Resilience in Adversity: Insights from MBA Class of 2024 Amidst Tough Times

Back in 2021, as I was graduating from my MBA program after completing a challenging hybrid journey, the job market was not conducive. Our batch faced numerous issues in terms of securing roles in reputable companies, which was unprecedented.

Fast forward to the present, the MBA batch of 2024 planned their studies during a time when the job market was flourishing. Top B-schools boasted impressive placement records, making it seem like the perfect time to pursue an MBA. However, they are now graduating into one of the toughest job markets in India's history. There are widespread reports of B-schools struggling to place entire batches, including some of the oldest IIMs.

Curious about how the MBA class of 2024 perceives their journey and outcomes during this challenging period, I reached out to 7-8 MBA students from various institutions such as IIM Bangalore, SP Jain & IIM Rohtak. This article reflects their perspectives and experiences.

The overall MBA gives us an opportunity to learn from the peers as well as learn with many case studies on how business grew over the years as well as to build a strong network as well get mentored by some world class faculties. But the goal we have before doing MBA may vary from high salary expectations to change industry and many more.

An engineer graduate with 3 Years experience in Metal Industry was overall happy with his MBA experience from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore) after getting placed in Pidilite and told “ There are a lot of things which a MBA is supposedly thought to teach you such as people management, leadership etc which I am fortunate that my work experience already taught me, hence MBA was a hypothesis testing ground for everything I have learnt so far” when asked about whether he got what he wanted from his MBA that he thought 2 years back.

A famous quote says “A happy life is one spent in learning, earning, and yearning.”

While asked about Are you happy with the 2 Years Outcome of your MBA? to someone from Indian Institute of Management Rohtak who has completed the IPM said “She is definitely happy. The program didn't just prepare me for managerial roles; it also facilitated considerable personal development. While some of the technical skills were self-taught, the overall experience has undeniably enriched my skill set and prepared me well for the challenges ahead.

Sometimes changing industries is tough and the next person got both while doing his MBA.

When the question was asked to Happy with your 2 Years MBA journey to a graduate from SPJIMR SP Jain Institute of Management & Research , Post working as Senior Engineer at Adani Ports he said “More than happy, I am ecstatic with what the 2 years of MBA provided me with. Listing the outputs of the 2 years that I spent here: Ability to deal with highly capable individuals in a way which is constructive & Flexibility to manage multiple deadlines while also managing a personal life & Can adapt to any environment with exposure to multiple countries such as Bangladesh, Europe and USA”

One interesting answer that I loved is the answer which really amazed while asked about the biggest takeaway from the MBA Journey were “ Empathy goes a long way, keep on helping others & Don't become complacent, keep striving” given by an IIM Rohtak graduate who have won multiple national level competitions and have lead a committee as well.

While I attempted to gather comprehensive feedback on the major outcomes such as salary, job roles, peers, and networking opportunities for learning, all four respondents expressed satisfaction with their salaries and job roles. This outcome is somewhat unexpected, given the challenging job market with limited options.

While I appreciated all the responses, it's important to acknowledge that the current market conditions are indeed challenging. My advice would be to persevere and not lose hope, even if circumstances aren't ideal. As I conclude this article, I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes by Sohanlal Trivedi

लहरों से डर कर नौका पार नहीं होती,

कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती।

Debraj Mitra Sohan Roy Shreya Dhameja PARTH RASTOGI