Imagine. Be a Leader.

Yet another amazingly inspiring video to let us imagine...Leadership.



Lets imagine, be a Leader,
A

Confusion faded, Consulting is the way

In my earlier post, I mentioned about my confusion state related to my career. Few days back, I'd a long discussion with my cousin, an Harvard MBA, working with an Investment firm in US. As I was in real rush with my apps last year, I didn't get a chance to discuss my apps with him. Interaction with him was a real eye-opener experience, indeed, fading my confusion significantly.

With his vast consulting experience, both before and after Harvard, he informed me a lot about consulting world and how I could utilise my 6 years technical experience to work and thrive smartly in a consulting company post MBA. So, it might be a career switch from IT to consulting, but I would always have an option to work with technology clients and grow quickly and smartly in consulting industry.

Second, he told me and also as per Management Consulted, consultants always have an option to exit consulting after working for several years and join industry in corporate roles, depending on their experience and exposure in that industry.

So why consulting when I love technology and might plan to return to the industry? This is because in consulting, my career would grow faster than in IT. I will get much needed exposure to wider spectrum of this industry. I will deal with magnitude of clients, acquire analytical, quantitative, strategic skills/knowledge to solve complex problems, understand business in all its dimensions, and get myself ready for corporate/senior management roles in industry few years down the line, which would be significantly slow staying in IT.

So, this is in brief a Why MBA answer for me, fading my confusion.

With this clarity, I've:

1. Registered myself for CABM certificate (will post a separate post for this).

2. Registered myself for Whartan admission event in Bangalore on 26th May 2010.

3. Started shortlisting schools and preparing shortlist criteria.

4. Contacting students and alums of few schools.

I hate writing long posts, my friend knows it.

Cheers,

A

My passion, Sketching

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

I remember sketching as a kid, making greeting cards for all the relatives, even for distant ones, and even during the exam days, hiding from my mom. 

Since then, arts became one of my passions, making me opt Fine-arts in my 11th grade as my additional subject. There I learnt various art forms but sketching fascinates me the most.

I sketched this portrait a few months back and my friends admire it as my best work so far. The toughest sections in this portrait were white eye brows and white hair.

Amidst busy work schedule and bschool hunt, I keep finding time to destress myself by doing what I love so much, Sketching.

Never give up your passions,

A

QS MBA Scholarships

For the selected applicants from around the workd, QS offers various appealing scholarships. But many of us remain unaware of these and miss them or realise them later.

Check out the details. (This link might work at some point later, am not sure)

This blog might not be of any help this year but I'll going to attend QS World MBA Tour later in this year and try my best to avail this fabulous opportunity for my next year MBA. In sense, it is a part of planning.

Cheers,

A

Last year MBA Rush

Before blogging why, what, and how for my next year MBA application process, it's better to retrospect the last year MBA journey, which didn't turn out to be as expected but undoubtedly made me more informative about the process.

1. GMAT: I took my GMAT in mid November of 2009, when December 1st was ISB last deadline. First mistake, I didn't plan my GMAT properly. Plan your test dates smartly.

2. ISB R2: Given the days left, I'd to rush for ISB application. The good part was that my career goals were clear. Second mistake, I didn't get chance to get my essays reviewed by anyone, not even a single person. Submitted in just 6 minutes before deadline, phew. a. Read essays of admitted students to let your creative juices flowing. b.Get your application reviewed and re-reviewed by friends, mentors, or consultants.

3. Schools shortlist:  Third and biggest mistake, I didn't shortlist the other schools in advance and I'd to rush in that as well. The better route is to clear your career goals and shortlist the schools before writing GMAT. I believe very few applicants follow this route. Research thoroughly about the schools, not just by website and brochures, but by talking with current students and alums. They could provide you their valuable insights no web portal could provide.

4. Safe schools: Fourth mistake, I didn't applied to any safe school (admissions chances above 90%). Schools safe for one profile might not be safe for another. So, depending on your profile quality and school's ranking and statistics, you need to decide which ones fall in safe category for you. Always apply to at least 2-3 safe schools.

5. Interviews: Rejected from Nanyang R1, Fuqua R2 and Judge R3 w/o interview invites, yet even with all this rush and mistakes, I grabbed the interview invites from ISB R2, Ross R2, and Tepper R2. Might be because I was clear about my career goals, though I am much clear now. I managed to put a decent interview show everytime but got dinged from ISB, and wait listed from Ross (gradually dinged) and Tepper (awaited as of now). a. Look through the interview reports published by accepted.com and clear admit wiki. b. Prepare your answers well but don't memorise them. c. As many mock interviews as possible, preferably by that school student or alum.

So, these are my mistakes and lessons from my last year journey. I'm much more informative and prepared for next year applications and looking forward to get into one of the best schools.

Hope to help,

A