What company looks in a candidate ?

Posted on December 9, 2014 by IBS India

All set to enter into the corporate world? You must be excited — and tensed too. And I am sure several questions must be swimming in your head: which profile to choose, which course to join, which technology to study and, of course, that big fat question — will I get company of my dreams.

Folks, I’ve interviewed a lot of candidates, for my current and previous organization. Amazingly, I fail to understand the thought process of an applicant during the screening process. Essentially they forget most of the tricks taught during their management program.

When we believe Google knows all, you search the web and end up with so many confusing ideas, like what’s your body language telling? Are you showing your real self? Do you have the personality to do the job? Are you resourceful? These may puzzle you but organizations these days are clever in selecting a candidate.

We usually give a simple case study to solve and judge the candidate on different parameters and surprisingly we find most of them scoring low. I’ve put in my thoughts around 5 big common but so uncommon notions around the interview process which I thought will be helpful for you.

Be smart not over-smart

You need to put in all your efforts to ensure you don’t behave like a fool. Perhaps this is an important life lesson. Most people think just to dissect words, by giving wrong references and exchanging peculiar examples will help them crack an interview. They are absolutely clueless about how much the interviewer is silently mocking their idiotism. Basically, detouring never fetches great results.
The idea is to answer what has been asked, it’s good to back your statement with an example but the pattern should match. Say you are talking about vendor risk, you should not suddenly jump and link it to payment processing. This confuses the interviewer and put you at risk.
The theme is KISS (Keep it simple stupid)

Get off my back

Many candidates are rejected because of their casual attitude to answer the interviewer. Even though they don’t have a fitting reply to a question, their tendency to speak more and eventually digress leads them to a downfall. By telling “I don’t know, but can I come back to you with an answer if required” will make you a bigger and a better person.
Don’t steer in a circle to find a corner i.e. by bugging the interviewer with your vague illustrations, lecturing him on the learning you have in your MBA classes will not work.
Organizations prefer smart idiots over a stupid genius any day. Perhaps a person, who doesn’t know, can be trained but a person with an incorrect knowledge will be a disaster. Even the great champions acknowledge they don’t know everything.
The idea is not to stretch the envelope.

Sell yourself

I’ll tell you a secret. Organizations these days are desperate for talented and dynamic professionals. Leaders go an extra mile in terms of compensation, joining date and employee benefits to pull in the right candidate. It’s all about how well you fit the bill and how keen are you to fit the bill. But it’s quite sad to see the applicant miss this loophole.
Be prepared to sell yourself. Applicants should carefully read the job description, research the market dynamics, organization vision, mission and core values. Align your sales pitch in accordance to the Job description. No one knows you better than you. The true sign of intelligence is the imagination to sell.
The goal is to sell ice to an Eskimo.

High and mighty Attitude

Organization accepts that a candidate with a constructive attitude is a rare find. I’ll give you an example. I interviewed a candidate who had amazing communication skills, unexpected domain knowledge and immaculate interpersonal skills but we observed one imperative behavioural characteristic. During the interview process his attitude towards life and work was found to be very indecisive. He hemmed and hawed when we asked direct questions.
Organization don’t like when they are kept hanging in the air. They judge you on your attitude. They constantly look if the candidates can handle problems without cribbing, be a potential billable resource and fit in well with the team. You ought to have an attitude which is positive, constructive and inspiring.
The notion is don’t carry “devil may-care-attitude”.

Be a Leader

One of my all-time favourite sayings is “Leading is like a love affair, every fool can start one but to end it tidily requires considerable skills”. Today organization suffers from a leadership crunch. Business units often complain about the lack of talented people who can lead their vertical. Perhaps they constantly look out for candidates who will lead the team, who will inspire and motivate the team members. This is one quality which gives you an edge over others.
You need to show your leadership quotient to the interviewer, request a moment to talk about the activities and initiatives wherein you have demonstrated leadership skills. In those 30 minutes they really want to see the leadership quotient in you. They primarily consider if the candidate can roll up his sleeves and turn the game or if he’s a kind of a person who just enjoys his past laurels.
Rally the troops, don’t become a case of blind leading a blind.
The mantra is “You can’t make an omelette without breaking the egg”. I’ll prefer a candidate who doesn’t necessarily be a great fit for the role, but if he’s proactive, has the ability to lead, above all has a great attitude towards life. He or she essentially should be a cog in the wheel for the organization.

THINK plenty before taking the plunge. Once you take that leap, start swimming. Don’t let the thought of gain or loss or success or failure distract you. It is important that you play the game seeking the goal you have.

If you act just for the boss at the workplace, you cannot act your role with dedication. Act not for the boss in the cabin but for the Great Boss within.

All the best! I’m sure you will be a great success.

Contributed by Vaibhav Chandra ( Class of 2007-2009, IBS HYDERABAD )

Career Options in India

Posted on December 8, 2014 by IBS India

As one of my favourite authors Chandrakant Bakshi rightly said once that every young man who is about 25 years old have to answer three fundamental questions of life.

Selection of right career
Selection of right life partner and
Selection of right Dharma (how does he want to live his life)

Yes, I know and understand the difficulty while answering each of above questions. However, here I want to restrict myself to only first question, i.e. selection of right career. This becomes the most important question of life. Though I am a strong believer that even if you end up with the wrong selection, the life does not stop! But it is important to go for the right one from the beginning and not to leave any chance for any wrong selection.

The difficulty of being a student and that too a graduate is just atrocious! I can see a hamlet in every fresher graduate who is always in confusion about his or her career options.

Let’s begin with commerce graduates. Their confusion would be to opt for management study? Or for professional courses like CFA? Or to go for evergreen professions like Chartered Accountant? Or to prepare for competitive exams and appear in various governments entrance exams to get a government job.

Further, it becomes all the more difficult for engineering students who have to select the field they want to pursue their Masters in. Should they continue with the same field of their graduation or opt for something different that promises a good career. A good offer is expected if you are from a good college. So you have to apply micro economics 101(oops, is it too early?) and evaluate opportunity cost of leaving that job offer and to go for master degree?

For science graduates such as B. Pharma or B.Scs, it is can be harder to select their master’s degree. They have to decide whether they want to continue in science field and do Pharma or M.Sc or opt for a PHD? However, I don’t think that MBBS students would face any of these issues as they are different class of people and they do not live in any dilemma.

But believe me, it is easier said than done and it’s a solid dilemma wherein very few people actually can guide you, except yourself. Further, this becomes all the more difficult if you are dating someone since your college days and the sheer pain of leaving that someone special is making you so nervous and you cannot think anything else.

Anyways, let’s get back to some serious business as you have to find an answer for yourself. But before that I want to make you think so as to help you in selecting a right option for you.

To start off, observe and think what has changed in India in recent times. The way our businesses runs, work is done, the functioning of government, a change in technology, etc. Just about everything has changed at such a rapid speed that that we can’t ignore them.

In 1991, Dr. Manmohan Singh initiated reforms and freed up India from license raj and indicated for an open economy, the sleeping entrepreneurship of this country arose. Indian economy started functioning in full throttle and business environment became more vibrant. Private sector became an integral part of the economy. In addition, foreign multinationals started investing in India to capture a huge market. Furthermore, since the beginning of the 21st century, India has started shining, although backed by a global growth phenomenon.

All of these factors discussed above created huge demand for professionals with specific skill sets. The manpower that possesses knowledge of various subjects can run any business professionally. There was a huge shortage of manpower of that calibre in this country for a long time. Thus, a new era started in which abundant opportunities became available for people who possessed such skill sets.

Can anyone guess which academic course in India provides knowledge of various subjects relevant to business in shortest time period? Yes, my friends, your answer is correct, MBA.

You might be aware that MBAs offer various specializations, mainly in the field of Finance, Marketing, Human Resource, Information Technology, Operations. Let us look at a brief summary of the potential opportunity for each of the specialization as shown below.

Specialization	Areas to be strengthen during MBA	Opportunities
Finance	Sound general knowledge, Good communication skills, Command in reasoning, Logic, Well versed with all the subjects of finance and daily reading of one financial daily, Strong hold on MS Excel, Power point and Word	Public and private sector banks (Indian as well as foreign) Investment banks, NBFCs, Insurance companies, Public sector units, Consulting, Industry and Corporates, KPOs, High end back offices of foreign multinationals, Education
Marketing	Well versed in marketing subjects, Good communication skills, Reading of one newspaper, Creativity, Willingness to travel MS Excel, Power point and word	Market research firms, Advertisement agencies, PR department of corporates, Firms providing marketing support, FMCG companies, Financial Institutions like banks, Insurance companies, NBFCs, Industry and corporates, Education
Human Resource	Good communication skills, MS Excel, Power point and word, Soft skills, Knowledge of labour laws and regulations etc.	Recruitment firms, Industry and corporates, Financial institutions, Training and coaching institutes Education
Information Technology,Supply Chain and Operations	Well versed in IT.	IT companies, IT departments of industry, corporate and government, financial institutionsLogistic companies, government, industry and corporates, Education, Government jobs, Industry and Corporates

The list goes on. But two things are certain that there will always be lot of demand for an MBA in future as India is the place for business and lots of MNCs are venturing into India. So don’t worry about a job opportunity.

It is important that one’s attitude should be of learning during initial period of career and not of earning. You will definitely be at good place in future but for that certain things are important. Continuous upgradation of skill sets and information, be it through reading, writing, or through any other medium is inevitable.

Second thing is that even after the completion of MBA, an additional degree or any other course which is relevant to your field becomes utmost important as it will give you an edge and you will have a grip on your subject which will help you climb the corporate ladder faster.

In the end, I just want to say that there is an ocean of opportunities is available at the end of an MBA. So just do it!

Contributed by Janmang Menhta ( Class of 2010, IBS AHEMDABAD )

Importance of case studies and tips of reading and solving it.

Posted on December 8, 2014 by IBS India

You clutch your course handout of a subject in your hand and wonder about the various titles written in the last column of it. These titles are the quintessential of your disciplines in practical world and are known as case studies. Ranging from a single page to a whopping figure of thirty or forty, case studies give you a new perspective to your book concepts. Written by Harvard’s as well as IBS’s professors, they appraise the practical scenario in which the application of the book concepts has been witnessed.

Basically, there are three broad categories in which every case-study can be divided into. First, there is the introduction part which gives you a brief history of the organization and outlines the main dilemma and problem points of the case-study. The second part consist the facts and information which could be crucial for solving the case and the last part focuses on a specific problem which the organization, mentioned in the case, wants you to solve to come to a decision and hence terminate the conundrum.

Of course, there are exceptions to the above mentioned ‘three parts of a case’ rule. Cases in the discipline of Economics, for instance, are mostly jotted down in a chronological manner. Throwing light on major economic crisis of the world, the students are encouraged to discuss on a “What-If” basis rather than asking them to solve a problem.

Again, there are three ways of solving any case study. Read the chapter first, read the case and the final step is to match the concepts of the chapter with the case. Since the first two steps are self-explanatory we would not go into the details but focus on the third and the trickiest step as it is of paramount importance when it comes to solving a case.

The golden rule of approaching any case-study is – “Stop getting scared of the size of the case and the number of pages, words etc.” On the contrary, the lengthier the case is, the better it is for approaching a conclusion. When it comes to subjects such as Quantitative Techniques, Accounting for Managers, Operation Management and other disciplines, lengthier cases aid you with more and more information and hence solving them becomes a walk in the park.

Initially, adopt the habit of reading the case completely. Try not to omit any part of initial cases from every subject. They are written very precisely in the start and this practice of yours might give you a clue as to what areas you can skip when it comes to further lengthier cases.

Though there is an incorrect notion among students that the focus on case studies should be kept until the last minute. In fact, it should be quite the opposite way. Overcome this procrastination and don’t take case studies down to the wire where it is just a tool to earn grade in class participation. A lot of thought goes into designing a case-study and the same is expected from the students while grasping the concepts from it.

‘Ask questions to yourself’ is the next rule to follow. Try to find the crux of every paragraph or at least every page and narrow it down in the form of a few questions. This exercise would help you in two ways. Firstly, you would be able to summarize the entire case and secondly, it would help you in the class participation too. However, you need to have an experience of three to four sessions to execute it perfectly. You need to know the areas where the professor emphasizes on while discussing the cases and once you grasp that, you will be able to form questions in accordance with that of your professor’s.

Note down the names of critical decision makers (they are mostly the top management of the organization mentioned) from the case and jot down their point of view regarding the dilemma mentioned. Sometimes it so happens that either the language of the case perplexes us or it is the diverse viewpoints of the decision-makers that add to the confusion. Hence, it is better to scribble the final stand of every decision-maker on the dilemma.

Not every case can be solved by a thorough reading. Sometimes, you have to look beyond the horizon for the answers. What lies behind the veil are the “Appendix” which has the balance sheet, growth chart of the firm since its birth and other significant numerical hints. Let’s say the dilemma of a firm lies in whether or not to foray into a new market. Just by reading the company’s history and other facts you cannot resolve this issue. This is where the appendix trumps all other facts and information. All you have to do is compare the preceding year’s profits and other important figures to help you reach the verdict. Try to give logical solutions backed by numbers rather than shooting in the dark without any evidence.

Now once you follow all the above rules and tag yourself a perfectionist in solving the issues of various cases, you can advance to a part called ‘Skipping’ some areas of cases. This would surely save a lot of time and make you to concentrate on more vital areas of the case-studies. Now, you might wonder which areas to skip without affecting the decision-making process. This would vary from subject to subject.

In Accounting, Quantitative, Marketing Research and other financial subjects you can skip the history and introduction of the firm and scan for numbers instead. While in subjects such as principles of Marketing, Service Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communication, Business to Business Marketing etc. try to look for the four (or seven) P’s first and then the STP (Segmentation, Target market and Positioning) of the firm. When it comes to micro (and macro) economics, try to represent the problem of the case with the help of a diagram (a graph) and then understand it on a broader scale. Solve the IT related subjects’ cases such as ISM directly over your computer. Make sure you input the data in your computer as and when it appears in the case.

What if a professor of a financial subject asks you about the history of the firm? The answer is ‘Trade off’. Diversify the risk in such a manner that even if you miss the intro and history of the case, you still have the middle and last part (which is the solution) to discuss at the time of case discussion in the lecture.

Lastly, never ever put a cart before a horse. Read the chapters first before even touching the cases. Regardless of the subject whose case you are studying, always keep in mind the industry in which the firm belongs, the target group and definitely the dilemma that you need to focus on. Just in case none of the above rules work for you, remember that the professors are always there as a last resort. All you have to do is to approach them and clarify your doubts with them.

All the best!

Contributed by Hasan Ali Gumani ( Class of 2012-2014, IBS HYDERABAD )

Importance of Management Skills in Organizations

Posted on December 5, 2014 by IBS India

In today’s fast changing and ever evolving world of business, the importance of management/managerial skills is 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 can be defined as an attribute/characteristic in a person which enables him to make most of the available resources in an efficient manner.

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.

Time Management
Self Confidence
Knowledge
Effective Communication
Result Oriented
Persistence
Self Motivation
Proactive
Empathy
Goal Setting

For a manager the above mentioned skills along with a few more are very important to succeed. I would like to elaborate particularly on these 10 skills and explain how they prove to be a game-changer.

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 ensure that this task is done with perfection a manager should be cautious, aware of himself, the marketplace, and his team/organization, and should know the product/service thoroughly.

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. Have you ever paid anything to buy time? You haven’t right, 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 a better success rate.

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. So, be persistent in all your endeavors.

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 might be failures in relationships (personal and professional). But these are the moments when one should be patient, strong and empathetic to overcome the situation. Displaying empathy would create a stronger bond between the team, enables one to understand other’s point of view and analyze situations from a different angle.

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

Knowledge: Today information is on the fingertips of every individual. We can search for any 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 will earn him/her respect and accolades. In this economy, the most lucrative jobs are given to a person who is well informed, knowledgeable and is updated about the current events. It further helps when someone is well versed with technology and also knows how to maneuver it.

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 yourself before anybody else does. To believe in their capabilities and have a strong will makes a manager or organization successful. But you should be very careful when being confident it should not be false/overconfidence. Just remember that if the confidence is coming from knowledge, preparation and hard work, then it’s genuine; otherwise check once more before you hit a roadblock due to complacency.

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 an optimistic outlook. Self-Motivation is very important when one is leading others. It’s the most important aspect of one’s personality to come up victorious every time.

Proactive: This is most one of the most desirable managerial skills in today’s world of rapid change, but unfortunately it is found very rarely in students, managers and leaders. Being proactive means preparing for the challenges are yet to arrive. 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 an increased customer loyalty.
Result Oriented:Everybody wants an employee or a manager who can produce great results.
All of us expect good results from ourselves in all the aspects of our lives. Any 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, while maintaining a balance between the personal and professional life. One should not be distracted by external/internal factors.

These management qualities are vital to run an organization successfully. Each of the above mentioned skills enables a person to effectively manage resources at his/her disposal. In today’s turbulent times, the importance of these skills cannot be underestimated. These are the qualities each manager/leader/student must possess in order achieve great success.

Apart from being successful in professional arena, these qualities also make a person a better human being which is more important that having a promising career. Since an average person works for about 30-35 years in his life, the rest of the time is dedicated to the society, family and his friends by 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 Shukla ( Class of 2009, IBS BANGLORE )

MBA is Just Not A Qualification

Posted on December 5, 2014 by IBS India

Master of Business Administration (MBA) is just not a qualification or a degree which many applicants apply for. It is a means to a purpose, then a purpose in itself. Your motto would never be just to get an MBA degree but to utilize the skills learned during the course towards the area of interest. One has to understand that MBA is a classroom program which has different transformational aspect towards an individual’s growth and career enhancements. It acts as a catalyst to one’s career.

A majority of the candidates pursue MBA to land a respectable job but is this right attitude towards their career? Of course NOT! Instead, they should think that they are not just pursuing MBA but rather, chasing their dream.

The contemporary MBA era is over where one would get an MBA to get a job. MBA has evolved through the years and it has now become the roadmap for Entrepreneurship. MBA has been extremely helpful in seeding the minds of the individuals with new business models, new viable plans, new strategies and have sown the seeds of creating new jobs. Gone are those days when one would applaud a fat pay-check when now people take pride in starting a new venture. It brings a sense of accomplishment and the ideas are worth millions against a hefty check. So, MBA plays a crucial role in streamlining these thoughts and ideas.

One of the most important aspects of MBA is the learning that it provides. Various domains such as Finance, Marketing, Human Resource, Project Management, Information Technology, Business Communication, Business Ethics etc are imparted to the candidates. Various methods are adopted to ensure that the individual is getting the cutting-edge knowledge and is right on track with the latest developments. This includes PowerPoint presentation, class-room training, industrial visits, team projects, individual assignments and most importantly, an internship. With this multi-prong strategy, teaching and learning goes hand-in-hand and is the most undisputable fact of the course.

MBA centers on multiple semesters with each one divided into several subjects which spread out from basic to intermediate to specialized knowledge level. The complexity and the rigorous assignments backed by empirical case studies provide an outstanding experience which otherwise would have been left unexplored. These projects and assignments fill the void which a contemporary course usually skips. In short, MBA is a structured program which strives in taking the best out in an individual. On the behavioural front, the individual evolves an analytical bent of mind.

It is one of the few courses which apart from imparting knowledge also build social-personal skills. It helps your harness skills right from professional communication to ethical behaviour. It teaches you to deal critical situations in a most positive and efficient way. Just not that, more than a course, it definitely roots the individual leadership quality and teaches how to get along in a social group. These skills are a by-product of the course and change the persona of every individual, helping him go a long way in his career.

One of the forefronts in an MBA course is the ‘Brainstorming Session’ that the individual has to experience at multiple levels. This drives a person to not just put new thoughts and fresh ideas forward but also helps them understand various ideas of their peers too. Individuals start connecting the dots and respecting the ideas of others. The process is so effective that it enables one to think outside of the box which otherwise would have been untapped. The impact of this will be more visible when the person starts working in an organization.

The experienced lecturer who comes from different industry, background, knowledge and perspective makes MBA a different ball game altogether. Their experience and expertise would be a priceless aspect for students. Their way of imparting knowledge and the methodology of teaching is not something that one can ever get in books or learn on their own. Such aspects leave no leaf unturned in the learning process of the individual.

MBA provides a platform where you can maximize the available resources. You can have a mentor helping you get your skill-sets and concepts right. You can get in touch with your strong alumni-base to help reshape your ideas and guide you till your execution stage. Furthermore, you have the full support of a diversified group of classmates who can make learning more meaningful. In short, the quality of support one gets while pursuing an MBA is worth the time and money spent.

One of the primary aspects of the course is to make the individual efficient. This is not done just by taking sessions after sessions but through continuous monitoring and evaluation. The individual is subjected to rigorous time-bound projects which are done in small groups and thereupon a 360 degree feedback and appraisals are done. In each semester, the individual gets to know where he stands and measure his performance. More importantly, the peer competition further makes him burn the mid-night oil to get the correct CGPA. Eventually, a new mindset with a strong performer is what one ends up with.

MBA also incorporates on-the job training which is known as ‘Internship’. An individual who has already been made aware of theoretical knowledge is given exposure to the on-the job training in the middle of the course helps recognize his potential as well as weakness. It actually provides a reality check and the areas of improvement or the areas which the individual would have to further hone. It is a litmus test to the individual making him more serious about his career path. In short, this training may be of a few weeks but it provides SWOT analysis to the individual which brings crucial changes on an individual’s perception and brings the best out of him.

To call a spade a spade, MBA has been gripped into a misconception that it is a mere qualification. With so much to get from a professional course like what has been mentioned, one can only say that MBA is beyond qualification and a fat pay-check.

Contributed by Mitesh Agarwal ( Class of 2009-11, IBS HYDERABAD )

WHY MBA FROM A GOOD INSTITUTE IS A MUST……

Posted on December 4, 2014 by IBS India

An MBA degree not only gets you an entry into the corporate; it stays with you for the rest of your life. Your Alma matter defines who you are. The college from which you graduate from helps you in your future course of journey. So one has to be careful while deciding to join a MBA institute, as there are so many stakes (money, efforts, and future) involved, it is one of the crucial decision which can make or mar ones career.

There are around 3000 B-Schools/Management institutes in India which produce more than

1, 00,000 management graduates every year. Majority of them cater to students without prior industry experience. So why do companies pay lucrative 6 figures salary packages to only 10 % of the lot. How do companies choose professionals for working in their companies when they know fresher’s have to be trained and worked upon before putting them into responsibilities. And the million dollar question for the student here is how to select a college of repute why will lead them the entry into those 10%.

Well the answer to these questions lies here.

When a company chooses a college for campus it has different criterion based on which it makes decision.

Brand name – Brands play a significant role in choosing a product in our daily life. Same is the case with companies. Companies shortlist colleges of high repute which are known in the industry to select their future professionals. Colleges with a long term perspective invest hugely on Brand building exercises.

Alumni: The reputation is build by a college due to its Alumni network and how it is doing in the market. The performance of professionals who are doing exceptionally well in the market reflects their quality of Alma matter. It also depends upon the differentiators which the college has created for itself which distinguishes itself from the rest of the lot. Colleges like MIT, HBS don’t worry about the placements as the Alumni itself suffice the requirement.

Teaching Pedagogy: The distinguishing factors can be the pedagogy, industry exposure and the way learning is imparted in the students. Universities like Harvard, Stanford and Oxford are famous for its case study style of teaching. Case studies are considered as an effective way of exposing students to managerial situations. It introduces and provides hands on experience to students of what is going on in the industry. Modern teaching tools and techniques such as simulation games, innovative class activities, learning through videos and role plays also helps Students understand the nitty-gritty and intricacies.

Industry- Institute Interface: The Companies prefer to go to colleges for placements which they have interacted with. This interaction happens when a college has a continuous connect with Industry Professionals. This connect happens in the form of guest lecture from the industry professionals, Invitation to industries for events happening at college, mentorship program from industry, Summer Internship and Winter Internship programs, sponsorship and other allied activities. The industry is also in a way want to get connected to Institutes to get the Crème – Del – crème of professionals for their companies. Many Corporate firms organize and sponsor events which help them understand the dexterity of students in the available market.

Well these are some of the traits which a company looks for in a college for campus placement. The end result is a win-win situation for both the company and the institute as the companies get the best of talent pool for their organization and the colleges get the best of packages for their students. When it comes to students to select a college these aspect should be definitely put into consideration.

Let’s try to see what are the advantages of graduating from a Premier MBA institute:-

A Lucrative career: – The fight for getting into the elite college is not just for the sake of getting into the best colleges of the country but to have a lucrative career ahead. The elite MBA helps you give you a head start over your counterparts who may not get the push from a tier 2 or tier 3 MBA. The chances of selection in interviews increases, promotions, switching from one company to other good company, when you have a tag of an elite Institute behind your back which gives you an extra edge over others.

Alumni Network: – Every good college has a strong alumni network which acts as a backbone of the institute. This not a known fact in case of a non premier, two tier colleges. The fact of the matter is that it is very important to understand how much the Institute is connected with its alumni. As education has been minted into a big business the college feels that the pass outs have no role to play and just act as liabilities to them. But a college of good reputation never lets its alumni lose its hope and faith in the institution and treat them as the torch bearers and messenger of their institute to the Industry and the society. The Alumni meets, mentorship program etc helps the Alumni to be connected with the college and the friend circle which he was part of during his MBA. The Alumni network also helps in career advancement, Job change, etc which makes thing easy for him in the latter part of his career.

Groomed persona: A good MBA program which has two years of rigorous hard work and development of smart work has an unusual effect on the persona of an individual. He/she gains not only presentation and communication skills but also analytical skill sets which helps him/her understand and solve complex situation of life and other issue with great rigor and enthusiasm. The MBA program changes the perspective of an individual towards life and its challenges.

Identity: – The MBA degree becomes an Identity of the Individual. When a person gets the tag of being a MBA from the Elitist of Institute he gets a special identity among his colleagues and staff. A different form of respect and admiration is shown towards the person. As it is rightly said that, “Respect cannot be bought, it has to be earned”. The respect and adoration one gets because of being a part of an elite club has an aura of its own and which can be felt ones the person becomes a part of such club creating an exclusive segment for himself/herself.

Contributed by Roopesh Rao ( Class of 2007, IBS GURGAON )

“ASPIRING MINDS”

Posted on December 4, 2014 by IBS India

When one of the richest persons in the world, Mr.Laxmi Niwas Mittal was asked what regrets he had in life, he replied by saying that he did not do an MBA. He is the only Indian who leads in a particular sector globally i.e. steel sector. He has achieved success in life and has made a lot of wealth. Yet he regrets not pursuing an MBA.

MBA is one of the most sought after qualifications in India. After the completion of graduation the students prefer to go for this qualification because it offers wide opportunities professionally. The engineering graduates are also opting for this management qualification as it broadens their mental capabilities as well as provides faster career growth. As a result, we find numerous B- schools mushrooming all over India. In this context, let us go in detail to find out the significance and importance of this qualification. Let us also look at various prospects involved with Indian youth in this regard.

An MBA degree is considered as the ticket to the top management positions as it is highly regarded and appreciated by most of the firms globally. Many graduates know that they can expect a well paying job and even promotions with their MBA degree. In this competitive age, most companies want the best and brightest to lead them into the future. They know that MBA graduates have all the tools to be effective managers. With their updated knowledge management and leadership skills, these graduates can ensure a company´s success.

Entrepreneurs desire to pursue an MBA degree to ensure their success. There are many start-ups cropping up every day as the growing economies of the world are creating more demand for new products and a wider market. This provides opportunity for entrepreneurs to create new solutions to meet market demands. In doing so, they create jobs and add positively to the overall health of the economy. Entrepreneurs know they need an MBA degree to achieve success. Having a great idea is one thing. Making it work is another. They know that their MBA degree will give them the tools they need in success of their enterprise.

People with global view pursue an MBA degree to expand their horizons as markets are no longer confined to the regional areas. They have grown and are now catering to the needs and demands of the customers globally. The Internet has helped in connecting people from all over the world. As a result, the world is shrinking at a faster pace. An MBA degree with an International Specialisation is becoming quite popular to compete more effectively in the international arena. This specialization imparts important tools, lessons and methods which will the help the employers to forge new relationships with vendors and clients overseas.

Additionally, in many cases we see that there are some executives who have fallen off their career track and they turn to an MBA degree to put them back in the right direction. There are special MBA degree programs for professionals who want to improve their skills after some years of working experience. These are known as executive MBA degree programs and help to retrain executives. By combining their previous experience with their new degree, most executives find themselves promoted to more challenging positions with a substantial increase in pay.

MBA is highly demanding in the present scene because of the emergence of the large corporate houses, MNCs and industrial giants and the world wide economic growth. The social and individualistic view point has changed largely, where people are more concentrated on career growth and maximize the earning rather than just job security. An MBA degree can boost an individual’s passion and hunger for success.

To sum up, Indian youth definitely have an exciting future and promising career with an MBA degree if they desire to improve and develop their skills.

“Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.” – Napoleon Hill

Contributed by Shilpa Aggarwal Gupta ( Class of 2005, IBS HYDERABAD )

Clear Communication, Effective Impression

Posted on December 3, 2014 by IBS India

Almost every soul in the class was trying hard to understand and comprehend what Vikas was stating. Those who were in no mood to wrack their brains went into deep slumbers. The presentation was on a particular topic in Human Resource Management. The team presenting their views on the topic with the help of audio-visual aids undoubtedly had worked hard but Vikas was turning out to be a wet blanket.

Vikas, a bright and promising student was trying to deliver his part of the presentation with utmost zeal and enthusiasm but every word he was speaking made audience lose interest and finally when it got over, the loud voice of the mentor had brought everyone back to senses. Vikas was left dumbfounded and was wondering what went wrong. He had worked against time to make it a grand success as it had some value as far as internal marks were concerned. Anyways, dejected he assumed his seat and went in a state of confusion. “Were my peers unable to understand and comprehend what I spoke? But why?”

This is not something new, in fact, it is quite common in classrooms. Being a B-school student myself, I had encountered this problem several times and it had left me completely drained. Master in Business Administration (MBA) involves and demands effective communication and interpersonal skills, no matter which field you major in such as Finance, Marketing or Human Resources. Majority of us work sincerely on honing our communication skills but often ignore some few basic facts and our efforts go to waste.

Many of us have a fair command over the universal language, English but we all tend to improve upon it. Editorial pages of Economic Times, magazines like Business Today along with novellas and novels become an integral part of our lives. It makes us better informed but it takes a great deal to become an effective communicator. I seek to share a few useful aspects which I learned from my own follies and try to avoid in when I present something.

Being too verbose can be an overkill

Here I would like to mention my own student life and some personal instances. I started learning new words, phrases and expressions and soon they found space not only in all my writings but also verbally. New and difficult words became a part and parcel of my vocabulary of daily use and soon I got addicted to it, without realizing when and how to use them.

I did not pay any heed to this aspect and would be really engrossed in learning new words and expanding my vocabulary with each passing day. I used to get immense pleasure when my friends were unable to understand the umpteen words which I would use and I would fill them in with the meaning. My peers congratulated me on my impressive vocabulary every now and then. My sense feeling of pride was going out of bounds but I did not care much.

I got the biggest jolt when I was delivering a presentation. In a particular paragraph on one of the slides, I had mentioned- ‘When companies adopt Blue Ocean Strategy, they cannot afford to be pusillanimous and once they enter a new market, it is not so easy to elope’. Majority of my peers started scratching their heads looking at the first bold word. I had to explain that it meant non-courageous but soon the entire class including my mentor burst into uncontrollable peals of laughter.

I was getting hyperactive when one of my friends pointed out- “Brother, elope means to escape”. That’s what I had meant which was why my tone was filled with agony and anger. “Escape with a person”- he continued and started smiling. I looked at my mentor and apologized. Do remember friends, use simple and effective words which are relevant to the context you wish to bring to others notice. We do not join the course to become a litterateur.

Be thorough, Be confident–

When you start talking about any topic, discuss any issue or simply deliver a presentation on any topic, make sure that whatever information you are sharing is accurate, updated and precise. There will be many instances when your peers will put up a counter question or simply question the authenticity of the information provided. It can be truly genuine or simply concocted.

If you know that you have delivered accurate information, be confident and face your peers putting valid points and evidence to support your points. If you are not unsure about the accuracy of the facts, be confident and mention that you will check about it and revert. Never ever surrender your guns and start apologizing. But yes, if anyone from the audience puts forward enough and real evidence to support their point, never hesitate even for a nanosecond to admit your mistake and thank them profusely.

Further, you should never digress from the main topic. You may share your viewpoints with others but need to link the information provided in such a way that it appears coherent, related and relevant in all respects.

Be natural and conversant–

It has happened to me numerous times that my presentation appears to be incredible but when I start delivering or discussing about it, it becomes utterly boring and uninteresting. Capturing audience is an art which you need to be dexterous at. Be natural, simple, conversant and clear in what you intend to convey. Using personal incidents, experiences and anecdotes makes it more conversational, arresting and appealing.

In the end, I must admit that I have not scribbled something which you do not know, have not heard or experienced but this is a tiny write-up to reinforce what you subconsciously are aware of but if followed religiously, it will be of immense use and help. You may turn into an effective and impressive communicator in a real sense. Learn from your experiences as everyone does but learn from others sermons as well.

Wish you luck!

Contributed by Vineet Mani (Class of 2010,IBS GURGAON )

Breaking the Myth “Smaller batch size in MBA is better”

Posted on December 2, 2014 by IBS India

Ipso facto, MBA is a “carrier enhancement platform” for aspirants who are green horns as well as for working professionals equally.

So, let help you revise your quest for the best possible B-School by pointing out one moot point that you must avoid. I am talking about the myth of considering smaller batch size as an affirmative criterion for opting B-Schools.

Today companies are more concerned with the question”how adaptive and aware are you with their working environment”. At a time when our country is flooded with more than hundreds of MBA colleges with majority of them with batch size of around 60-100, barring few colleges, hardly 10% MBA graduates from other B-School get placemen straight after their studies. So, there must be some difference in those few MBA colleges approach towards students.

Digging deep into the reasons, you will find out that today the Industry Interface of college in terms of case studies, guest lecture & seminars from industry insiders, entrepreneurship incubation centres and activity clubs play a major role in bringing industry awareness among students. Most of the recruiting companies are interested in the holistic approach taken by a college towards the development of their students.

These days MBA graduates do not restrict themselves to traditional marketing, finance and HR jobs. Majority of them go on to join development sector, policy programming, research, corporate law and last but not least, they take up the path of entrepreneurship.

Hence beyond batch size, the number of companies visiting and hiring students yearly in a college is a better parameter to look out for. Companies prefer to visit campuses where they can find a pool of good profiles to choose from, which helps them in cutting down their recruitment cost too. That is the reason you will see companies approaching college which has larger pool of good students with more profiles and perks as compared to the colleges with smaller batch size.

Lastly, the essence of being an MBA graduate is when you are good at networking, problem solving, team handling and achieving results. You will always learn it better when you practice it among a larger group of heterogeneous cross cultural environment. Competition will be there and that aspect is also necessary. Not only it provides the best of the best for the recruiting companies, but also pushes you to perform better and maintain a strong position in the competition.

So, now when you try to select MBA College for yourself, look out for these parameters, Google reports from rating agencies like CRISIL and you will surely get satisfying answer.

Contributed by Sharique Hassan Manazir (Class of 2011-13, IBS HYDERABAD )

Creating a New Perspective Through MBA

Posted on December 2, 2014 by IBS India

People think that doing MBA is all about getting a masters degree and receiving a handsome salary, which is true for most part. However, there is more to an MBA degree than just a promise of a great job. MBA creates a new dimension in life and makes you fit for every course of life. It is not about just learning Finance or Marketing or Human Resource. Once you take a plunge into the MBA world, you might start doing something which you have never thought of. There are people who have left their well paying Wall Street jobs to start their own ventures like selling tea, but in a redefined style while creating turnover in Crores. So, MBA is more about adopting a new and marketable personality.

There are few hidden jewels which a person can achieve after undertaking MBA from a good college.

A new perspective – It helps in understanding any problem with a 360 degree approach i.e. what are the pros and cons of taking any strategic decision. It helps in analysing the issue and finding the alternatives based on the experience gained during the MBA course
Leadership – It helps in developing one’s leadership abilities. While pursuing MBA you have to finish tasks within strict deadlines, you have to surpass others as everything is percentile based, you have to manage your group in most of the activities and involve yourself with others. You also get a chance to head certain clubs but you have to deliver the very best that you can offer.
Awareness – It helps in creating awareness about the business world and how any business problem can be tackled as the students get a lot of exposure through case laws.
Entrepreneurship – It helps in inculcating a sense of entrepreneurship as it evaluates your skill-sets on various parameters during the two years. It helps one get in touch with the right people and developing confidence.
Better consolidated business network– As an MBA student, you have great networking opportunities. Through this course, you get to know and interact in a relevant manner (in a context that accentuates your business management capabilities) with colleagues (future high level managers), professors and the teaching staff (usually former or current potent business people, with great on-field experience). Furthermore, you have good chances of meeting potential employers through various internships that are a part of most MBA programmes. Last but not the least, you gain access to the extensive alumni network and professionals with key positions. This extensive, well consolidated business network is bound to pay off throughout your whole career, making you the first-hand recipient of all relevant information in the field.
A good placement offer- Once you graduate from a good institute, various companies willingly make you a part of their team, directly at their middle management level. This is because they feel confident of your knowledge and skill-sets gained during the MBA course. The average salary for an MBA graduate is considerably higher than that of an employee with a regular Masters qualification. That is almost twice as much of what you can expect to earn with a regular University degree. In this case, you can get the return of your investments within 2 – 3 years.
Self respect – It helps in developing self respect as you know that you come from an elite college and will always have a sense of pride about the same. Moreover, people around you would also appreciate the same and treat you respectably.
Risk taker- After MBA, people are in a position to take some risks like starting their own venture or following one’s passion. MBA graduates develop risk-taking ability because, at the back of the head, they always have the comfort of knowing that their degree will help them get a job, in case their venture fails.
Skill-set development –You may think that this point sounds quite trivial. You may wonder isn’t that what every study programme is supposed to do? The answer is yes, but an MBA education is usually pursued in a very specific situation by a young professional with a few years of work experience and sometimes even by senior employees. After a few years into one’s professional life, even as little as 2 years, it is in human nature to conform to a certain repetitiveness which leads to stagnation in a comfort zone. This limits your disposition for learning and the ability to acquire new skills due to by sticking to the comfort zone instead of trying to learn something new that may, in fact, help in elevating the professional growth. Pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree forces you to get out of your comfort zone, deal with the latest issues, apply the newest management techniques and just constantly challenge yourself, your practices and your approaches. And that will continue after graduation as well, as an MBA also provides you with the channels that will keep this challenge alive and push you to improve continuously. Knowledge imparted in an MBA program extends out in developing managerial skills for candidates. These skills provide the essentials for dealing with real-time situations pertaining to management and resolution of problems. You are not only equipped for being a better manager, but also facilitated to handle core responsibilities of an organization.
Practical Exposure – The MBA curriculum has a summer internship program and the students get a practical insight of the real time work experience in a corporate house.
Career change – An MBA in general and a Dual MBA in particular, provides you with the cushion of switching your career. An MBA with particular specialization makes it easier for you to move across industries.
Starting your own business – Once you get the right exposure in MBA with all the theories and practical approaches, people can think of starting a venture of their own. These days people are starting with little capital and are growing fast. This is how companies like Red Bus, Flipkart, and Snapdeal have started their journey.

As you have seen, MBA offers a lot more than one can expect from it. Earning a reputed degree along with the above mentioned qualities and advantages should certainly appeal to aspiring candidates. Step into the world of MBA and come out richer than you ever anticipated.

Contributed byManeesh srivastava (Class of 2008, IBS GURGAON )

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