Scores of entrance tests, presentations, interviews and negotiations form the array of activities in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) forum that paves an easier path leading to various jobs offered to the graduates. Multitude of lucrative job offers and placements are provided to MBA graduates to venture into the world, along with a pool of opportunities. The number of people engaging in pursuing MBA in India has increased over the time. With such large percentage of students earning an MBA degree, it is important that each individual distinguishes his or her skills to find a befitting place for themselves in the corporate jungle.

Technology has been a buzzing term ever since it took the world by storm. MBA graduates are put through various challenges during their course of learning. They are not only encouraged to engage in technical terminologies but also adapt to such techniques. Information Technology applies to the usage of computers and telecommunications equipment so that it can store and retrieve data. Information Technology (I.T) sector has been on a rise due to its latest technology extraction in every aspect. One of the major sections in the I.T sector is the database management which relates to retrieving large amounts of data accurately.

I.T sector has evolved over the years and made a foray in every sector. Whether it is a manufacturing firm or an educational institution, I.T plays an important role in managing organizational work. MBA graduates seek knowledge through various specializations that are offered in their business schools. The major categories are finance, marketing, human resource, information technology, international business, media etc.

I.T sector offers a wide range of skills and talent management options to its employees and MBA graduates. Basic computer skills are provided to the latter during their course which leads them to a pathway where they can learn newer skills with little training. In the current B-school teaching methods, the exposure is not limited to the specialization and electives per se. Extra knowledge is provided through activities like case analysis, field tours and live presentations. Various MBA graduates with different specialization can enter into an I.T company.

MBA in Finance:

MBA graduates with a finance specialization are extremely good with numbers and analysis. They learn all about studying the market through their profits, investments and financial statements. They estimate the organization’s success through the profits that they make. Job opportunities are immense for an MBA graduate in an I.T sector.  MBA (Finance) graduates generally join the Finance and Accounts division of the company. They take part in formulating a plan for channeling funds for projects and work on managing complete operations of the undergoing projects in India and as well as abroad.

MBA in I.T

Given the growth of I.T and in the interest of students from Science background, a new stream was especially dedicated to Information Technology. If your goal is to step into an I.T firm after completing graduation, then I.T specialization will help you kick-start your careers. The graduates from this specialization join the I.T industry as Business Development Executive, Product Manager, Project Manager, I.T Operations and so on.

Graduates can also join any non-I.T companies and help enhance their IT division. So this specialization comes with versatile options in not only IT but in non-IT companies as well. For e.g., banks hire MBA (IT) graduates in order to run their IT divisions and make informed decisions on using latest technologies into business.

MBA in Human Resource Management

It is a well known fact that the most essential asset of any company is its employees. People working in an organization make it or break it. With the increased number of employees in the I.T sector, MBA graduates, especially women have a lot of opportunities to explore in this field. Employee relations are a crucial part of any organization. An MBA graduate will help in maintaining such relations whose cost is reflected through the P/L account like the consultants and people providing I.T services.

I.T sector has been booming in India for a long time now. According to NASSCOM, the IT-BPM revenues for the year 2014 were a staggering $118 billion. This sector has the highest impact in India. It is also the 4^th largest urban women employer. Women empowerment has been on a substantially high scale with the growth and awareness of making women a part of every industry. Women are said to be more balanced in terms of managing their career and personal lives. With a boom in the I.T sector, women employment has also been on a rise. The Government of India also encourages women to join the workforce area to enhance the productivity of the nation as a whole.

I.T sector provides high security for women. From the stringent rules and policies in the organization towards harassment to secured commuting services provided to them, it has become an appealing sector to work in.

“A safe and secure work environment, enhances the productive movement”

Large technological changes are a part of any industry, which in turn provides multiple opportunities for growth. MBA (IT) graduates have an added advantage due to their background and comparatively have a high employability rate too. They have an exposure to the latest technological trends, software and database management. They are suitable to become project managers and lead their teams efficiently.

On the other hand, MBA graduates with other specializations have opportunities in non I.T companies as well. MBA graduates are hired in non I.T companies to manage their information systems as every organization wants to join the bandwagon of having the highest, upgraded and most efficient systems to work with. Talent acquisition in various I.T companies probe a way for MBA graduates to venture and enhance their skills that they show through case analysis during their course.

E-Governance or electronic governance refers to applying the information and the communication technology for various government departments and integrating the stand-alone systems. The Government of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized on the importance of e-governance in different departments to simplify the work and the processes. MBA graduates should take this as a challenge and engage in the I.T sector to keep up and stay relevant to these developments.

Keep in Mind – A successful company is run by Businessmen with best Technologists.

The first step of becoming a successful MBA graduate is to choose the right B-School to join. IBS India is one of the best B-Schools in the country that offers academic and practical exposure to its students. With its elaborate infrastructure and concepts, it brings forth the real corporate situations for the students. It offers specialization in fields such as marketing, finance, I.T & Systems, Accounting, HRM etc. The preparation offered during the course through case studies and group discussions enable every student to be a part of highly reputed companies, both in India and abroad.

“Information Technology goes deep beyond systems and database

An MBA graduate in I.T is well equipped and ahead of every race”

Contributed by Anju Bafna ( Class of 2010, IBS BANGLORE )

Linkedin Profile of Anju Bafna : http://lnkd.in/UBhpzc

An MBA program should not just help you find a way to the corporate world but should also enhanceyour competencies to makeyou better equipped to handle the high pressure business environment with ease. It should empoweryouwith the tools and techniques of business management, at the same time add value to your overall personality.

In simpler words, a Post Graduate program in management helps you acquire the knowledge and skills that you must apply in contributing to the business of your employing organization.It gives you an edge over your counterparts without any formal education in managing businesses. Your management education equips you to take on the challenges thrown at you in the competitive business world.

Therefore, anMBA or an equivalent program seems justified in its ability to attract professionals from varied backgroundsand streams such as medicine, engineering, architecture, and interior designing apart from the regular arts, science and commerce disciplines.Apart from theoretical knowledge, a post graduate program in management imbues you with skills mandated of a good and successful leader. Effective leadership skills can be elaborated as decision-making abilities, problem-solving skills, conflict resolution abilities, effective communication and interpersonalskills, strategic planning, drivinginnovation, and team-building, among others. Let us take up these leadership traits one by one to lend you an insight into how the MBA program helps in inculcating these skills in management professionals, transforming them into leaders.

Decision-making ability

The learning from an MBA program helps you to evolve as future leaders and one of the key traits of a leader is decision-making ability. A post-graduate program in management helps you master this trait through real-life case studies and role plays on various business scenarios. Theselearning methodologiesfocus on a particular business scenarioand lend you a detailed understanding of a particularbusiness situation. As leaders of tomorrow, you will berequired to make realistic decisionsrelated to variousbusiness cases, which will groom you into a business leader.Decision-making abilityalso involves analyzingabusiness case from different perspectives, which sharpens your analytical skills.

During the MBA curriculum, another way of augmenting your decision-making skills is to conduct acost-benefit analysis, which you should dobefore reaching a decision pertaining to real-time business scenarios. It will help you to assess prospective changes that you will make to your line of business to make possible that the profitsexceed the costs. Conducting feasibility studies before taking any business decision helps in risk planning and being ready for the expected outcomes, whatever they might be. The decision could be a Make/Buy or about initiating a new product or service, it is always better to predict all the possible outcomes and plan for them.Your success in the corporate world will depend on the practical and realistic decisions you will take in line with yourorganization’s goals.

 Problem-solving skills

Apost graduate program in management focuses on developing problem-solving skillsso that you can solve any issues or remove roadblocks using your analytical skills and lateral thinking. It involves taking up a real-life business problemand you are expected to analyze itand come up with innovativeand practical solutions. Brainstorming sessions, Solving Case studies, and group discussions on various business or economy-related issues widen your horizon to look at a problem from different approaches and think of probable realistic solutions. A coveted 2-year management education programalso expects you to think ‘out-of-the-box’ and bring novel insights, supported by facts.It is one of the basic business traits that form the core of the MBA program. Inculcating effective problem-solving skills is a prerequisite to make it big in the external corporate environment.During the duration of the MBA curriculum, you get to experience these business scenarios by way of internships in corporate houses.

Communication skills

To make you future business leaders, it is absolutely mandatory to develop effective communication and people skills so thatyoucancommunicate the enterprise’s vision and objectivesclearly to the workforce.Effective communication will help you in building relationships and spreading your professional network that will prove beneficial in the long run. Cultivating and honing these skills make you more competent to forge life-long and fruitful professional relationships in the competitive business world.

Team-building capability

Entrepreneur, the prominent business magazine mentions team building as one of the foremost traits to be possessed by the business leaders.In anMBA program, huge emphasis is laidon team building exercises which further help towork with, manage, and lead large teams. Various learning methods such as group assignments, group discussions, and group presentations require you to work in teams while sharing some responsibilities and assuming certain roles. The most important attribute of an effective team player is that you should be around when any difficulty or issue crops up and ensure that all the team members are working amicably with each other.

Conflict resolution

Another significant aspect of working in teams is that it fosters conflict resolution, with different team members coming up with varied solutions to aspecific business or interpersonal conflict. A successful business leader must be adept at resolving issues and conflicts arising in a team so that the enterprise’s objectives are met. AnMBA program,through its teaching methodology, inculcates this trait in the aspiring business leaders of tomorrow, which will help them make a mark in the corporate world.

Strategic planning

Apost graduate program in management helps you in developing strategic planning competenciesthatwill lead anenterprise towards growth and augment its productivity amid cut-throat competition.It entails gaining an insight into the enterprise’s currentand future strategies.Real-life case studies help the young professionals pursuing the MBA course analyzevariousbusiness scenarios to determine the specific industry trends, which help to assess the performance of the industry in question. Further, to get a better understanding of the corporate world, you can conduct a SWOT analysis of abusiness idea wherein you identify its core strengths such as your competencies of the workforce and weaknesses such as lack of resources. Strategic planning isalso about identifying emerging opportunitiesand potential business threats such as pricing wars. Strategic planning plays a very critical role in an enterprise’s success in the corporate worldand it will help you in becoming successful business leader.

The traits of a business leader as discussed above are those that are essentially developed during a two-year management education program. Though we focused on some of the key attributes of a business leader, we couldn’t cover all the aspects that transform management students into business leaders of tomorrow. Stay tuned with IBS Blog for more interesting insights if you are eyeing a leadership position for yourself.

Contributed by Qais Mujeeb ( Class of 2001, IBS HYDERABAD )

Linkedin Profile of Qais Mujeeb: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qaismujeeb

Even though the world is laden with brands, there still exists an area that is untouched and unexplored. It has yet to be unravelled; there are products that still to be branded. This is what branding is all about – Branding the Unbranded. Giving a identity to a product which would otherwise lie in oblivion.

Let us start with an example of what a strong branding can do. Imagine you getting thirsty on a railway platform, on a hot summer day. You spot a water cooler where it indicates fresh drinking water but you overlook it and start walking down to a shop and ask for “Bislery”.  We know the water packed is at least 7 days old yet we prefer it over the fresh water. You might even get a different brand of water bottle, but the brand ‘Bislery’ has almost become synonymous with packaged drinking water for almost everybody, which is why you automatically ask for that in any shop. This is the biggest example of brand recognition. Here, Bislery is synonymous to drinking water, Xerox for photo copier and likewise, MBA is equivalent to a guaranteed bright future!!

With the recent economic transformation and the world turning into a global market, not only the Indian consumer or their buying patterns have changed but so have the mind set and the aspiration of various employers and the employees.

The employer needs a logical mind and the employee wishes to inch towards his dreams. The only link connecting the two is a degree which is termed as Master of Business Administration. It is important for us to understand what exactly happens or how this transformation takes place. To be precise there is no magical wand of Harry potter but a step-by-step honing process which takes about 730 days.

The brand MBA plays to the advantage of people in many ways. For one, it provides a wide range of electives from which one can select such as Finance, Marketing, Operations, HR and specialised electives like Telecommunication, Information Technology, Banking, Retail, Sales, Marine, International Business, Hotel Management and Rural Marketing. An MBA provides you with a chance to get some of the most coveted jobs in the industry.

Secondly, when you have an MBA degree, you give yourself a chance to grow faster in an organisation when compared to others because an MBA degree will equip you with an enviable set of skills that would set you apart. These skills will enable you to have analytical thinking and draw a path which would lead you to success in the business management world. By analysing and suggesting different ways of business solutions to the problem that the organisation is currently facing, you can put yourself in limelight and reach the top level management within very short span of time.

Networking is one of the most important advantages of being associated with an MBA degree. MBA provides you with an opportunity to interact with alumni and professors who have a first-hand experience of working in the corporate world. By interacting with the alumni and peers of your B-School, you are well equipped to understand and analyse the future trends in your industry. Networking will open many a door for you and lead to towards a great path for your career. You also get a ready reference in the company that you always wanted to be a part of, in the form of your B-School alumni.

MBA also provides you with an opportunity to gain exposure in the industry you want to get into through various internships. During this period, you can interact with the experienced people of the industry and build a good rapport with them. You can also understand what are the skills required to get the dream job in the industry of your choice beforehand.

While pursuing MBA, the students are encouraged to discuss the real problems faced by corporate companies and suggest solutions to the problems by thinking in groups. The advantage of such a thinking process is that the MBA students not only come across different solutions to the same problem while thinking in a group, but also learn to address and tackle the differences in each other’s opinions, without offending the fellow student who has different point of view, and reaching a solution that fits the best to the existing issue. It is also important to understand for the students to judge when to take a step back instead of getting aggressive. This skill-set is very important in corporate world where most often people are asked to work in groups.

In a recent event, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has unveiled his ambitious vision “Make in India” which has created a positive investor sentiment amongst the foreign companies. The campaign aims to turn India into a global manufacturing hub and this will create job opportunities for young people. But how would you differentiate yourself from others, how will you stand out in the crowd of lakhs and lakhs of aspirants for that job? It is the brand MBA which can help you differentiate you from others.

Furthermore, to give a clearer picture, according to the UGC and Technopak analysis only 2% amongst all the students enrolled in higher education segment in a year opt for an MBA degree. The other courses in which students usually enrol are Engineering and Technology (16%), Arts (37%), Commerce (16%), Science (19%), Law (2%), Medicine (4%) and others (4%). So you will have an added value to offer to the employer when you have an MBA degree in hands as it will separate you from 98% of aspirants in the market. By falling in the 2% category, you will be considered the cream of the lot.

MBA’s brand can work wonders for your career by emphasising your quality analytical business approach, people skills and communication skills to the employers. MBA also provides you with an opportunity to pursue PhD in any area of interest or even help you take the entrepreneurship route.

The brand of MBA will also give you a competitive advantage over the others in the job market for the management position you are aiming for, because in MBA you are taught the basics of Finance, Marketing, Operations and HR. Thus, there will be an expectation from the employer that you can take a holistic approach and reach a decision after thoroughly considering the pros and cons of a business situation unlike a functional employee who has been working since years whose decision might be biased to benefit only his function.

So be ready to grab the opportunities that lie ahead in the market, get that high paying job in the industry you always dreamt about, by choosing to be branded, by choosing to be an MBA graduate.

Contributed by Sai Kiran Reddy ( Class of 2013, IBS HYDERABAD )

Linkedin Profile of Sai Kiran Reddy :  http://in.linkedin.com/pub/sai-kiran-reddy/4a/846/108/

Introduction: In today’s fast changing and ever evolving world of business the importance of management/managerial skills are of paramount importance. To address today’s topic I would like to first briefly elaborate on “What is a Management Skill” and how and why it becomes essential for survival of today’s enterprise.

Management Skill: An attribute/characteristic in a person which enables him to make most of the available scare resources.

There can be many skills a management or a manager should posses to effectively and efficiently run an organization. I will pick only few of them which are actually the game changer.

1. Time Management
2. Self Confidence
3. Knowledge
4. Effective Communication
5. Result Oriented
6. Persistence
7. Self Motivation
8. Proactive
9. Empathy
10. Goal Setting

For a manager all these and may be a few other skills are very important to succeed. I will pick only these 10 most important of them and explain how they prove to be a game-changer.

1. Goal Setting: For a manager setting up the correct, precise and smart goals is very important. If goal setting is done with due care and proper introspection, anything is achievable. To achieve this – a manager should be circumspect, aware of himself, the marketplace, and his team/organization, and should know the product/service thoroughly.

2. Time Management: This is perhaps the most talked about skill a manager should have. Why is it important to manage time? Because it is the only resource which is free – Am I serious (have you ever paid anything to buy time?) – No, then how is it the most expensive resource? It’s the most expensive one – because you pay for it after you spend it….if you spend it wisely you reap the benefits and vice-versa. A manager who manages his time well usually achieves his goals on time and with better success rate.

3. Persistence: In business and in life one is bound to fail sometimes. It’s the persistence in a person which helps him achieve the impossible. ‘Never Give Up’ spirit, and coming up stronger after each time you fall will make you a stronger and more successful person in life. As Thomas Alva Edison said – Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.

4. Empathy: A leader/manager should be empathetic to his team and to himself. There are targets which are going to be missed, there are going to be missed deadlines, there are going to be failure in relationships (personal and Professional). But these are the moments when one should be patient, strong and empathetic to overcome the situation. Empathy also means to understand other’s point of view and analyze situations from a different angle.

5. Effective Communication: This is the most important skill a manger should possess. Today there are numerous courses in colleges and in corporations to make their folks more effective while communicating. This actually helps organization to cut costs, prevent repetition and achieve customer satisfaction. Effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication are the need of the hour and paid a great attention to.

6. Knowledge: Today information is on the fingertips of the individuals. We can search for things/information at an unprecedented level with an unbelievable accuracy. But knowledge is different from being informed. Being knowledgeable and an expert of one’s subject/field earns her respect and accolades. In this knowledge economy most lucrative jobs are given to the person who knows the stuff best. Who knows the technology and also knows how to maneuver it.

7. Self Confidence: With knowledge comes confidence. Self Confidence is very important in today’s world of business. It is you who should first believe in you before anybody else does it. To believe in oneself and have an iron will makes a manger or organization successful. But you should be very careful when being confident it should not be false/over confidence. Just remember if the confidence is coming from knowledge, preparation and hard work its true otherwise check it one more time before hitting a roadblock.

8. Self Motivation: When you go up in the ladder there are fewer people who motivate you than the people who discourage you. You should be a self-motivator to take initiative and encounter failure. One should be brave enough to take on challenges with a positive and optimistic outlook. Self-Motivation is very important when one is leading others and while one is failed alone. It’s the most important aspect of one’s personality to come up victorious every time.

9. Proactive: This is most desirable managerial skills in today’s world of rapid change, but unfortunately it is found in very rare students, mangers and leaders. Being proactive means preparing for the challenges which are not yet arrived. Being proactive means to be able to envision the future and prepare for it or rather create the future on your own terms. This quality ensures better results, higher customer satisfaction, and more customer loyalty.
10. Result Oriented: Everybody wants an employee or a manger who produces great results. Even each one of us expects better results from ourselves in all the aspect of our lives. Any progressing person would like to become a better son/daughter, a better spouse/friend, a better parent etc. Being result oriented does not mean to exhaust oneself while working or pursuing a cause, it does not even mean to be a fanatic and end one’s life in a lunatic asylum. But being result oriented means that one should always be focused and oriented to his results. One should not be distracted by external/internal factors.

These management qualities are vital to run an organization successfully. Each one of the skills enables a person to effectively manage resources at his/her disposal. And especially in today’s turbulent times each of these skills become even more important. These are the qualities each manger/leader/student must possess in order achieve great success.

Apart from being successful in professional arena these qualities make a person a better human being and in a way that is more important. Because a normal person works for about 30-35 (From age 25 yrs to 60 yrs) years in his life, rest all he spends with society, family and his friends interacting and exchanging ideas and values. Each of above explained qualities makes him a better character to play his role more efficiently and more satisfactorily.

Contributed by Avdhesh ( Class of 2009, IBS BANGLORE )

Linkedin Profile of Avdhesh :  https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=51264073&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Nidhi is 23 years old and has been working in a KPO located in Gurgaon since the last three years. She joined her current company as a junior associate immediately after completing her BBA from Guru Gobind Singh University Delhi. She now feels that it is the right time for her to enroll in an MBA program so that she can to escalate her professional career to a new level.  However, Nidhi is confused between leaving her job to join a regular MBA course or retaining her job while enrolling for a long distance MBA. She also has a third option, which includes making progress at her current job at an operational level and consider an executive MBA after 3 more years when she is ready to step into a leadership role.

Like Nidhi, there are many fresh as well as experienced graduates out there who face the same dilemma. Should I keep working and apply for a long distance MBA or start preparing for the regular MBA entrance exams?

For resolving this dilemma, we first need to understand what the three modes of MBA program are all about.

Let us first talk about the regular MBA program. The key element of being enrolled in any full time course is the level of interaction. A regular program not only offers a complete coverage on the theoretical part of the program, but also provides ways to prepare you for the professional world by simulating an environment for professional development. Regular presentations, group activities and discussions, constant interaction with the faculty and colleagues provide an ample exposure and opportunities for soft skills development. Hence, by the time you finish the course, you are well-eqiuipped to step into the business world. This is an undeniable fact that a regular MBA program from a good B-school will prepare you for the transition from being a student to an efficient working professional.

However, these days, there is an increased focus on distance learning mode of MBA education as well. For students who are unable to enroll in a full time curriculum due to work commitments, family priorities or financial reasons, distance learning is a viable option. Many B-schools are developing their virtual learning courses that can match up to their full time programs. With the development of new video and interactive technology in the last few decades, virtual classrooms or correspondence mode of learning has picked up pace.

Even though, this mode of learning might offer a restrictive environment of communication and participation, there are factors that might help you consider it for yourself. A distance learning MBA program costs way less than a regular one. If you are unable to afford an education loan for a regular program, a correspondence course offers you a good opportunity to earn your degree while helping you gain professional excellence in your career. Also, for a professional who is currently working like Nidhi, pursuing a correspondence program would be a suitable choice. It allows you to continue with your career and at the same time offers you theoretical learning.

Another factor to consider in choosing your mode of learning is employability. There is a popular belief among students that a regular course has better job prospects at the end. Although, job placements could depend upon multiple factors like quality of the B-school, market conditions, overall student performance etc, this belief is true to a certain extent. Therefore, it is widely acknowledged that a correspondence MBA is more suited for working professionals like Nidhi, instead of fresh graduates who should prefer a regular course.

Pursuing a long distance MBA while working is a good combination because you can simultaneously relate the theory to the real world that you are working in. It is easier to understand their applications. For example, a sales executive in a financial firm can immediately understand the concept of push and pull marketing strategies and positioning of the product. He has a live example to work with and he is constantly engaged in a working environment to apply what he learns about.

This mode of program also helps in developing a sense of self discipline, time management and motivation. It lets you study in your own time, hence making it easier for working professionals or even people with family priorities to manage their time between studies and other things.

Many working professionals with 5 or more years of experience are also giving significant consideration to pursuing an Executive MBA these days. This mode of MBA program has been quite successful in giving a new direction to mid-career executives and entrepreneurs.

An EMBA is meant to offer a higher level of knowledge and skills covering a wide range of business challenges. The program structure is focused on developing the understanding of the global competitive environment, importance of strategic thinking, planning and problem solving. It exposes you to real world cases and recent management challenges. In fact, it tends to cover all the possible problems that could emerge in an organization and focuses on solving those problems. It offers a chance to seek a step ahead in leadership as well as hone your management skills.

However, doing an EMBA can mean balancing work, study and family commitments, especially for women executives. And yet this mode of program offers you a golden chance to best prepare yourself to step into leadership positions.

Having discussed all three forms of MBA education options available, you have to now place yourself as the best fit in any one of the three modes.

If you are a fresh graduate and pursuing MBA is a part of your career goal before you step into the professional world, then it is better to brace up and start preparing for the admission processes of a B-school. From preparing for the entrance exams, groups discussions, presentations and personal interview, to picking up the right college is a long and crucial road in taking your career to new heights.

If you are already working like Nidhi, then it is important to answer few questions before deciding which curriculum to enroll in. How you see your current role in your organization? Is this the same line/industry/function you want to stay and build your career in? Where do you see yourself in the next 2-3 years in this organization? And how does earning a degree in MBA going to help you reach there?

Nidhi decided to enroll herself in a long distance MBA program of two years and continue working in her current organization where she was doing fairly well. She realized that compromising her job for a full time MBA might not be worth that much of an advantage in her long term career path. And yet, a long distance MBA degree is not just an add-on for her resume, but a means to develop a better understanding of some of the key aspects of the business world like client services, working partner relationship, co-worker understanding, organizational structure and working ethics. It offered her an opportunity to further explore her interests in a particular functional area.

This is clear from our discussion so far that the choice of your mode of learning is significantly decided by the stage of your career; a fresh graduate, a working professional or a mid – career executive. At all the three said stages, you have different set of goals and aspirations for your career, different learning needs. Choosing the right curriculum for yourself can give you the right push to take you where you need to be.

All the best!

Contributed by Isha Jajodia ( Class of 2010, IBS GURGAON )

Linkedin Profile of Isha Jajodia:  in.linkedin.com/pub/isha-jajodia/26/561/5/

The benefits of doing an MBA are endless. There is a reason why year after year, millions of students aspire to get into the best B-schools and earn that degree which promises to open new doors for them in the professional world. The seven figure salaries, a fancy lifestyle and professional growth are just a few reasons why students prefer to study this course. Let us see a few more reasons through this blog-post, why an MBA degree is perceived at such a high pedestal.

These are 7 benefits of doing an MBA:

1.  Career Progression:

Typically a professional begins his/her career with an operational role. Being fairly smart, hardworking and result-oriented, you get promotions and reach a decent position in the management. So now you have a good academic profile and good work experience. What happens next? After a few years you start feeling stagnated. This could happen after 3 years or it may even take a decade for you to reach that stage.

This is because in today’s performance-oriented professional world, most of the people around you also have the same qualities and credentials that you possess. So, at this point it is crucial for you to ask – what unique traits do you have that will differentiate you from the herd?

The answer lies in an MBA degree. Actually, not just any MBA degree but an MBA degree from a premier business school. An MBA from a top B-school will help you make a quick transition from a mid-level role to a senior management position, where you will have the opportunity to take strategic decisions. If you browse through the job descriptions of senior positions across industries, you can see that MBA is the preferred degree, perhaps not mandatory. Consulting is one profession where an MBA is mandatory to grow into an Associate or higher positions. So, the lack of an MBA degree may not be a show-stopper but it will be a huge reason for career stagnation.

2. Career Shift:

What are the chances that with your current education, your current role and your current experience, you can actually switch to any other role or industry? Very little! Consider this situation – you have been in IT for the past 5 years, but with time you realize that your true calling is marketing. What steps can you take to make a switch?

• You can take up small marketing projects over the weekends
• Read about marketing on the internet and make changes to your resume
• Take an online marketing course

Even if you manage to get past the interview for a marketing role, you would still be joining at an entry level. Your great IT experience will not help you much to get a senior level role in marketing.

It is here that an MBA program can help. In fact, one of the most important reasons why professionals choose to do an MBA is to change career tracks smoothly.

3. Knowledge:

An MBA from a top business school may set you back by about INR 50 lakhs for a 10-month course. The figure may be even higher depending on the location of your school and the duration of the program. This works out to about 1.2 lakhs per week. In India, you may end up spending 20 lakhs for a similar MBA program. Imagine spending such a huge sum of money just to gain knowledge!

Wouldn’t it be prudent to quit your job for a year and browse the internet to get all the knowledge in the world? However, the truth is the knowledge that will help you progress in your career will not be found just in books or on the internet. The interactions and the intellectual debates that are a part of an MBA curriculum will be extremely enriching. Secondly, the pedagogical methods employed in top schools are very innovative and effective – these include case studies, presentations, projects, research papers etc. If you are joining a typical two year MBA program, in the first year you will have the core curriculum consisting of marketing, accounting, finance, statistics, economics, management, organization behaviour etc. These lay the foundation of your understanding of business. To be a future CEO, you need to have a 360 degree view of how to run a company and manage people. The language of business is the language of money. Apart from the core subjects, B-schools offer a plethora of electives, usually in the second year, depending on what stream you want to specialize in. It is at this point that you need to have a very good idea of your career path, so that you can make full use of your MBA program.

4. Networking:

What is networking?

Knowing people? Getting contacts?

Yes, knowing people is a big part of networking, but surely it is not just that!

Even with all the social media hype, how many people from your college are you in regular touch with? 20? 50? At the most, 100! Even at work, how many people do you really know? Maybe your immediate superiors, your team and the people you meet at the cafeteria. What happens once you quit your current job and meet your ex-colleague after two years in a mall? You may even find it hard to remember his/her name!

So, what is networking all about? Networking at business schools means that you will be carrying the same tag as thousands of alumni. You may or may not have studied together but if a Harvard alumnus receives an email or a job request from another Harvard alumnus or is interviewing a candidate who went to the same school, there will be an immediate bonding between them, something like an Old Boys Association! We all want to be identified as part of a group of high achievers. Doing an MBA from a reputed B-school gives you a great opportunity to network with smart, talented people who will hold top strategic positions in major companies or will be great business leaders someday. Networking is all about knowing the right people rather than just knowing hundreds of random people. It lies on the lines of quality over quantity.

5. Brand Equity:

An MBA degree is certainly a feather in your cap. But an MBA from a top B-school is a more brightly colored feather! You can feel this difference within India itself. All things being equal, there is a big difference if you do an MBA from a lesser known B-school in your region and if you graduate from a top school such as IBS Hyderabad.  As most recruiters are aware of how difficult it is to get into a top B-school, an MBA degree from such a school holds a lot of brand value. Employers already know that you have cleared the first level of acid test: high GPA, high GMAT score, essays, recommendations, the tough interview itself and of course, a very rigorous MBA program. Just like gold, an MBA from a reputed B-school gives you a certificated hallmark that you are competent to become a successful leader in near future. As the job of assessing a candidate is already done by the MBA Admissions Committee, recruiters are well-assured of your potential.

6. Self-Growth:

What do you really learn at a B-school?

Most people would answer this by saying – ‘The confidence to be somebody who matters in a professional life.’

A reputed B-school program gives you the opportunity to think in the direction you want to. Whatever goals you may have had before joining an MBA program, once you join, you may realize that your true calling lies elsewhere. The entire classroom experience, interaction with faculty and peers, student activities, case studies and similar exercises and experiences may radically change your perspective, both personally and professionally.  Many MBA students discover a new person in themselves once they graduate from business school.

The irony of life is that when you were a student, you had no responsibilities, but you also lacked the right perspective. Once you started working, gradually you learnt who you are, what your potentials are, but at this stage you were so burdened with responsibilities that you couldn’t get the chance to follow your passion. An MBA gives you a second chance in life to do what you always wanted to do. It gives you the independence of a student’s life as well as the perspective of working professionally for many years.

Conclusion

Do you identify with some of these reasons why you should do an MBA? At the end of the day, it’s all about your passion, your career and your long term goals. Before you even think of applying anywhere, analyze why exactly you wish to pursue an MBA and articulate it well in your essays and interviews. A systematic approach to following your dreams will make your MBA journey meaningful and enjoyable.

Contributed by suchin kulshrestha ( Class of 2008, IBS HYDERABAD )

Many times you might have come across people who score well in various MBA entrance examinations but fail to secure a seat in a good B-School. Have you ever wondered what might have gone wrong or what was on the mind of the selectors at the time of selections? If the answer to this question is ‘Yes’ , then let us try to understand the evaluation procedure that the selection committees of  B-Schools  generally follow to assess a candidate and select them for admissions into their MBA programs.

Mostly B-Schools follow the ‘Composite Score Technique’ for evaluation. Composite score in simple terms is nothing but an aggregate score. Let us look at the various parameters on which the scoring is done, which form a part of the aggregate score of the candidate:

• Admission Test Score: The first step that B-Schools take to screen the students is conducting an admission test. Good performance in the admission test is very crucial, and it is the key parameter to proceed further. But it is also important to understand that it is not the only parameter. Clearing the cut offs or scoring a high percentile is only half the battle won, in fact less than half.  The admission test score of a candidate gives B-Schools a fair idea about his/her logical reasoning, comprehension and analytical skills.

• Performance in GD/PI: Group discussions and personal interviews are a vital part of the selection process. It is very important to perform well in these rounds in order to maximize the chances of getting through the doors of a good B-School. These rounds are meant to assess various traits of a candidate. Group discussions are used to check if a candidate is a team member or not, whether he/she possesses leadership qualities and decision making ability, whereas personal interviews are a test of confidence, thinking ability, communication skills etc.

• Academics: The candidate’s academic record is also taken into account during the selection process as it gives the selection committee a hint of how well can a student cope up with their rigorous MBA program.

• Work Experience: MBA is a program after which students are usually absorbed at the middle level of an organization, where they need to manage entry level resources and supervise them. Someone who has worked previously can understand the work and mindset of people at entry level in a better way. B-Schools also believe that candidates with work experience also bring in the inputs from their work life into the classrooms during case discussions offering in the program. This is beneficial for everyone in the class including people without any prior experience. Hence work experience is also a parameter which is considered during selections.

• Diverse Background: MBA is a program which not only equips a person with professional skills but also with personal skills, and these personal skills are acquired by interacting with many people from different cultures and backgrounds. Majority of the B-Schools believe in having a batch with a good mix of students from a variety of backgrounds, educational or cultural, so that experiential learning takes place among the students while working together on various projects and assignments.

• Extra Curricular: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, and no B-School wants to produce dull managers. Every B-School likes to produce managers who are charismatic. In fact, MBA is a program which aims at shaping up the overall personality. B-Schools always look for interesting candidates who have done something extra, apart from their regular studies or work; it might be taking up any hobby passionately or devoting time to any social activity or doing something innovative.

Now, that we have seen the key parameters which constitute the composite score, let us understand the importance of each parameter and how these parameters can affect your candidature at the time of evaluation.

To make the process of understanding less complicated, let us assume that a B-School evaluates a candidate on a maximum composite score of 100. This score of 100 is the aggregate of the scores of a candidate on key parameters. Every parameter is given certain weightage in such a way that the maximum score of all the parameters put together adds up to 100.

In general the weightage given to each parameter ranges from 5%-50%, although it may be more or less in some cases. However the weightage allocated to the parameters differ from B-School to B-school. For example, one institute may allocate 10% weightage for work experience whereas some other may allocate 15% for the same. This difference in weightage is a major cause that makes the same candidate’s profile strong for one B-School and weak for the other.

Although, admission test score and performance in GD/PI are major parameters i.e. the parameters which are given more value, there are many B-Schools which take into consideration some other parameters like work experience, academics, diverse background, extracurricular before giving a candidate a call for GD/PI if he/she has cleared the cut offs.  In such cases, it is also quite possible that a candidate who has done exceedingly well in the admission test and has cleared the cut offs by a huge margin does not receive a call for GD/PI.  But for the B-Schools which give calls for GD/PI just if the cut offs are cleared, a candidate has a chance of making it through the doors even if he/she does not perform that well in GD/PI when compared to the other candidates, if the scores in the other parameters are high enough.

Now, that you have understood to a certain extent about the evaluation process that most of the B-Schools in India generally follow, I hope you will not be surprised next time onwards to see that a candidate, who just cleared the cut off in the admission test, secure a seat in a B-School when compared to someone who has scored exceedingly well.

However, the most important point for you to understand here than anything else is that even if you clear the cut off by a narrow margin, or if you are a fresher with no work experience, if you have got a well balanced profile you stand a great chance to get into your dream B-School. Always remember “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.

For any queries related to admissions in IBS use the following link http://www.ibsindia.org/admissions/

Contributed by Rohan Jain ( Class of 2009-2011, IBS HYDERABAD )

Linkedin Profile of Rohan Jain: http://in.linkedin.com/in/rohanjain88/

As the new pre-admission season gets underway, the aspirants set their sight on cracking the entrance tests and GD – PI rounds. This period is significant as it is going to be a transition from having a student mindset to the mindset of being a professional.

An aspirant should always remember that the examining panel is always looking for right talent and is essentially interested in selecting the candidate rather than rejecting. This implies that the candidate has to give a strong reason to the panel to get eliminated. So, if the basics have been executed well, there are good chances of getting selected. This also depends on the competition.

So what needs to be done in order to ensure that you do not get eliminated?

Firstly, understand what MBA is all about and who can succeed in the realm of management. MBA is a generalized study of management science and it requires an individual to have the hunger and motivation to work for definite objectives within tight timelines in an innovative manner. This also calls upon for a balanced and disciplined approach as well as a go-getter attitude.  A management degree should be perceived as more than just a ‘job–fetching degree’. In fact, it has positive repercussions on overall personality of individuals and their outlook towards life.

Keeping this in mind, an aspirant should identify if pursuing an MBA degree would be the right career choice. Career is not only about the professional work that is a part of an individual but it also reflects through higher education. Considering higher education as a part of one’s career is the first step towards cultivating a professional mindset. Once MBA has been identified as a right career choice, then the aspirant should start identifying right options for an institute to study in. This is followed by the main task of preparation for entrance examinations.

Usually, when an individual clears the first round of written exams, he or she is a step closer to getting into the B-School of his/her choice. Next are the Group Discussion & Personal Interview (GD- PI) rounds. The group discussion is where you are required to exhibit strong communication skills and various skills such as participation, knowledge of the subject and the analytical ability to pick up the subject and make logical contribution to the discussion. Being assertive is required; however it is important that the participant in the discussion is logically aggressive and emotionally stable.

Some of the things to be avoided in the GD round are speaking over each other, deviating from topic, focussing on unrelated content, not letting other group members speak, over-display of emotions like enthusiasm, excitement, nervousness etc. While some panels would like to identify those who contribute more to the discussion as a positive effort, there are some panels which do not perceive speaking too much as good attribute in GD.

The To-Do list can be quite extensive, some of include taking initiative to start the discussion, regularly participating in discussion, staying on the subject, bringing the group back to subject if there are deviations, quick analysis of topic, listening well, being articulate, being tactful and staying calm rounded up with a good body language.

There is also one very important aspect in any group discussion. How to disagree with someone? If such a case arises, you should not argue with other member of the group or enforce your point of view on them. You should rather listen attentively and use phrases like “I understand your point but I would like to differ in the opinion because of these points…”, “I respect your opinion but I firmly believe in ….” This displays maturity and respect for others’ opinions. Also, don’t miss any chance to display leadership skills by involving a passive member in the discussion.

Even if you do reasonably well, you should still hope to sail through the round. Remember the bottom line – Do not treat other members of the group as your opponents, rather take them along with you. Also, sticking to the basics go a long way.

Another important component is the presentation. Lot of good B-schools are conducting presentations now-a-days as a part of inducting the right candidate in the program. Most of the aspirants see presentation as a threat to their chances. On the contrary, it should be seen as an opportunity to highlight themselves and how differently they can position themselves in the correct manner.

Presentation is not only about speaking in front of several listeners but also an exercise of demonstrating your communication skills. In the field of management, public speaking is an essential art. In fact, many great managers in the corporate field are known for their speaking skills. Getting nervous is obvious but it should not be projected during the presentation.

Prior to making a presentation, an aspirant has to prepare well. Preparation does not mean trying to mug what you are going to speak. It’s about knowing what you are going to speak. Decent formals and clean clothes are a must. Before beginning the presentation, it’s advisable to hold on for a moment and place yourself properly in the situation. At times, when the candidates are nervous, they start speaking about irrelevant content, which should be avoided at all costs. Greeting the panel and the audience is important and then start delivering the content. Don’t be too fast or too slow; keep a steady pace of delivery by modulating your voice as and when required. Looking at each side of the hall and maintaining a stable body language is crucial. You can also consider moving around a bit to cover the stage area if it is big.

While progressing through the presentation, it is important to have a proper command over it. You are expected to explain the presentation clearly to your audience and hence your voice should be audible to everyone without being too loud or rough. Don’t create bulky content as that would be counter-productive and audience would soon lose interest. Keep the content short, simple yet extremely engaging. While delivering your talk, if you miss anything that you planned or forget something, don’t ponder over it for a long time, just apologise and move ahead. Ask if anyone has any questions at the end of your delivery as this shows you are considerate of the audience’s queries and concerns. Thank the audience and panel before terminating your talk. Cultivating strong presentation skills is a soft aspect of communication but extremely essential in order to succeed in the field of management. Again, if you do the basics right, there are good chances that your aspiration for MBA is a step closer.

Now, the third and most important component of entrance process is the personal interview. Here again, unlike the view of many aspirants, the panel is interested in selecting the candidate. It just needs to be backed by some decent performance face to face. Performance here does not imply that something very drastic needs to be done but one should ensure that all the things that you intend the panel to know about you are communicated clearly.

To start with, carry necessary educational documents in a file and dress in formals. Greet the panel, don’t be too loud and avoid using unnatural ascent or style. If there are uncomfortable questions and you don’t know the answer, simply apologize for your inability to answer rather than bluffing. Lying or bluffing is never appreciated and it would put you in a bad spot as the panel is very experienced to catch for such anomaly. Be sincere and honest but tactful. Try to dwell more on your strengths.

The crux of the matter is that in all the components of entrance evaluation process, be confident and disciplined. Be careful not be complacent and rough. Have a clear focus on your objectives and strengths while communicating really well. Keep a tab on nitty-gritties of performance and presentation too. By avoiding small and casual mistakes, you can confidently nurture a hope of not getting eliminated.

All the best!

Chinmay Dave

The author of the blog is entrepreneur, founder partner of Moneyfarm (www.moneyfarm.co.in) and IBS Jaipur alumni.

You can write to the author at:

chinmay_dave2004@yahoo.com

Sahana looked around her childhood room with mixed emotions. She had spent almost 20 years of her life in that room. The emotions she felt ranged from extreme excitement to dreaded fear. She sat on the floor in between a thousand things, wondering how she should go about taking the next step in life.

She had been accepted into the prestigious IBS, Hyderabad College and she would be joining college in 2 days. A million thoughts ran through her mind:

• What to pack?
• What would I need?
• What are the classes going to be like?
• Will I make new friends?
• Do I need to carry anything specific?

All these and many more questions arose from the fact that Sahana had never lived away from home in her life before. The only senior she knew who had passed out of IBS, Hyderabad some 10 years ago was her cousin, who couldn’t help her much. She had no connections to the college and neither were any of her friends going along with her. Most of all, she had missed the preliminary classes that were conducted by college for all students since she had to complete her graduation exams.

Desperate for help Sahana rushed out of her room and found her father’s laptop. She turned to the internet for some much needed help and guidance. She prayed hard in hope that there would be one soul out there in this world who had written something about how a person in her situation was to cope with this new change. Suddenly, as if God had answered her prayers, she came across an online forum:

——————————————————————————————————————-ICFAI Alumni group to connect and meet.                                                         03.00 pm, 04-12-2012

Day-0 (How to expect the unexpected)

Hi Guys,

My name is Pavithra Nayak and I passed out from college in 2011. I am writing this post for all those new-comers who are about to embark on the greatest adventures of their lives.

First of all, let me begin by congratulating you for deciding to join this prestigious institution. You have been chosen out of lakhs of applicants and should feel absolutely honoured. I, myself was quite apprehensive about joining this institution as I had other offers from other colleges. I could have easily chosen the college which had the easiest interview or the one closest to my hometown. But I am an adventurous by heart. So I decided to take the greatest risk in my life.

I chose this prestigious institution, because of the following:

• I was going to live away from home for the first time in my life.
• I was very impressed by the selection process of this institute.
• The reputation of this institute was tremendous and it ranked in the top 10 India’s best colleges.
• I had no friends who had chosen the same institute as me which seemed like starting a new life.
• Moreover, I was close enough to home to travel back once in 6 months. .

I still remember the day I received my Welcome letter from the college. It was a day of celebration amongst my friends and family. The college had asked me to join 15 days prior to the actual beginning of classes for a preliminary session of ‘brushing the basics’ before the actual classes began. Unfortunately, due to my final exams of graduation I wasn’t able to attend the classes, so I responded back to the college asking them permission to miss the preliminary classes, which the college was quite understanding about.

Let me tell you that these preliminary classes are really not that important academically, as much as they are essential for any new comer, with no prior work-experience like me, who was taking a new step away from home. These prelim classes honestly gave every student some time to test waters of the vast ocean of the world of MBA. You could assess your standing amongst a diverse crowd of students, who came from different backgrounds and also get a feel of the regular classes.

By the time I had joined in for the actual classes, I felt as if I was behind a semester. People had made friends, they knew the routine of classes, they knew how to get around the campus (I was honestly lost for the first 2 weeks because the campus is so vast). Nevertheless, it did not matter too much.

My first friend was the girl next door, in my hostel and I am pleased to say that we have survived some of the most turbulent times and we still are the best of friends after 5 years. When you have over a thousand students in college, one is bound to make a few friends. The secret is, even if you find it difficult to talk to people, join the clubs and societies in college, even volunteer for events and fests. These are the best places to make friends. If nothing else, knock on the door next to your room and you will definitely make a new friend.

All the hostels have individual rooms and this is the single most important space in your life. 99% of the time will NOT be spent in here. You would either be out or in someone else’s room. This is a storage area for most of your belongings. The bathrooms are shared of course and they come with one washing machine for each section of the block, enough to manage your clothes around.  Your room also comes equipped with the basic necessities like a chair (which will eventually be converted to a laptop holder), a desk (which is more of a books and clothes rack) and a bed (bring your own mattress) and a cupboard.

There were 2 messes in college and the food was pretty good. The best learning you get from a hostel mess is how to adjust under any circumstance regarding food. If you choose to be a little extravagant there were some dhabas outside college, the college canteen and the in-hostel-late-night-student-run-café etc, so you are short of food.

There is also a tiny supply store which was the most interesting place in the entire college. It was the smallest space in college where you could buy anything from a pin to a plane. Even if they don’t have it, you could pre-order for things and they would arrive the next day.

I think the easiest facility was sending out couriers to anyone, right there from inside the campus. We had 2 of them, so there was always a competition for prices. You could even receive couriers delivered to you hostel.

Academically what was most interesting to me was the Harvard style of education that was implemented the year I had joined college. It took the classes to a different level. We would have to study the chapter and a case study related to the chapter and then the lecture would revolve around arguments from 60 of the brightest minds with various perspectives, with a moderator, the faculty for that subject. It took me a while to get used to this style of teaching to be honest. I was so used to the rote system. However what is absolutely beautiful about this methodology is that it instils in every student a sense of healthy competition. It teaches us patience and acceptance. We get to understand our strengths and weaknesses. We begin to reach out to those who maybe better at the subject than us. All this prepares us for the real world.

I have spoken far too much, haven’t I? But this is what I believe one really is worried about. I had recently read an article on ‘Why the founder of Facebook wears the same shirt’; the answer was pretty simple: He believed that things like choosing ones clothes and other frivolous mundane decisions should not have to be very difficult. They end up taking a lot of the thought-process which could in-turn be used for something more useful.

I remember the anxiety attacks that I had during my final days leading up to joining my new college. They were tough. If only I had an insider to tell me a bit about the life in a 100 acre campus, situated 30 kms away from the city, I am sure I would have spent my time catching up with old friends and family and not buy a thousand unnecessary things to college. I would have confidently entered the college with the hope that I had made the best choice in life and there was no looking back from there on.

I don’t know if anyone would ever read this post or if it is of use to anyone, but I hope that it could help someone in the future. I wish you the best of luck and leave you with this:

“It’s your life, live each day as of you were given a fresh start, if you need something: ask; if you are scared: tell; if you want to find something: search; take one step at a time, un-complicate life!”

——————————————————————————————————————-

Sahana shut the laptop and walked to her room. There was a sense of overwhelming relief. Someone had understood her so well and answered most of her questions, as if telepathically. She did not bother about the other questions that ran in her mind. She quickly called up her friends and asked them to meet her that evening.

She called out to her mom and told her what she needed and requested her to help her finish packing. She was now fully equipped to face day-zero of her new life.

Contributed by Sujir Pavithra Nayak ( Class of 2009-2011, IBS HYDERABAD )