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Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 10th, 2012, 7:50 pm
by suraj21
Hi Sirji,

How are you?

I need your help in one confusion i have...

I get a job offer from Govt. sector after passing the written exam...But i am in dilemma whether to go there or not...

Currently i am working in Godrej as a Trainee and i am sure that i will confirm after the trainee period and my salary would be around 22k..In Govt. job the position is Jr. assistant and the salary would be around 20k...

is there any adverse effect in B-school interview if you are working in Govt. sector?

So what should i do sir?

Thanks a lot!

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 14th, 2012, 11:33 am
by MBACrystalBall
Hi Suraj,

//How are you?

Sab kushal mangal, aap ki dua se.

//Currently i am working in Godrej as a Trainee and i am sure that i will confirm after the trainee period and my salary would be around 22k..

When are you likely to be confirmed?

//In Govt. job the position is Jr. assistant and the salary would be around 20k...

If you are taking a salary hit to move into the new job (public or private sector), you'd need to have a convincing reason for the switchover. What is it that the new job will offer you that the current one doesn't?

//is there any adverse effect in B-school interview if you are working in Govt. sector?

The sector per se has little to do with bschool applications. But the kind of work you do in the new job will definitely matter.

Admission committees look for a upward going graph when it comes to salaries, responsibilities and designations.


//So what should i do sir?

If you are planning to apply in the upcoming season, the job change comes in at a wrong time.

But if you are planning for next year, it might still be worth considering. Ask yourself the question listed earlier and have a strong rationale for moving from one job to another.

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 23rd, 2012, 12:24 pm
by anupamjain
Dear Sameer sir,

I am working as a Sr.Engineer (Executive level-3) in a Navratna PSU in India in the Telecom domain.I wanted to switch to management consulting domain.Pl suggest whether Firms like BCG,ALLEN BOOZ,BAIN,MCKINSEY etc consider candidates having work experience in PSU companies suitable for Management consulting jobs.Is there any hope for me to get into the challenging world of Management consulting with the kind of profile that i have.Pls guide

Thanx in advance

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 23rd, 2012, 12:53 pm
by MBACrystalBall
Hi Anupam,

//Is there any hope for me to get into the challenging world of Management consulting with the kind of profile that i have.Pls guide

Let me get someone who's managed to crack into the management consulting industry without an MBA to answer your question - Amit (aka MBA Dropout).

He's an IITian who dropped out of an MBA program. So his odds were not very stellar either. But he's done really well for himself.

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 23rd, 2012, 11:55 pm
by mbadropout
Anupam,

Since consulting firms offer solutions to real world business problems, to arrive at a great solution, the problem needs to be looked at from as many facets as possible. That is possible only if consultants working on the problem bring in many different perspectives, and to ensure that that happens, such firms hire people from different backgrounds, specializations, etc.

To give you an example, though I work for a boutique consulting firm that specializes in a very niche area, we have hired engineers, bankers, doctors, economists, scientists, etc.

Breaking into consulting isn't easy. However, you having worked as a Sr Engineer at a PSU certainly won't be a bottleneck. You need to show that you are creative, have great problem-solving skills (and can simplify a seemingly difficult/vague problem into smaller and simpler parts - what we call 'solving cases'), and are highly driven and motivated to take on what some might consider to be a grueling/stressful lifestyle.

All the best!

-Amit

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 24th, 2012, 3:31 pm
by seba
I guess my question is bit off track compared to what is discussed here. :(


But then here we go:

Brief about me - I completed my B-Tech from a Government aided private institute in West Bengal in the year 2007. It is not a prominent engineering school in national level. After that I started working with Wipro Technologies and then shifted to Fidelity Information Services (A product based company in finance market). All throughout my work experience, I have been working in BFSI domain (to be specific, in securities market) and have involved in Software development roles. I have a 3 months experience to work from onshore as well. I have a total experience of around 5 years (Wipro technologies – 3.3 years, FIS – 1.9 years)

Course I will be joining -
Now, this year I will be joining MDI Gurgaon for my PGPM course (praying God for an IIM L convert, but then that is a distant dream  ). With the current mindset I am planning to take strategic management and finance as my specialization. Would like to consider some IT related subjects as well for specialization.
(I will not be able to consider an International MBA due to some personal constraints and leaving India is not an option for me.)

What I want to do -
In the long run I want to work for a company (preferably Indian MNC) in the capacity of company administration. As for example Vertical head of Wipro Technologies. My dream job is to get into the leadership cadre of Mahindra and Mahindra or companies in the same league.
Experience and performance would take me there, I know. But if I want to reach there I should have the corresponding pillars.

Queries -
Coming to my questions.
1. How should I design my course in MDI Gurgaon? What are the thing I should keep in mind while taking a course? I don’t want to try my hands in marketing. But when I analyzed the profiles of people (through linkedin) recruited by MnM or Aditya Birla group for Management cadre, 90 - 95% were marketing people with very less work experience. This is the story of MDI Gurgaon pass outs, however not sure of other B Schools. (What I have in mind right now is to target TECH Mahindra or Mahindra Satyam of MnM group, but not sure how much will that work out)
2. Along with the regular course in MDI Gurgaon, is there any kind of certifications or competitions (of corporate level) which can add value to my profile, so that MnM and other companies offering similar leadership profiles consider me, in spite of having 5 years IT work ex.
3. Summer-Internship selection is going to happen within 4 – 5 months we join MDI. And to get through general management roles for internship, only past acads / work-ex are judged. What do companies look in for general management profiles?
4. I want to do some live projects (preferable in Consulting) while in course. I have come to know that in MDI such opportunities are pretty much there. In case I want to bring in some personal initiatives, what should be the way?

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 24th, 2012, 11:54 pm
by anupamjain
Hi Amit sir/Sameer sir

Thanx for your replies.I have few more queries.

1)Will i get a call from any top Consulting firms for interview ,If I upload my resume directly on their website? or any alternative way to get an interview call???Any specific Type of resumes that Are required?My educational profile is Average.

2)What kind of specific preparation is required to crack the interview ,In case i get a call for interview ,Because without any Interview call,How will i showcase my abilities and problem solving skills to the firm.

3) Is there any alternative through which the consulting firms are able to gauge about my abilities and suitability as a consultant.

Pl suggest.

Anupam

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 25th, 2012, 12:35 am
by mbadropout
Seba,

Let me attempt to answer your last two queries ("summer internships" and "live projects"):

"Summer-Internship selection is going to… What do companies look in for general management profiles?"

Recruiting panel members from consulting companies look out for these traits/qualities:

1) Relevant past work experience - If you have been involved in any type of consulting project in the past, you have an edge. To give you an example, in my experience, I have interviewed (and hired) candidates that have presented Cognos/Microstrategy Implementation projects as a combination of Report Rationalization (consulting) + IT Implementation (pure IT). Weaving a coherent believable (and true) story that touches upon consulting from your past work experience would help you gain an edge.

2) Logical thought process, problem solving skills - I along with my fellow panelists love to give cases to solve. We don't really care about the accuracy of the final solution/answer. What matters is the candidate's approach to solving it. We look for his/her ability to think logically, break a complex problem down into simpler parts, solve each part, and then put everything back together to "build" a final solution. For consulting internships/jobs, being able to solve cases is key. For example, let's say that in an IT project, in the requirement gathering phase, you helped the client narrow down to 5 final metrics/parameters (to be finally reported) from a total of 20 that he started with. The process that you went through to filter out the 15 irrelevant metrics/parameters would make a good story in support of your logical thought process and problem solving skills.

3) Other "softer" factors - Recruiters try to gauge the extent to which you would be willing to be flexible with respect to office timings (read as "working after office hours"), traveling, experience in working with teams, etc. Truthful and straight answers work best.



//"In case I want to bring in some personal initiatives, what should be the way?"

Two things that I can think of right off the top of my head:

1) Last recruiting season, I interviewed someone who had built a website for an NGO, for free. (S)he positioned it as him/her having helped the NGO build presence on the web, in the process "branding" them, and assisting them in establishing a digital channel (thereby facilitating "wider" presence, hence more donations, etc.). Something along the same lines on your resume would not be missed.

2) Recruiters from consulting companies have a fetish for candidates that are involved in extracurricular activities. You could join (and be an active member of) the consulting club at MDI, write for its magazine/newsletter, maintain an online blog, etc. All of this would make great content for your resume.

Since this forum is dedicated primarily to International MBA programs, let me refrain from commenting on your other queries - we don't really have the expertise or experience to give you sound and intelligent advice on your other points.

Thanks.

-Amit.

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 25th, 2012, 9:14 am
by seba
Thanks a lot Amit sir.
Your guidance will surely help me a lot. Thanks once again.

Re: Jobs and Career Related Advice

Posted: May 25th, 2012, 8:24 pm
by mbadropout
Anupam,

**//Will i get a call from any top Consulting firms for interview ,If I upload my resume directly on their website?//**

If your resume has enough gold dust (coherent rounded story, skills, etc.), someone is going to pick it up if you upload it directly to consulting firms' websites. Another (surer) bet is to send your resume across to a good placement consultant. They usually stay in touch with recruiting teams at consulting firms, and are intimated as soon as there is a vacancy. If you have substantial experience, Linkedin would also work well.


**//What kind of specific preparation is required…How will i showcase my abilities and problem solving skills to the firm//**

My reply to Seba, in an earlier post, should answer this question.


**//Is there any alternative through which the consulting firms are able to gauge about my abilities and suitability as a consultant//**

Please see my response to your last question.

-Amit.