‘I filled more pages and hence will get more marks.’ Yeah well we all said that while we were either in schools or graduating and sometimes it even turned out to be true. But unfortunately MBA does not hold any such cliché. Perhaps, one should not adopt the above mentioned strategy to write in MBA exams for this post-graduation demands more of maturity when it comes to jot down the concept during exam time. Let’s talk about the penning strategies for different disciplines in MBA.

1. Learn & understand the concepts: This is the kryptonite to cooking up stories during the time of written exams. Grasp everything during the lecture time prudently and never in the exam time would you have to worry about the questions. All your answers would be to the point, crisp and surely correct.

2. Divide the time: If MBA is about time management then why not manage the time inside the exam hall? Make sure you divide your time for every question. This will help you in maintaining a constant speed during the exam and also you will never run out of the time in solving the paper. Despite your division of time if you are still running out of it, select your best question and just list the points which you wanted to mention in the answer. After all, it is better to write something than leaving the question entirely.

3. Read the question and before that the instructions to answer them carefully before you run your pen on the sheet. Majority of times the word limit is not given in an MBA question paper and when it is there no one bothers to have a look at it and ends up writing more than what is required. Secondly, when it comes to Objective type paper, candidates mark just one choice when in the instructions say clearly to mark multiple choice and vice versa.

4. Take time before you write: Try to prepare the answer mentally before scribbling it down. You catch either a phrase or a word from the question and write down whatever you know about it. Take at least few moments to prepare the structure of the answer in your mind.

5. Structure of an MBA answer (Non-Numerical): Start by defining the concept mention in the question with relevant examples. Draw a diagram if possible and try explaining it. Start explaining the query related to that concept mentioned in the question. Conclude your answer with lines that justify that you have answered the query asked in the question.

6. Modify your strategy according to the discipline: Whether you have the exam of Financial Management or Organizational Behavior you would end up with essays in the paper because you are very much bombarded with more-pages-more-marks rule from the very start. Every subject has a different way of handling it when it comes to written exam of it. For ex. In finance it is more about solving a numerical problem than explaining the theories behind it except if it is mentioned in the question and same goes with Quants. While in Organizational Behavior it is more about explaining the theories and process that goes in an organization.

7. Give examples of Cases:This surely earns some brownie points on your score card. You come across a question which is somewhat related to a particular case you read in your previous lectures of that discipline. It would really be helpful if you could just give the name of that case in that answer along with a very brief description of that case.

8. Picture is worth a 1000 words: Questions of lot many subjects can be easily answered if we could draw a relevant diagram. For instance, Economics. A big chunk of this subject depends on the diagram. You make one diagram in this subject and you are half way home. The only thing remains is to explain it. Though remembering the diagrams and making its replica is not a walk in park but if you could do that in every question you could clear the subject with flying colors. Another such subject is Human Resource. Rather than explaining the entire selection, training etc. process in form of an essay, try to express yourself in form of a diagram and then explain the diagram with key point. The diagram strategy always leaves a good impression.

9. Touch the cases in last:If you have sincerely read an entire case and solved it then you would understand that how much time and effort goes into reading and solving one. When cases come in exams try to take them in the last after you have solved other questions. As a matter of fact you might feel relax when you would be reading it because there would be no pressure of other questions at that time.

10. Just use references: Now this strategy is useful in “Open Book Exams”. You come across a question and try to find the entire answer in the book. Well it is MBA and you just can’t expect the answer in the book. Hence stop wasting time looking for the answer in the book and just quote the reference from the book. No doubt you can quote few lines too from the book but searching for a perfect answer might land you in soup.

11. Stop repeating things: You have learned a concept which you know by heart. Don’t try to use the same concept and insert it in every answer by hook and crook. Don’t beat around the bush in every answer you write. Again, the MBA answers sheet is evaluated on the basis of quality and not quantity.

12. Avoid Grammar Crimes: Though ‘Who is the next Shakespeare?’ contest is never on in the examination hall but some silly grammar mistakes can lead to change the entire meaning of your answer. English is a ‘Phunny’ language after all. Though your thoughts about the answers are pretty clear but at MBA level you don’t want to lose marks due to silly grammar crimes.

13. Revise your answers: Lastly, the universal fact of getting good grades. If the time doesn’t permit to go word by word of what you have written then at least have a rough look by flipping the answer sheet before you hand it over. You might have skipped something for the last or any last minute correction can be taken care of in this revision of answers session.

You would be reading the above points right from your school time but when it comes to MBA the above mentioned points really deserves an application in writing the exam answers. Be it communication, presentation or writing, MBA demands for a very mature perspective from the students enrolled in it.

Contributed By : Hasan Ali Gumani (Class of 2014, IBS Hyderabad).

(How to make the most out of an MBA alumni network)

In their quest for a job, many B-School graduates rarely tap their alumni network for prospects and leads. Somehow, the thought never occurs to them that those who have passed out of the institute and are holding responsible positions in the corporate sector can be an invaluable resource.

Most B-Schools have a robust alumni association and they work hard to ensure that older students are kept connected with the institutes in which they received their education. Most alumni in fact are only too keen to help the newer generation of students and to mentor them.

Former Britannia Industries MD, Sunil Alagh, graduated from IIM and I know for a fact, that he takes the trouble to attend alumni meets and interacts regularly with the students there.

Not all MBA students who pass out are able to get immediate placement and this has nothing to do with their qualifications or abilities. Most of the time it is due to a mismatch between what a company needs and what the candidate is qualified to do. In such cases, the alumni network is the best bet and the students themselves need to be proactive to reach out to those who have been former students of the institute.

In this digital age, it has become easier to reach out to people because most alumni networks either are on LinkedIn or have social media groups, where it becomes easy to interact without being intrusive. Earlier one had to get their contact details from the alumni association, whose responsibility it was to maintain them and often they would lose touch if the person has been moving extensively. Now there is no chance of losing contact because everyone is always connected.

Even if you do not get the job, you wanted right away do maintain good relations with the network because you never know when the right job will come along. This is all part of the networking process, which you will anyway have to learn as you go through your corporate career.

 I feel that institutes should have a good working relationship with their alumnus all over the world because it creates a network that is even better than a job placement event. Those who are in senior positions in a company and in positions of influence may have the authority to recruit people for their organisation. If they already know that a candidate is right for the job based on the feedback received from the institute, then this reduces the recruitment process and time.

The current batch of students can take advantage of tips shared by the alumni network and know exactly what they have to do.

For students of all generations, alumni networks are the best way that they can give back to the institute from which they have learned so much and to whom they owe a major part of their success.

Access to a worldwide database of leading corporate

The alumni network works better than any search engine. This is a ready-made database where you can find contacts to some of the world’s best companies. People who are already working there can open the doors of the company to you. They would be the best people to know what positions are available and who is hiring. You would not have to wait for job listings and be part of an anonymous crowd who file their resumes online, which often get lost in the confusion.

Alumni memberships in some of the leading business schools sometimes number in several thousands. That’s a huge database that can be readily accessed.

‘Inside’ Contacts

All over the world, students of professional institutes utilize their alumni services to be introduced to the right people in companies. You get access to opportunities and to people whom you may never get to meet otherwise. In fact, you should make it a priority in your job search.

You need to start your networking right before your final exams. This gives alumni ample time to prepare and for them to find the right kind of opportunities for you.

Utilize the alumni association and make sure that you send your CV in advance to them so that they can circulate it to all the members. Even if some of the older students are not members of the association, hey may be keeping in touch with those who are.

It is quite possible that some of the people who may be doing campus recruitments are alumni of your school. It pays to know in advance, who is part of the recruitment team.  Do they have anything to do with the institute in any way? What was their background? You need to do some preliminary homework so that you are prepared when you meet them.

Headhunters these days also use alumni network associations in order to make their recruit services easier.  They get qualified people who can be vouched for. It is a resource that only now they are waking up to.

Projects and Internships

Do you know that you can also use the alumni network to get good internship projects? You know how important these internships are to your final scores and they also matter when you finally go for your job interview.

If you have a trusted mentor with whom you can work, get the project, which can display your skills, with someone who knows your educational background it makes all the difference in the world.

Many MBA students are absorbed in companies where they have done their project work or interned. The internship also provides you the opportunity to come into contact with the right people at the companies, who are in a position to made recruitment decisions.

You need to remember that while your institute is doing the best it can to ‘place’ and find the right job that fits your qualifications, abilities and temperament, you also need to be very proactive in developing, creating and nurturing your own network.

Contributed By : Sidhartha mohanty(Class of 2005, IBS Ahmadabad).

MBA is a chapter in life which not only transforms your personality, communication, leadership and managerial skills but it also changes the way your “Desktop” looks like. While in MBA, the icons of “Call of Duty”, “Counter Strike” etc. are replaced by “PowerPoint”, “Excel” etc. It is a significant task of choosing the applications to be installed on the computer for the further use in MBA program because the absence of any expedient application on the last moment may lead you to kick a hole in your screen. Let’s talk about the must have computer applications for MBA.

1. MS Office Suite 2013: Well, Who doesn’t have it? But the 2013 version of MS Office has cutting edge compared to its predecessor version. Specially, when it comes to the life line of an MBA i.e. PowerPoint. With all the novice animation and transition effects, text box alignment feature it really blows life into your presentation.

 Now if you are a part of any club or you have a creative bug in you to satisfy then another family member of this suite i.e. Publisher 2013 is for your rescue in times of promoting an event. With all the pre measured templates of Brochures, Posters, Business Cards, Banners etc. you just have to worry about inserting text and images which by the way expands the boundary of your creativity.

2. Simple Mind: Perplexed with the always changing view points of the characters in the case studies? Or is it really hard to come to a conclusion at the end of case studies because of numerous What-If Analysis? Simple Mind is the one who frees the victim of the above mentioned situations. With the help of this great tool you can now summarize the information visually in the form of mind maps. It is like brainstorming virtually. It aids to literally picture the problem in hand and makes it really easy to solve. Not only this but it also allows you to export the images in your presentation and text documents.

3. Ever note: There are times in MBA when you are bombarded with so many tasks that there are high chances that few of them might slip through the cracks. In such a mess Ever note is an app you should look upto. Available for free, this app can store everything you are afraid losing track of. Be it To-do list, a meeting, or an assignment reminder it covers it all. Though you can find one such app under MS Office Suite too which goes by the name One Note but Ever note is a multi-platform app which keeps everything in sync between your gadgets.

4. Dragon Naturally Speaking: Suppose you have an assignment in hand which demands an excerpt from either a text book or any other offline article. Wouldn’t it be better if you just have to read it rather than typing the entire article? Yes, the Dragon Naturally Speaking is a speech recognition application which helps you to type the text without even touching the keyboard. Hence, saving a big chunk of your time. But watch the accent!

5. Plagiarism Checker: “All my assignments are Unique. Just like everyone else’s.” If you also face this trauma on the submission day then here is something for you. Even if our entire work is “First Handed” but there comes a line or two which are co-incidentally the true copy of a line or two over the internet. When it is generalized over your entire work by any professor it is labeled as “Plagiarized” and rejected by the professor. Though no applications are used to check plagiarism but surely some websites can help you correct this “co-incidence” before the submission. They are http://smallseotools.com/plagiarism-checker/, http://www.plagiarismsoftware.net/, http://www.plagtracker.com/, http://www.duplichecker.com/

6. Adobe Suite: The first and the essential group member from Adobe Suite is Acrobat Reader. Unlike Adobe Reader, it helps you to create forms in pdf format and take print outs which can be used for many purposes. If you belong to the marketing stream then ‘I don’t know Adobe Photoshop’ is not an excuse for you. No one knows this must have app completely but at least knowing the basics of Photoshop can make you touch the sky especially when you are inclined towards subjects such as Branding and Integrated Marketing Communication. Worst Case Scenario: if you are unable to comprehend this app then IrfanView (another image editing software) is there for you.

Though Windows Movie Maker always saves us when it comes to showing a video alongside a presentation but Adobe Premiere Pro, the advanced video editing app can profoundly match your presentation with the Video.

7. Readability: It may so happen that you are in a middle of a presentation and you need to present some data or intelligence which is available online. You try to open that webpage but internet ditches you at the end moment. Now either you leave that part or explain the same with the bits and bobs of what remains in your mind. But with this add-on (extension)in your web browser i.e. Readability, you can change any webpage into a “clean view” for reading at any point in time irrespective of the fact that whether or not you are connected to the Internet.

8. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS):If you are one of those who doesn’t jump to conclusion before a research then this application is a must have for you. With expertise in solving research methods such as Frequencies, Cluster Analysis, ANOVA, Cross Tabulation, etc. the applications is a bit technical to fathom. At IBS, every student comes across this researcher tool during the second semester under the discipline Business Research Methodology. More about it is explained if one opts for Marketing Research in third one.

9. Prezi: Even if you are fed up with the Powerpoint 2013 and want to walk one step ahead in presenting then Prezi is what you are looking for. It is a cloud based software where you can tell your story or present your thoughts on a canvas virtually. With some of the amazing 3D and Z-Axis effects, you can create your presentation online and once done you can download your work and present in the lecture. Though it takes a little while for the file to open but once opened and started it surely attracts everyone in the lecture theatre towards it.

10. Free USB Flash Drive Recovery: Let’s admit thatit has happened with all of us atleast once. We plug our flash drive in the USB port but we don’t find the file which we were supposed to present in front of our class. Either we call off our efforts or use the backup drive. But in case you ever forget to take the back up of your work this application will surely help you in that mess with recovering the accidentally deleted file or a corrupted file.

There are available plethora of applications in number of genres over the internet but locking the right one for your desktop and even your cell phone is a hard nut to crack. Imagine your computer is crammed with uncountable applications which were available for download but just not that one which could help you in a ruin. After all “An Application in need is an Application indeed.”

Contributed By : Hasan Ali Gumani (Class of 2014, IBS Hyderabad).

Friends how often we see that by jumping at several small opportunities get us to the goal more quickly than waiting for one big one to come along. How often you see our peers complaining about not getting enough opportunities at their way. How often do you see people struggling to make it big in their carrier or not able to achieve good grades or achieve success in different spheres of life? You will find one thing common in those individuals; they don’t listen! They have worst eye to detail, will have high and mighty attitude of I know it all and will sit ideal and wait for an opportunity to knock the door.

The ability to truly listen is one of the greatest assets that you can have as an individual. People fail to listen if they are too busy talking, distracted or disinterested. Regardless of the reason, failure to listen causes miscommunication, misunderstandings and unsolved problems, which are hazardous to any business environment.

You have two ears and one mouth, so you should listen twice as much as you talk. The art of trying to appear to be listening to someone, but just reading to the last non-essential thing they said is reactive listening. Reactive listening is the worst form of listening and it’s often called as programmed way of listening. For example you ran into some one important and he starts to speak non-essential stuff. Now you can’t ignore him or duck the conversation as he’s a big shot. You can’t close your ears instead you chose to close your mind. You start to react at the last word of each sentence and don’t understand the meaning. In the middle he spoke something really important, and put his message across, you misses the bus. May be an opportunity just ran away. People don’t listen effectively, they only retain about one quarter of what is being said. For those of us involved in procurement and negotiation, it is heartening to learn that studies have shown that skilled negotiators listen twice as effectively and ask four times as many questions as average negotiators. It comes as no surprise then that, as a result of superior listening skills; the skilled negotiator’s retention level is higher.

Proactive listening is an act of mindfully hearing and attempting to comprehend the meaning of words spoken by another in a conversation or speech. Proactive listening is an important business communication skill, and it can involve making sounds that indicate attentiveness, as well as the listener giving feedback in the form of a paraphrased rendition of what has been said by the other party for their confirmation. Proactive listening is the intentional and conscious effort to listen for understanding. Proactive listeners not only remain silent and give attention to a speaker — they use nonverbal gestures for engagement and feedback for message confirmation. Proactive listening isn’t an inborn talent. It must be practiced and frequently applied to foster healthy relationships in the workplace.

There are few important ways you can improve upon your proactive listening skills:

1. The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind so “stay quiet and try to make eye Contact”– The first basic elements of proactive listening involve taking a listening posture. In some cases, people don’t listen well because they talk too much or think about what to say. A proactive listener makes an intentional effort to give the speaker time and Making eye contact with the speaker is another proactive listening technique, as it shows

respect and attention to the speaker, but also helps you as the listener to stay engaged with the message.

2. Nodding the head down doesn’t row the boat so learn to lean In and Nod- Making assertive nonverbal movements and gestures distinguish proactive listening form reactive listening as well. Leaning in toward the speaker is one sign of proactive listening. This movement isn’t intrusive or aggressive, it is just a simple maneuver to show interest and get closer to the message. Nodding your head after major points presented by the speaker is an important nonverbal gesture as

3. Everyone need people who will give us feedback that’s how we improve so paraphrase for Confirmation– A major and often overlooked element of proactive listening is the feedback Take this step immediately after the speaker has finished his message, when you paraphrase or summarize your understanding of the message. By doing so you show the speaker that you heard and understood him/her. It also enables the speaker to clarify any misunderstandings. This vital proactive technique helps protects against you taking action with a false premise, or you and the speaker having different interpretations after the communication.

Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new so ask follow-Up Questions– Additional technique that separates great proactive listeners from average or good ones is asking follow-up questions. In some cases, people leave gaps or uncertainties in their messages. A proactive listener doesn’t just leave things up in the air. He asks questions to get more details or to address uncertainty about action steps. Asking good follow-up questions allows the listener to gain more insight into the speaker’s perspective, pull out more useful information and ensure that intended messages that didn’t come out in the original conversation are

Through proactive listening, truths are revealed and problems are effectively resolved. This is not an easy process because it requires you to be poignantly aware of your own feelings, thoughts, perceptions and reactions. Specifically, you must be in touch with your own mind, body and spirit while staying connected to the speaker. With humility, sincerity and practice, it can be achieved.

Proactive listening is first about understanding the other person, then about being understood. As you gain a clearer understanding of the other person’s perspective, you can then introduce your ideas, feelings and suggestions. If you apply the skills required for proactive listening, you will not only be known as a good listener. You will become a better leader as well.

Contributed By : Vaibhav Chandra (Class of 2009,IBS Hyderabad)

One of the most important document of any person in academic sphere is his resume. It is a one pager document which can be a deal breaker. It talks about the person credentials and is a document on which basis the interviewer able to understand the persons profile, his academic qualification, his interest areas, his geographical background and his overall personality. It is the first document which being scanned by the interviewer .As at the first round level the number of aspirants are in large quantity so the resume need to be prepared very meticulously. The resume is a tool with one specific purpose: to win an interview. If it does what the fantasy resume did, it works. If it doesn’t, it isn’t an effective resume.
A great resume doesn’t just tell them what you have done but makes the same assertion that all good ads do: If you buy this product, you will get these specific, direct benefits. It presents you in the best light. It convinces the employer that you have what it takes to be successful in this new position or career.
I am sharing few tips for preparing a potential resumes

 Your carrier objective

Try to present this paragraph in the best possible manner, this paragraph should be such that it able to project a positive and assertive personality. It should reflect your loyalty and long term association, it should be written in a crisp and effective manner, try to keep this paragraph simple and effective. You should try to write on both sides of the table like how you shall be contributing to the organisation and how you will be benefitted from the organisation. Do not use fancy language and hyperbolic words.

Qualitative factors
Any interviewer while selecting a candidate takes deep note of the Qualitative factors beside the academic degree and qualification. You should write in your resume about your aptitude and attitude like team player, problem solver, and leadership quality.Try to showcase all such events where you have represented something like a class prefect. Sports team captain etc. Try to project that you believing in doing things and have a go- getter attitude and have an assertive personality.

Professional Qualification

Present in this the degree or degrees you hold present it in a chronological order starting from recent to past. If you hold multiple degrees try to give focus on the degree which is better describing your role or which is more relevant to the employer.

Academic Qualification

You should present the academic qualification in chronological order starting from recent to past. You should add your specialisation area and put more focus on this area. If you have not score high in your academics then do not show your percentage.

Training
Do mention in your resume the specialised internship or training you have undergone. Try to built a story like what contribution you have made to the organisation while you have undergone your training program .Showcase your project report which you have prepared during training and mention the hard work involved in preparing this project report from scratch and how your project report was unique and useful to the organisation. If you have received any praise from the organisation for your report do mention it in a line or two.
Past experience
Show your past experience in the corporate world if you have any, mention the streams in which you have worked, what unique project or work you have undertaken and how you contributed to the organisation.
Show your Humanistic Face

If you being associated with any NGO or social cause highlight it in your resume or else if you have convince your Board of Directors of your current organisation to get associated with any social cause do mention it.

Be honest:

Although a CV does allow you to omit details which you would prefer the employer not to know about, you should never give inaccurate or misleading information.CVs are not legal documents and you can’t be held liable for anything within, but if a recruiter picks up a suggestion of falsehoods you will be rapidly rejected. An application form which you have signed to confirm that the contents are true is however a legal document and forms part of your contract of employment if you are recruited.

Be concise: 

A CV is an appetiser and should not give the reader indigestion. Don’t feel that you have to list every exam you have ever taken, or every activity you have ever been involved in – consider which are the most relevant and/or impressive. The best CVs tend to be fairly economical with words, selecting the most important information and leaving a little something for the interview: they are an appetiser rather than the main course. Good business communications tend to be short and to the point, focusing on key facts and your CV should to some extent emulate this. The longer and denser your CV is, the harder it is for an employer to comprehend your achievements.

Layout

The resume layout should be simple and impressive. You should not decorate it and try to give a formal look.

Paper

If you are providing a hard copy use A4 size bond papers which need to be bright white not a dull one, if you have a two page resume then stipple on the top left corner. However if you are sending a soft copy always sent a PDF copy rather than a word copy.
Initials
Always put your initials while submitting a resume and also place a date and place.
Address
Always mention your current residential addresses and if you are out station candidate and you are applying for a job in another town or city, it’s better to write open for relocation.
Spelling and Grammar check

Before finalizing the resume put a spelling check and grammar check in the Microsoft word which will help you to make your document flawless.
Photograph
If you are a handsome looking guy or pretty looking girl affix your photograph, this at times play a positive role in your selection process.
Passport
If you have a passport do mention your passport no.

References
Many employers don’t check references at the application stage so unless the vacancy specifically requests referees it’s fine to omit this section completely if you are running short of space or to say “References are available on request.”

Normally two referees are sufficient: one academic (perhaps your tutor or a project supervisor) and one from an employer (perhaps your last part-time or summer job).

Contributed by : Maneesh Srivastava ( Class of 2008, IBS GURGAON )

Whenever I remember good old days of college, moments of fun with friends & craziness flash in my mind and bring a broad smile on my face. Whenever I talk about my college days, I always say that, ”two years that I had spent in IBS, Gurgaon were the best years of my life!”

Undoubtedly building wonderful memories and having fun is an integral part of college life and perhaps the most important but there is more to it. Now reading this you would say, oh no don’t want another session of ‘Gyan’ we already get that a lot. But having spent 6 years in corporate world and working with some big companies of world, I would like to share with you my opinion on what you should certainly do in two years of MBA. Something which would help you in making a strong foundation of your career.

You must have heard the saying, “Well begun is half done” that certainly holds true. If you lay the correct career base while studying in MBA and give yourself correct professional direction, you are half way through.

Talking about how to begin, then the first and perhaps most difficult step is to know, doing what work you actually enjoy and work doesn’t seem work. It can be anything, cooking, driving; reading books, painting, programming, travelling and the list is endless. People who don’t treat their work as work and while they are in office it feels like they are enjoying and have fun are the people who have made correct career choice.

When you discover this and decide to make your career in it, let me assure you that no one can stop you from achieving all your career goals and aspirations.

Now the big point is how will you do it, then I would say it should ideally start from your last few years of school life, however in case you haven’t it’s not at all late even if you work on it while in college.

While in MBA you are studying different subjects, keep a note on which subject’s lectures you enjoy the most or working on its presentations and assignments you don’t get bored, infact enjoy doing it! Which subject actually makes sense to you, whether it’s financial management, customer behavior, services management, Human resources, Operations management or something else. It’s you and only you who knows it and needs to decide about what you love reading and would like to know even moreabout it. If you like reading Bollywood Gossip, you know what you can make a career in it and trust me the money would also be good.

Don’t take decisions which are influenced by a friend’s choice of career or a relative’s suggestions. Don’t try to make a career in a field about which you have heard money is good or there are several jobs being offered. If you do some work just for the love of it, you would certainly make good money and would also get rich experience above all.

Having said this, say you have found out what you thoroughly enjoy doing and believe that pursuing a career in it would be a wise choice, bang on! You have taken a big leap in your professional life.

You achieved first thing you should certainly do while you are in MBA College. Now the second step is be informed about the career you have chosen, read as much as you can about it. You have internet, you have college’s library collection, utilize them. Read case studies of your field. Know about the companies in the field you have chosen, in case you would like to go for a job in future. Know as much as you can about the job openings there. Know about the cultures of these companies, career growth, senior management, past journey and future growth.

Known personalities like Indira Nooyi, CEO Pepsi-Co and Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebookare few of very successful people who hold MBA degree and have made a remarkable career working with some of the biggest companies of the world. They in spite of being married women with kids are successfully running large organizations which showcase their passion, focus and dedication.

In case you don’t want to go for a job and would like to start your own venture then read about entrepreneurs in your field. Read about their success stories, their struggle and how they managed to be what they are today. Huge companies like Google & Apple started from garages of house and now the world knows what they are.

One book would like to recommend you on success stories of Indian entrepreneurs is ‘Connect the Dots’ by Rashmi Bansal.It’s an awesome book and tells you how some of impressive Indian Companies were built.

However while you are focused on what your career choice is also be informed about other subjects a well, never keep them in backburner. Once you enter corporate world you would notice, you need to be master of one but also jack of many. Say if you are in marketing role, you need to have a sense of all fields like operations, finance, HR. If you do not have it then you would not have a three sixty degree vision and would not be able to drive the work in best way. Here however I would like to emphasize that overall brief idea is what is required you need not spend hours reading about these but yes what you can do is be attentive in lectures and listen to what your lecturer is telling you, also at least go through the curriculum books with all dedication.

Having said this, spending lots and lots of time in a field(professional) is also very important. In a bestseller book ‘Outliers’ by the very famous and renowned author Malcolm Gladwell it is mentioned that in order to be expert in any field you need to spend atleast 10,000 hours working on it. It holds true in case of every person without exception.

Even people like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg who had built huge companies in a very early stage of their life managed to do it because they started working on it when they were very young.

Here I would like to refer my first point, that they probably explored their passion at a very early stage and by the time they started their career they were already an expert in the field because they had spent hours reading working in which they want to make their career and the rest as we all know is history.

Contributed by  Arpita Seth (Class of 2010,IBS Gurgaon)