@kanusep12 Yeah I agree! A feedback always help.
Guys, I can identify a one-year-younger me's plight to the ones you are facing now about the lack of a lot of things about ISB - they keep you waiting, the application review system is perhaps not robust, the feedback they provide is sometimes shoddy.....and the list goes on. While it is perfectly fine and sometimes even justified for some of you guys to feel dejected, please understand that ISB is a pretty young school when you compare it with some of the best schools in the US. Still, within 11 years of its inception, and a lot of teething pains, it has succeeded in making the world take notice. Thus, you have to appreciate that the school does a disproportionately more number of things right than it does wrong. And the school is continuously testing itself so that a better version of itself is created. But you've got to give it some time. Remember that it does A LOT of things that, forget any Indian, but even many top-notch global schools don't do. So, my sincere request is, to have some patience and discretion before you pass some judgement about the school on such public a forum.
And I place this request because am an insider, but because this school is one of the very few institutions that had filled me with pride - yes, even before I started calling this place my home.
Have faith, and the goods will follow.
Hello Puys.. Here is my interview exp..
Had interview scheduled at 12:20 PM but postponed to 02:00 PM.
Panel had 2 alumni.. (a lady and a gent)
1) Tell me about your work in your previous job?
Explained them everything.. they were just nodding.. no cross questions
2) Asked me about my long term and short term goals?
With exp as engineer and Equity Research analyst in Infrastructure space, explained that I wish to work with a financial advisory firm in infrastructure space. Here starts the grilling.. He said that, with all the experience I had and being cleared CFA L-I, I can straight away get into that role and why do I need MBA? Answered to him that I need to strengthen my knowledge in other sub-spaces in Finance such as Capital Raising strategies and M&A.; CFA only helps in a particular kind of way and doesnt provide everything to be a successful financial advisor. Again cross-questioned.. Asked why not some other certification and only MBA at ISB? Answered that at ISB, I get the opportunity to interact directly with industry experts, can build my network and with the help of clubs and ELP, can get the real exp of challenges in the job I am aiming for. Also, said that at ISB, interacting with experienced peers, can learn from their experiences and hone my leadership skills. He asked what are the companies I am aiming for? Said a few names like Feedback Ventures, Knight Frank etc.. His responded to this by saying "What if I say that, the kind of work you are looking for, is not done by these companies and you need not leadership skills do work there and all you do is work on MS Excel? The companies you need to look for is L&T; and Sobha Dev. ". I was startled for a moment but answered to him by saying "These companies will be having projects and they will not be completely doing financial evaluation of their projects. They depend on consultants like Feedback Ventures etc.. Infact L&T; is the client of Feedback Ventures. So, working with Feedback kind of companies gives me an opportunity to work with varied projects and clientelle. Also, while working on such projects, I shall be interacting with top-management of clients as a team. here comes the need of leadership and team skills. And coming to working on Excel, looking in a broader way, more than 70% of jobs today in corporate world depend on MS Excel, what requires is the intelligence and knowledge while punching a number and playing with it in Excel". Kinda felt that he is not completely satisfied with my answers.
3) There is a derivative traded in NASDAQ that represents residential prices. It is considered as replicate to market sentiment. Take a minute or two and answer me, if you have to build such kind of product for india, where do you get the data from?
For broader range, we can get the data from forums such as propequity and magicbricks. To cross check this data,we can use the data released from region specific listed players and named few. He said, he liked the idea of using magicbricks.
4) Asked to estimate the price of 2 BHK in a Tier-III city 1 year from now developed by an unlisted player?
As we dont have the valid data from real estate player, l shall look for a listed developer in that city or in the near by city. There by, I shall discount for the factors such as unlisted players do not get as much premium as listed players do, being Tier-III city and for variation in type of construction. He wasn't satisfied much with the answer.
5) There are 10 more similar candidates. Tell us why we need to select you?
Told them that I had excelled in whatever work I do. Excelled in Acads, cleared IIT and CFA in first attempt. Was able to get a job in financial markets in tough times and succeeded in it. Had exhibitied leadership skills as and when necessary. Asked a situation where I had shown my leadership abilities in my previous job. Explained a situation. They just nodded.
6) Do you want to tell us anything that is not in your application because we are thorough with your application?
Said, ISB application with 3 essays, had given me an opportunity to protray everything about myself like my accomplishments, need for an MBA and need for getting into ISB and how I can add value to ISB, even about my hobbies and so, I have not much to add. Yet, I have couple of questions if you can answer. He explained it and said he was happy that I raised the question and he himself has asked the ISB management to mention about it clearly in brochures.
7) Now the lady starts speaking. Your evaluator has mentioned something about your out-of-the-box thinking in his reco? Tell us what you have done
Told them, I introduced using SAS for working instead of Excel, that eased the work and saved ~100 man hours. I got this idea as I have learnt SAS during my college days. They simply nodded
8) Tell us about commuity service?
Explained in few words.
Back to the previous interviewer
9) You have written that solving puzzles is your hobby and you are good at solving su-do-ku and rubiks cube. Do you solve any puzzles apart from those 2?
Said, whenever I feel bored and cant go to bed, I just open up the net and start solving some puzzles, whatever kind it might be. He gave me a puzzle to solve.
Have 25 horses and a race course where 5 horses can race at single time. What is the minimal number of times the race course has to be used to find the 2nd fastest horse?
Told him my answer.. he said you are leaving a particular case. I said I couldn't think of any. He said what he thought I was missing. I explained him that case has already been taken care of and explained my solution again. Finally, he was convinced with the answer.
He said.. So, thats it. We are done now.. Thanked both of them for their time.
Overall.. not a completely satisfied expereince. Fingers crossed.
Interview went for around 45 mins.
@muvvalasumanth I can share your feeling on that.. I too dont feel entirely satisfied with mine.. so whatever'll happen will be for the best :)
@muvvalasumanth : Me too .. getting a very 50 50 feeling after that.. Spending more time anaylzing the interview is making it seem worse. I just hope its not a waitlist
@muvvalasumanth Panel was happy that you asked the question - thats a good sign..!! all the best bro :)
U guys atleast had 45-50 mints to present yourself ..i was there for 10-15 mints with no cross questioning or grilling ..not sure if they would have decided not to take me even before i went in...though i m confident so let wait for 15th
Guys i have been getting multiple queries abt the no. of admits. See its a ratio that ISB follows.... if no. of applications is less ..ratio will remain same...So i don't think u should worry about your chances change with no. of apps.
And wait is tough ...so be patient and stop speculating things... I have seen guys being interviewed for 2 hrs rejected and 10 mins interview selected.... its very very subjective...
In hindsight if i think about my own interview i feel how stupid answers i gave...but its not only abt interview .... a lot of things are weighed
Hi puys! We are in the last month of admissions for ISB, and many of you will be planning to apply to US B Schools as well. I am from the ISB Class of 2013, and me and a few friends have decided to 'pay forward' the help extended to us by seniors who have guided us in perfecting our application essays. Hence we have started Mission: MBA.
We we invite you to visit our website: http://www.missionmba.tk/ and follow the steps mentioned to get your essays reviewed for free.
You can also connect with us on our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mission-MBA/284018445043607
You can also connect with us on our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mission-MBA/284018445043607
How does the results are give...are they given in a single go or they start 2 or 3 days before the deadline...?
@Slimsawt my understanding is that all results for R1 are given on a single day, Nov 15th. Are they given at one go? not so sure about that.
My 2c is that the interview duration does not matter. I spent around 45 mins or so (seemed longer 😁 )....but probably that's to do with the panel/interviewer style/maybe even time of day 😃 In any case, there's only so much anyone can do to drive the interview and the important thing is to capitalize on whatever time you get. Well, am not the one to talk here...since I messed up a simple guesstimate but well....that's that 😁 All the best to one and all. I am anxious about 15th too; but off to enjoy my Diwali and my sanity (Away from office) for as long as it lasts.
any Doctor who is applying for career shift had their interview yet? I could use some insights! 