One good thing (among the many that I see) about your profile is that all three areas of your work-ex have been in unconventional areas, vis-a-vis the other typical Indian profiles that Adcoms will get on their table.
The challenge for you is to come up with a storyline that connects all the dots and yet makes it sound like one logical story, rather than independent short stories that are completely de-linked from each other.
The latter will give rise to more questions about what you were really looking for when you made those transitions. Was it all linked to one grand plan that you had in mind?
The former approach will work to your advantage as it'll show that you are clear in your mind about what direction your career should take.
Your other components are quite good. Just keep in mind the points listed above and figure out a way to weave all the threads into one strong application.
Good luck.
- Sameer MBA Crystal Ball
Hi Martian,
Thanks for the guidance. You are correct in me trying to weave a story, I guess that is my challenge. Another small tip about the colleges that I should target both in India (if you give that advice) and abroad. I would prefer an American school strong in SCM/ops.
Would like an assessment of my profile and pointers that would help show pit falls and also ideas as to improve existing ones
Acacds are nothing spectacular X : 85.4 XII : 83 % UG : B.E, Instrumentation, 76.4 % (Non IIT/ NIT )
Work Ex :
IT Engineer : worked in an major software comapny for 18 months.Working for an american client in the automotive sector. Project was the redesigning and deployment of an existing system into an new OS. worked actively in the devlopment and testing area, developed an automoted testing appartus..increasing efficiency by 15 -17 %.
Non Profit mgmt : Threafter, have taken a sabatical and currently working as a teacher in a municipal school as part of NGO initiative. Have introduced new curriculum in computers and english, have helped secure scholarship for 7 students through an entrance exam,set up a computer lab within the school. Will have another year here ie till 2012. Also have interned with an international non profit for 1.5 months studying best practises across the world.
Extra currics : college level activities, organiser during diff events held in colg, level 1 basic french from alliance francaise..nothin much here.
Am looking at givin the gmat sometime in the month of aug/sep. Would it possibel to accepted into top 15 school in the US if i get a 700+ score..am gunning for the likes stern,ross,hass,ISB etc.
Could you also plz indicate areas for imporvement, so as to make it more marketable. What i am worried about it sewing the treads from IT to Non Profits and teaching..!! 😲 this is a real headache... could someone throw some insight
Here goes ma Prof: Xth: 89.45% XII th:94.33% BE(Mech): 80.8% ICWA (Inter)- 62.33% Work ex: 22 mnths as Product engineer in a PSU Certification: NCMP-Level 2 (I know its not of a great value) I have got admission in IIM-A (Batch of 2013) and I am planning to take up Finance or Operations. Can ya suggest me what firms/Roles will be best suited for me.? If at all, I am not suited for Finance, Then ya are most welcome to Guide me thro for a proper career. :) P.S.: Your reply is solicitly awaited and it s valued with high regards.
I am unable to work any further in IT for various reasons. I plan to take part as a tutor in MATHS(stronghold) for the next one year and give my exams. Would a complete shift from IT to training students be considered as a weakpoint in securing an MBA seat globally and in Indian schools . I really liked what Arun has done over the years and felt it wud be appropriate to ask this query here. Can i ultimately land with good colleges like NUS,NTU etc after the job change?
Another small tip about the colleges that I should target both in India (if you give that advice) and abroad. I would prefer an American school strong in SCM/ops.
Depending on your GMAT score, your skill with the essays and your flair for flooring interviewers, the range could go from Smeal to MIT.
Really dont know what to do next.Written CAT 2005,08,09,10.Dont know if I should aim for CAT 2011 and other 2 yr programs or concentrate on 1 yr MBAs.Not happy with the job also.Dont know if I am IIM material anymore.
In SIOM,they had mentioned that there would be 50% weightage for SNAP score.I had 114.5/180 which was one of the highest among the GD/PI ppl.Interview wasnt really stressful.They asked standard questions like Why MBA.Dont know what went wrong.
In SCMHRD,I had one of the longest interview.They had discussed all aspects of my personality.Talked abt extra-curriculars,music,Cricket,Job profile,acads.It was more of a friendly discussion but still got rejected.
Can someone plz suggest any plan of action now regarding International MBAs and GMAT and all that stuff?
1.Bearing in mind my profile , what schools would you recommend ? Will this list significantly widen or improve if I can improve my GMAT score by about 40-50 points?( a bit frustrated taking up the exam again )
See your profile is like the "classic" IIM stereotype. Indian. IT. Male.
This is my *personal* opinion and I could be dead wrong (I hope I am). My take is with your profile you have very little chance of any of the top schools. This is true not just for you but anyone reading this post who have the same profile. I would suggest looking at 15+ in the US. If you end up with a 50+ point difference then you might want to try your hand at 1-2 dream schools, write a very compelling story (not the post-MBA finance BS when you have no clue what it is ).
2.Do you think I should defer my MBA to 2013 for a better chance at the good schools? There are some good onsite opportunities coming my way.However just a bit scared whether it will become too late in the day to make a complete career switch
Its not a question of "time" - it is what you do in that time that matters. Onsite should be a great thing and would definitely add value to your profile else another couple of years doing the same crap is going to make matters worse as with 4+yrs experience they would want to see more leadership experience.
On another note, if you are not sure why you want to do an MBA then you probably should not
Arun - CrackVerbal
PS: For those who are new to PG. I say it as it is. Sometimes my tone may sound very unfriendly. But those who know me can vouch I am pretty social
I have got admission in IIM-A (Batch of 2013) and I am planning to take up Finance or Operations. Can ya suggest me what firms/Roles will be best suited for me.?
Congrats on your IIM-A admit
Firstly join IIM-A, pass courses like MANAC, read up for the case-studies and survive 1 year. All the questions will be answered by itself
Could you also plz indicate areas for imporvement, so as to make it more marketable. What i am worried about it sewing the treads from IT to Non Profits and teaching..!! 😲 this is a real headache... could someone throw some insight
At the outset, I am very, very happy to hear about your teaching engagement. As a fellow teacher, I sincerely hope you are doing this out of passion for teaching and not to buff your profile
Firstly get a great GMAT score - in many cases that can end up being the only factor to keep you out of the top schools. Anything above 730 and you should be good!
Secondly you will need to really answer the post-MBA goal question. Ask yourself - what is it that you want to do for the rest of your life? I am assuming that Not for profit is your true calling. That way you will have to chart a path from now -> MBA -> post. This will be something that you should articulate very well in your essays. It should be easy if you understand the hows, and whys of your career.
I am unable to work any further in IT for various reasons. I plan to take part as a tutor in MATHS(stronghold) for the next one year and give my exams. Would a complete shift from IT to training students be considered as a weakpoint in securing an MBA seat globally and in Indian schools . I really liked what Arun has done over the years and felt it wud be appropriate to ask this query here. Can i ultimately land with good colleges like NUS,NTU etc after the job change?
PJ to start with - if your name was Rajanikanth instead of Roshankanth anything would have been possible. Heck! You would have given MBA degrees to NUS, and NTU and not the otherway around
Firstly its good that you have a clear plan of what you want to do. If you alluded to "moi" in your post - then many thanks. After a decade of IT I finally pursued my passion fultime. However realize that I was always doing this one way or the other (Im a PG member since 2003 + teaching since 1999). So make sure your plan is pretty water-tight and you have enough backup plans. It would be stupid to quit without a plan. If you are in Bangalore and are looking for such a position then let me know
Once you make this transition then you will have to weave the story of what you want to do an MBA for? (Not just for the essays but to yourself as well ). This will have some essential components: postMBA goal, personal interest etc. With this you should not worry - NUS and NTU are definitely within your reach.
Arun - CrackVerbal
PS: No questions - you HAVE to retake the GMAT. No option!
1) A question that arises distinctly. As such technically, I have experience letters from my previous employers for 21 months altogether (when I had a "proper" job). For the past 1 year, since I am the CEO of my firm, how can I show my experience. I have the firm registered under a proper name, also have filed tax returns for it. Is that a good enough proof?
2) Though I will get a couple of recos from earlier employers, I have some really powerful and glowing testimonials from my current clients, across a wide range of countries. Can I ask them to send it to me on their letterheads and will it improve the value/strength of my applications
P.S. The revenues have exceed 1,00,000 USD and its technically not even a year yet! :)
You seem to be a smart cookie. The experience though a bit checkered is very exciting. There looks like a lot of stories you can tell. More importantly - rather than looking at the applications from a lens of the past, look at it from the lens of the future. Talk about what you want to do and excite the Ad Com enough to wring an admit
What is that you want to do post-MBA? As I said before don't focus on just where you have been - focus on where you want to be. Also don't be too picky on "specialization" as its a misnomer. MBA is a general management program. I would anyday go for a higher ranking school than a school that specializes/focuses on something. For example:
Harvard >> Kellogg
or
Haas >> Babson
Read my earlier post today to see how you can pick schools.
Not much but you should be able to substantiate why you are leaving your current position so soon (given your application is for R1 in October - you would be in that position for slightly over a year). Also it will allow you very little time to put in stories which talk about any substantial accomplishment. Not to mention the fact that the recommendation letters would also be a bit "fresh"
Extra Curricular: Nothing that would make a person go 'Wow' but surely some points to write about such as event organization,music and church leadership
Here's a little secret. Adcoms don't care about intermittent strokes of brilliance that the candidate has shown.Also, after reading thousands of applications, Adcom members would hardly remember the individual accomplishments of each candidate. The overall impression that your application conveys is far more important. So even if each aspect of your profile isn't 'Wow' that's perfectly fine. What you need to ensure is that the final impact of the application is definitely 'wow'.
Now if I say 'wow' one more time, I'll end up sounding like Saif Ali Khan.
So jumping to your 2 questions:
Will this list significantly widen or improve if I can improve my GMAT score by about 40-50 points?( a bit frustrated taking up the exam again )
Yes, it will. But if you aren't aiming for the really competitive schools, then you could still go with 690.
Do you think I should defer my MBA to 2013 for a better chance at the good schools?
You don't need to defer. 4-5 yrs of work-ex at the time of joining is the average for many schools. Try your hand a a few schools (with the right mix of brand, cost, opportunities etc) and become familiar with the bschool admission process. Don't exhaust all your options though. If you were to score a 5o point jump, leave something for the next attempt.
Announcement: The price for the MBA Mock Application Process on the Pagalguy Shop is going up from 6K to 7K. Last chance to order it at the old price.
Thanks a lot folks that answered a lot of my questions.I understand that I stand a fairly decent chance to get into a college outside the top 15's , if I improve my GMAT scores I can target maybe 1 or 2 within the top 15's and that the overall impact of my application is what matters rather than the individual components(this was something that was really new to me)
Just one doubt about the below 'not the post-MBA finance BS when you have no clue what it is'
I have a pretty good understanding of finance that you would expect any 'well read' person to have, but again a cursory understanding of finance like this , without understanding how it works in real life is what I am missing( and I guess a lot of folks like me ).Could you really elaborate about this further?.I think it will benefit a lot of people.
Also
"PS: For those who are new to PG. I say it as it is. Sometimes my tone may sound very unfriendly. But those who know me can vouch I am pretty social "
No need to qualify yourself .You said it as it is and I appreciate that and in any case people do need a good reality check
1) A question that arises distinctly. As such technically, I have experience letters from my previous employers for 21 months altogether (when I had a "proper" job). For the past 1 year, since I am the CEO of my firm, how can I show my experience. I have the firm registered under a proper name, also have filed tax returns for it. Is that a good enough proof?
2) Though I will get a couple of recos from earlier employers, I have some really powerful and glowing testimonials from my current clients, across a wide range of countries. Can I ask them to send it to me on their letterheads and will it improve the value/strength of my applications
P.S. The revenues have exceed 1,00,000 USD and its technically not even a year yet! :)
Yes get a reco from your customers. No need for letterhead - they would need to send an email from their official email id. As for previous employers it would be great if you can get 1-2. That should suffice. Most schools ask for more than 3.
My Profile:(Male) Class X:90.8% CBSE 2003 Class XII:88.8% CBSE 2005 B.Tech:Electronics and Communication Engineering, NIT Durgapur, 2009 Batch CGPA-8.67 Work Experience:Software Engineer at a leading global Electronics firm R&D; Labs (20 months) Work includes development of Software components for Hardwares.Have been on Business Trips to client locations abroad for Project demonstration purposes. Extra curriculars:Students Representative in college for Placement Committee, Co-ordinator of Tech Fests during B.Tech and some other minor roles. CAT 2011:96.8 percentile (1st attempt at CAT)
I am planning to appear for GMAT this year in August. I wish to take up Information Systems and wish to return to the IT sector after MBA.
What other BSchools (apart from ISB) should I target? Will work ex be a problem for me?
Now i m joining IBM in june...doing B.Tech in Biotechnology from Thapar University....so wat can i do to get admission in some gud B-School even though my acads r weak and good amount of weightage is given to acads.....i m thinking of preparing for CFA so that i can curb my past MISTAKES!....so can anyone guide me wat should i do to get admission in a gud B-School (i thinking i m able to get a good %ile in CAT)...n wat amount of work ex would b beneficial??
Really dont know what to do next.Written CAT 2005,08,09,10.Dont know if I should aim for CAT 2011 and other 2 yr programs or concentrate on 1 yr MBAs. : Can someone plz suggest any plan of action now regarding International MBAs and GMAT and all that stuff?
Kudos to you for showing so much tenacity with the CAT. I never had the patience to take the GMAT more than once.
Considering you've got far more experience now compared to the other guys who are aiming for these 2 years programs, probably time for you to move on.
Take the GMAT and see how much you score. If it's a good to great score by July end, you'll have enough time to shortlist schools, work on the applications and submit them in Round 1 this year.
If you get into a good school, you start classes with around 5 years work ex like most others in your class.
I have done BE Mechanical engineering and then have been working in Tata Consultancy Services on software applications for the last 3 years. I have given CAT and would try to seek admission in UBS Chandhigarh for MBA degree. I have always been good with concepts/studies but would not have liked to do a core technical stuff so moved to TCS and aimed MBA. Now I want to carry doing certifications and further studies with career growth in the coming years. I would like to get into finance touch too. Can you please suggest how should i proceed?
.You said it as it is and I appreciate that and in any case people do need a good reality check