time4mba
Hi THink ISB,
Thank you for starting this initiative.
I am Indian applicant and am considering applying to ISB. Please find mentioned below some of the doubts I would like to clear before applying to ISB:
1. How good it is for career switcher? ISB does not have an internship in its MBA program. Most of the students look forward to have an internship to facilitate career change. This is true for a majority of US schools and other Indian B schools. How does ISB help one to change career line? Say one working in IT for 5 years, can he enter CPG marketing?
2. How has been the placements in ISB? Due to downward spiral of the economy, all schools including ISB bore the brunt. But what is the real situation like for class 2010? Please be frank. I have read media articles on ISb placement but they generally are on a different wavelength to what passouts speak socially.
3. How strong is ISB in general management? Which companies recruit for GM role?
4. Can ISB provide me opportunities in other SE asian countries as well as Europe in management consulting/GM?
Waiting for your reply,
time4mba
Dear time4mba,
Please find the answers to your questions;
1. How good it is for career switcher? ISB does not have an internship in its MBA program. Most of the students look forward to have an internship to facilitate career change. This is true for a majority of US schools and other Indian B schools. How does ISB help one to change career line? Say one working in IT for 5 years, can he enter CPG marketing?
Ans: You are very correct here. A 2 year MBA makes much more sense if you have to go a for career switch and have done nothing in your preferred domain. However, ISB has the Experiential learning Programme (ELP), which are real-life projects in companies. But there have been a very few PPOs from them. To get the max out of this 1 year MBA you have to start doing things right now. Get to know more about your target industry and role, take some steps and then later use the ISB network and brand to reach your goal.
2. How has been the placements in ISB? Due to downward spiral of the economy, all schools including ISB bore the brunt. But what is the real situation like for class 2010? Please be frank. I have read media articles on ISb placement but they generally are on a different wavelength to what passouts speak socially.
Ans: It is true that ISB bore the brunt. The situation was a lot better that what it was for the class of 2009. But within 3 months of graduation all were placed. Again, the problem was not with the capability of ISB in bringing companies. The problem was with profile fits of candidates. There were many who rejected well paying jobs to wait for a right role. Having said all that, the numbers and salary figures were worse compared to what they were during the hay days.
3.
How strong is ISB in general management? Which companies recruit for GM role?
Ans: ISB is very strong in GM. The list is endless. Please go through this:
https://www.isb.edu/pgp/RecruitingCompanies.Shtml4.
Can ISB provide me opportunities in other SE asian countries as well as Europe in management consulting/GM?
Ans: There have been candidates who were placed in the APAC countries and the middle east in the BIG consulting companies, not so much in Europe though. But first, decide what you want to do. Marketing, GM or Consulting. Right now you sound all over the place.