Ask ISB Alumni @ ThinkISB

Dear Sagar,

You are on a good career growth. Your undergrad performance should be compensated with a higher GMAT, preferable above 730.

But your work-experience is very less. We advise you to gain some experience in terms of number and responsibility before applying to ISB.

Thanks for your initiative and help. Indeed, this is very useful for potential candidates and I really do appreciate your efforts.

Though bit late, I am aiming for ISB now after finally getting rejected (got waitlisted) by LBS. Please allow me to brief through my profile
1) 9 years of experience in the Information Technology sector including 2 years of heading USA based my own start-up in India and 2 years of working in similar role in another start-up. Though I belong to the common pool of Indian applicants with IT background, I have had significant experience (over 4 years and still continuing) as an Entrepreneur. I have worked in start-ups and launched and headed my own start-ups (https://www.peerme.com and https://www.zenoova.com ). A few links about my previous work in PeerMe are below:-

https://www.business-standard.com/india/ ... ono=221235
https://newsblaze.com/story/200509150530 ... story.html
https://www.convergenceplus.com/sep05%20 ... %2003.html
https://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/9/prweb285207.htm

Subsequently, I moved to another start-up where I headed team of 3 products comprising of 25 team members. Later, I moved to London to gain international experience, crucial for my long term aspirations of launching company at global level. I am now working with a Technology consulting company, advising Fortune 500 clients to establish technology strategy at an investment level. I am also involved in building global team of size varying from 5-30 members across USA, UK and India and leading them for delivering £5-20M budget projects. Simultaneously, as a co-founder, I am involved with a few of my like-minded friends and ex-colleagues to brainstorm and prototype Enterprise Internet based products through my another start-up venture Zenoova Technologies ( https://www.zenoova.com )

My career progressions includes multiple promotions. Worked in varied roles of Director/Chairman, Co-founder, Engineering Manager, Team lead and Consultant (Manager) and have managed various teams of different sizes. Around 2 years of international experience (includes a promotion as well), but in previous companies have worked with global teams as others have. But my partner in PeerMe was a US guy with whom I launched the company.

2) Great academics - 8.9/10 in B.E. from Anna University (C.E.G.) and 3.82/4.0 in my P.G. Awarded "Gold Medal" and GE Scholarship during UG and PG respectively.
10th - 83% (C.B.S.E.)
12th - 89% (C.B.S.E.)

3) Decent extra-curricular, and social activities as part of GE(Elfun), and now AID-London in London.

4) GMAT - 690 (Maths 93% , Verbal 68%, AWA 6.0)

My differentiating factor - Start-up experience, raising start-up from ground zero to a team of 25-30 people. Headed India development centre for couple of years, oversaw operations, launched product and conducted press releases with substantial media coverage. Played multiple roles of Director, Manager, HR, Product manager and possibly everything that was needed to get the company running. Moved to another start-up in a broader role, headed 3 products, formulated product strategy and managed teams.


My Goal - To become Entrepreneur in Technology Sector. In short term, I want to work in the role of Product manager for Tech companies as I see close connections between Product manager and Entrepreneur role. Also, my short-term goal will be testing ground for me to establish a new product in a established/start-up before trying out my ideas and raising funds for that.

I applied in LBS but got wait-listed and finally rejected. ISB is my next choice and it would help me build skills (product development, business skills, fund-raising) on my entrepreneurial experience in short time and will provide me the required networking - crucial for both short-term and long-term goals.

Thanks for your help.

Dear avatar2010,

Sincere apologies for the delay. Your profile is interesting. Please find a cursory eval.

Acads: Strong. No question about it.

WE: Strong. The entrepreneurial experience has really set you apart. The ISB adcom would be very interested in it.
The career goals have also been linked properly with past experience and this is what any b-school would look for in a candidate - Clarity.

EC: Average. A continued involvement is what counts.

Overall, I see you as a strong candidate and encourage you to apply.

Thanks a lot for your reply. Appreciate it.

Hi

Please evaluate my profile and suggest me for further improvement. I am planning to apply to ISB in round 1. Last year i applied in Round 2, got the interview call and rejected lateron. I have added few significant achievements in my work experience in last 7 months.

Academics: X: 84% ( Rajasthan Board) XII: 78% (Rajasthan Board); Engineering: Malaviya national Institute of Technology, Jaipur (NIT Jaipur) with a CGPA of 8.04; GMAT : 700

Work Ex: Aug 2006 to May 2010 - Larsen & Toubro Limited, Vadodara as a Procurement Engineer in suply Chain management for Oil and Gas EPC Projects. Recently joined at Foster Wheeler, Gurgaon as a Procurement Engineer

Few highlights of my work ex at L&T

1) Developed korea as a strategic location for critical equipment supply and identified and evaluated some key suppliers in korea. Started with the 2 or 3 small orders valued of 3-5 crores. Released the 5 big value orders in last 1 year. Total value 120 crores.

2) Procurement of Critical static equipment for various big projects executed by L&T. Negotiated and released more than 30 orders during my association with L&T. I was also involved in the expediting of the orders and ensured the timely delivery of many long lead items.

3) Developed a strong supplier base in india as well as abroad which helped L&T to be cost effective during their bid for Projects. L&T got two high value orders in last quarter (1400 Crs and 2035 Crs) and i handled static equipment worth 200 crs each in both the projects.

5) Regular contact with L&T logistics, supplier for the coordination of transportation of equipment. very important for the Oversize dimentional consignment (ODC).

6) Recveived ICONS awards at L&T for Low cost country sourcing. Also i am one of the youngest IPMA level D certified by Project management association, Netherland.

6) Some key achievements

- Formulated the strategies, worked upon them sincerly and results came very much positive in terms of two biggest projects (Worth more than 3400 crores) L&T got till date amidst the heavy international competition.
- Dealt with a mandatory supplier (SHELL as a Licensor and Dupont as a supplier, the deathly combination) and saved around USD 6 Million for L&T after negotations and discussion with the supplier for around 6 months.
- Released the single order worth INR 76 crores for the biggest Reactor and Regenerator package in the india with a saving of more than 20 Crores.
- Ensured the delivery of critical equipment in record time thus ensuring the timely completion of projects.

ECs : goot but not decent as like others.

My goal: establish myself as a Management Consultant in the field of Supply Chain Management

I belong to a middle class family and from a very small town where i had to struggle a lot to get the success. I got the first rank in my town in 10th exam. I also had to struggle within my family to become the first person doing job. Can i highlight few of these facts in my ISB application??

I also worked with my father for around 3-4 years during my school days which added a lot to my knowledge about business.

Hi,

I would like you to evaluate my profile and give me your thoughts.

Age - 27

Work ex - 5 years and 2 months
GMAT - 640
UG - B Pharma (Hons)
College - BITS, Pilani
CGPA - 6.4

After graduation, started work with a top market research/consulting company in Chennai.

1) Joined as an associate in 2005. Led a team of 9 analysts in 2007 in the capacity of a team lead
2) Was selected (among 181 people) to lead the research operations in our office at Kolkata. Led a team of 22 analysts

International exposure - 2 months in London as part of a consulting assignment

Joined a start up in 2009

1) Built and led a team of 21 analysts as the Associate Project Manager
2) Successfully launched two brands. One of them has generated revenues of more than $500,000 in a span of 6 months.
3) Was promoted recently to independently manage the successful brand

EC

1) I have completed 2 international half marathons. Long distance running is my passion.
2) I was the runner up at the "Young manager of the meet" contest held during the management festival of BITS, PIlani. ( I dont think this helps much)


I had to leave the company because of personal compulsions. Iam currently unemployed. Along with my friend, I am planning to start a venture. However, these are early stages and we are yet to finalize. I have couple of questions

1) Will my current unemployed status affect my application? ( If i get through to ISB, I might get back to our venture provided something works out now)
2) Do you think i should take the GMAT again and improve on my score? I will not be able to take the test again until the first week of Sep in which case i can't apply in R1.

Please advise.

Regards
Sriram.

Dear Sriram,

Apologies for the delay.

You have a very decent profile.

1) Will my current unemployed status affect my application? ( If i get through to ISB, I might get back to our venture provided something works out now)
Ans: No. So long you show something fruitful out of your venture. All the more reason for you to work hard.

2) Do you think i should take the GMAT again and improve on my score? I will not be able to take the test again until the first week of Sep in which case i can't apply in R1.
Ans: GMAT is just one criteria for admissions. We have had people with 620 go through and with 780 not going through. But a GMAT of around 700 will definitely improve your chances.

Dear shivraj25,

If you received the interview call last year, it means your profile is strong. You may need to work harder on your essays and work on the feedback that you might have received from ISB. Your cursory profile evaluation is as under:

Academics: Fair-Strong. Although your GMAT score is below ISB average, your diverse work-ex and your undergrad score is decent enough to cover it.

Work-ex: Strong. You seem to be strong in your domain and you also have a developed management perspective. This is good and the way you are presenting yourself is also strong. Your work achievements are also strong. So now the only challenge is to present them effectively in the essays to bring out the impact of your contributions.

EC: Not much info to comment on.

Your post MBA goal is in line with your experience, but this needs a bit more detail and logical flow of the need of MBA to enter that industry.

Your work with your dad can add value as long as it is coherent with the story that you are presenting. Your struggle part can also be highlighted but it is too far back in the past. If those are the moments that have shaped your personality, yes, they are important. But to tell that, tell the adcom what kind of a person you are (maintaining the flow of your story) and connecting that with the incidents that have shaped you. This should be coupled with forward looking statements such as how those past events will affect the decisions you make in future.

Hope that helps. All the best with your application.

Hi ThinkISB..

I have given my CV below. I know my gmat score is low but will the "Diversity" sought after by ISB will help compensate my low score.. Please share your thoughts and comments about my prospects of getting an Interview Call:


EDUCATION

GMAT 660 (Q 44 V 36)

Associate Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) 56.60 (From Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), United Kingdom)

Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) 57.25 (From Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), India)

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) 68.00 (From University of Madras)

Higher Secondary (Std XII) 97.00 (From State Board of Tamil Nadu)

EMPLOYMENT

1. Company : NCR Consultants Limited
Position : Consultant
Period : Oct 2008 – Till Date

• Successfully developed business plan and recommended an investment location for an overseas investment of INR 2000 Million for the establishment of a manufacturing unit in India.

• Assisted an overseas investor in takeover of a listed company for a value of INR 200 Million and prepared business valuation and due diligence reports which was used by the investors for the purpose of negotiation with the promoters.

• Valued companies spread across industries such as shipping, cement, steel and engineering for the purpose of acquisition and disinvestment.

• Structured business processes and implemented Management Information Systems (MIS) including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for companies spread across industries such as cement, poultry, chit funds, diary and engineering both in India and overseas.

• Carried out market research to estimate the market potential of a product with a market size of INR 30 Billion for new Indian market entrant and provided market entry strategy.

• Prepared project reports for raising debt funds and negotiated with the banks for rising of funds. Assisted in rising INR 500 Million for one of the clients.

2. Company: N.C.Rajagopal & Co, Chartered Accountants
Position : Article Trainee
Period : Sept 2005 – Sept 2008

• Carried out audits for a number of Public and Private Sector Companies across various Industries such as Banking, Construction, Mining, Manufacturing, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Distillery, in the capacity of Team Leader.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND INTERESTS

• KEC Food Court and Reshmi Industries [Jan 2010 to Till date] (Family Business)

Mentored family business and developed selling strategies leading to increase in revenues by nearly 20% of the total sales.
Helped in acquisition of a manufacturing company for a value of INR 5 Million by carrying out due diligence, valuing the business and participating in the negotiations.
Developed and implemented processes pertaining to procurement, sales, inventory accounting and MIS which helped the business transition from being Individual Driven to System Driven.


• Earned highest rank of "Petty Cadet Corp" in the National Cadet Corps and was awarded "Best Cadet" award among 500 cadets at a highly selective Naval NCC training camp.

• Was part of the “Citizen Journalist” programme by the BBC during the Indian General Election’09.

• Started a social welfare organization, Virutcham, in association with likeminded friends to provide monetary assistance to children who are economically and socially challenged. Sponsored 6 children within a year of commencement of the initiative.

• Completed basic level in learning Spanish.

Hi ThinkISB,

Just took GMAT yesterday and received a score of 740 (Q50,V40).I've done B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Guwahati. But my weak point is that I've only 2yrs of work ex. Would a good score and IIT tag be enough to compensate a low work ex for admission into ISB? my brief profile is-

Graduation - Mechanical Engg. fom IIT Guwahati (2008 batch) - 7.48 CPI

Work ex - will be 2 years in August 2010.Working in a government maharatna PSU - NTPC Ltd. since last 2 yrs as a power engineer.Responsible for correct working of the power plant and for handling emergency situations and preventing the plant from tripping.

E.Cs - 2nd runner up at a Professional circle convention (a technical competition) at NTPC
One of the 5 core members of Publicity team of annual cultural fest at IIT Guwahati
Completed a mountaineering course with A grade

Interests - A very keen interest in philosophy, spirituality,thinking and deciding about the ethical ways of life and business/work

Hi Think ISB,

I am planning to apply for ISB '11. Plz comment on my profile

My GMAT score is 700 (Q49 V35) AWA 5

Profile
3+ yrs Experience in Automobile company
I have one year shop floor experience managing assembly shop with around 100 operators
Currently i am in process planning.
Handled projects on new models introduction
I am qualified TS certification internal auditor of my company.
Worked on implementation of MOST & change management initiatives. Was selected as best change leader across company(i think that was some kind of achievement!)

Acads : B.Tech(Mechanical) from NIT,Trichy
7.8/10 CGPA


ECs: Organised some plays and events in college. Won few technical competitions in college. Regular participant in plays organised in company. Coordinating a
social networking site for amateur musicians.
Please let me know my chances, I am bit worried about my GMAT score.
Thank you for your time.

Hi I score a low 650(Q51, V26), very disappointed with my performance.

Is it worth to apply for ISB this year?

Please suggest.

Hi smartmundu,

Although 650 is below the average score at ISB, there have been many cases where people with 640 also have been accepted. We would need to look at your profile in detail to comment on. Please email contact@thinkisb.com for details.

Dear vspradeep2002,

Apologies for the delay in reply. Please find below your brief profile eval:

Academics: Average. Your B.Com score is just average and GMAT score of 660 is well below ISB's average of 710. But your professional qualifications do offset those to some extent. Your XII score is good but too old though.

Work-ex: Good. You have a fair amount of work accomplishments and as far as majority of applicants is concerned, you have a diverse work-ex. Moreover, you are good in articulating as well. For the purpose of ISB, article-ship is not counted as full time work-experience. So your work-ex is around 2 years which is considerably less than ISB's average of 5 years. Your family business involvement adds to the business exposure which is a positive.

Extra-currics: Decent.

You have not mentioned the reason of doing an MBA. If that ties well with your career progression, then you should be set. Overall you have a strong profile. For a detailed evaluation, you might want to consider enrolling for ProEval/AppCo where we'll connect you with an ISB alum having a similar profile as yours, who will guide you through the process.

Dear jhkaas,

We have replied to your query on another forum: calling-all-isb-2011-12-applicants-94439-80.html#p760095

Thanks a lot thinkISB.. i am interested in using the services of thinkISB... I have completed my essays and i have given the reason for doing an MBA in ISB in that essay.. In this case is it better to use the services of ProEval or AppCo ..???

Please suggest..

Dear gunia84,

Please find below a brief evaluation of your profile:

Academics: Fair. You have demonstrated a decent performance in undergrad. Although your GMAT score is below ISB's average of 710, 700 is considered a good score especially with your diverse work-ex.

Work-ex: Fair. You have shown a good progress at work and from the brief description it looks like you can show considerable team work and leadership skills as well. Although that may need better articulation of your experience. Also, there is not a majority of engineers who apply from automotive experience, so that is a plus for you. The only concern is the number of years of experience. 3 years is on the lowest of side of the average of ISB's class. You can compensate that by displaying quality of experience in your essays.

Extra currics: Good. You have shown good participation in diverse set of events which talk well of your personality.

You should not be worried about your GMAT Score. Anything above 700 is considered good. If you believe you can write an impressive set of essays, you must apply.