Hi,
My profile:
Age: 30
GMAT: 3 attempts 700, 710, 740 (the last one was in July last year)
Experience: 7 years in May, 2012
3.7 years in Adobe
1.2 year in a start-up
2.7 years in Yahoo (Tech Lead)
Extra Curricular: Average
Professional Certificates: None so far
The colleges I am targeting are the ones that offer one year programs. IIM-A,B PGPX courses, NUS, INSEAD, IE, Oxford, Cambridge, and schulich. The reason is that with 7-8 years of experience I dont think Ill be able to change my industry so better to get into some business related roles within IT industry or maybe into consulting. What are my chances for the above colleges?
Anshuman,
Congratulations on your GMAT score.
Your interest in a one year programme is well placed. With a 7-year work experience, you would definately want to transition to a role where you can make use of your skills and knowledge gained so far, but in a larger context. And IT consulting fits that requirement perfectly.
Your list of b-schools is a good start. All of them would like to see an international outlook, which is not necessarily related to travelling abroad, but interacting with international teams. With 7 years in the IT industry, I am sure you must have got these opportunities.
2011: ISB rejected after interview
IIM-A PGPX rejected before interview
So, the GMAT score alone does not help. :). There could have been some gaps in your statement of purpose, for instance, the career objectives and the need for an MBA.
MBA Decoder has been giving feedback to applicants who got a reject from a b-school. You may want to send me (PM/ email) your essays along with your resume/ profile description for a feedback on what couks have gone wrong. This may help you to rethink about your 2012 application strategy.
I am planning to apply for 2013, and wanted to know the areas I should work on to improve my profile? Extra-curricular (book club, toastmaster, sports etc all of the above are easy for me to get involved) or getting some professional degree? Which are the ones that can help me?
Extra curricular and volunteering activities help you in two ways- 1. they demonstrate that you are a person who has interests in non-preofessional pursuits as well and will therefore bring a richer perspective to a b-school community.
2. They give you a chance to lead outside work. In your case, you feel that you have not got that opportunity at work, so you can seek it outside. Toastmasters is a great platform to get leadership experience and it will be great to up your activity there. Also, get inoved in the community in some way- and let this be a regural activity.
Professional degrees like Scrum Master- while they help you in your career, I do not see them adding much to your b-school application.
My long-term plan is to stay in Asia but also to work in the US or Europe for 3-4 years to pay off my education loans. Would that be better than to continue in IT and do a part time MBA? I know this is more a question I myself need to answer. But if you can give me some parameters I should consider. The ones I have been thinking about: short term risk (leaving a safe IT job in India, a full time MBA must have a better long term prospects (say 10 years later), if I have to come back to India after my MBA will there be enough recognition by Indian employers?
A part time MBA can have its limitations- you will have to do it locally and your interaction with your class would be limited. A major chunk of your b-school learning happens through your interaction with the classmates (who would have varied backgrounds).
You are bang on about a FT MBA having a better long term prospect. Sometimes 'safe jobs' can get boring and complacent, and it may be the right time for you to challenge your limits. Besides you would probably learn a lot more in the rich and dynamic environment of b-school than you would at work, in the next 12- 18 months.
Namita at MBA Decoder
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