JOURNEY OF AN MBA GRADUATE

There are over 6,500 MBA colleges with almost 2 lakh aspirants every year ^[1]. Every student here comes from a different area and a unique back story. Diversified cultures and practices are often spotted in MBA institutions - some may be from an engineering background, commerce field, or fashion industry, someone may have just pursued their under graduation or someone in their mid-30’s who wished to have an MBA degree. MBA experience, therefore, for every student differs in its own way and every student goes through different problems and issues as they get accustomed to the institution. 

This is why faculty-mentorship programs are essential and to be made mandatory, as they work as platforms for students to discuss and interact with their professors, seek advice, guidance, support and strive to achieve their long-term goals. It also offers mentees support in their self-development, confidence building, skill enhancement, and assists them throughout their MBA program.

The faculty member being an expert can be the perfect mentor for the students in need and can clear all their doubts. Mentors help their mentees with their career interests and personal well-being. MBA students have to face all kinds of issues that they need help with and cannot solve them with the limited knowledge they carry.

Students usually have to deal with adjusting to the hostel environment, homesickness, mental health issues, economic or social problems rising from being a first-year belonging to a different age group or country, making it difficult for them to cope up in their studies. Sometimes students take up an MBA program without having a clue about what to expect and then the study becomes pretty tough for the student in those long-hour classes and starts feeling stress and pressure.

Most students are not that prepared academically and are often trying to juggle between different activities at one time. Students face issues grasping an unfamiliar concept and then those who can’t take the pressure often drop out. These students often look for someone on whom they can rely on and good listeners who can help them overcome these issues.

Educational research shows that close student-faculty interaction is a key factor in college student's learning and success. Mentors encourage their students towards regular interactions and build their trust with not just the mentors but also with the institutions, it makes the students feel belonged and valued when ensured with care, advice, support, and development.

Mentees can discuss their conflicting issues and seek solutions from their mentors on a regular basis and the mentors can keep a track of their development in the institution and make sure they are on the right track and are not involving themselves in unproductive activities that distract them from achieving their actual goals.

More than half of MBA graduates fail to secure campus placements ^[2], mentoring can act on this, by appointing a mentor faculty to every student the student will be guided by the mentor, help them take up new challenges, overcome obstacles and difficulties faced by them their day-to-day activities on campus. Mentors foster their mentees for their individual growth and help them find their weaknesses.

They also help overcome them and strengthen their abilities and skills and guide them to the perfect career path for them. Mentoring is a beneficial tool in improving the capabilities of the students and pushing them towards their success. It advances the understanding of the faculty, differentiating mentorship from teaching, and develops the relationship. This benefits the students, faculty, and the institution as administrators value mentoring considering its effectiveness and positive impacts.

It is found that 76% of professionals believed that mentoring is important for their career ^[3], as they share useful insights from their own journey and experience and offer valued feedback, advice, and support throughout the mentees' journey. Mentoring is a two-way street. Mentors also receive a lot of development in the mentor-mentee relationship as mentorship would force them to take a step back and gain perspective. They also get to learn about the thinking of the new generation and can evolve with a better understanding of their surroundings with an open mind.

This not only helps in building up the leadership skills of the mentor as they learn to bring out the best in others, recognize their strengths and weaknesses but also learn how to give rational advice and be supportive. This relationship simply pushes the mentors to be the best versions of themselves and mentor their mentees in doing the same. Mentoring is the first beneficiary for the mentees but the mentor also has just as much to gain from this experience and helps them develop a greater perspective and take time to reflect on their own lives.