Best short term courses to kick start an Mba.

Courses depending on the field you are going to choose while doing your MBA program.

For MBA - Marketing Aspirants:

 

If you’re aspiring to do a specialization in marketing, it would probably be a good idea to look at certifications like Google Adwords or Hubspot Marketing and Sales certifications. Digital marketing skills are a must for any industry – FMCG, Consumer Durables, Ecommerce of course or even Banking!

 

Google Adwords will help you lay in a good foundation in search engine marketing, display advertising, video advertising targeting etc. Click here to find out more!

 

Hubspot has certifications in Inbound, Content, Email, Social media marketing and sales oriented ones. The knowledge from these training will surely give you a head-start in your MBA.

 

Click here to find out more about Hubspot certifications.

 

Both these, certifications are free of cost. But you do need to put in some effort to get the required knowledge.

For MBA - Finance Aspirants:

If you’re a Finance aspirant, its critical that you’ve a strong foundation in Banking and Finance. Your MBA professors are not going to spend time covering the basics .

 

Especially if you’re an engineer,   It’s easy to get lost right at the beginning. We don’t want that!

 

The best way to go about it is, to take up a practical & fundamental short-term course in Finance that can bring you up to speed in time before your MBA classes begin. So, three criteria – (i) Something you can complete in 3-4 weeks & (ii) a course that’s not heavy on your pockets (iii) recommended by your seniors.

 

The best in its league is undoubtedly FLIP’s Finance and Banking Fundamentals program – gives a strong foundation on critical finance concepts; how financial markets work and an overview of the banking business. It’s very popular and the choice of thousands of B-School aspirants and first-year students.

 

It’s got loads of rave reviews on Quora, too!

 

1. What are the pre-MBA level certifications for a B-Tech Engineer aspiring to pursue a career in Finance? 

Answered on Quora by Prerak Rokadia – MBA, NITIE-Mumbai

 

2. Which certificate course should one do before doing an MBA in finance?

Answered on Quora by Aakash Gurnani – MBA, IMI – New Delhi

 

3. What is the best certification for MBA finance student?

Answered on Quora by Harshad Sapre – AM – Aditya Birla Finance Ltd

 

For MBA – Operations Aspirants:

Six Sigma is a well-known certification amongst Operations enthusiasts. Though the certifications are on the expensive side, it might be a good idea to start with the first level (yellow belt) before you kickstart your MBA program.

 

However, note that you derive the best value from Six sigma certifications when complimented with a parallel practical experience to implement your learnings.

 

For MBA – HR Aspirants:

SHRM is a recognized organization that provides certifications for HR professionals. If you’re aiming at a serious career in Human resources, as a student you can take up their ‘Student SHRM – Certified Professional’ program.

 

Program details: https://www.shrm.org/certification/apply/EligibilityCriteria/Pages/student-shrm-cp-eligibility.aspx

 

Apart from the above-mentioned specialization specific certifications, another relevant skill that will come in handy will be

 

Excel & Power point:

Under rated, but one of the most valuable skillsets to possess, proficiency in Excel and power point is not a good-to-have but a must-have skill for any management graduate.

 

And if you’re an aspiring Finance professional, you rely heavily on Excel not only for data formatting but also critical and complex business decision making.

 

A course in Advanced Excel/Power point will be great value add to your CV and your skill set. (Explore FLIP’s interactive Advanced Excel and Power point online course ).

 

Hope the suggestions above were helpful! The bottom-line is to be well prepared and be in right frame of mind when you enter an MBA program. This will ensure you land the best internships for summers and hence the best final placements.

 

Now is the time to get the foundation right! Good luck!