Ask MBA Crystal Ball

This is great advice. You've given me a lot of think about.

International experience is a weakness in my profile. I will mention that I spent 5 years of my childhood in Kenya and was involved in the foreign fund-raising efforts of the NGO I spent a year at. Also, I have worked in every corner of India, so that can hint that I am comfortable with working with people of different cultures and languages.

Re: Eclectic profile, I will try to mould my essays to portray my career decisions as logical and planned.

Thank you again.

Please evaluate my profile:

X-77.80%(2004)
XII-73.25%(2006)
B.Tech-65%(2006-2010)
PGDM-5.8(2013-2015)

a) Work exp.-3.3 yrs(including pre-MBA and excluding retail family business+live projects)
b) Family business-1.5 yrs(Sept. 2011-April 2013)
c) Live project+internship-6 months in ACC Limited & Schneider Electric(during PGDM)
d) Current organization & designation- Swiggy(food delivery start-up), Area Manager
e) Work exp. till march 2019 will be close to 5.1 yrs(including pre-MBA and excluding retail family business+live projects)
f) Currently working as a core team member with CRY(Child Rights & You) and as a volunteer with GiveIndia

1) Can I show my family business(not a company, but it's an enterprise where Sole proprietor is my father) as work experience while applying? If yes, then what documents could be needed and how can I show it? My business is mostly retail, consisting of a chain of stores in the city. We grew it from a single store to multiple stores and went to online platforms.
2) Considering my low GPA during PGDM, will it be wise to apply to IIMs/ISB, even if I get 700+ in GMAT?
3) I am planning to go for 2019-2020 session. I will be 32 yrs when I join in 2019. I know age will be a drawback, but will it be that big?
4) Should I go for 2020-2021 session?
5) Can I add summer internship(paid) & live project as a work experience?

My biggest headache is whether to show/not show my family business, because if added, this might increase my experience level.
Any guidance would be very helpful.

justnishu4u wrote:

Please evaluate my profile:

X-77.80%(2004)
XII-73.25%(2006)
B.Tech-65%(2006-2010)

<<snip>>

My biggest headache is whether to show/not show my family business, because if added, this might increase my experience level.
Any guidance would be very helpful.

Will try to address your queries directly Nishu.

1. Family business is definitely fine for most schools. Some may need income documents though. It would be ideal to check directly with your target schools on the exact documentation.
2. The GPA is what it is. There are ways you can work on it though; read here.
3. Internships do not get counted as part of full time experience; neither do projects if done during your education.
4. Given the age factor, you should ideally do this sooner rather than later. MBA after 30 is indeed tricky; read here.

Hope this resolves some of your queries.

Cheers,

Thanks for your inputs.
Currently I am 30 yrs old. In any case, I would be 31 while applying(second half of 2018) and 32 yrs, if I join(in 2019). I can't think of getting admitted in 2018 session, since I have planned to give GMAT(preparation is still on) at the end of this year(2017), and my total exp.(excluding business+internship+live project) will be less than 5 yrs by the end of 2017.

justnishu4u wrote:

Thanks for your inputs.
Currently I am 30 yrs old. In any case, I would be 31 while applying(second half of 2018) and 32 yrs, if I join(in 2019). I can't think of getting admitted in 2018 session, since I have planned to give GMAT(preparation is still on) at the end of this year(2017), and my total exp.(excluding business+internship+live project) will be less than 5 yrs by the end of 2017.

Nishu, the age would mean all the reason to apply sooner. Even if you do it by end of the year, you can try to catch the R2 deadlines. 5 years is quite ok.

Dear Team,

Please let me know your feedback on my Profile.

Name : Utsav Jha
Nationality: Indian
Sex : Male
Age : 27

GMAT Score: 680

Education Background:
a. Chartered Accountant from Institute of Chartered Accountant of India (58.6%)
b. Certificate Course on valuations from Institute of Chartered Accountant of India
c. Certificate Course on business Finance from Institute of Chartered Accountant of India
d. Bachelors of Commerce , Delhi University (55%)
e. 12th Standard (89%)
f. 10th Standard (91.6%)

Work Experience:
- Total 6 Years (post qualification) as at 20 August 2017 (additionally i have also undergone 3.5 years of internship).

Currently working with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu as a Risk Consultant, managing a team of 3

- Started AUKS Associates (during my initial years), a CA Practicing firm

Extracurricular:
- Collaborated/organized people and started Orrizen Foundations to support people in need.

As my GMAT score is not that great, so please let me know your reviews, I will be really thankful to you.

Warm regards
Utsav Jha

Utsavjha wrote:

Dear Team,

Please let me know your feedback on my Profile.

Name : Utsav Jha
Nationality: Indian

<<snip>>

As my GMAT score is not that great, so please let me know your reviews, I will be really thankful to you.

Warm regards
Utsav Jha

Here are a few reflections on your profile Utsav:

1. The work experience 'sounds' good. However, it will be good to understand any achievements therein. Think about how you would differentiate from so many of your CA peers also in the same/similar firm. The leadership experience would certainly help; what else?
2. You have not mentioned if this was your first attempt. If yes, why stop? Push harder on the GMAT - can really be very useful.
3. The articleship helps but the treatment varies. Read here for more.
4. Read here on why ECs matter. It will be important to understand the nature/impact of your effort and how long has it been on the ground.

Let us know if this helps some.

Cheers,

Hi Sameer,

I am a qualified chartered accountant with over 4 years of experience in Merger & Acquisitions and Tax consultation. I have applied to 4 Schools - HEC, London Business School, Oxford Said and NYU for their full time MBA programs and i am expecting an interview call from some of these schools.

In expectation of their calls, i was desirous to understand if Crystal Ball could provide me Interview Consultation i.e. assistance in preparation of presentations (if required) for these schools and mock interviews and discussions as per the formats of each school.

I want to be prepared with this as there would be little turnaround time for the interviews.

Kind Regards,
Akshay

Thanks for your post Akshay.

You can get in touch with us directly on the email in my address and can also check our mock interview package here.

Hi Sameer/Manish,

I've been following MBACrystalBall for quite a while and definitely am a big fan of your page. I'm planning to apply for 2018 R1 and have started my GMAT preparations too which I expect to give in March. Please review my profile, and provide few pointers on my areas of improvement

10th CBSE(2009) - 86.4%
Intermediate(2011) - 91.3%
UG (2015) - 8.5 (Major in Mechanical + Minor in Management Studies)

Expected GMAT - 700-720

Total Work Experience: 2.5 Years

[*]1.10 Years as a Business Analyst @TechMahindra - Client: A major Bank based out of US
[*]Youngest Business Analyst in the whole project
[*]Implemented automated business decision process which decreased the total processing time by 20%
[*]Wore multiple hats during the whole project phase and was awarded Pat on the Back for consistently providing excellent Client Service.

[*]0.8 months as a Business Technology Analyst @Deloitte - Tax (Global Taxation) - Currently Working
[*]Developed & released a new CalcEngine which increased our Client Base and thereby increasing our Market share among the Big4.
[*]Developing an analytical tool which would allow clients optimise their costs and manage their workforce around the globe.

Extra Curriculars:
[*]University General Secretary - Sports
[*]Setup the whole hierarchy for sports department which included representatives from both students and administrators, this setup is still being followed and has been widely successful.
[*]First ever elected General Secretary.
[*]Managed the whole planning & organizing of sports extravaganza.

[*]The Green Nest NGO - Volunteer & HR (2015-16)
[*]As a volunteer conducted various workshops for underprivileged children to understand their goals and helping them with providing a clearer path.
[*]As an HR, conducted various recruitment drives and followed it up with Orientation & training sessions.

[*]The Earthlings NGO - Founding Member & Core Team (2016-Current)
[*]Co-Organising various marathons & events to educate people about protecting the environment. (Airtel Hyderabad Marathon 2016, 2017) (HDFC Saveathon 2017) (Rainbow Homes Freedom March 2017)
[*]Taking up various clean-up drives to improve the surroundings.

[*]Sports
[*]Member of Corporate Basketball & Football Teams
[*]Member of University Basketball & Football Teams
[*]Played District and State Level Basketball tournament during school days

Target Schools:
[*]ISB
[*]Kellog
Any other Top B-Schools which provides 1-year MBA which you can suggest or recommend?

Reason for MBA: Move into Consulting roles primarily focusing on Strategy or Technology Transformation.

Hi, Please help.

Indian, Male, 29

Education: MBBS (medicine): 58% |MD (clinical pharmacology): 71 %, university topper

Work ex: Medical advisor (Medico marketing) in a pharma company: two and half years| recently awarded for exemplary contribution in H1. Might get a chance to move to product management role or if I continue in the same role I ll be given a team of 4-5 people. But not sure which one of these will give me an edge for MBA admission / post MBA placement

Extra-curricular: None| 8 publications of original research work (not sure if that qualifies as Extra-curricular as it was part of work / post-graduation curriculum)
Post MBA goals: Healthcare consulting OR strategy related role in big pharmas
Planning to take GMAT in May for 2019 intake

Questions:
Current role with team handling experience or product management?
Which are the colleges should I target if my score is around 700?

A few thoughts for you to ponder on Phaneendra:

1. The profile contours and the BA role sounds pretty good. However, the two profiles sound a bit disconnected. So make sure you connect the dots well.
2. Your ECs are looks pretty good and almost impressive. Continue on that trajectory and look for quantified impact that you can showcase.
3. Assuming you are not from a tier 1 college (?), push the envelope really hard on the GMAT bit. With your current range, something like Kellogg could be quite challenging.
4. Given the stage of your career, any reason to restrict the choice to 1 year programs? If that's a hard requirement, look for EU/Asia and not US as a geography generally speaking. For US, read here.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers,

Consider the following points Samcha:

1. MBBS going for MBA is an increasing trend. It also helps to differentiate well. However, you will have to bring out the transferable skills well. That also should help answer your query about the career trajectory. Think about which profile will give you more transferable skills to be a better consultant - the answer can vary depending on the actual role contours so can't give a generic response to that.
2. The ECs matter; read here. While research work is great, that may not have much bearing for MBA applications. So if it is a blind spot, worth addressing it pronto.
3. I am afraid that for reasons mentioned here, we do not speculate on school selection. That said, if you are focused on healthcare, the list here might be useful.

Hope this helps some.

Hello,

Request you to evaluate my profile. (planning to apply next year)

Indian, Male
Age : 28
Work Ex : 7.5 years (8.5 yrs at the time of application)
Undergrad in Mechanical Engg : 70 / 100 % (GPA roughly 3.49)
GMAT 1 : 520 (Q44 V 17 AWA 4 IR 6) (Mar 2013)
GMAT 2 : 530 (Q44 V 22 AWA 4.5 IR 6) (Oct 2013)
GMAT 3 : 710 (Q48 V 40 AWA 5 IR 2) (Jul 2017)


Work Experience :
I worked with L&T Hydrocarbon engineering, which is a EPC (Engineering Procurement Construction) contractor for Onshore, Offshore and Subsea Oil and Gas Projects.
Now working with a Greek Software development firm : BETA CAE SYSTEMS S.A. who wants to enter into O&G field.

L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering : Engineering and Design (5 years) :
- only graduate engineer in R&D department. Was selected based on my interest towards technical stuff (rest all are Masters and Phds from IITs )
- worked on problem solving, troubleshooting, root cause analysis and capability development for Oil and Gas domain (for eg : a 20000 Ton Jacket tilted in Indian ocean. Had to provide solutions to lift the jacket safely in 2 weeks. Performed such 6-7 assignments during the tenure) (Used mechanical design related software such assignements)
- awarded 3 awards ( intra company level )for exceptional work in some of the critical assignments, which otherwise would have lead to huge liquidity damage for company.
- lead team of 3-4 engineers

L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering : Proposal Management (2 years) :
- worked on international proposals (bid values : 200 million to 1 billion). I was looking after mechanical domain (5 to 15 million)

BETA CAE SYSTEMS S.A. : 6+ months (Company turn over : 100 M USD)
- Greece based company has varied product portfolio of softwares, specially build for Automobile and Aerospace companies
- The company wants to enter into Oil and Gas, Nuclear domain
- Working as Presales Manager and Technical Specialist (dual role) to expand business in mentioned domains
- Handling accounts of major automobile giants for technical support ( Tata Motors, mercedes India, Nissan India etc)
- Cracked deal with major O&G client (this will ensure revenue of value INR 1 Crore (150000 USD) per year)

Extra Curricular Activities :
Taught maths to underprivileged kids for 2 years ( all of my kids cleared 10th exam recently) and trained more than 20 volunteers

-Worked with NGO that arranges sky gazing shows and spreads knowledge about astronomy in India
POST MBA Goal : would like to work in Technology Consulting industry.

My biggest worry is low IR score. Kindly suggest if I should go ahead with current GMAT score or should give another try to improve IR.
Target Schools :
1. Indian School of Business
2. IIM A
3. Foster
4. McCombs
5. Mays
6. Kelley school of business
7. IIM B
8. IIM C

Thanks in advance,
Amol

Hi team,

I am looking to apply specifically for 1 year programs that would start in 2019. So would be looking to apply in a few months time. Request your feedback on my profile.

GMAT: 750 (Q50, V40; IR 8; AWA 5.5); first attempt

Education
10th: 91.6%, ICSE board
12th: 93.75%, ISC board
Graduation (2007-11): Bachelor in Engineering from Jadavpur University. GPA 8.63/10 (First class hons.)
Post-graduation (2014-16): Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Kozhikode. GPA 3.2/4.33 (top 30% of batch)

Work experience
1. 2011-2014: Technology consultant at a big4 firm. Based in India. Includes an 6-month on-site stint in the Middle East. Though there was no promotion, I was made the team lead after a year. Led a team of 8 in one project and a team of 2 in another.
2. 2016-current: Strategy consultant at a boutique international consulting firm. Based in Malaysia. Worked onsite on a few projects in Thailand too. Also worked for clients in Singapore, but no travel. Have been working as the lead consultant from my second project onwards, leading a team of 2-3 individuals.

International experience: Worked in India (28 months), Saudi Arabia (6 months), Malaysia (10 months) and Thailand (9 months).

Work Achievements:
1. 2011-14: Received highest performance rating for 2 consecutive years in the big4 firm. Also received certificates and awards for client appreciation and team work.
2. 2016-17: Helped the firm in developing proposals in bidding for consulting projects. Contributed to winning projects worth USD500k. Note that at my level, one is not expected to work on proposals. So this is something I have done beyond the expected responsibilities.

Extra-curricular activities/achievements
1. Elected member of sports committee during PGDM at IIM.
2. Campus champions and national finalists at several case study competitions during PGDM organised by corporate such as Deloitte, Panasonic, etc. and at b-school fests.
3. Member of the IIM sports team for three different sports. Represented the institute in inter-college competitions.
4. Worked as an online columnist at 2 leading sports websites in India. Authored 120+ articles. Still engaged with one of them, but not a frequent writer. Not full-time, part-time work during my under graduation and during my professional life.
5. Former columnist at one of India's leading satire and humour websites.

Community Service
1. Was part of the corporate social responsibility team of the big4 firm. Worked with several local NGOs. Awarded a certificate of appreciation by the firm
2. Have been involved as a volunteer with a few other NGOs. However, I have no documentary proof of my involvement. Hence, not sure if this would count.
3. Have worked for a UN agency as an online volunteer to help them build a database of wind farms in SE Asia.

Other
1. Did a consulting project with a startup called Giftxoxo during PGDM
2. Have been involved with a couple of early stage startups as an advisor to the founders on strategy

Reason for second MBA
Looking to startup on my own. The venture idea is suited for the developed market. I currently have no exposure to developed markets. Also, the PGDM course had no entrepreneurship course selections. I am looking for a 1 year course at an institute in US or Europe that offers a good support system for entrepreneurs.

I am looking at job options at some startup or VC firms which would help me to get some first hand insight into the startup world before I go out on my own. But again I'm not yet sure if anything would materialize.

Target Schools: INSEAD, Kellogg. Looking to apply in Round 1 to both.

Any thoughts on the overall profile suitability and school selections would be helpful. Also any gaps in the profile that need to be plugged?

askul2389 wrote:

Hello,

Request you to evaluate my profile. (planning to apply next year)

Indian, Male
Age : 28

<<snip>

7. IIM B
8. IIM C

Thanks in advance,
Amol

Consider the following points Amol:

1. The work profile looks pretty interesting and diverse - something that consulting firms love. The fact that you've moved away from core to services side will lend further credibility to your overall pitch. Going good here.
   
2. By next year I presume you are targeting the next year intake (2019)? Cause the sooner you do it, better it will be. The value of a full-time MBA goes down dramatically after a certain age/experience range; read here.
   
3. The NGO involvement sounds ok however it is not clear how recent that it - recency and consistency is pretty important if you are to get any brownie points there.
   
4. The IR thing is still not a mover at most schools. Even so, track your target programs to assess if they have started considering it. I wouldn't redo the GMAT only for that. But if you think you can bump up that overall score by 20 or more points, then it's definitely worth the effort.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers,

nishantd88 wrote:

Hi team,

I am looking to apply specifically for 1 year programs that would start in 2019. So would be looking to apply in a few months time. Request your feedback on my profile.

GMAT: 750 (Q50, V40; IR 8; AWA 5.5); first attempt

<<snip>>

I am looking at job options at some startup or VC firms which would help me to get some first hand insight into the startup world before I go out on my own. But again I'm not yet sure if anything would materialize.

Target Schools: INSEAD, Kellogg. Looking to apply in Round 1 to both.

Any thoughts on the overall profile suitability and school selections would be helpful. Also any gaps in the profile that need to be plugged?

A few reflections on your profile Nishant:

1. The progression from tech to strategy consulting is not a very common one and something that'll help you differentiate well. The work related achievements will mean you can thump this in. The fact that you've been involved with startups is something you need to bring out in all it's glory if your post-MBA plan pitch has to stand ground.
   
2. The GPA will be overcome partly with the GMAT.
   
3. While the ECs look decent but they seem a bit scattered after college/undergrad. See if you can consolidate and come up with something substantial in the limited time available at hand.
   
4. This may help on school selection in US here. In EU, you should also explore IMD/HEC to widen your net.

Hope this was useful.

Cheers,