Insead profile Evaluation - 2012

Question

Hi

I am Guru and am considering applying to Insead & LBS exclusively. I would like someone to give me pointers on if i stand a chance and where i can improve my app.

Profile:
B.E (IT) 2000-2004 - 76%

5+ yrs of experience with - started with Infy (S/w dev) for 1 yr and then moved on to sales - worked in 3 assignments or jobs - 1) Account manager - US sw project mktg for 15 months, brought 6 new clients and doubled the dev team. 2) Territory manager - IBM biz partner for 14 months handling IBM sw in south indian mkt 3) Asst Sales Manager in Cisco for 16 months handling webex solutions.

And Finally a co-founder in a start-up venture in 3d printing - Welkyn in Chennai for 10 months - bringing in 5 clients - had no option but to close the venture as my partner backed out and my mom's health.

I consider the last 5 years as a discovery process, where i aimed to increase my knowledge as well as to know what i wanted to do. In other words, I now know clearly what i want to do -  be a serial entrepreneur  and wanted to do my MBA only after my 1st startup venture. And that explains why i want to do mine in Insead or LBS - diversity of international applicants.

GMAT score - 660(Q49, V30)

I am really counting on your feedback

AlexMBAApply · Answer

Have you lived/worked full-time outside of India at all? If not, your chances at INSEAD and LBS are going to be slim. On top of that, even if you did have international experience, your chances are still slim because of your GMAT. You realistically need a 700+ to be competitive.

vivgmat · Answer

Hi Alex

I know these schools dearly consider the work experience out of the applicant's native country, but is this the only way to prove international exposure. Let me give you my own example-

I've worked in the Software/IT industry for about 6 years now, I went to US on a short project for 3 months. Other than that I've not got any opportunity to go outside my home country for work. The point is I've worked with big fortune 500 companies and they are also the top 20 IT firms in the world and, mostly throughout my career I've worked on Global delivery model i.e. teams at multiple geographies such as US, Canada, UK, China and India. Pretty much everyday, I've my calls with my teams across various geographies, we work together as one team. In fact, at present I report directly into my US manager. So, is this work experience isn't good enough to be justified as International Experience?

The market has not been really good in the last few years and IT industry has suffered a lot in it, and as a result it has impacted a lot of travel either ways, but at the same time companies have bridged the gap of communication with the outstanding new technology and software. In fact, for a while I was working for a mobile application company, a US based start up, it doesn't even have a office in India (my home country); the company believes in the virtual office concept and all of us from various geographies communicated using software and got the work done. Here also, I spoke to people from various geographies such as USA, Europe and India.

I will really appreciate having your thoughts on it.
Kindly, spare some time to answer my question.

Thanks
Viv

AlexMBAApply · Answer

When it comes to the applications, you should do the best you can and mention whatever experience you have dealing with people outside your home country. But it's not the same as working abroad full-time.

vivgmat · Answer

Thanks for your reply Alex.
I understand what you are saying, but let me ask you-

1. For sure 3 months working experience in the a foreign country isn't enough, right?
and 
2. Are you saying even with 700 and around gmat score these school will not consider my case as strong as the person who has worked in a foreign country?

AlexMBAApply · Answer

Look, just give it your best shot.

Of course there's no comparison between someone who has lived abroad for YEARS instead of just a few months. But you can't do anything about that - you are who you are right now.

Again, if you're really into INSEAD, apply.

vivgmat · Answer

thanks <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" />

Insead profile Evaluation - 2012

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