MBA - Net Tangible Value Add

So, there I go today.... finally a tangible value add of MBA.. yes, an employment offer..

On different parameters, I would put my subjective comments as follows

Company: Unheard of. But partners are ex-Gartmore and ex-Goldman and Macquarie.

Role: Senior Analyst

Profile: Brilliant

Responsibilities: Small and Huge. Includes evaluation of deals and serving nespressos (4th employee after 2 partners and 1 admin exec)

Exposure: Direct facing with investees and co-investors and other parties

Bosses: A Scot and an Ozzie. If they were to run for best boss competition, they would win hands down. Probably, one of the handful guys in WORLD, to have blessed with such bosses.

Work - Life Balance: Extremely great. Such that, after other roles I have done in past, I feel little under worked.

Pay: An yet, Industry Standards. No compromise on that.

After all, MBA for me was successful if you were to go by strictest sense of achievement... (though, I dont support that theory which is evident from my other posts)

And is it the end of the Journey, I started on Feb 27, 2008? I don't think so... More posts to follow about other experiences (one with the actual job hunt process)...

and my friend, this is just the start of another journey... ek kahaani khatam toh duji... shuru ho gayi mamu...

The Elusive Indian MBA Dream comes to an End

Finally after 4 years the chase ends.... XLRI gives me ding for the final time!

The end of an era called "Jaimin and The Entrance Exams"!!

But in fact it has made my life easier now - no comparisons - One Admit and NUS it is now!!! No dejection, No sadness - the life goes on as usual! Not even a single moment of unhappiness!! Singapore - here I come!!!

Alas, one regret will remain in my life - I cannot tell me children that I had ever got an admit from any Indian B-School!! But then, they might just tell me back - Dad, what colleges were you trying to get in - IIMs, XLRI and SPJain - we have never seen them on world rankings leave alone Asia ;-)

The Car at Signal!!

I haven't driven ever in my life... but what happens when a car starts after a long time and it gets stuck at signal... waiting to rev up the engine and "step on the gas"... isn't it frustrating??? Especially, when you are excited to go out on a long long journey and waiting for signal to turn green... And what you are left with is a colorful guide book and some maps how the journey looks like... So annoying!!!!!!So much apprehension!!!!

SING for the Moment!!!!

Its Official now!!! Its NUS for me!!!!

After 3 unsuccessful attempts at CAT, I had to look beyond realm of IIMs.. with learning curve increasing at a lower rate, I was sure I could not continue the job for long... I had to explore my options.. With good 3 years work ex and a 710 in GMAT, I was confident of able to atleast secure admission somewhere.. 3 years work ex was nagging me all the while but I was happy that I could stand out with my unconventional work ex (Read Non IT related)

Bullish about the Asian growth story in next decade, I was focused only on Asian B-Schools... Plus who can afford to take risks for West....
- H1B Visa cap and sub prime crisis American economy
- Visa restricted and anti east U.K.
- Language and culture driven Western Europe

So it had to be farther east for me... (Now, One may be very tempted to ask "Why not ISB???" - lets save this for later blog)

It all started when my colleague Ravi (Thanks Mate) pointed NUS in FT rankings.. a school in top 100.. not bad.. research started... the school was giving VFM (very important factor)... not at all bad... more research... came to know its century old university... very respected... the conviction grew stronger...

Along the process, I came to know about HKUST.. Another great school... HongKong - the place where action is for finance... somewhere my mind was diverted to join this school.. did all research... got information from current students through Pagalguy... read up various surveys... somewhere I found the school more appealing.... plus at the back of my mind the "FAT" Investment Banking Salaries were dancing... the school has a sea facing bar... what more do you want???

There was also a 3rd college - Nanyang - Ranking wise it was good... but the website and application process is horrifying.. so was not really keen to go but a good backup in the process....

Applied to all three early on to make sure I don't miss any opportunity...

December 31, 2007 - THE INTERVAL!!!!

With every passing day of the new year, I anticipated the call.... so much so that I checked gmail from my phone very 45 mins....

January 8, 2008 - Mixed Emotions
2.30 PM - e-mail from HKUST with invitation for interview... ELATED!!!!!!
3.30 PM - CAT results... for the last time, I look at the dreaded score card... once again I miss Verbal... big time... felt upset... very upset....

The latter affected me more than former and it took me two days to get off that shock...

Shocker #1 in journey: Financial Times release their 2008 rankings.. HKUST ranks 17th!!!! Top of the world!!! Need to convert HKUST badly now... but here comes the twister... ISB also ranked 20th!!! A big hoopla about ISB being ranked 20th... the whole story blown out of proportion in blogosphere!!!! and no one seems to be looking at another debutant at 17th!!! Good for me... but then you know you have to take them with pinch of salt (and in this case pepper too)

The journey .... take my HKUST interview.. NUS still is not seen...

The wait seems longer..... was not sure of HKUST interview... and hence needed a back up badly...

Finally after long wait, get a call from NUS... Done with my interview in three days... Short and sweet interview.. cant make out how it was.. so the wait seemed eternal...

Shocker #2: Two weeks later, NUS starts giving out results... couple of admits.. a few rejects... anticipation makes me check gmail every 15 mins... no use... God wants me to wait.... After 3 sleepless nights, get another call from NUS for Second interview.. Huh??? Whats this now??

Relief that its not outright reject... would have been very difficult for me if I had not got in... Speak to a few ppl.. they assure its a positive signal... take the interview again...

In meanwhile, the stipulated deadline from hearing from HKUST is over... and I accept the defeat... no more dreams... they vanish away... NUS again takes over...

The wait was getting longer and worse... every day I would relentlessly check my phone to hear something....

Feb 27th... the e-mail from NUS arrives... excitement takes over... barely able to read anything after reading "Offer"... believe me, its a great feeling... its a big relief... big big sigh of relief....

One offer in hand... to make sure I dont take a hasty decision, I confirm with HKUST of my application status... they communicate an unofficial ding... So now NUS it is for me!!!


SINGAPORE here I come!!!!

The Journey FINALLY Starts Today!!!!

Circa Dec 2003

As most aspirants in India who are in second last year of their college, I also saw the same dream - CAT!!!

CAT - Common Admission Test conducted by IIMs. You slog for it - day in and day out!!! Wishing to be one of the elite applicants to get a call from prestigious IIMs!!!

It all starts when you are not even 21!!! But you want to do an MBA and very soon and from one of the best colleges in the country!!!

Then you don't realise why do you want to do MBA... Nor do you realise where does your interest lie... The peer pressure forces you to flow with the current... Bringing to the CAT centre in herds...

Coming back to my journey, my MBA dream too started in Dec 2003... Joined classes.. took test series... put in my best.... suffered badly in semester exams of University... and was partially successful.. managed to get a call from IIM Bangalore but could not convert it...

Today - February 27, 2008

4 CATs, 4 XATs, 1 CET, 1 GMAT, 5 Calls, 1 Company, 4 Roles, 50 months (of which 32 into mehnat mazdoori) later - I finally have an admit!!!! I am finally going to do my MBA!!!! The feeling is more of a relief than happiness or Euphoric!! Its more of a nightmare (of not getting into MBA ) not coming true and you wake up and see that you are safe.... The nightmare has gone... the dream is finally coming into life...

After all this while of pushing, the car's engine has finally turned on... It may not have started running you know it will... all this while of pushing it has paid off.... the car was still moving then but it was not running.. now you know it will run... Waiting to put that foot on accelerator and zooom off.... The journey has started my friend!!!! The journey has finally started!!!!!

Moral of the story: Patience Pays!!!!