Hello sir...first of all thanks a lot for devoting your personal time in answering our queries..
I am a bit confused as regarding my profile... I cleared iit-jee entrance examination..but due to a lower rank i got into IT-BHU , B.pharma . And then after 4 years of graduation when ther was as such no good offer in pharmacy sector joined infosys , then after 6 months got into a sogtware firm and then after 1 year as i am very much intrested in Finance got into a trading firm , but was not much successful there so with a determination to get an MBA in Finance and then return back to Trading i joined my previous software firm , gave GMAT scored 710 .....
now the confusion is that whether this
B.Pharma ---Software ---Finance ---Software thing goes against me in the application process..and if i want to return back to Finance after a MBA degree in finance then what would you suggest :
1) MBA and switch career to fin 2) Switch to fin firm ...work for sometime and then go for MBA in fin . 3) It is better to stay in software and do MBA and then get into some related field like IT Finance , Consulting etc .
My work ex till now is 3 yrs and if i apply this year it will be arnd 4 yr by the time of admissions .
Frankly , i believe that as i have arnd 35-40 yrs of job life remaining , i don't think the previous 3 yrs should matter very much while switiching career . As i believe that i should try to do what i really like .
Dear Achal,
I will suggest that you choose between the below 2 out of the 3 options you have listed:
Switch to fin firm ...work for sometime and then go for MBA in finance. By gaining experience in the finance sector, you will be able to convince the recruiters of your inclination towards the sector. Or,
It is better to stay in software and do MBA and then get into some related field.
You have stated that you were not very successful in a finance career. You should ask yourself why you still want to do that. You should aim to do something where you have the skills to perform very well rather than do something where you will perform below average. Give this some more thought and then decide what is best for you.
I have a work experience of 5 Years in Corporate Finance after my graduation.But what is stopping me to apply for ISB is my academic performance which is exactly 60%.I am confident that i can get through the other criterias for applying to ISB.Will my academic performance be a backlog for getting into ISB??Kindly advice.........
Thanks, Vittal
Dear Vittal,
You need not worry about your academic performance if you can compensate for it in other areas of your application. We carry out a holistic evaluation of your application which includes essays, your past academic record, your GMAT score, the recommendation you get from the reviewers whom we will contact and your performance in the interview (assuming you are called for the admission interview). Admissions Team
My query is regarding ISB's experience with persons having around 15+ years of workex.
I am 42 years old with around 18+ years of experience. My experience include 1 year in sales, 9 years in banking, 1 year in media and 7 years in a well respected company in the financial sector. I am at a senior level in my company and am well respected for my hard-work, business acumen, integrity and network.
My qualifications include a B.Sc., CFA (from ICFAI in 1997) and a C.A.I.I.B (Certified associate of Indian Institute of Bankers).
I have had a good amount of exposure during my banking & media days as well as in my current organization. My interests are also wide ranging and I spend at least 4-5 hours a day, reading on a variety of subjects.
I now wish to do an MBA from a premier institute such as ISB, for the following reasons:-
a) Having spent many years in banking and finance, I am kind of stereo typed. Would like to break this mold and either move into strategy consulting or aim for the top CXO slots.
b) To hone my existing skills and to gain other skills necessary to manage a variety of organizations or to consult for the same
c) Widen my career prospects
d) Take a break from routine work get into academics for a short period, interact with a cross section of people and generate fresh ideas for future work / entrepreneurial ventures.
Request you to comment from your experience on whether ISB would be the right place for a person with my background to acheive my stated purpose and will be glad if you can offer examples of a few people with similar background and how they have fared post ISB?
Best Regards, Sam 031
Sir, You have a very interesting profile. Your exposure to different industries will bring in a lot of diversity and new perspectives into the class room, thus, adding value to the learning. My own opinion is that what you may need is not a full fledged MBA course but a short term course in some specific area like business strategy, strategic marketing etc. Such courses have the potential to revitalize you and get you out of the felling of being rusted. Such courses do have the added advantage of being short in terms of duration and also enable you to quickly implement the learning on the job. I would strongly urge you to visit the Executive Education section of the ISB wesbite for further information of the courses that we offer. Menon
Hi Sir, Thanx a ton for taking time to reply to our questions..This is Tony.. Its my dream to get into ISB.. i graduated last year,2007...majored in engg (EEE)...my profile thus far.. is 10th-83% 12th-85% B.E - 73%
i always wanted to get into MBA finance..and since i knew getting into schools like ISB and gud b-schools abroad i would require a minimum of 2 yrs of work exp..i decided not to take CAT and to work for 2 yrs..got placed in the first company that came for campus placements...Wipro Technologies..as a project engineer..at chennai..lived my life here.. after 6 months..in november,i was asked to go to gurgaon..i was not interested to go to gurgaon and searched for alternate jobs..thats when i got a call from Intelenet Global Services...its a BPO company bought by Barclays Bank(UK) and since it dealt with banking and finance...and for a reason that bschools require 2 yrs of full time experience and ISB mentioned on its website as relevant work experience..i was of the opinion this would only help me in my endeavour to pursue MBA in finance..! and hence i joined..!
am now working thr and have quite an idea on the basics of banking and finance and was awarded a few certificates for topping and bein the best performer in my project..!
Sir,my question is... is BPO experience counted on an equal level to experience on other streams?! and secondly is my case of joining Intelenet cuz it would help me out in my future endeavour justified? are my scores at school and graduate level decent enough?! and with a gmat score of 700+ and 3 yrs of wrk exp whr i am at this point..do i have a gud chance of getting into ISB?
i have a strong view of what am doin right now..instead of jus moving places widout any plans..i have taken the lane which would keep me on a better position than what i would have been when wid wipro technologies..am i right to think this way sir?!
thk u for ur time..
Dear Tony,
BPO experience will be considered at par with experience in any other field. Your experience in banking & finance sector will definitely help you get closer to your aim. You have a decent academic record. With a 700+ GMAT score and 3 years of experience, you must apply to ISB. However, your actual admissions will depend on the quality of your application which includes essays, your past academic record, your GMAT score, the recommendation you get from the reviewers whom we will contact and your performance in the interview (assuming you are called for the admission interview).
i had completed my btech course in 2005..but was able to pass one paper only in 2006..i had started working in between..will i be able to state this work ex on my application form??
No, we will not consider this experience. You must complete you B.Technology first, gain minimum 2 years of work experience, give GMAT and then apply to ISB. Admissions Team
I work in Dubai and was surprised to see its not listed anywhere in the list of places ISB will visit this year... what am i to do to attend an event?
Dear Dr. MBA,
The ISB Admission Team will be visiting Dubai with the World MBA Tour soon. We might also organize a special information session in the city. The dates have not been finalized yet. Please keep visiting our website periodically for further updates. Admissions Team
I have done my B.Tech (Computer Science) and then MBA-IT (from SYMBIOSIS). After my MBA, I have started on my own on Jan 1st, 2007 with some angel funding from US VCs. My company is an online advertising agency that specializes in affiliate marketing. Its based out of Bangalore.
We have achieved break even right in our first year of operations and going strong in our second year with more than 40 people. We are working with almost all the top Indian Internet Companies.
Now, I am looking at doing MBA from ISB so that the skills I acquire there can be used to take my company to the next level.
I have secured 640 in GMAT.
Can you please let me know whether my entrepreneurial achievements can help me in the admission process, especially with the kind of GMAT score I have secured.
I have done my B.Tech (Computer Science) and then MBA-IT (from SYMBIOSIS). After my MBA, I have started on my own on Jan 1st, 2007 with some angel funding from US VCs. My company is an online advertising agency that specializes in affiliate marketing. Its based out of Bangalore.
We have achieved break even right in our first year of operations and going strong in our second year with more than 40 people. We are working with almost all the top Indian Internet Companies.
Now, I am looking at doing MBA from ISB so that the skills I acquire there can be used to take my company to the next level.
I have secured 640 in GMAT.
Can you please let me know whether my entrepreneurial achievements can help me in the admission process, especially with the kind of GMAT score I have secured.
Thank you in advance for your reply.
Regards, Harsha
Your entrepreneurial achievements will definitely add value to your application. Harsha, please note that a GMAT score helps in assessing your suitability to the programme. It is only one of the criterions we look for while evaluating applications. There are no cut-off scores - a good score strengthens your application but does not guarantee admission. The overall application (which includes essays, your past academic record, your GMAT score, and recommendations) would need to convince the Admissions Committee of your suitability. You will also need to explain to the admissions committee as to why you feel the need for another MBA.
Dear Sir, I have 3 years and 7 months of work-ex in IT and Supply Chain Domain till February 2008. I left my job in March to prepare for GMAT/CAT. Will my break in work go against me in the ISB selection process? Though now I do part-time freelance consulting and professional blogging as I have this big aim to start my own small consultancy some day, will this experience count? Thanks a lot.
Dear Mr. Menon, Can you kindly reply on the queries I posed in my above post. Thanks, Abhi.
Dear Sir, I have 3 years and 7 months of work-ex in IT and Supply Chain Domain till February 2008. I left my job in March to prepare for GMAT/CAT. Will my break in work go against me in the ISB selection process? Though now I do part-time freelance consulting and professional blogging as I have this big aim to start my own small consultancy some day, will this experience count? Thanks a lot.
Dear GyaanGuru,
We have quite a few applicants taking break from their job to prepare for GMAT. A small explanation either in your optional essay or during your interview (if short listed) will suffice. The consulting and blogging experience mentioned by you will be considered during the application process. While filling the work experience column in the application you will get an option to specify whether you were a Full/Part time employee. Admissions Team
Sir, You have a very interesting profile. Your exposure to different industries will bring in a lot of diversity and new perspectives into the class room, thus, adding value to the learning. My own opinion is that what you may need is not a full fledged MBA course but a short term course in some specific area like business strategy, strategic marketing etc. Such courses have the potential to revitalize you and get you out of the felling of being rusted. Such courses do have the added advantage of being short in terms of duration and also enable you to quickly implement the learning on the job. I would strongly urge you to visit the Executive Education section of the ISB wesbite for further information of the courses that we offer. Menon
Dear Mr. Menon,
Thank you very much for your quick and 'objective' feedback. It is definitely a useful input to decide my future course of action. Such frank replies are what expected of a great institution in the making & I wish ISB becomes the numero uno in the world and keeps the Indian flag flying. I will definitely peruse your Executive Education section.
I am a re-applicant, and received the feedback that I lost out due to the intense competition within the applicant pool and that I should aim for a higher GMAT score. I have a marked improvement in my GMAT (99%ile), and would like to know whether its possible for ISB to consider the same set of recommendations that were submitted with my previous application, so that I need NOT submit a fresh set of recommendations. Also, will such a request be taken unfavourably ? I ask this because otherwise I would have to ask the same set of people to repeat their time and effort in giving me the recommendations again.
Many thanks for your inputs.
Regards.
From this year onwards, we have the facility where re-applicants can apply with last years' recommendations. Since, the initiative came from our end; it will not act as a disadvantage against any re-applicant
However, it is entirely your decision whether you want to use old or new recommendations.
I m presently with a Bank as a permanent employee, but I 'm also assisting my famliy in our business and working as a teacher at one of the institutes on a part time basis. Will these experiences also be considered with the application?
I have read and as per my understanding a world class MBA class is one which is diverse, but as per the website,57% of the students at ISB are form the IT background. Even with other great extra-curicular activities of every applicant, Is 57% class compostion with IT experience a great composition, doesn't makes it monotonous.
Does a really very diverse career stand a better chance than the orthodox ones.
I'll really appreciate, if can answer the above mentioned queries.
Dear Siddharth,
Yes, your part-time work experience will be considered in the application. Please mention your teaching work experience as a part-time work experience. You need to have at least 2 years of full-time work experience to be eligible to apply to the ISB (I am assuming that you have that experience from your bank). In the current batch we have 34% students from the IT back ground. ISBs admission team takes care to see that there is enough diversity in each batch to ensure that the learning is not hampered. This is evident from the fact that the present batch has students from Army, Healthcare, consulting, Manufacturing, shipping, Government/PSU etc., to ensure that there is enough diversity in the campus. We dont compromise on the quality for the sake of diversity. If you are from a diverse back ground with high quality and strong potential you are a strong applicant. Admissions Team
Thank you. I was wondering, can the first to final payslip from the previous firm be valid, in lieu of a letter?
Also, I have another query. Can I submit a recommendation from academics? From the professor under whom I completed my Master's thesis?
Dear Mask,
Your pay slips from the current company will be sufficient for applying to the ISB. We will need your employment letter if you are offered an admission. We would ideally want your recos from your work place. However, if you have done some significant work under the guidance of a faculty you can ask your professor to write your recommendation. Recos of this kind should ideally come from a person with lower work exp but not from some one with high work exp in his/her belt. Admissions Team
I have worked for 2 years and 1 month (after graduation in 2005) with one of the reputed hotel chains in India. In these two years, the Management Training Programme lasted for 18 months. Will the Management Training Programme be considered as work experience?
After leaving my last job I have been working as a Freelance Hospitality Trainer since past 9 months.If I apply this year for ISB, I would complete around 19 months(June 2009) in my present profession . Will all this be considered as work experience?
Looking forward for your reply.
Regards, Azzmin
Yes. It will be considered as work exp. (provided it is after your undergrad qualification, working full time and you are paid). Hospitality training will be considered as a valid work exp. provided you are doing it on a full time basis.
1) I have given my GMAT twice (690 -50q 32v 4awa) and latest (700 -49q 36v 4.5 awa) . Would a very slight increase in scores be considered negative.
2)If i am ready to finance my education through loan and personal fundings instead of expecting a scholarship does that improve my chances for admission.
3) I am a s/w engg with 5 yrs exp in good MNCs and almost a 400% growth from when I started. However, this growth is spanned in two companies and I heard that colleges do not consider salary rises significantly when there is a change in company. Please comment
4) I come from a family of entrepreneurs who have failed in their ventures majorly because of lack of well rounded business knowledge. This aspect has been a driving influence for me to take up an Mba(strategy & entrepreneurship). I had put in effort in these ventures(a small scale Pharma company and advertising agency) on part time basis in designing marketing strategies, presentations and have also done some field work. However, I have no proof to show . Please advise me on how I can highlight this experience. Would a Letter head describing this experience suffice. Please note that these organizations are no more in existence.
Regards, Harsha
Dear Harsha,
Your queries have been answered point wise below:
No not really.
The admissions officer will not know your financial situation at the time of deciding on your application. We dont have access to the financial documents at the time of deciding on your admission offer.
I have already discussed in my earlier posts about the salary factor. What matters to us is the industry knowledge, insights that you can bring to the discussion table.
Please mention the details of your part time work exp in the application. That will be sufficient.