Expert Advice to Chart Your Future

Professor RSS Mani is an eminent career counsellor and currently VP, Institutional Development at ITM Group of Institutions. Write to him at queries.edex@newindianexpress.com

I have been pursuing an ACCA course, but have been unable to complete it so far. I am looking for a change of career to Public Relations as I am a people-minded person. Please suggest how should I go about it?

Since you were pursuing the ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants); I  assume you are a commerce graduate. It is essential for you to complete your masters degree in order to have a solid career foundation. As you have indicated a flair for public relations, I would recommend that you pursue your masters in mass communication and advertising. Institutions such as MICA -Ahmedabad, SIMC-Pune and Bangalore are great options to pursue your further studies and build a robust career in public relations since you have indicated that you are a people-minded person, you may also consider pursuing an MBA in HRD/HRM.

I am pursuing BCom (Tax). I would like to pursue MBA from IIM and want to know about the procedure for the same.

You need to first clear the CAT (Common Admission Test) as the first step towards getting into the IIM's. If you clear the exam, you will be called for the group discussion and personal interview. Based on your performance and choice, you will be allotted a seat in the various IIM's all over India. Please write the CAT test when you are in the final year so that you can continue your masters study without a break in case you get admission in the first attempt. Else you can prepare for one more year and write the CAT exams once again; this will ensure minimum gap between your graduation and masters i.e MBA.

Professor RSS Mani is an eminent career counsellor and currently VP, Institutional Development at ITM Group of Institutions. Write to him at queries.

edex@ newindianexpress.com