Choosing Specialization for a Business Management Course

Semester I has come to an end. With new hopes and excitement the budding managers move on to attend semester II of their Business Management Course. The difficult question which has been pondering over their minds for quite some time becomes a reality now. Which specialization to choose/opt for, out of the several available?

There is an influx of questions like:

• • Should I opt for Marketing, it being most placeable option?
  • BFSI is doing well so should I opt for finance.
  • Because my best friend is choosing a particular stream should I also go for the same one?

It is a never ending list of questions.

In the expert’s opinion, the factors to be considered while choosing specialization should not be influenced by market demand and other external factors, rather it should be dependent upon the interest, capabilities and passion of the individual student. The choice of specialization is a matter of individual’s ‘aptitude’ and ‘attitude’ and what the student wants to become in future.

The major specializations offered by most of the B-schools in India are – Marketing, Finance, Human Resource (HR), Information Technology (IT), International Business (IB) and Operations Management (OM). The students can choose a combination of two subjects under dual specialization.

• Marketing: Those who are seeking job in marketing have to begin with sales in the initial couple of years of their career. Students, who are outspoken, possess strong persuasive and communication skills and interested in traveling should select marketing as one of the electives.
• Finance: Those with strong analytical capabilities and ready to work for long hours should choose finance.
• Operations: MBA in Operations teaches students about how products, services, and supply chains are designed and managed. Students with B.Tech background, excellent communication skills and superb ability to co-ordinate in team should consider Operations Management as one of the electives.
• IT: Creative people with an ability to manage teams across the globe. The field requires students to continuously upgrade them along with the latest trends in technology.
• HR: HR helps students to understand how to acquire, manage and retain workforce within an organization in a systematic and organized manner.
• IB: International Business is for students who wish to gain global exposure and target multinational companies.

While choosing a specialization paper, it will always work in the students favour if his/her interest is aligned with the career choice. If the field is chosen only for the glamour or the salary associated with it, it may be possible that it wouldn’t sustain for long-term interest and may experience exhaustion after a few years of work.

So, students should take time to think; use summer internship as the bases to check the comfort level and capabilities before taking the plunge.