MBA Crystal Ball

Hi rishikesh22,

//workex : CISCO systems (3 years).

Important point in the Indian vs International MBA argument.

//Member of a team which holds GUINNEES world record in group skipping.(292 people).

My congratulations to the skipping guys and my sympathies to the two guys holding the gigantic rope.

//I presently have a admit from IIFT Delhi.
I am confused if I should join IIFT or wait for 1 year and try for ISB and foreign B-schools.

The take-aways from GMAT based MBA programs are very different from CAT (or equivalent) based options.

If you have a reason to head to bschool immediately, you could take it up. But you might feel just a little out of place among all the other freshers.

Hi, briocon

//Mechanical Engineer (IIT Kharagpur, 2009)
GMAT: 710
Work Ex in operations and strategy in the manufacturing sector in Indian Companies
:
I've recently been admitted to manchester business school and am facing the difficult decision of deciding between mbs, ie madrid and univ of hong kong (lbs stream)..

With that profile, I'd have suggested waiting for a year more and applying to stronger schools. Everything else works for you, except the number of years of work-ex. Why the rush, my friend?

//manchester...I havn't been awarded any scholarship there,

Manchester Business School is quite generous with MBA scholarships, and a few our clients who've got admits there have got a substantial amount of financial help. So it's unfortunate that someone with your profile wasn't as lucky.

Even partial scholarships make the decision much easier. Is the scholarship chapter closed there or is there still some hope.

//Also what are the job prospects in general for Indians studying in UK

I'm guessing you are aware of the changed visa scenario. Overall that makes it difficult for international MBA students graduating in the UK. But for those who manage to convince an employer during the course of their MBA (and several folks from the strong brands have done that), then the visa becomes more of a formality which your employer will manage.

//IE, although is a very highly ranked university,
:
HKU has its advantage in that it would give me the alumni status at lbs and as per what I have heard, it is easier to get a job in HK..
:
I asked this question to the person interviewing me and he told me that quite a number of students who graduate from hku get jobs in Singapore.

The HKU situation seems to be the most unusual, as we're talking about an Hong Kong school with an LBS / Europe connection but most graduates are heading to Singapore! Not sure I really understand the story completely.

//I need your advice on should I join one of the above mentioned B schools and which amongst them can be the best fit for me?

Ideally, from a fit angle, a US-based MBA degree would have been better, but we don't have that as a choice here.

Manchester offers a longer program than the conventional European (1-year) MBA options. Good for someone like you with relatively lesser experience. So I'd go with that.

Hi,
Myself Rohit Bansal...

X-83% CBSE
XII- 65% CBSE

Graduation:Instrumentation and Control from MIT,Manipal
CGPA:8.48

I'm working in Reliance Industries(Top notch Indian firm and one of fortune 500) since July' 11 as a GET(Graduate Engineering Trainee)..Will be confirmed as a "Manager" in July 12' on completion of 1 year of training.
Currently preparing for GMAT,expecting 700-720...730,740 if luck favours,or if I get xtar boost of motivation frm somewhere...

My biggest problem is that my Xtra curriculars r quite average,
I hv appeared in national maths and science olympiads where I score 74 and 75%,which is pretty decent but no ranks as such..
Involved in organizing natioanl level conference in my dept. in college for 2 years..But thats just a participation certificate,nothing to boast of...
Some xtra courses and workshops which I've attended being in college...Did my summer training in IOCL as a part of college curriculam...
Was currently on a project for 5 weeks for revamp of a plant(DCS Installation) for 5 weeks.
Now,why MBA?
My current job is more of a technical pain,and I'm surely not a technical guy...
I presume I belong to rare club of people coming from oil and Gas industry,I'm in particular working in polymer manufacturing...I don't mind continuing in the industry but I wish to involve more in operations/planning department.I would also not mind switching to operations in other industries like logistics,operational management,etc.
I plan to give my GMAT this year,and go for an MBA with 2 or 3 years work ex.depending on when I get thru...
As such I still have 1-2 years before I go for my MBA and hence I would be really interested to know what can I do to further strengthen my profile?I'm not aiming for US schools because of there expense,I can afford an MBA till 50L and hence would be more interested in Asian/european MBA...

Hi Rohit,

//I'm working in Reliance Industries...Will be confirmed as a "Manager" in July 12' on completion of 1 year of training.

When you become a Manager, will your responsibilities be incrementally better than what you are doing at this stage?

//Currently preparing for GMAT,expecting 700-720...730,740 if luck favours,or if I get xtar boost of motivation frm somewhere...

If you cross 700, you can join this elite club of GMAT 700+ scorers.

//My biggest problem is that my Xtra curriculars r quite average,

I think you are getting unnecessarily concerned about this. As far as extra-curriculars are concerned, even if you don't have anything at this stage, you still have plenty of time to change that scenario.

From what you've shared, you have atleast 1-2 years more to go before you start bschool apps. Your focus should be on building a strong professional profile first. The manager label helps only if the work you are doing also has a managerial flavour.

//My current job is more of a technical pain,and I'm surely not a technical guy...

Links back to my query on how life will change for you beyond July 2012 when you get confirmed.

//I presume I belong to rare club of people coming from oil and Gas industry,I'm in particular working in polymer manufacturing...

Yes, that would be an advantage.

//I don't mind continuing in the industry but I wish to involve more in operations/planning department. I would also not mind switching to operations in other industries like logistics,operational management,etc.

Jumping ship too frequently isn't a good idea, specially when you are just getting started in the professional world. Try to get that experience within Reliance. It's a huge company with tons of opportinities. But bigger company also means there's an element of bureaucracy seeps in.

//I plan to give my GMAT this year,and go for an MBA with 2 or 3 years work ex.depending on when I get thru...

Try out some of these questions in GMAT verbal, GMAT maths and Integrated Reasoning (IR) to see if you are up to the mark yet

//As such I still have 1-2 years before I go for my MBA and hence I would be really interested to know what can I do to further strengthen my profile?

After 2 years, your experience would still be on the lower side compared to the average MBA applicant to 2 year programs. So you'll still have to aim for qualtiy work-ex, exposure to functional domains, teamwork and any form of leadership.

//I'm not aiming for US schools because of there expense,I can afford an MBA till 50L and hence would be more interested in Asian/european MBA.

For your profile after 2 years, the best options would be in the US. Most European programs would need much more experience than you'd have.

You don't have to discard the whole geography just because of expense. Apart from the super-rich guys, nobody pays for the entire MBA experience from their own pocket.

Aim for the right schools and you'd be able to manage the finances using a mix of personal savings, loans and school assistance.

MBACrystalBall wrote:Hi Rohit,

Aim for the right schools and you'd be able to manage the finances using a mix of personal savings, loans and school assistance.

If so what all B-schools should I aim for?Please name atleast 4-5 of them if possible...

Lastly,do colleges also ask for written proof of the responsibilities u mention in ur profile?I'm asking this because as a manager u r asked to do tons of things but they don't certify u for everything.For example they may send me on a project but then they won't certify that I worked there.

Rohit,

//If so what all B-schools should I aim for?Please name atleast 4-5 of them if possible...

Here's our perspective on how not to select bschools. Let me know if it sounds logical.

//Lastly,do colleges also ask for written proof of the responsibilities u mention in ur profile?

No, they don't. In a majority of the cases, they'll assume you are saying the truth.

But when you write or say something that seems to be too good to be true, they might want to probe deeper. In exceptional cases, they could ask for some evidence.

Not necessarily a certification of your activities, but anything that tells them that you are not feeding them exaggerated claims.

My full set of queries could not be published and hence not answered.Hence I'm re-posting.

"When you become a Manager, will your responsibilities be incrementally better than what you are doing at this stage?"

Yes they will in a sense,I'll be more accountable and responsible.I'm in maintenance so my job will include timely giving presentation on failures/performance in my plant,preparing annual budget,maintaining adequate spares,going root cause analysis in case of a component failure,raising capex and executing any such modification jobs.

"After 2 years, your experience would still be on the lower side compared to the average MBA applicant to 2 year programs. So you'll still have to aim for qualtiy work-ex, exposure to functional domains, teamwork and any form of leadership."

If I tell you that I'm neutral to all career opportunities post MBA what would u suggest me considering my overall profile?

Lastly,I'm looking to join an NGO not to enhance my profile but because I've kinda philanthropic mindset.Will that help?Its just that my working days are 6 days a week which leaves me with little time.I'm also planning to join something like toastmasters as I seriously wanna build my public speaking skills.

Rohit,

//I'll be more accountable and responsible...and executing any such modification jobs.

Excellent! So there's a lot to look forward to. If you actually get to do all that's been promised to you after the promotion, it'll boost your profile.

//If I tell you that I'm neutral to all career opportunities post MBA what would u suggest me considering my overall profile?

I could tell you a hundred options. That wouldn't be the right way to approach it. You have to come up with a few options that you'd love to explore, then get external opinion on each one. Don't give someone else a clean slate to fill up.

I'd suggest waiting for your promotion, getting the new exposure that you've listed here. hopefully some of that will give you new ideas of what you like or dislike doing. That would be a great time to evaluate post-MBA career options.

Pushing it right now will make it a theoretical exercise.

//I'm looking to join an NGO not to enhance my profile but because I've kinda philanthropic mindset...also planning to join something like toastmasters as I seriously wanna build my public speaking skills.

Both would be good, if you stick around long enough and get something out of them - not just for bschools, but for yourself as well.

"I really apologize but "How not to select B school" isn't really a gr8 tool.May be u shud start looking at application process of top 20-30 b schools and then evaluate chances of Indian students getting into thm,that'll be more helpful...
(Sorry for being such a bad critic )

Secondly,I doubt I'll be able to better judge my post MBA goals after becoming a manager.Simply because I'm working closely with managers who happen to be my immediate seniors and I still do a lot of those activities which I've mentioned,its just that I'm not held accountable as I'm still a "trainee".In that case what do u suggest?My GMAT prep. is going fine but I'm unable to "find myself"...

I seriously apologize for not being able to contribute on the link u had sent me,I promise I'll go thru thoz threads in details as and when my company gives me some to actually "live"...

Rohit bhai, kaise ho?

//I really apologize but "How not to select B school" isn't really a gr8 tool.

That link in the earlier response was to a blog post (not a tool) that explains the limitations and impracticality of providing indepth and credible bschool recommendatios based on a few parameters.

//(Sorry for being such a bad critic )

Criticism, ideas and suggestions are all welcome.

//May be u shud start looking at application process of top 20-30 b schools and then evaluate chances of Indian students getting into thm,that'll be more helpful...

That's exactly what we do in the MBA MAP. And we do it for a much bigger list of bschools spread across the world.

Unfortunately it's not a formula-based approach where a common set of recommendations will work for all applicants (Indian or otherwise). So we have to customise it for each candidate.

//Secondly,I doubt I'll be able to better judge my post MBA goals after becoming a manager.

True. Judgement, clarity and aspirations aren't connected to designations. Here's a story of a candidate who got into the Mays Business School MBA program with very little experience.

If you think you are ready with a personal career plan that Adcoms will also find convincing, go ahead with it.

//Simply because I'm working closely with managers who happen to be my immediate seniors and I still do a lot of those activities which I've mentioned,its just that I'm not held accountable as I'm still a "trainee".In that case what do u suggest?

Continuing with the earlier rationale, accomplishments and achievements matter more than designations.

Comes back to the point about being able to narrate real and credible stories that demonstrate that you have actually been exposed to many of the aspects of the business world that senior guys might find tough to replicate.

//My GMAT prep. is going fine but I'm unable to "find myself"...
I seriously apologize for not being able to contribute on the link u had sent me,I promise I'll go thru thoz threads in details as and when my company gives me some to actually "live"...

Don't worry about it. You don't have to participate on other threads. Stick to this one for now.

As it's a relatively new forum, I'm trying to encourage cross-pollination and uparwale ki kripa se it's been developing just fine