High Work Experience for PGDBA – Impact on Selection?

Owing to the increasing popularity of PGDBA program (Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics, jointly offered by IIM Calcutta, ISI Kolkata and IIT Kharagpur), people with different backgrounds and experience have shown interest in the program. In the past few days, a lot of people with high work experience have asked us about the PGDBA program. The common question we have encountered is:

We have broken down this entire scenario into different questions which people have asked us.

If I apply for the course, would my age be a deterrent? 

In the application process, you will score less marks in certain areas (such as work ex) as compared to aspirants with less work experience. You will have to compensate this with higher marks in written test and interview. Otherwise, there is no restriction on the work experience to apply for the course.

Would I be considered an outlier in an otherwise homogeneous group?

In a way, yes. If your work experience is over 8 years, then chances are very high that you will be only person in the batch with that high work experience. The average work experience of students entering the course is 2-3 years, with only 4-5 students having 4-5 years or more experience.

In your experience, have you seen or heard of any student admitted in PGDBA program with over 8 years of experience? 

In 2015-17 batch, there were a couple of guys with around 5-6 years of experience. They both got placed with a decent package, but their expectations were higher than what they got. Remember 2015-17 was the first batch, so the placements were not as sky-high as they have been for the subsequent batches. In the batch 2016-18, there was a guy with around 10 years of experience (mid 30s). He got a very good placement (highest domestic salary) but I would take that with a pinch of salt.

If admitted, are the students with 8 years or above experience discriminated against during internship/placement season?

Companies, in a lot of cases, don’t prefer students with that high experience. And, if their prior experience is not in data analytics/data science, then it becomes even more challenging. They can’t offer you senior role because you don’t have hands-on experience in data analytics; they can’t offer you junior role because you have high experience. That becomes a challenge.

An important point during the placements/internships will be – how will you distinguish yourself from the students who are 4-5 years younger to you? What additional value will you bring to the table?

Is my worry related to high work experience for PGDBA correct? 

It is completely okay to be worried when you have chances of becoming an outlier in a batch where you have to spend 2 years. There are a few students with 5+ years of experience in every batch but 8-9 years is a little on the higher side. It could be a little challenging but certainly, not impossible.

Read about Gautam Kumar’s experience of doing PGDBA. He joined the PGDBA 2015-17 batch with 6 years of work experience.

In conclusion, I would say:

• Be very sure that you want to do this course because it will come with its own risks of not getting desired career opportunities. You may get, you may not get. Are you ready to take that risk?
• If you want to learn analytics for your own interest, you may opt for multiple other options which are more of distance learning or mix of classroom+online courses. You may refer to these links for few courses that we have listed on our website. Weekend Classroom Courses | Online Courses | Online+Classroom Courses
• Another option is that you may talk to your current employer. If they have an option of sabbatical or something similar, you may negotiate with them that you will join them after the course completion with agreed upon hike and designation (this could act as a backup option in case you don’t get desired opportunity).