Hi Baccardisprite
First of all "vvvvvThanks " for starting this thread. Well this would be long post as i want you tell my whole story before i get a great advice from you.Please bear with it
I had always been good in academics one of the topppers in my school education as well as college.
I gave my Engineering Enterance Exam in 2004 and got good Ranks where i could easily get Computers or IT engeneering in best colleges; However doing what everyone was doing was i dint wanted to do. I wanted to go different and i Joined "Food Technology Engineering" in Chemical Engineering and Technology" department, Panjab University one of the finnest departments in Chemical Engineering . I was ocaxed a lot in my first year to shift in Chemical engg stream as that was the stream the department was best for and i had a AIR 333 wch granted me the admission in same too but however i wanted to do Food Technology and Luckily i got batchmates who wanted to learn Food Technology by Choice and not because they dint have other options.
However in this 4 years of engineering i got g8 exposure to industry during my training in Pepsico Frito Lay and Markfed. However at Placement time i got place in an IT firm "Accenture" and after that things changed.
Had a mind changed joined an IT firm though still believe my engineering was going waste but the placement scenario was bad and Food companies preferred guys over girls ( our batch had only 5 girls) so had no job in food sector.
It has now been 2.5 years me working in IT. Again it has been a rollercoaster here.
I was trained in Java and got my project as a Developer but fate was such that aftr my first project i got projects wch changed my streams . I worked as an Portal Administrator for an year then As a Siebel Tester and now again as a Functional Tester. So basically i work as a tester now though was trained as a developer.
tried my hands with MBA preparation but i guess it has not attracted me that much becoz one thing i knew about me was if i want a thing i will put in 100 % effort. I tried MBA exams but could get best results.
I presently work in IT do design jewellery in my free time and i guess i love to do that . I have worked in Healthcare domain n my father being a doctor i am quite attracted to this field. So i sometimes feel i should join MBa or a great course in Healthcare mangement i searched for colleges but could not find much.
I do not want to waste my Food Engineering also , i wanted to a post graduate course in Food Laws but till date have not been able to find a course for it wch could guarantee a good future.
If i go for masters in IT i feel i dont have much interest in it plus that i am wasting my college education
IF i go back to food i feel i waste my job experience
if i think of taking my hobby of designing seriously i dont find good options
i want to study ahead but i am not sure
So if you could provide any kind of good suggestion it would be of great help . thanks
Hi Baccardisprite,
Thank you for all the insightful posts above and really appreciate the time and effort you put in to answer all the queries.
I am an engineering graduate with 7 years of experience in the telecom domain. My acads are decent (around 90% in 10th,12th..distinction in engg.). I started in more of an operational role and then gradually moved to development & planning with some exposure to business and market. I worked for an indian company for four years, after which I moved to an MNC in india. A couple of years back I was posted to the Japanese headquarters of the MNC and I am still here. My work background is a good mix of technical and business roles. As for extra-curricular acheivements I do not have much to show. I am yet to appear for GMAT.
To give u a background of my previous affair with MBA, I appeared for CAT twice (2005, 2006). Scored 99.xx (got an IIMK call and flunked) and 98.xx. Did not want to get into the second rung B-schools at that point.
After MBA, I want to come back to my industry in a business/strategy role in India or abroad.
If I am able to crack 750+ in GMAT and get some good reccos(from CXOs), which universities do you think I should apply to? Or do you suggest a couple of more years of experience before thinking about MBA?
- Sandy
yudi90 Saysi am a NORMAL du student doing economics(3rd year).nt a good time for the industry so not interested in getting a job.i have registered for cfa and would give it in december(l1).i have also been doing chinese language for the past two years and since i am not looking for a job and want to concentrate on doing my cfa,i am planning doing a full time 1 year chinese language course also so that i get a strong command over the language.just tell me wether i would be able to get a job after completing my l2 in any financial organisation with a china focus????i have a 720 gmat and plan to do my mba from a top us or china b-school after 3 years work ex...but i dont want to take up a job right now because i dont feel i am ready for it.....am i sounding a bit confused??because i really am....
Not confused, but certainly sounding under-confident.
On the full-time Chinese language course, a good (and proactive) move at 20-21; and youre asking the right question about whether jobs are available that will utilize the skills youre likely to gain over the next 18 months (CFA L2 and Chinese), on top of a DU education. I actually dont know where such a job "is" available in India, but am sure these can be found if you search hard enough, including networking with friends (including those of your dad & mum), family and even faculty. Ask people for help and dont think you have to conduct this search alone.
People and employers will appreciate the fact that youre taking on a challenge early in your life. Please definitely continue with the CFA.
- Conduct a hard and dedicated search for the kind of job you want to do. A job with a financial services firm in India with a China focus might be a challenge (but such jobs might exist - you just have to find them), BUT have you thought about working with a trading body (WTOs India arm), Industry Organization / Lobby Group (FICCI, NASSCOM etc..) which will certainly represent the interests of industry (including financials), or even the some Indo-Chinese trade promotion body (dont know if something like that exists).
- Have you thought about the World Bank / IMFs / Asian Development Banks India offices, where Chinese is definitely a skill worth having? Check out their graduate recruitment programs. an example below.
Jobs - Junior Professional Associates
- Have you thought about Huawei technologies (FT.com / Telecoms - Huawei in $500m India outlay), a mainland Chinese maker of telecom, fiber optic and other networking equipment? Or Haier India (http://www.haierindia.com)? Or these http://www.icec-council.org/china/chi-comp.htm? Granted, these are NOT financial services companies, but it will open the door for you to take on a china focused career? Build a career understanding operations, finance and most importantly the Chinese culture (rather deeply), and make yourself ready to take on employment for the long term later on.
Dont start your career with this deadline for an MBA after 3 years.. Take as long as you practically need to develop the level of advanced fluency with Mandarin, comfort with Chinese culture and skill & progress conducting reasonably complex business using Mandarin almost exclusively. If you start with one of the jobs above, this will take you 4-5 years. Maximize the value of your skills.
After 4-5 years, go for a major program like Whartons Lauder / MBA program (Chinese is one of the major language tracks, along with Finance / Strategy), or CEIBS in Shanghai for an MBA. Remember, your employer immediately after the MBA, will value your pre-MBA skills 75% and your MBA just 25%. So please maximize the value of your pre-MBA career before going for an MBA.
Be confident (yet humble - youll need that with Chinese), and diligent with your search, and disciplined with following up on your desired choices.
All the best.
I wanted to go different and i Joined "Food Technology Engineering" in Chemical Engineering and Technology" department, Panjab University one of the finnest departments in Chemical Engineering . I was ocaxed a lot in my first year to shift in Chemical engg stream as that was the stream the department was best for and i had a AIR 333 wch granted me the admission in same too but however i wanted to do Food Technology and Luckily i got batchmates who wanted to learn Food Technology by Choice and not because they dint have other options.
However in this 4 years of engineering i got g8 exposure to industry during my training in Pepsico Frito Lay and Markfed. However at Placement time i got place in an IT firm "Accenture" and after that things changed.
Had a mind changed joined an IT firm though still believe my engineering was going waste but the placement scenario was bad and Food companies preferred guys over girls ( our batch had only 5 girls) so had no job in food sector.
It has now been 2.5 years me working in IT.
I do not want to waste my Food Engineering also , i wanted to a post graduate course in Food Laws but till date have not been able to find a course for it wch could guarantee a good future.
If i go for masters in IT i feel i dont have much interest in it plus that i am wasting my college education. IF i go back to food i feel i waste my job experience. if i think of taking my hobby of designing seriously i dont find good options. i want to study ahead but i am not sure So if you could provide any kind of good suggestion it would be of great help . thanks
Why do food companies prefer guys to girls? Consumer companies ( at least the way I know it) are the great bastions of female employment, I mean these companies are dying to have women work for them. Women make most buying decisions, but food companies need men to sell food to them, wow - the logic really flows :-).
Anyway - youre still 24, NO youre not wasting any experience if you back to the food / consumer industry. If you have the passion for it, and if youre willing to take the long term view that its where your career lies, please go back and take any opportunity (even a slightly lower paying one) for it NOW.
Work 4 years, gain some career progress, skills and some professional / commercial / technical expertise in the area, then go for a major MBA abroad, targeting companies like Kraft, Nestle, Pepsi, Yum, Gen Mills, Lever or major food retail brands.... Like to all - learn a language along the way.
But make the professional shift back to food now, and forget doing any courses. Your employers look at where you have worked (first) before looking at anything else (including any masters).
All the best.
I am an engineering graduate with 7 years of experience in the telecom domain. My acads are decent (around 90% in 10th,12th..distinction in engg.). I started in more of an operational role and then gradually moved to development & planning with some exposure to business and market. I worked for an indian company for four years, after which I moved to an MNC in india. A couple of years back I was posted to the Japanese headquarters of the MNC and I am still here. My work background is a good mix of technical and business roles. As for extra-curricular acheivements I do not have much to show. I am yet to appear for GMAT.
After MBA, I want to come back to my industry in a business/strategy role in India or abroad. If I am able to crack 750+ in GMAT and get some good reccos(from CXOs), which universities do you think I should apply to? Or do you suggest a couple of more years of experience before thinking about MBA?
- Sandy
After 7 years in your industry in technical and commercial roles, with expertise (and hopefully some Japanese along the way) AND given your interest to stay in the industry - Id believe youre ready for a strategy role (hence an MBA). Given your seniority and experience, you will need to think through your process and make the choice that maximizes the likelihood of success.
- all the major global telecoms recruit in the major b-schools of the regions. So making a regional choice in your case is important. Do you want to stay in Asia / India? Or do you want to branch out to Europe or even North America? In which region / geography is your employer MOST likely to value your skills in the 2-3 years immediately after the Masters (which is 75% of the reason for hiring you in the first place)? In Asia, youre likely to quickly gain traction in commercial roles after an MBA. But in North America or Europe, are you likely to gain the same traction do you have any skill / knowledge gaps you might need to address to work in North America / Europe?
- Given your skills, are you willing to consider consulting for a few years after the MBA (if married and with children, this presents a personal challenge)? If yes, going to a Top school in the region is important to get face time with the major consulting companies (all the major strat houses have well established telecoms and technology practices). Strat Consulting for 5-6 years is a major entry point to senior strategy roles in industry.
Asia - INSEAD, ISB, IIMA-PGPX, CEIBS (Shanghai)
Europe - INSEAD, LBS, IMD
NA - MIT-Sloan, Wharton, Michigan, Tuck-Dartmouth
If youre good at Japanese, think about the Wharton Lauder MBA program as well.
If you can get a good GMAT (700 plus), write flawless essays that clearly & succintly articulate your need and the timing for an MBA, along with recommendations from people who know you well (immense more valuable than their seniority) - I believe you should be able to swing at least an interview to these schools, after which its all you.
All the best.
Hey BacardiSprite,
Honestly, your depth of knowledge really amazes me. Really awesome.
Would be great if you could share your gyaan in my case as well. Would really help me gain a better perspective.
I am a photojournalist by profession, having three years of experience. I was a science student till 12th, but then took a detour to media and that was that. I purposely delayed my postgrad after that because I wanted to be sure about what I wanted.
Now, I am contemplating an MBA because no. 1) I wish to start something of my own in the next few years. I feel an academic backing would do me good. 2) I wish to get my post grad in something that's more functional rather than creative (could have applied for a postgrad in photography, but not worth it). 3) I feel having a business acumen, or rather honing an existing business acumen is important, no matter what field one is in. At the end, everybody is in the 'selling' business. MNCs sell their products. I sell pictures and stories.
My questions:
1) Do you agree with my chain of thought? Any aspect that I am missing out on?
2) What is the admission authorities' POV towards those applying from a creative field?
3) I want to work in Asia after my post grad. Will opting for masters from an Asian (obv reputed) university be a better idea vis-a-vis going for say a UK, or US university?
4) Since I am looking for a more generic know-how of business, wouldn't it be a better option to opt for a generic MBA rather than opting for a specialization?
Do let me know.
Thanks a lot!!
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I am a photojournalist by profession, having three years of experience. I was a science student till 12th, but then took a detour to media and that was that. I purposely delayed my postgrad after that because I wanted to be sure about what I wanted.
Now, I am contemplating an MBA because no. 1) I wish to start something of my own in the next few years. I feel an academic backing would do me good. 2) I wish to get my post grad in something that's more functional rather than creative (could have applied for a postgrad in photography, but not worth it). 3) I feel having a business acumen, or rather honing an existing business acumen is important, no matter what field one is in. At the end, everybody is in the 'selling' business. MNCs sell their products. I sell pictures and stories.
My questions:
1) Do you agree with my chain of thought? Any aspect that I am missing out on?
2) What is the admission authorities' POV towards those applying from a creative field?
3) I want to work in Asia after my post grad. Will opting for masters from an Asian (obv reputed) university be a better idea vis-a-vis going for say a UK, or US university?
4) Since I am looking for a more generic know-how of business, wouldn't it be a better option to opt for a generic MBA rather than opting for a specialization?
Do let me know.
Thanks a lot!!
Going to (or going back to) school for an MBA wont in itself improve your acumen, only professional experience will do that. An MBA offers you a thinking process that you will apply alongside your developing acumen, inborn instincts, skills acquired through experience and (hopefully) good judgement along with a little luck :-).
Your chain of thought is alright, and adcomms wont reject you off-hand, in fact they might welcome an application from someone like you. You wouldnt be the typical candidate, but you would have to very clearly, succintly and flawlessly articulate why you want to (temporarily?) leave photo-journalism behind and do an MBA; state why you want an MBA now and what your short, medium and long term goals are that need an MBA to achiev those. Do that well, get a good score (700 & above) in the GMAT, get a couple of people (who know you well) to recommend you and give it a go.
Do something on your own - in what? Dont answer me, but make sure your essays do, and do so well....
INSEAD, ISB if you want to stay in Asia, though the top US schools will have strong networks in Asia for you to be able to return here. General MBA should be fine, what you want to do after that is what really matters....
All the best.
Cheerz
I happen to be in the same industry except that I am in the specialised maritime transport sector of the chain.
My ultimate career goal happens to be to pursue a senior business/strategy role in a transportation and logistcs giant. I have recently secured an entry level consulting job in a reputed maritime consultancy firm. I had considered the following schools for my masters since my current undergrad. (even though a BITS degree) is too technical and tailor made for merchant marine and has very little coursework related to comercial transportation and logistcs. the options were:
1.MS shipping trade and finace
2.MS energy trade and finance
3.MS supply chain trade and finace
all above from Cass bschool london
4.MLOG, MIT
5.MS maritime economics and logistics, Erasmus,Netherlands
I eventually wanted to land myself in a senior consultancy position in a transportation/logistics strat consulting practice of a top consultancy firm for 5-6 years ( willing to go for an MBA for that if necessary), and then try for strat/business roles in the industry.
The point of my contention is if I should go for my masters at all after a couple of years workex in my current maritme consultancy firm. the upside is that the masters are all for a year only and if i should i am confused which one espescially aware that MLOG( which undoubetdly is the most relevant one for me and the most reputed) requires probably much more directly relevant industry experience ........ ..confused...any opinions or suggestions to help my predicament??Thanks
V
btw: you have a very clear idea of what skills are valued exactly how much by the companies ...too good!!
ThanksStay in your job for 5-6 years, gain skill & experience, achieve professional progress (team leadership, client facing), and bag of accomplishments a post MBA employer will value more than your MBA itself.... Dont worry about education, seek excellence in your current job - it will teach you way more now than any of the Masters mentioned above.
Long term goal looks fine, but give your future employer something they can use, otherwise they wont employ you.
All the best.
Cheerz
am working in operations with a american pharma gaint from two years, previously worked in a fmcg, again U.S based and in operations only.
With a total experience of 3.5 yrs in operation, now am desparately looking forward to switch over from operations to sales & marketing. Is there a course which can help me in a smooth switch over?????Or do I need to start in sales right from the base, as a sales representative???
wrote CAT and XAT this year, could score only 93 percentile in XAT.
Please suggest, considering my academic profile also, which sounds to be below average:
10th: 54%
12th: 59%
B.Sc: 54%
am working in operations with a american pharma gaint from two years, previously worked in a fmcg, again U.S based and in operations only.
With a total experience of 3.5 yrs in operation, now am desparately looking forward to switch over from operations to sales & marketing. Is there a course which can help me in a smooth switch over?????Or do I need to start in sales right from the base, as a sales representative???
wrote CAT and XAT this year, could score only 93 percentile in XAT.
Please suggest, considering my academic profile also, which sounds to be below average:
10th: 54%
12th: 59%
B.Sc: 54%
It would help to know what specifically in operations you're doing - for me to judge whether the skills you might have gained are transferable to sales & marketing.
If not reasonably transferable, then getting a lateral entry into sales (at seniority similar to your current role in operations) might be difficult. A program in a top school might help open doors to interviews, but you will be hired on existing and transferable skills... If these are not there, and you're passionate about sales & marketing, then you might have to start professionally at a junior level in sales (with or without a relevant Masters).
What makes you desparate (= impatient) to get into sales & marketing? FMCG remains brutally competitive, and Pharma will get there as the # of unique and IPR protected drug pipelines grow thinner - I'd actually say with the right experience (& the patience to develop skills), core - operations is actually a good place to be right now!
Let me know. PM me if you want to keep the information above off the forum.
Cheerz & All the best
hi Baccardi spirit,
Thanks for the thread,
I had very specific questions and your views on the topic.
1. How are the chances for H/S/W weighed?
- Notes: Is the candidature based on traditional methods of employ-ability of the candidate and the GMAT score along with stress on EC/Accomplishments? or its a well rounded application that counts?
The reason for asking this question is , Usually we see stellar profiles for these school yet few ok candidates are able to get through. But these normal candidates are yet able to get through on the basis of non stellar interviews or experience or essays. Thus want to identify the distinguishing factor.
2. Among H/S/W- how are the Indian candidates with non traditional background compared to candidates with traditional, thus accounting for the details?
Note: Non traditional background refers to candidates with education not from IT sector/commerce sector and The work experience doesn't not include IB/PE/Banking/Fin or IT.
Hi,
I am a software engineer working with Oracle.I have 1.5 yrs of work ex.I want to switch to the finance domain ...so i have applied for msc finance in strathclyde,manchester,lancaster,exeter...I have certain queries..any help will be highly appeciated..
1)Is it higly unconventional for a software engineer to do a course in msc finance..can i cope up & compete with students who come from relevent backgrounds...?
2)secondly,i have heard we get 2 yrs work permot after completion of course..is it common that we dont get a job during this period and have to come back...& look for jobs in india..or do we get jobs if we pass out from the aforesaid institutes..
plz help
Excellent piece of advice sir! Absolutely relevant for each and every MBA aspirant...:cheerio:
Stay in your job for 5-6 years, gain skill & experience, achieve professional progress (team leadership, client facing), and bag of accomplishments a post MBA employer will value more than your MBA itself.... Dont worry about education, seek excellence in your current job - it will teach you way more now than any of the Masters mentioned above.
Long term goal looks fine, but give your future employer something they can use, otherwise they wont employ you.
All the best.
Cheerz
Hey!!
I am extremely glad that this thread is still alive, its by far the most useful thread on PG or any other networking site.
kudos to the bacardi man for his greatness and patience :)
About me, i am a mechanical engineer (batch 07) currently employed at a Europen automobile firm. I started my career in after sales operations and would be moving to a quasi-sales role soon.
I don't know if i want to do an MBA or an MS, but i know i want to study. And i want to get an education, not a degree (cliche, but true).
The dilemma i am faced with the kind of school & course to apply to. It's like this :
1. My aspirations are to join consulting after completing the course (management or functional). I ve been told that entring an Indian (or Phoren) B school with 4-5 years of experience may work against one if one wants consulting. Is it true? How else can i break out of the industry i am currently in?
2. I would like to work in Asia after my course. That would mean its better to go an Asian school? Which schools can i look at?
3. If an MBA doesn't work out, what are the courses that i can realistically look at? I know the likes of Stanford MS&E; are great for this, but I'm extremely skeptical about going west.
I really look forward to hearing from you!
Cheers
I had very specific questions and your views on the topic.
1. How are the chances for H/S/W weighed?
- Notes: Is the candidature based on traditional methods of employ-ability of the candidate and the GMAT score along with stress on EC/Accomplishments? or its a well rounded application that counts?
The reason for asking this question is , Usually we see stellar profiles for these school yet few ok candidates are able to get through. But these normal candidates are yet able to get through on the basis of non stellar interviews or experience or essays. Thus want to identify the distinguishing factor.
2. Among H/S/W- how are the Indian candidates with non traditional background compared to candidates with traditional, thus accounting for the details?
Note: Non traditional background refers to candidates with education not from IT sector/commerce sector and The work experience doesn't not include IB/PE/Banking/Fin or IT.
1. Candidates with seemingly non-stellar experience and backgrounds do get in; but in no case would they write non-stellar essays or give non-stellar interviews and get in. It's important to make that distinction with reference to the question above.
To answer your question briefly - a well rounded application counts.
But for the benefit of those who wonder, a more comprehensive answer below.
Whether in an interview or in an essay (or even in their recommendations) - apart from the standard requirements like a good degree, reasonable GMAT, and some years of experience, great applicants (but normal people) have a few qualitative things in common:
- They're very clear (in essay & interview - written & spoken communication) about timings and reasons for an MBA. They are also able succintly & consistently articulate how the MBA will help them get to their career objective short to long term (which may involve changing one or a combination or all of - function / industry / georgraphy). They're able to express clearly what skills they have, and tell specifically what their skill-gaps are, and how an MBA helps address those.
- In their essays and interviews, they're able to express what they have learnt from & through the things they achieve (or fail to achieve) - be it leadership, success or anything else - personally and professionally. In absolutely all cases, the best candidate will genuinely credit the people he / she worked with and learnt from rather than simply put a laundry list of what he / she learnt. Leadership will be about taking initiative, motivating others to join in, driving joint success and sharing the plaudits (and reasonably, the brickbats :-). The best leaders will make others shine!
- Remember, a stellar name does not necessarily mean a stellar career, and a non-stellar name doesn't mean a non-stellar career. Achievers are achievers no matter where they work. The great candidate is able to articulate and clearly quantify where & how he/she made a difference to his/her organization, how they did it, what they learnt from it, and what they would do better were they in a similar situation again. This is visible not just through essays and interviews, but through the recommendations.
The recommendations don't just come from very senior people, but those who know the applicant, and who can provide insight into the applicants career, objectives and give specific examples and reasons why an applicant needs an MBA (and why he / she's a great candidate for one).
- They have a passion for something, which occasionally expressed through related / relevant ECs. Too many candidates do EC activities to improve their profile, too few do it because they like or love to. The passion for things an applicant does outside work shines through in an essay / interview (or even a recommendation).
- essays are grammatically flawless. You wouldn't believe how many great candidates with stellar professional records falter with grammar.
- The adcomm believes (through the overall application / interview) that a candidate is recruitable to the companies that hire MBAs from that school on & off-campus. To repeat myself - an MBA hiring process / decision is 75-80% about what the MBA brings to the table in terms of professional skill augmented by learning from the MBA program; 20-25% is about the school the MBA attends. The latter component of 20-25% purely because the company recruiting goes to a certain school because of the relationship with that school... very little to do with the individual candidate. IF an adcomm finds they can't help a prospective candidate get placed because of personality or professional skill gaps or simply the rarity of profile (unlikely), they wouldn't admit that candidate. This judgement is largely based around not just a candidate's profile, application, essays, recos etc, but face to face interviews - unquantifiable stuff like clarity of thought, consistency in articulation, and the self - confidence (not arrogance) to take the hard knocks to get there. The better adcomms are very good at this stuff!
- An MBA in a top school is not academically a very challenging experience (except for those not at all inclined to academics), it is however a strong mental & emotional experience. Workload in certain programs in stressful, it can be a pain sometimes dealing with & working with (in study & project groups) with people you could or not get along with, and when it comes to job search - it can get competitive. The selfish, self-absorbed, egoistic & arrogant may get in, and may get the job want after the MBA, but they will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, and the memory will manifest itself at the wrong time in the wrong place (remember Bear Stearns & Lehman?). Good adcomms will stop people like that at admission stage 😃
- One hard & fast rule. EC's are a tie-breaker between 2 equally great candidates.
I have met people absolutely outstanding on paper, but were simply unable to articulate their future career - actually met a young lady with 5 years in a luxury retail major who wanted to be a strat consultant, but simply couldn't articulate what a consultant does! Another (Indian) IT guy simply wanted to get into PE, but failed miserably when asked to explain the PE process and what it really entailed. Needless to say, both candidates were dinged by every school they applied to (even so-called safeties)...
Principle - if you don't any clear idea of and about what you want to do after an MBA, and how / why an MBA will be helpful; don't bother applying (to any school). Your lack of clarity will show up somewhere, somehow and you will be dinged!
I've seen otherwise great candidates get dinged purely because they came off as arrogant and projected a sense of entitlement, both of which will simply come unstuck in a real world environment.
2. They're compared based on all of the above criteria. You can be as non-traditional as you want. But if you don't pass muster on the above criteria, you're unlikely to be favored over a "traditional" candidate who does!
Hope that helps you and others.
Cheerz & All the best
Hi,
I am a software engineer working with Oracle.I have 1.5 yrs of work ex.I want to switch to the finance domain ...so i have applied for msc finance in strathclyde,manchester,lancaster,exeter...I have certain queries..any help will be highly appeciated..
1)Is it higly unconventional for a software engineer to do a course in msc finance..can i cope up & compete with students who come from relevent backgrounds...?
2)secondly,i have heard we get 2 yrs work permot after completion of course..is it common that we dont get a job during this period and have to come back...& look for jobs in india..or do we get jobs if we pass out from the aforesaid institutes..
plz help
1. Not unconventional, many software guys successfully make the switch. As long as you're numerically inclined and able to communicate the insight behind the numbers, you should be able to cut it with the rest.
2. I understand the UK does give 2 year work permits to recent Masters Grads, but it's just an authorization to work in the UK, meaning whoever employs you doesn't need to go through the headache of sponsoring a work permit. But the work-permit itself is neither a job nor does it entitle you to a job in the UK.... You have to find a job, and if you're not successful you might have to come home, work permit or not.
Cheerz & All the best
Hey!!
I am extremely glad that this thread is still alive, its by far the most useful thread on PG or any other networking site.
kudos to the bacardi man for his greatness and patience :)
About me, i am a mechanical engineer (batch 07) currently employed at a Europen automobile firm. I started my career in after sales operations and would be moving to a quasi-sales role soon.
I don't know if i want to do an MBA or an MS, but i know i want to study. And i want to get an education, not a degree (cliche, but true).
The dilemma i am faced with the kind of school & course to apply to. It's like this :
1. My aspirations are to join consulting after completing the course (management or functional). I ve been told that entring an Indian (or Phoren) B school with 4-5 years of experience may work against one if one wants consulting. Is it true? How else can i break out of the industry i am currently in?
2. I would like to work in Asia after my course. That would mean its better to go an Asian school? Which schools can i look at?
3. If an MBA doesn't work out, what are the courses that i can realistically look at? I know the likes of Stanford MS&E; are great for this, but I'm extremely skeptical about going west.
I really look forward to hearing from you!
Cheers
Work in your company for another 3-4 years. Learn, learn and learn some more 😃 Don't waste the knowledge and experience you're gaining now. Break out when you have something to offer! With 1.5 years now, you'll have very little to offer a prospective consulting employer. In this period, upgrade & upskill yourself al that you can - learning a language is one of them.
In the fall of 2013, aim to get into MIT's LGO (formerly LFM) or Kellogg's MMM, or Stanford's MS&E; program, then make a play for consulting. You'd be taking solid knowledge & experience in the nuts & bolts of an industry (operational and customer facing) and be able to complement that with a techno-commercial education. You'll have no issues getting face time in front of the consulting recruiters on campus.
Both Kellogg & MIT have fantastic Asia networks, you'll have no problems getting Alumni help to get doors opened. Of course you'll need to have the right at that time to deserve to walk through those doors.
The statement that you won't be welcome in consulting after 4-5 years experience is garbage. Those who tell you that speak from a rather warped view from a business school - which is centered around "getting into consulting". Very few look beyond, and very few think about what one would offer as a consultant to a client.
Think it over - see yourself as a client and wonder whether you want a McKinsey Consultant with no (or very little) pre-consulting experience in core manufacturing strategizing your automobile company for you (you will get a deck of nice slides regardless of the quality of content)
Consulting is advising your client about their business by understanding & knowing their business, industry and the economic context around which their industry & business operates! If you can't bring any expertise & knowledge, the quality of advice you're giving is questionable at best if not downright dubious.
With 5+ years in the automotive industry, a top notch education like LGO, MMM or MS&E;, at least one foreign language (German, Japanese help a lot for automotive) alongside English - now a consultant with that sort of profile is likely to give you better advice, right?
All the best
Hi Baccardisprite,
A very short intro of mine :-
Btech in Production & Industrial Engg from NIT Allahabad ( Marks 9.4/10+ decent extra curric activities)
Currently working with a 2-wheeler company in Purchase Dept (7 months exp. till date)
I am very much interested in Operations Management/Industrial Engg. (SCM, OR etc..) and whatever i have done in last 2-3 yrs all reflect that ( my Btech major project was on ERP system, my extra currics, job profile etc..)
I am very keen on pursing one of these subjects for my post grad degree which i want to begin latest by 2011 ( by then it will be 2 yr work ex)
I read your posts abt options avl. but can you give me an idea abt is MS in IE a good option or shd i consider Masters in Management as an alternative?
right now i am in dilema whether to write GRE or GMAT( say by June/July) ( MS programmes would require GRE and Masters in Management would need a GMAT score, correct me if i am wrong..)
I would be thankful if you can give me some guidance like what alternatives are avl in above fields. And what kind of career prospects are there?
Btech in Production & Industrial Engg from NIT Allahabad ( Marks 9.4/10+ decent extra curric activities).Currently working with a 2-wheeler company in Purchase Dept (7 months exp. till date).
I am very much interested in Operations Management/Industrial Engg. (SCM, OR etc..) and whatever i have done in last 2-3 yrs all reflect that ( my Btech major project was on ERP system, my extra currics, job profile etc..). I am very keen on pursing one of these subjects for my post grad degree which i want to begin latest by 2011 ( by then it will be 2 yr work ex)
I read your posts abt options avl. but can you give me an idea abt is MS in IE a good option or shd i consider Masters in Management as an alternative?
right now i am in dilema whether to write GRE or GMAT( say by June/July) ( MS programmes would require GRE and Masters in Management would need a GMAT score, correct me if i am wrong..).I would be thankful if you can give me some guidance like what alternatives are avl in above fields. And what kind of career prospects are there?
Youre interested in ops management, SCM etc.... and mention a post-grad degree like it was your goal. What lies beyond? Why are you giving yourself deadlines (like 2011) before having gained enough skill, expertise, and traction in your current industry / function? Answer these questions for yourself before going for an education now.
While thinking about it - do look at the advice I have given others here, spend enough time learning, up-skilling, gaining experience and progressing in your career. In addition to the Masters education you will doubtless acquire going forward, you need to make yourself attractive to your future employer (s).
Even if you do go for a Masters now, you will need several years of functional experience (9-10 years since you will still be young & less experienced) to make it to a managerial position. If you spend 4-5 years working now, you`ll need less time after Masters to rise up an organization.
Between MoM & M.S IE, I would go for the latter now. More quantitative and grounded in reality, technical in nature but multiple industry applicable and transferable - an M.S in IE with electives in areas like Supply Chain Optimization, Decision Sciences, Advanced Cost Management in Operations, Manufacturing Excellence - along with cross-registered courses like Corporate Finance and Strategy. Georgia Tech (the best), MIT (ESD), Stanford (MS&E;), Purdue, Michigan, Berkeley, TU Delft (Holland), NITIE (India).. are the worlds best schools of Industrial Engineering.
In India - NITIE is pretty much top, in fact would highly recommend NITIE at this stage of your life.
Cheerz & All the best