Career counselling: questions and answers

Q1: I am a student of MBA at Virtual University. I have done the first semester with 85% marks and currently I am in 2nd semester. Sir, my question is: Which specialisation I should choose as I have previously passed BCom and also have more than four years working experience. I look forward to your kind response and guidance. (Hanzla Raees Wattoo, Sheikhupura)

Ans: Hanzla, it seems you have worked hard. Moreover, you have relevant commerce background and experience, so I would like to suggest you Financial Management or Finance and Accounting as your specialist subject. I understand you would be doing a project at the end of your current programme; therefore, I would advise you to consider Risk Analysis and Live Trading of Stocks etc to finish your masters in Business Administration.

Q2: Respected sir, I have read your recent column which motivated me to get some expert advice and guidance for my future career plans. I did my BS Hons Telecommunication with a CGPA of 3.6 from Iqra in 2018 and got a job in a private company which deals in IT solutions. Now, I want to do MS Project Management from MA Jinnah University. Please guide me about what are other options/ fields for MS for a girl. Regards (Jaazba Tauheed, Karachi)

Ans: Dear Jaazba, Telecomm is definitely a vast and emergent/growing subject area. Recent innovation and technology enhancement in telecommunication is due to the fusion of IT and Computer Engineering. As you have relevant experience of doing projects in this telecomm area and understand the management, analysis and execution of projects in the practical sense, it would be a wise decision doing MSc Project Management. It will no doubt help you to improve your career prospects and or looking at higher level management jobs within the telecommunication industry.

Q3: I passed Home Economics with 3.2 CGPA. My majors were Food and Nutrition though I am still waiting for my final / 8th semester. Sir, I wish to do MPhil in a relevant field. Can you please guide me for a subject area/field and also from which university I should do this. I would like to mention here that I do have interest in doing Clinical Nutrition. (Sarah Fazal Ilahi, Lahore).

Ans: Miss Sarah, clearly you are hard worker and a good student and if you keep on the same pace and get more than 3.5 CGPA; you will have a lot of opportunities, especially the chance of winning a 100% tuition scholarship from the United Kingdom or America. Relevant emerging areas of research for an MPhil can be Food Safety and Microbiology, Lifestyle and Nutrition Health, Metabolism and of course Clinical Nutrition or all those areas that you can find greater career opportunities and PhD funding around the globe. I tell you that all these are emerging areas and popular in demand. I hope this information will be useful to you.

Q4: Sir, I need your kind help as I am planning to get admission in Business Studies at NUST which I am very confident that I will get. Please advise if I should choose BBA or BS Accounting and Finance? Secondly, what should be the criteria and qualification if I wish to do MBA afterwards? Is this a prerequisite that I must have a BBA or it can also be done after BS Accounting and Finance? (Mehr-un-Nisa Khan, Islamabad)

Ans: Ms Khan, no doubt NUST is a high ranking institution of Pakistan. Let me tell you that if you do well and are good at numbers and figures I would ask you to consider doing BS in Accounting & Finance. BBA is also a career-oriented subject domain. MBA can be done either within Accounting Degree or with a Management Degree provided you have relevant experience as it is connected to work experience.

(Syed Azhar Husnain Abidi is a renowned educationist in Pakistan, with more than 20 years of experience as provider of education counselling services. He has represented Pakistan in over 100 national and international seminars, conferences and fora. He is a recipient of the most coveted civil award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz).