The question “Who am I” is not merely rhetoric which only Spiderman has to face.

Beginning with the interview session for your MBA, this is the one question which will continue to haunt you for the rest of your life.

As your experience and educational qualifications increase, so will the introductory lines-but the shorter attention spans of the people interviewing you will make you cut short your achievements.

More often than not, most of us facing the interview panel for any MBA course would be freshers straight out of graduate courses having nothing much to boast about. Poor or average academics further compounds the problem of how do you explain to a panel of experienced professors that while you never got 99% in your life, you sometimes barely scraped through some subjects?

Consider the fact the panel has had to go through and listen to thousands of introductions throughout the day and your introduction is just one amongst the many applicants.

Start your introduction by relaxing yourself just enough to let a small smile and make an eye contact with each of the panellists. Eye contact is difficult to ignore, especially in a closed room and the panellists will have your ear instantly.

Start your introduction by mentioning where you are from. Most of the times the mention of a place strikes a chord with people and you can get the panel warmed up.

Dropping in a few lines about your parents, siblings also helps to familiarize the panel with you. Additionally, when one is constantly harping about only their achievements or life history it can get dull pretty quickly.

Relaxing a bit before entering the room also helps. Some people find their hands turn clammy and there are visible sweat marks on some people’s forehead as well.

Wear a formal dress in which you feel comfortable in and most importantly don’t sweat in the harsh Indian tropical climate.

Summarising about yourself and what you have done for the past 20 odd years is a difficult job, make no mistake about it. The more you think about it, more ideas and more achievements no matter how small will come to your mind.

Keep practicing your introductions and focus only on adding interesting aspects of your personality and overlook the inconsequential information.

Be on the lookout for signs of boredom or fatigue amongst the panel members. If you notice that happening, then quickly change track of conversation, ignore that line of thought and make an attempt to jump possibly into the next stage of life which you might want to introduce.

If academics in terms of marks are not amongst your strengths, avoid mentioning specific colleges and instead mention the University you graduated from. The panel members will any which ways find out about these details by going through your resume’ but there is no need for you to dig your own grave by letting out your weaknesses speak in your introductions.

Don’t end the introduction abruptly, instead gradually head towards your closing points by mentioning what you did last (academically or professionally) and then gradually wind up by clearly mentioning why and how an MBA degree (in this case) will help you polish your resume, add value to your academic credentials and more importantly the skill sets which you are looking forward to enhance and hone.

A truly difficult interview panel is one which constantly interjects to every line you utter by grilling you. A favourite hunting ground is the part where candidates mention their hobbies. Cricket is an all-time favourite to which an ever eager panellist will jump in by asking if you like to play or just watch cricket. Most of the candidates sadly admit to only watching the game on TV which does not really qualify as a hobby.

Don’t add hobbies just for the sake of adding them to make yourself or your resume look interesting. Hobbies show how complete a person is, how she or he spends time and what skills are developed as a result of the hobbies pursued.

Interviewers are on the lookout for well-polished, well rounded personalities rather than one dimensional people. After all, an MBA is a degree pursued by people from all sciences and arts where it is clear that everybody wants to pursue MBA to become more professional.

Contributed by sunil iyer ( Class of 2008, IBS GURGAON )

“I want to pursue my MBA from one of the best universities in the US or the UK or at least from one of the premier B-schools in India.” How many times have you said this to people who ask about your MBA plans? In a few years, these people will meet you again,and you do not want to tell them— “I am late now” or “I do not have an option right now” or “I will try next year”.

• Opportunity knocks your door once or maybe twice. You must grab it immediately. Many of us fall into the trap of waiting for the best college, never realising it could be too late for us. By this, I do not mean that you should be aiming at any random B-schools either. Instead, I suggest you to broaden your choices of MBA schools. There are definitely more options than you have restricted yourself to. Become more aware of them and do a cost-benefit analysis before applying. Think more strategically and act tactfully by taking your decision at the right time.

  An MBA aspirant should always remember that there are various opportunities in the market to consider while waiting for their choice of post graduate programs. I am listing a few fundamentals to keep in mind while you gear yourself for a robust MBA program.

  • Plan your life well: Once you have broadened your B-school choices, optimize this time to pursue several market opportunities that will come your way. This will strengthen your profile and eventually increase your probability of selection in an MBA program. Do not waste your time in theoretical preparations for your applications and interviews. Plan every month and week with realistic targets and well-calculated risks. It is never a guarantee that your plan will become a reality but you are better prepared for contingencies.

   

  • Choose your focus: One of the best roads to success is to choose your focus in advance. If you think an MBA in finance is your choice, try to work for a finance start-up to understand the basics of the setting up processes. If you have marketing skills, look out for opportunities in that field before you wait for an MBA selection process. However, this can be tricky. You need to be very focused while choosing a pre-MBA career. Finance has many segments and so does marketing. You will have to make an informed decision between corporate finance, customer finance, internal finance, banking etc. in the finance department; sales, pre-sales, event management, business development, pricing department, etc. in the marketing department. You may also choose to evaluate various roles to create a diversified profile for yourself. There are plenty of options – advisory, consulting, research, operations, information technology, e-commerce, logistics and so on.

   

  Become employable before MBA: Invest your time in understanding the basics of working in a corporate. Learn the processes and techniques that a company has to offer. Try to take ownership of activities and focus on delivering meaningful results. This will serve a dual purpose of a fruitful MBA journey and making yourself more employable across industries after you complete your MBA.Consider working across verticals and functions in one organization to be able to leverage the maximum of your time in a corporate.

• • Cut competition by becoming valuable: Approximately 2 lac MBA aspirants are competing in India for a place in the best colleges. The question you need to answer is—do you compete with them or cut this competition? I would go for the latter. I will not fight for the same things as everyone else. I will make myself unique by obtaining a different skill set, or transforming a function in a corporate, or venturing my start-up idea. Build your application with evidences that are difficult to ignore.

  What does it mean for you?

  There are times in life when you choose, and then there are times when life chooses for you. Which would you prefer?

  As an MBA aspirant, continue to grab the market opportunities and build your strengths across the focussed dimensions. At the same time, identify your weaknesses and build an action plan to work on those. Try to become a subject matter expert in a particular field before you join an MBA program. This will create a winning edge for you. What is most important is to broaden your B-school choices so that you are not left behind by the limitations of your mind.

  Always remember, ‘better late than never’ may not apply to everything.

Contributed by Virag Jain ( Class of 2010, IBS MUMBAI )

Linkedin Profile of Virag Jain : https://www.linkedin.com/pub/virag-jain/5/b37/b17

 Pioneered in the early 20^th Century at Harvard University, the case method has become the favoured teaching tool of most of the world’s leading business schools.

Why Case Study based teaching in the B-School?

If you are busy looking for the right B-school for your MBA which can give a head start to your career, there is one question which you should ask before applying – does the B-school follow Case Study Approach? Most of the MBA aspirants check the placement track record, Industry Interface, faculty, Infrastructure, Alumni relations and many other things before applying for an MBA Program but they often do not check the curriculum and the teaching methodology followed. This is the key input which will make a lot of difference in your learning and will be a key take away. Case Study based method became popular in a lot of foreign universities which emphasizes on practical teaching method as compared to our Indian education system. After its success was recognized, some of Indian B-schools adopted this idea and included it in their curriculum as well. For e.g. IIMs follow this approach and everyone knows about their success. All the campuses of IBS also follow the Case Study based method.

How Case Studies makes you think like a Manager?

Case Study based approach gives you a perspective to deal with real life situations as there is no fixed solution to any problem.  Case studies are selected after thorough research which focuses on their application and relevance for the students. In a case study you are given a situation (generally a problem) which you need to analyze first hand and think about all possible solutions.  You have to put yourself in the manager’s shoes and brainstorm about it. After you submit your solutions to the faculty, you will be amazed to see the actual solution which was implemented in real life. It allows you to compare your solution with the actual solution and learn how to apply them in other similar situations. Most of the case studies are hand-picked by the B-school from the leading international universities, international companies and Management Gurus. Case studies cover almost all industries like IT, Finance, Banking, Retail and Manufacturing etc.

Learning from Mumbai Dabbawala Case study

There are numerous case studies which have become so popular and their relevance is not restricted to any particular industry.  One good example of a case study done by Harvard Business School on operational effectiveness of Mumbai Dabbawalas who serve more than 2,00,000 customers everyday in the city,  through 5,000 organized porters who carry cooked lunches to office workers.  As per Harvard Business School Case Study “Mumbai dabbawalas error rate is one in six million deliveries.” As most of the dabbawalas are uneducated or under educated, to achieve this feat with this kind of workforce is no less than a mile stone. The interesting thing is how a team of dabbawalas perform their everyday tasks with almost ‘zero error’, which some modern day organizations find difficult to achieve even after adopting latest techniques and tools.  In fact, the dabbawalas have been applauded all over the world for their operational efficiency not just by the corporate companies but even Prince Charles is their fan!

Highlight of Mumbai Dabbawala case study and their relevance to us:-

• By keeping it Simple – The coding system used to identify dabbas is very easy and simple to understand with almost no technological involvement. Through the coding system, dabbas are segregated and delivered to the right place. We often use complex structures and processes which may not be understood clearly by everyone in the company. So if you have to look for its relevance in your life, one thing which you should remember is to keep it simple at all times, be it communicating with your peers or your customers. You will be able to connect with more people socially as well professionally.

• Focusing on Core Job – Mumbai Dabbawala even tried experimenting with introducing advertising material and delivering samples of Microsoft and Hindustan Unilever products with the dabbas, but they soon realized that the extra time to include fliers or samples was leading to a delay in their delivery. They soon cancelled this project and started focusing on their core job. Lately they have started delivering dabbas from canteens and other small catering companies which is complementing their main business theme to deliver fresh homely food at doorstep on time always. So when you start working or start your own business always focus on the core job and never deviate from it, which is a key to success. If you follow this, then you are preparing yourself to step in to the CEO post or taking your own company to the likes of Apple, Virgin etc.

Case Studies have relevance not only to the professional work but in our day to day life as well.  Case studies are generally done in a group which enhances your teamwork and allows you to benefit from the experience of others as well.  Case studies describe real management issues in real companies. Once you start working after your MBA, there will be instances when you would have to deal with different situations involving employees, top management, competitors, Government policies etc. It is imperative to judge and do the best thing possible in such situations. You will also realize that all you have learnt through case studies will help you in take prompt and almost accurate decisions in complex situations.

I would like to summarize it with the following quote from Mr. Kamran Kashani (IMD Business School), on the benefits of a Case Study based approach in Management schools.

“Management education is not just about theory, it’s also about practice. The case method allows the teacher to bring a slice of life, a snapshot of reality into the classroom setting. Real life may not fit nicely into an over simplified framework or a neat and elegant theory. Cases help students discover reality in its full complexity which in itself is an energizing experience.”

Contributed by Atul Jain ( Class of 2011, IBS MUMBAI )

Linkedin Profile of Atul Jain : in.linkedin.com/in/jnatul/

It’s a lazy weekend. I finally manage to wake up to my mother’s rebuking on the laziness that I display despite the coming of age and entering this so called “adulthood” phase. Dragging myself to freshen-up and eventually getting hold of my cuppa coffee, I open my newsfeed app. So here I am, an ardent member of the Gen Y; getting my dose of daily news on the go- unlike my predecessors who were stuck to the newspapers.

Browsing through the hullabaloo of reports on SAARC meetings, Syrian Crisis, et al, I held my gaze on an article by a management guru of a leading tech firm. What struck me here is, why call him a ‘Management Guru’? Why not call him an ‘Administrative Expert’?

Is Guru not an Indian word? How ironic to see such management pundits guiding us on different ways to ideate and manage! Indian history is brimming with examples of men running enterprises beyond the notions of their times. The west has learnt what we conveniently unlearnt. Today, what has survived here is a tangled mess of chaos where “babus” in various government and public service departments administer chores to their subordinates. It’s a stark contrast to see when the likes of many national and international corporate manage themselves effectively in the same country.

Now what brings this difference? How is it that the public nee government sector loses its sheen whereas the private sector is growing by leaps and bounds? Despite having the resources from the same roots, what is the secret to this success in private companies?

The answer lies in the approach. In the vision which adapts to the speed of human development, the ability to look at the bigger picture and in realizing that the world has shrunk. We have evolved from the era of bosses to an age of leaders. Just the term “leader” evokes more positivity than that of a “boss.”

However, when people dream of attaining higher positions in life, business or politics, they aspire to embrace the position of bosses, rather than leaders. While a boss is mostly concerned with outcomes, a leader feels responsible for the process of that outcome and the people who see the process through. Here we encounter the fact that the difference of approach by a boss and a leader is through the ideologies of administration and management.

In principle, the concept of administration is defined by the process of organizing a business’s people and resources in order to ensure that objectives are achieved. Administrators are followers who take direction and oversee the flow of work. Meanwhile, management narrows the focus from the beginning by stressing on the business skills that make an effective business leader. This includes the ability to implement change in a company, establish a consensus among key contributors and maintain a creative strategy for the business’s success. It encompasses decision-makers who often run the company. The duties of the management team often involve organizing the operations and overseeing its continuity.

Today, many multinational businesses are functioning in a globally distributed manner. Working on a single project from diverse locations requires definitive management skills and thanks to the internet, it links the entire mankind into one big producer as well as consumer. This can only happen when we look beyond the paradigms of administering controls and withholding power in limited hands, recognizing the importance of changing the attitude of an organization and its members from ownership to the sense of belonging.

We may say that the administration forms a part of the management function. All that is administration is also management, but all that is management is not administration. Administration has an ‘outside- in’ approach, whereas management has an ‘inside-out’ view. An example would be the administration deciding that casual Friday would no longer be allowed. The management would then pass on this information to employees and see to it that everyone follows the new rules.

Let us take an example of the film industry where the production has gone beyond the layers of acting, direction, screenplay and composition. If we ask the older generation about the way films were promoted back in the day, the maximum answers would be through movie posters or by the radio/TV commercials. With the advent of times, the scope has widened, the viewers have more options thus it’s imperative for the production house to create an impact by entering the mindsets of all its audience through every medium possible.

We are looking at a shift in the focus from the director to the producers who facilitate the post production which is a very important factor of marketing. All modes of communication are tapped right from print, visual to the growing world of social media for providing the accurate platform in order to connect with the viewers. Thus, we see that the administrative function of movie-making has become a subset of the overall management of producing a movie package.

Looking back at the initial thoughts on Gen Y being more ‘on the go’ as compared to our earlier counterparts, the way we have built our lives also takes some sense of management. The young people of today are able to lay hands on volumes of relevant information, irrespective of experience or position. Talking in terms of work environment, Gen Y recruits are raised on social media, have special skills in pulling together solutions and they know how to mobilize their networks. This ability to gather, collate, make sense of information and respond in real time often trumps experience.

Then comes the aspect of resource availability, where we can be groomed and equipped to lead, not only the baby boomers or Gen X but also the succeeding generations. One of the examples of such a knowledge transfer is a business degree. It helps in developing a broad knowledge of trade operations as well as gaining targeted skills in specific fields, such as customers, markets, finance, operations, strategy, business policy, communications and IT.

With the advent of technology and internet, the world has shrunk in size which makes exploring international contexts in various functions quite feasible. Such academic learning exposes a person to more than just theoretical data. It helps them exhibit the practical implications of the same. One can also gain many valuable transferable skills, which can be put to use in everyday life or to take a completely different career path.

Knowing the importance of every resource and optimum utilization of the same is what makes a true manager. In these dynamic times, the environment within every sphere is stimulating with energy. This untapped energy is where a true leader shines to become a ‘Guru’.

Suddenly, I was awakened from my enlightened reverie by my father’s shouts to help with his work outside the house. It’s time this sage lets the world know – “I have arrived”!

Contributed by Deeba ( Class of 2013, IBS GURGAON )

Linkedin Profile of Deeba : in.linkedin.com/pub/deeba-t/49/483/732/

Life of a student is packed with activities leading towards academic and personal development. Be it classes, sports, college events, friends, exams or placements; everything needs time and involvement.

Some students are great at juggling multiple activities whereas others find it extremely challenging. Some students are always on top of things whereas some are always lagging behind.

It is very important to know in which category you belong to. If you find yourself to be on the challenged side and have decided to do something about it, you came to the right place.

Remember that you are not alone. Many people around the world face this issue. And the good part is that this challenge can be overcome by inculcating simple changes in life. Understanding your time value and developing a strategy to manage it efficiently is the key to success.

Below are ten simple steps that you can adopt to manage your time effectively:

• Get started- Know where you stand

To utilize time well, the first thing you need to figure out is where you are currently spending your time. Get a pocket diary and begin with writing down your daily routine. List down all the activities that you do in a day and allocate time to each of these activities.

You need not complete this step in a single day. Keep writing and updating till you feel you have covered most of the things.

• Understand your priorities 

Think about what is important to you: friends, family, career, education, health, travel etc. Put them in order from 1-10 or a, b, c. This will help you give priority to the things you value the most.

Evaluating your priorities is a continuous process as they change with time. Start with an initial draft and keep revising it.

• Identify your goals

A goal is something that you want to do or achieve. Consider the key areas of life like career, health, finance, relationship, skill development etc. Think about what you want out of each of these areas. Having clearly defined goals in each of these areas will give you direction and motivation.

Goal should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time bound)

For Example:

I want to do MBA. (Not a SMART goal)

By October 1, 2015, I will complete my preparation for CAT from Career Mentors- the Connaught Place Branch in Delhi to crack CAT and get admitted into any of the top 10 MBA colleges in India. (SMART Goal)

• Gap Analysis

Once you consistently follow the above steps (steps 1 to step 3) you should be able to understand the following:

• Where your time is being consumed
• How you hold your priorities
• What your goals are

Analyze if you are spending time on your goals in the sequence of your priorities. The area where your highest priority lies needs to be given maximum amount of your time.

• Organizing your time

Start using a calendar. Maintain all the scheduled events and activities in the calendar. Categorize them as yearly, semester wise, monthly or weekly.

For daily activities, use a to-do list that you can carry with you. Use your weekly schedule to create the daily to do list. Spare five minutes to think and plan for the day’s activities. This can be done at the end of the previous day for the next day or beginning of the day whichever suits you.

Review the weekly schedule at the beginning of every week. This gives you ample of time to plan and prepare in advance.

• Deal with Procrastination

When we have something really important or urgent to be done, we often try to delay it. We have a tendency to do things of lesser importance like checking e-mails, cleaning the table or making phone calls. We keep putting off difficult tasks again and again. Eventually, it gets too stressful to handle. We struggle to finish it and end up producing work that ranks low on quality.

The best way to get through this is to look at the task as a whole. Then identify all the sub-tasks associated with it. Once you know all the smaller activities, things will become more manageable.  Then tackle the smaller activities one by one in a style of your preference; Easier ones first, tougher ones first or in the sequence they are listed.

• Develop good study habits

Have a place dedicated to study. Try to keep this place organized and have all the study material that you might need available. This avoids distraction and wastage of time.

Maintain a fixed study time everyday. This will bring you into a routine. Switch off your phone and other distractions during this time. This sets the expectations of the people around you that you are not to be disturbed.

You may feel like procrastinating but pull yourself to the study place and start fiddling with the scheduled work or do something related to it and slowly you will find the resistance wearing off.

• Be flexibleYou may start with time management with great enthusiasm but on certain days when you cannot maintain the schedule you may end up feeling upset. It is important to know that situations keep changing and you may have to tend to certain things other than what you had planned for.

  Flexibility is the key to have a habit that is sustainable.

  If you are stuck with such a situation, check your calendar and re-prioritize it. If there are activities that you can do later, then move them and replace with more urgent tasks.

  On a certain days if you are completely off track or have totally missed the schedule, don’t feel disappointed or be too hard on yourself. Instead start over the next day.

• Allocate Some Time for RecreationKnow your attention span. If you can study with full concentration for a period of 30 minutes then create blocks of study and break time. For every 30 minutes of study, take a 10 minutes break. This will charge you up and also let you enjoy your free time without guilt.

  Give time to the things that you love to do. It could be sports, music, movies or books etc. Recreation is very important to get you charged up and keep you motivated.

• Deal with perfectionism

  Try to do the best work possible for each task in its allocated time. Don’t try to create the perfect work every time you take up something.

  When you seek perfection you set very high expectations for yourself.  Failures may lead to disappointment and low self-esteem.

  You could get prone to procrastination while trying to find the ‘perfect time’ for the ‘perfect work’. It’s good to aim high but be realistic and always keep some room for mistakes and improvements.

  Knowing your priorities and scheduling them is the beginning. Keeping up with the schedule is a habit that needs time and patience. Make slow and sustainable changes in your current schedule and slowly incorporate the above points one by one.

  A well-organized life finds time for everything. So go ahead, work your way to the top and do remember to reward yourself frequently as an appreciation on keeping up with your schedule and plan.

  All the best!

Contributed by Sanjit Das ( Class of 2005, IBS HYDERABAD )

Linkedin Profile of Sanjit Das : http://in.linkedin.com/pub/sanjit-das/6/a30/48a

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

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

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

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

MBA in Finance:

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

MBA in I.T

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

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

MBA in Human Resource Management

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Information Technology goes deep beyond systems and database

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

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

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

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

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

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

Decision-making ability

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

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

 Problem-solving skills

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

Communication skills

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

Team-building capability

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

Conflict resolution

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

Strategic planning

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

Contributed by Avdhesh ( Class of 2009, IBS BANGLORE )

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All the best!

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

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