ideal educational course. Informational Technology and computer professionals need to start with an associates or bachelors degree. Most companies require a college degree in a computer-related discipline before hiring an applicant for a computer position.

Since technology is always evolving, professionals may also be required by their employers to continue their education after they are hired, to earn computer science certifications or IT certifications. An associate's degree in computer science comprises the basics of software and databases and may include courses such as Database Concepts and Applications, Systems Administration and Desktop Publishing. Some small companies may hire a graduate of the associate's program for basic programming or IT tasks.

Obtaining a bachelor's degree in computer science will provide more varied job prospects for a graduate. The bachelor's degree programs include a syllabus that is more thorough. It contains some math-based courses and programming courses including Data Structures, Theory of Operating Systems and Macroeconomics. These comprehensive courses are designed for Computer Science majors who ultimately want to develop new software and programs.

Master's degrees are also available in computers. Students who enter the master's program should have a grasp on their specific career goals in the computer science field because they will need to choose courses that cater to their career path. If you are a professional seeking to further your education while working, there are many online computer science degrees that can be earned from home. Online computer science programs offer maximum flexibility while you maintain your career.

Careers in the computer industry are expected to grow at an escalating rate in coming years. The standard salary of a computer scientist was between $71,930 and $118,100 in 2006. This salary, however, does not include IT professionals hired at corporate organizations and not developing new software.

Computer scientists, who work for an academic organization or development company, are hired to program and create new software. They may also be included in the development of programs used in space exploration, the design of robots and other significant technological advancements.

There are many career paths open to those who earn a degree in computer science. Telecommuting positions in which an employee actually works off-site are becoming more common in the corporate structure for IT professionals. Many find working from home a rewarding and inviting part of the job.

 

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Career in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineer Careers

Mechanical Engineering is considered to be "Evergreen Engineering" among the various disciplines available in the field of Engineering. A variety of career options are available for the mechanical engineers which i have explained in brief.

Option 1 - Job Search:

A mechanical engineer can try for jobs in core mechanical companies in India or any other country. A lot of mechanical companies are available all over India. Some of the cities where the job vacancy is high are Mumbai, pune, gurgaon, chennai, coimbatore, jamshedpur, jamnagar and more. The job opportunities are very high. Some of the big companies like TATA, Reliance, Essar, Hero Honda, Maruti, Hyundai needs a lot of mechanical engineers for their existing projects as well as future projects. The companies also offer research and development opportunities for the engineers who are interested for the same.

Option 2 - Higher Studies: .

A mechanical engineer can always go for higher studies if he prefers to upgrade his qualification further. He can either prefer to do Master of Engineering in any specialized areas like Automobile Engineering, production engineering or Industrial engineering. There are various colleges and reputed universities like Anna University, Indian Institute of Technology, PSG College of Technology and many other colleges which offer such post graduate programs. This will help them to upgrade their qualification and as well as can get fatty salary packages. You have to write exams like Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) or NON-GATE, TANCET and get a good score to get admission in a good college for doing higher studies. Want to start prepare for higher studies, visit our website for more details.

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Scope of Career in Electronics Engineering in America

Careers in Electronics Engineering 

Why Electronics Engineering Technology?

The demand of the electronics engineering professionals can be explained from the fact that every industry today like telecommunications, domestic appliances sector, medical equipments, mobile phones, automotive systems and navigational systems requires expert knowledge in electronics domain. Electronic technology focuses on practical aspects of electronics profession rather than mathematics drenched research part of it.

Qualification of an Electronics Technology Professional

Individuals who want to become an technician can go for a 2-year associate degree to make a flourishing career. This degree is basic for the entry level position in the market and you can go for the advance level by enrolling for 4-year course too.

There are many universities and polytechnic colleges which offer the associate degrees for the electronics technicians. But the screw point is that out of these only a few are accredited. Cleveland Institute of Electronics (CIE), Penn Foster Career School and Grantham University offers accredited courses in this domain

Some universities like Old Dominion University offer bachelor degree in electronics engineering technology. Many colleges also provide you online education facility to learn the hands-on concept in this arena.

Job opportunities for Engineering Technology Professional

Job opportunities are tilted in favor of electronic engineering technician as compared to their degree counterparts. The statistics show that there are 182,000technicians workings all over America as compared to 143,000 engineers. The only pitfall is that the technicians fall below engineers in the work hierarchy and their entry level salary is also low.

The income factor of the electronic engineering technician can be overcome in the long run. The technicians once established can go for 4-years degree course to enhance their skill set and can get a hike in their pay scale. The average salary of a technician in US is $46000 which is quite comparable to that of engineers at $52000.

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