The boom we had in IT from '95 to '00 is now over, so I question whether a specialization in IT is your best option. The best thing you can do is to research the market yourself. Search the online job boards such as www.monster.com and www.hotjobs.com for positions requiring an MBA and see if you spot any trends. Go to local career fairs and talk to recruiters about what they are hiring for, and what openings they see in the near future. Check the on-campus student placement center at your university. Which companies are coming on campus to hire, and what positions are they hiring for? If you have been following the stock markets, you will note that there is a renewed emphasis on companies to be fiscally responsible. Therefore, a specialization in accounting/finance might be more suitable in today's climate. Marketing is another MBA specialization that is always in demand. Marketing and finance are specializations that are needed by a broad range of industries, including IT, and they improve your chances of finding a position.

IS IT WORTH IT?

I have a MCA degree (master's in computer application), and am a software engineer in Trinity Technologies, India. I want to move to the U.S. to get international experience in software management. Is it worth it given the current situation? - Hemant

In the current climate, the only way you can get into the U.S. may be through an L1, inter-company transfer. To do this, you must find a multi-national that has a branch in India and a branch in the U.S. My suggestion is to continue gathering experience in India for at least the next year or two. The job climate in the U.S. should improve by then, though it is unlikely to resemble what went on between 1995 and 2000. If you want international experience with software management, look at opportunities closer to home in Asia and Europe.

HIGHER EDUCATION OPTIONS

The following questions are for my relatives in India

1. She has completed a three-year B.Sc. in chemistry with an 84% average, and is doing a M.Sc. in chemistry now. After completing the first two semesters of her M.Sc., can she take the GRE to do an MS in computer science and information systems in a U.S. university? If she can, what are the current chances of her landing an entry-level job in the U.S. after completing the course?

2. He has a BA in politics and completed two semesters of a master's in Information Technology from a private training institute. Can this be equivalent to the four-year degree requirement for a master's in the U.S.? Can he do an MS in computers? The other option is to take a postgraduate degree from a U.S. university in journalism or communications-related subjects. How are the job chances there? If these are possible, they will have large education loans, so getting a job is important. I believe they should be able to complete a master's program within two to two and a half years if they are studying full time. Am I correct? - Mini

Whew! That's a lot of questions! You should get some course catalogs from universities, or look up admission requirements online, so that you can get a better grasp of what is required. Please also understand that even if they do their postgraduate degree in the U.S., there is no guarantee they can get jobs in America. When hundreds of thousands of workers are being laid off in the U.S., it is difficult for the INS to justify granting non-American workers the right to work in the U.S.
Your relative who is doing chemistry can certainly take a GRE exam now. However, I am doubtful whether she will be able to jump into an MS computer science program without an undergrad in computer science. Why can't she pursue an MS in chemistry in the U.S.? I think that right now, her employment prospects may be better in chemistry.
Your relative who has done political science can also take the GRE exam. His BA degree might be recognized as an equivalent to a four-year undergrad degree in the U.S. so that he can pursue a master's. However, degree equivalency is a delicate issue. Both of your relatives should have their degrees evaluated by the admissions department of a U.S. university to ascertain what equivalency they will get. Generally, the larger institutions in India, such as IITs, are recognized without any problem. I know of many Indians who had four-year engineering degrees that were not recognized in the U.S. and had to go back to school for four years. So, I think it highly unlikely that he would be able to get into a computer science postgrad program with a political science undergrad degree. Also, getting a computer science degree now no longer means you can easily get H1B sponsorship. Let him take the GMAT and get into an MBA program. Depending upon the job situation in two years time, this may be his best chance of getting employment in the U.S. Journalism might also be a possibility, especially if he speaks several languages. Most masters' programs can be completed in two to two and a half years of full-time study.

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