[chuck_gopal]

Ah - good topic and great discussion! Wonder how this never became as popular as this should be!

Anyway, I will focus around saying one thing. You learn things only when you start working, and that's a fact. I did not understand any of the Chemical Engineering concepts I studied, until I went to the industry and actually saw things happening (even that was limited, because I wasn't doing things).

When I was at my software company (let's call it Axe 'n' Torture ) there was a training that was supposed to teach us the vagaries of the job. Did it? No. What it DID do was help me triple my Orkut scrap count. I learnt hardcore testing only when I started working.

So, can we conclude that you really don't need training and just need to be pushed into the job? I had a discussion on this with my girlfriend who happens to be my senior at MICA
She was a Media Management major, and she said had she joined her company without MICA, she would have caught on the software and media concepts in a couple of months or so (the same things you learn at MICA). What, of course, MICA has added to her in two years (and 6 lakhs later) is a lot of soft skills that built up over time. Yeah, I know it sounds very gassy to say something like 'soft skills', but it really does work. In those two years, you learn an incredible lot of things. I've learnt a few myself.

1] Time management: When you have three assignments to submit, have to practice for the band, have a committee meeting to attend, AND have an on-campus girlfriend, you learn to manage time. And you'd better do it!

2] Working with idiots: You can substitute 'idiots' with any derogatory term of your choice and locality but it kind of sums things up. In a BSchool, there are an incredible lot of egos. Working with some people can be an absolute pain. You still have to learn to work with them and come up with the deliverable. Real life, too, will shove you into teams with idiots, and you have to come good.

Hard fact of life.

3] Perspective: Another gassy term? Well, it's true. MBA helps you put things in perspective. It helps you weed out what is needed and what is not. In my summer internship, I realised that MBAs are smart people who can see through the pfaff that you put into presentations. Give me the solid stuff, and leave out shit like organizational values and things like that.

4] Networking: Believe me, it helps. And you need to build up a skill which will help people remember you. Lemme put it this way. When you think of '2 minute noodle', you think of Maggi. This is brand positioning. If you become a subject matter expert, people will come to you for help. And you will have a bunch of SMEs to bank on. Like, friends would come to me for guitar help. I would ask nikhilkulk for camera help, Apurv for PG help, etc. Life works this way

All in all, people can get by without an MBA. It's really upto the student to make maximum use of it. MBA is really all general stuff which you can absorb by reading up books. But there is a reason you pay 6 lakhs to do it.

Please continue this discusson. You guys rawk

ChUcK

[sarsij]

hi all.....

Yesterday I was taking to one of my friend who is willing to take up MBA exams in the coming season, and just wanted to to share her questions and know my answers, and I was busy giving Gyaan to her (basically its she who wanted to levarage my experience in this area )

My first question to her was (as usual) - Why do you want to do MBA?
Whenever I ask anyone about the same, he or she gives a damn about it and tries to escape this question as fast as possible. But I somehow I really believe that this question needs to be answered to yourself, and even if it takes time to find out the actual reason, let it be. The reason for preparing and later on doing MBA should be clear and it should be your motivating factor for you for the entire duration.

I have seen people joining coaching institute and leaving it after a month just because the same course started to bore them. I know several people who did start the preparation with extreme passion, but later they had the reasons of not getting time because of work/office/exam/etc.

I know what ever I am saying sounds almost a repetition. But let me add something more to it.......

I am jotting down some points for all those who are either preparing for the MBA exams or are willing to take up the preparation.......this is a tried and tested formula.....and I have complete confidence when I say this following these two steps in a recursive manner for the entire duration will see you sail through the who process..........so here I go.....

0. Keep a Diary/Notebook (or else use a computer) which you can refer to anytime you want for a complete year (or the length of your preparation).
1. Analyze your current status (also mix some aspirations) to know that Why actually you wish to do MBA? what makes you feel that MBA is for you. Try to answer this question as honestly as possible. Your answers could be silly for other but not for you, so just have pride in your reasons for doing MBA. Jot down these points in the notebook/diary. Have as many reasons as possible for the same.
Most of us do think about it, but do not write it down anywhere. But this time please do write it, and then see the difference. (you yourself will see the difference).
2. Make a list of all those colleges where you think you can make it........(please do not be only aspirations, be mostly realistic)

This was the first part of the job..........

Once you have gone through the above two steps.....try to sink these into yourself.........and after every 7 or 10 days try to re-visit those lines and the list of colleges you have chosen for yourself. Try updating all the things every time you read the diary/notebook. But please do read it completely every time.

Trust me, if you follow this process then you are sure to make it to your dream college soon......

this will be useful to most of you......(provided you DO it, instead of just reading it)

take care

Sarsij Nayanam

[sarsij]

Hi all,

Last time when I wrote on this thread, I asked you all about searching for a reason why you want to do MBA. And this time I am posting a document which will help you achieve the same.

This is a 36 page document cum workbook where you can actually jot down the reasons, and motivations for MBA and beyond.

I suppose that it should be useful to all of you.

This document was meant for foreign B Schools, but I guess the reasons for doing MBA anywhere on this earth will always remain same.

Thanks & Regards

Sarsij Nayanam

[ram21]

Hi,

i thank sarsij for his wonderful reasons. even i felt the same.
The reason which he explained with examples.
Even i felt the same.
I want to know whether these reason will be acceptable in an Job Interview(after doing MBA)?
some companies will ask this kind of question.
If not then what to tell the interviewer

Regards
Ram

[MartianOnEarth]

Both, adcomms and post-MBA recruiters, are aware of the fact that an applicant's career goals aren't really cast in stone. There might be small percentage of MBAs who know exactly what they want before the start of the program and approach their goals with a single-minded dedication.

For majority of the MBAs, its a process of discovery. Many candidates who felt strongly about getting into or not getting into a particular field change directions during the course of the program.

What is important is to have some direction and give the MBA adcomm/recruiters the perception that you've given the topic enough thought and have list of 2-3 options that you'd like to pursue if your number 1 option doesn't work out. Also, if you try to fake it, it might become obvious to them as they deal with similar dilemmas day in and day out.

So be genuine and the only way to do that is by giving enough time for introspection.

[immunegenetics]

Hi all,
I m new to this forum n trying to get in some known or unknown threads...... I look in my self an MBA aspirant but I m in gr8 confusion.
......It’s my background which makes me feel uncomfortable while I think of MBA n second is my age thas 29, I m married now.
......I m now working as a researcher in Norway n I’ll be back to India this august. I have 4 years of scientific research experience but thas not professional experience.
......I looked in my career graph for past 4 yrs n now I don’t wanna be in this field any more.
......I m looking for a career shift and I have no plans for fate pay checks etc.I wanna a optimal start and an ok job.
......I waana help form u trained guys weather I shud go for it or not……considering my conditions I mentioned here…..suggestions r heatly welcome...

Thanks in advance......

[thomas.wai]

Hi immunegenetics

I am glad to hear that you have been staying in Norway, I have been living in Switzerland in the past year under the sponsorship of McKinsey for a master programme, and I will be moving to London 2 months later.

You have mentioned that your background and age seems to bother you in doing a MBA. I don't understand why.

First, your age is not a problem. An age of 29 for a full time MBA programme in a leading business school is normal.

Second, your research experience would be very useful to the industry. About 30% of the McKinsey consultants in Switzerland and Germany have a PhD, and some with a PhD and a MBA.

I would recommend you to look across Europe to investigate if you can explore your opportunities in one of the leading schools here. INSEAD, Oxford, Cambridge etc all offers very competitive course.

Good luck.

Kind regards,
Thomas


......I

[akshay1384]

Hi All

Although what i am going to be asking might seem to be the same as answered on this thread.....still think its a bit differnt.

I have a 2 years of work exp in the IT industry and going for a MBA degree this year. I would like to know that - is it easier for people like me to change their lines? I mean switch to some other field from the IT background.

Ur views are invited.

Regards

Akshay

[thomas.wai]

Hi akshay

Regarding your question - is it easier for people like you to change your lines?

If you are comparing with another MBAs who has worked in the same industry for more than five years, and you are ready to sign up a compensatation package that is relatively lower than your other MBA graduates, then the answer is yet.

Which industry do you want to join afterwards? Many leading banks, consumer goods, financial institutions have management associate programmes for fresh MBAs. You could explore more opportunities there when the time comes.

Good luck.

Kind regards,
Thomas

[akshay1384]

Hey Thomas

Thanks a lot for ur reply. Right now i am in a state of big confusion of my future plans....i am now fed up of the coding part and tat's why thinking of changing the line.....although i have got interests in handling people which is possible in Systems i guess.....Can u suggest anything else pls?

Thanks one again

Regards
Akshay