IIM Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

Hello rodeoz

You don't need to submit applications before GMAT. However producing a good application may take 4-6 weeks (depends on the individual). Considering your will be balancing a job and multiple applications (unless you are applying to just one school). So be vary of the process and timeline.
All the best for your GMAT.

Varun

Kindly evaluate my profile for IIM A

Background and nationality : Work in an Oil and Gas PSU & Indian
Undergrad Information : B.Tech In Petroleum Engineering , School Of Petroleum Technology , Gandhinagar & UG Percentage : 74.6 %
GMAT: 710 ( Q50 , V36)
Work experience and leadership : 4 YEARS 2 MONTHS , Worked in the construction & commissioning of India's 5th LNG terminal , Handled contractors of 3 different nationalities & worked in cross functional roles
Community and others: Represented University in various cricket tournaments . Presented a technical review paper
Post MBA goals : Operational / General Management Roles

Hello Abhinav

You have a fighting chance due to your different background in terms of industry. However IIM will be more interested to know your career progress and achievements, which are missing in your post.
The GMAT score is average of the school so won't hurt your chances but won't give you an edge either. You will have to showcase other strengths such as diversity of profile and extracurricular activities.
Post MBA goals are very realistic and are a right fit for IIM A/B.
That said how well you tie it up in your essays will be the deciding factor.
Best
Varun

Thank You varun , I am actually preparing for a retake , Would a 750 help as I dnt see myself geting promoted anywhere before an year in my current organisation and it wud be difficult for me to show any career growth on paper , But i have been rated as the top performer in the last three consecutive years. Would the top performer award help in any way ?

Thanks for your advice

Abhinav

Love to seek guidance and feedback on my profile

In India, aiming only for IIM A but would love to hear any other B school which can act as catalyst to my profile. In abroad, aiming for HBS/Stanford MSx/Wharton

Passion: Aim to be design thinker and to be a part of Corporate Strategy Group and help the team / organization in Machine Learning/AI/Decision Science/Bigdata Analytics/Building Intuitive Systems. Down the line, all the way to entrepreneurial journey

Age :33

Education: My student life can be summed up as Ordinary average fella. I am graduate by Engineer (E&C 65.2%), PGP (3.1) (1 year) in HR with scholarship

Work experience: 11 yrs

Role Perspective (chronology): Currently SMGR (Strategy, People Analytics & HR Transformation) <- Consultant (HR SME) <- AM - HR Analytics (Advisory) <- Manager HRBP/HR Transformation/HR Technology <- Sr. QA <- Business Development Associate

Industry Exposure: Healthcare <-ITES <- Global BFSI <- BFSI in India <- Agri Business Sector

Technology: Being tech geek worked in end to end product life cycle SDLC, STLC, & DLC. Hence most of Technology & programming stuff are my core strength

Process: Hands on experience in Process Re-engg.

Functional Exposure: Majorly stems from HR/People Function, followed by Business

Company Attributes: Worked in organization with Employee strength ranging from 20 to 3.5+ lac. Worked in Start up like culture, mid-scale organization to Large scale
organization, i.e. Unstructured to well structured. Exposure from Grassroot villages to global culture

GMAT: Yet to take

Extracurricular: There are few but showing as NIL as these experience are very close to me

Why IIMA: Looking for Brand 'A' tag, Connect with wise souls (alumni network), speeding up in achieving my dreams to start venture and mainly use this one year break to sync & shape up my existing skills & knowledge and Learn new things from smart peers, profs and visiting leaders

Pls do suggest me any schools which you feel, I can be great fit so I can give it a thought to those.

Hello abhinav2892

A 750 would significantly help, but to cite a cliche, it will not cement your chances. Re-take only if you are 100% sure of increasing your score by 30 points.
To your second point- Career Progress is not necessarily promotions. A promotion or an award is a result. It is not an achievement in itself. You get the promotion/award because you must have positively impact the business of your organization. Career progress is also growth in maturity and initiative. So think about these stories. Try to think outside the cocoon of technicality of your role and see how your actions have impacted your business.
If I were you, I would first work on building a strong written application rather than re-take the GMAT at this stage. (looking at all the aspects of your profile) unless it was a really bad day and you scored way lower than your expectations and mock scores.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
Free Profile Review
MBAkarma.com
Quora
LinkedIn
info@mbakarma.com

Hello Andyabsp

With your profile you would be expected to showcase a good career progression and maturity. Highlight what are your key achievements.
GMAT is a big part of the puzzle- what is your mock or expected score? I say, this because you will need a strong GMAT to compensate for the average past scores.
Also, be prepared to give a compelling reason to why a second MBA (I see that you have a PGP already) when you have had the required education
Your career goals are realistic, but since you are in a similar space already, why can't you reach there by following your existing career path? Why do you need an MBA?
Will definitely need to highlight your differentiating factors (AKA diversity) especially for international schools as you are a part of a over represented pool of applicants. Extracurricular help, but you could use other factors in your profile to highlight this.
With 11 years of work ex + PGP- Why MBA now? Be prepared to tackle this.
All in all, a detailed profile review can be given if more details are present (Answers to the above + Quality of work ex with achievements + GMAT score)
HBS/Stanford etc are going to be a challenge (as they are for everyone). IIMA/B (B- because it is strong in strategy) might be a realistic bet, but a lot will depend on your GMAT and how well you tie all of the above in your written applications.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
Free Profile Review
MBAkarma.com
Quora
LinkedIn
info@mbakarma.com

Thanks Varun. Aiming for 700 in GMAT. About other questiins, all answers are in place to substantiate the need

Thanks again for time taken to share your pointers. Deeply appreciate.

Sent from my SM-N950F using GMAT Club Forum mobile app

Hi All,

I am desperately looking for some help and guidance. I am glad I came across this thread. I will share a brief about my profile and then will mention the places where I am stuck.

GMAT - 700 (Q50, V34, AWA-5, IR-8). Work ex - 48 months as on date. Will have 57.5 months of work –ex as on 31st March, 2019.


Grad & Work Ex:
I have done my graduation in Fashion Technology from National Institute of Fashion Technology. My college is regarded as the best fashion college in the country and is among the top 3 colleges in Asia. Right now I am working with the biggest apparel organization in the country. I have reached middle management role in a very short duration. Currently I head pan India operations of my brand.

Profile:
Qualitatively I have a strong profile. I have worked hard to build my profile over the last few years. I am national level athlete and a national level quiz medalist. I have led teams during my college days and have also worked for couple of spiritual and non-for-profit organizations in the past.


Reasons for MBA:
Though I have got good success in the initial years of my career, a graduate degree won't be sufficient to take me to senior level roles in future. An MBA at this stage will definitely help in making my profile much stronger. A master’s degree will also make me financially more stable.


Post MBA plans:
Post MBA I want to work in roles of Brand Management with specialization in the fields of Strategy and Marketing. I am open to industries outside the fashion industry though I wouldn't mind coming back to this industry.

Dilemma-


Indian schools:
In Indian schools, I can try for 1-year course of IIM A/B/C. Can I apply for B&C this year as I will be short by 2.5 months?
Though my profile is slightly unique, I am not 100% confident about IIM A at this stage (primarile because of lesser work experience, no international experience and just an average GMAT score.
ISB seems like a good choice but an education loan of 45 L for an Indian school sounds scary. Moreover, with a batch strength of >800, things can get slightly tough during placements.

Foreign schools:
I am skeptical about US schools because of the current geo-political situation. Under the given scenario I don't see any point in trying for a college outside top 30. Colleges within top 30 are quite expensive. Getting in these colleges is extremely tough with my score and scholarship seems a distant dream as of now.
Similar is the case for European colleges (LBS, Qxford, INSEAD,etc) and NUS.

Inherently I am a very optimistic person and I always look for opportunities of growth and learning. But I am getting slightly skeptical at this stage because of the cost involved. There is absolutely no margin for error in this case. Even after 4 attempts, i have not been able to reach a score on which I can apply to colleges confidently.

The biggest question on my mind is - Which B School to Apply and whether I should re-take GMAT? I am sure I can get some valuable suggestion on this thread.

Hope I have given all the required information to suggest the best course of action. Let me know if any other detail from my side is required. Thanks.

Hi Good Guy,

I wish you had focused some more space on your work experience - that is one of the two most important elements of your b-school application.
From my understanding, b-schools will not consider your application if you fall below the work experience requirement. Hence it would be advisable to apply to IIM B and C with another year's experience. From the b-school's perspective (who have no dearth of applicants), they wish to collate a preferred type of class - which they have optimized through years of trial and experience, and in view of their capability of getting you a job. That's the reason they place importance on class profile.

You should apply to ISB for sure. Your GMAT score of 700 is reasonable. Your application will have to be super solid. it should reflect work achievements and impact, leadership and maturity and clear career goals as well as purpose for MBA. Easy as this may sound, most applicants falter in getting these elements right (I do a lot of ding analysis and I am speaking from that experience).

IIMA - I'd skip for the reasons you have already mentioned above.

For b-schools abroad, you should look at the European options. Some of them have great offerings for fashion/ luxury/retail - areas where your work experience will be most relevant. Getting a marketing job in Europe may be very tricky- marketing jobs recruit local talent mostly because of the regional understanding of the market needed. So if you do plan for an MBA in Europe, solid research on the available recruitment opportunities will go a long way in telling you are a well-informed person.

If you have already taken the GMAT some 3-4 times, I'd be more cautious in suggesting a retake to you. First get an understanding of where you want to go. If the b-school requires crazy scores, then think of a retake, otherwise a 700 is not too bad.

Reach out if you'd like to discuss more.

Hello GoodGuy

You certainly have a unique profile due to your background.
Any good school will look at admission factors mentioned here to evaluate your profile holistically.
These are Acads + Quality of Work Ex + Diversity + Career Goals
You will need a spike in 3 out these 4 factors to get an admission.
Quality of Work and Diversity potentially have a spike due to your background, industry, extracurricular and business impact. (will depend on what stories you highlight in your essays)
Acads & Career goals look slightly on the weaker side. (700 GMAT though ok, is by no means a spike and the career goals you have mentioned are organic and look reachable even if you follow the current path. Retail as an industry grows its employees organically than with MBAs. This is generally speaking not always applicable. Why I know this- I am myself from NIFT and then went on to pursue an MBA ) You may wish to research the right set of career goals here.
So that is potentially a spike in 2 out of four. To get a third spike you will need to polish goals more or get a GMAT of 730+.
ISB looks a decent choice, several applicants from NIFT have applied in the past few years and have grown in their careers fruitfully.
IIMA is also a good choice- international experience always helps but is not a must.
IIMB & IIMC are out of the question simply because of eligibility.
INSEAD/LBS look unrealistic due to the heavy emphasis they have on international work ex. Although I have had a NIFT-ian attend INSEAD 2 years back and works with Amazon in Singapore post MBA (brand manager) so it is doable. But her profile was stellar (high GMAT but no international work ex)
Scholarship will certainly be an issue unless all 4 factors are off the charts.
You could consider HEC & SDA Bocconi or maybe Stern due to their location/MBA programs that help break into luxury/retail management.
However shortlisting schools is not an exercise that can be done by reading a post. One has to go through a detailed profiling.
End of day the right school will depend on your expectations (realistic), your understanding of how an MBA will add to you, your career goals (again realistic) and your profile.
Should you feel the need to discuss this in detail, feel free to reach out.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
Free Profile Review
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com

Kindly evaluate my profile for IIM A

Background: Worked at Tata Consultancy Services. Currently working at Deloitte
Undergrad Information : B.Tech In ECE& UG GPA: 9.08
GMAT: 740 ( Q49 , V40)
Work experience and leadership : 4 YEARS 2 MONTHS , I led a development team of twelve person in successful implementation of our firm's 1st Cloud based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in 24 diverse business region for a UK-based multinational.

I was responsible for overall management of project lifecycle. I led the development team starting from requirement analysis, discovery phase to final delivery to the client. It also involved working closely with clients and cross-functional departments to communicate project statuses and proposals.

Community and others: been part NGOs and led teams in various social service activities.
Post MBA goals : Consultant in Strategy and Operations

Hello Satya090

IIMA looks at your profile holistically on factors mentioned here
Acads + Quality of Work + Career Goals + Diversity make up a successful applicant.
You will need a spike in at least 3 out of these four factors-
1. Acads- Definitely a spike with your past grades and GMAT.
2. Quality of Work- Looks interesting, but more than your role, company and years what IIMA is interested in is your Career Progression and Achievements. (Promotion & awards are not achievements they are results of your contribution) So while you may have a potential spike here- it is difficult to say based on the info given.
3. Diversity- Indian Male Engineer. Hard reality of life. Don't see a spike in the information. However if you can bring out your differentiating factors from work or extracurricular activities it will help. The NGO experience may help if you can show a long term and serious involvement along with a positive impact on your life or the life of others. Again tough to see a spike here with the given info.
4. Career Goals- This is the biggest piece of the admissions puzzle. Your future goals should have an absolute need of an MBA (that too from IIMA). You wish to move into Strategy & Operations. I may be missing something here, please elaborate how does this goal tie in with your past experiences directly or indirectly. What transferable skills have you gained in the last 4 years to make this a successful transition. You could potentially have a spike here, but tough to say. Your could research the right reasons to do an MBA here.
As mentioned above, Acads has a definite spike, but you will stand a chance only if you have a spike in at least 2 more factors (almost a done deal if you have a spike in all 4)
Needless to say final success will depend on how well you tie all of the above in your written applications.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
Free Profile Review
MBAkarma.com
GMAT Score Predictor
info@mbakarma.com

Hello,


I am looking into applying to IIM-A under the Supernumerary-quota. I completed my Undergrad in Bachelors of Commers Hons. from a Canadian University and currently hold a Canadian Passport.

Work Exp: 5 yrs.
Industry: Manufacturing Finance/Automotive
Company: BIG 3 think Chrysler/GM//FORD
GMAT: 640
GPA: 3.1
Job Title: Lead Financial Analyst
Reason for MBA: To gain leadership skills and pivot into the Indian job market with an MBA from a reputed school

I have been promoted twice in last three years and I am currently a Lead Financial Analyst with 3 direct reports and overseeing the budgeting and financial controlling of Canada's biggest manufacturing plant. What are my chances of getting into IIM-A under the Supernumerary-quota??

From my understanding, b-schools will not consider your application if you fall below the work experience requirement. Hence it would be advisable to apply to IIM B and C with another year's experience. From the b-school's perspective (who have no dearth of applicants), they wish to collate a preferred type of class - which they have optimized through years of trial and experience, and in view of their capability of getting you a job. That's the reason they place importance on class profile.

Sadly, there's not much I can do about this point. I have already waited a lot and not sure whether i can wait for one more year. ISB this year vs IIM A/B/C next year - which one do you think is better option in longer run?

You should apply to ISB for sure. Your GMAT score of 700 is reasonable. Your application will have to be super solid. it should reflect work achievements and impact, leadership and maturity and clear career goals as well as purpose for MBA. Easy as this may sound, most applicants falter in getting these elements right (I do a lot of ding analysis and I am speaking from that experience).

Noted. I am never hesitant in taking guidance if I am not sure about my capabilities about something niche.

IIMA - I'd skip for the reasons you have already mentioned above.

Should i give a shot at IIM A this year?

For b-schools abroad, you should look at the European options. Some of them have great offerings for fashion/ luxury/retail - areas where your work experience will be most relevant. Getting a marketing job in Europe may be very tricky- marketing jobs recruit local talent mostly because of the regional understanding of the market needed. So if you do plan for an MBA in Europe, solid research on the available recruitment opportunities will go a long way in telling you are a well-informed person.

My main area of focus is Brand Management. Given the current geo-political situation, I am still very unsure about applying to any college outside India - including US , European and other Asian B schools.

If you have already taken the GMAT some 3-4 times, I'd be more cautious in suggesting a retake to you. First get an understanding of where you want to go. If the b-school requires crazy scores, then think of a retake, otherwise a 700 is not too bad.

I have always tried for the best. I want to give one last shot at GMAT. I don't want to have this regret that I could have joined a better college if I had a slightly higher GMAT score.

Reach out if you'd like to discuss more.

I will do that for sure. Give me sometime to plan out things.

[/quote]

That's great to know. As a consultant, I need to remind applicants that in the application they must give utmost importance to their work experience.




ISB is definitely a great choice. I will encourage you to have a look at the placement reports of the IIMs. ISB due to its sheer size has a lot of diversity both in terms of 1.
class profile; 2. placement industries. These lack at the IIMs because class sizes are between 60 and 100. Keep this factor in mind.




This is a personal choice and perfectly okay.



Yay! that's the spirit. Put in your best and see what you can do differently to get the scores up.




Sure, it would be good to connect.

Hi Everyone,

I having a tough time getting past descent score (read 700+) in GMAT mocks
and would like to know acceptance rates of Indian B schools wide GRE. Although
reputed schools like IIM s and ISB mention that they do accept candidates wide GRE,
practical acceptance rate seems less than 5%.

What can be best viable option for me?
Age: 34, Male
WE: 13 years in after sales support in core technical field.
Presently working full time in private US NYSE based MNC.
Dream school/ Profile: IIM A, Consulting.
Reason for doing MBA: Shift from core technical to sales and leverage
knowledge in consulting.
Undergrad: BE Instrumentation (2005), Pune university.
Extracurricular: Was part of best service team in all country level in 2013,
have won couple of customer appreciations from end users served.

My present GMAT mock scores are hovering around 600-650.
Looking forward for your two cents.