Should You Join an FPM at IIM Directly After Your Masters or Gain Corporate Experience First?

Deciding whether to join a Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) at an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) directly after completing your masters degree or to gain some corporate experience first is a decision that involves weighing various pros and cons.

Pros of Joining FPM After Master’s

Academic Focus
If you are passionate about research and academia, entering an FPM program right after your master’s can allow you to dive deeper into your field of interest. This academic focus can be highly beneficial for those who want to build a strong foundation in their chosen research area.

Age Advantage
Starting your academic career early can give you a head start in publishing research and building your academic profile. This early jump can provide a significant advantage in terms of tenure and research contributions.

Networking
You will have the opportunity to connect with faculty and peers who share your interests, which can be extremely beneficial for future collaborations and research opportunities.

Cons of Joining FPM Without Corporate Experience

Practical Insight
Corporate experience can provide valuable real-world insights that enhance your research. Understanding industry challenges can make your academic work more relevant and impactful.

Career Opportunities
Many FPM graduates aspire to pursue academic careers, and having corporate experience can be advantageous if you later decide to work in industry roles, consult, or transition to other roles that require practical industry knowledge.

Maturity and Focus
Some candidates find that a few years of work experience help them clarify their research interests and enhance their motivation for a doctoral program. This experience can add to their maturity and readiness for a rigorous academic journey.

Recommendations

Evaluate Your Goals
Consider your long-term career aspirations. If you aim for a career in academia, an FPM can be a good fit right after your master’s. However, if you are leaning towards an industry career, gaining some corporate experience may be beneficial.

Research Interests
If you have a clear research direction and the motivation to pursue it, entering an FPM can be highly advantageous.

Consider Work Experience
If possible, gaining a couple of years of relevant work experience can enrich your perspective and potentially strengthen your application. This can also make you more adaptable to academic life.

Personal Insights from IIM Bangalore

Based on my personal experience and observations of my peers at IIM Bangalore, there are three key reasons why joining an FPM right out of a master’s program can be advantageous:

Corporate experience does not necessarily help or hone your ability to conduct high-quality academic research.
In fact, I would argue that in many cases, your own corporate experience can hamper your research abilities by coloring/biasing your way of looking at a particular research problem. This is because the mindset and priorities in the corporate world may not align with the critical and objective nature required for academic research.

Thesis and Research Skills
Conducting academic research requires excellence in using research tools and techniques, which you might have been exposed to during your master’s program if your program included coursework and a research thesis. The continuity of your studies will help you in further building those research skills and will also save the time otherwise required for adjustment to academic life.

Time Provisions for PhD
Finishing your PhD early in life has its own pros and cons but it does give you a lot of edge in terms of time available for your new academic career. For instance, if you are older than your peers when you completed the PhD program, you will be older than those peers when you all become full professors. While this can lead to a loss in certain privileges, it does provide you with a significant amount of time to establish your career before age becomes a hindrance.

While some might disagree, this is based on personal opinion and experiences. Keep in mind that not all types of corporate experience are always counted in academia for your first job offer after PhD or for your promotion to associate or full professor levels. My peers with corporate experience ranging from 3 to 9 years have often found that their experience was not counted on the academic job market, standing on par with those who had no corporate experience.

Overall, the decision should be made based on personal circumstances, career goals, and readiness for a rigorous academic program. It is important to carefully evaluate these factors and make an informed decision that aligns with your long-term objectives.

All the best!