Hi Pals,
I am not sure if I am worthy enough to write this post to influence other people. But, I can definitely suggest you the approach that should not be taken to pursue your GMAT/MBA career - in reality the approach I have followed.
2015 -
To start with, I was an IT Consultant and was having 3.5 years of work experience and decided to pursue MBA and started preparing for my MBA.By then, I was having 2 years of CLient side experience whilst working mostly on Hot Skills that were at that time in the Market. Although, I was being paid well, I had something that pulling me back and was trying to tell that I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing with my life. So, I started preparing for my GMAT during Oct, 2015.
I have gathered all the required Materials -
MGMAT,
E-GMAT, GMAC Official materials, KAPLAN, etc.
I even booked my GMAT test date and was determined to get a 750+ score and even started to read about the schools.
However, after studying for a month I got distracted so much with my work that I started to cut down on my studies. Later I got lured by another Onsite Opportunity from my Company. Then, I thought let me gain some more Onsite Experience and then I can pursue my MBA with a High score and with a better Work experience. - Worldwide Experience.
Hence I cancelled my GMAT exam and started to work on gaining more knowledge to go Onsite.
At Last I got the opportunity and went Onsite - UK for 6 months.
2016-17 -
By now, I am having 5 years of Work Experience at multiple goegraphies and started to again work on my Dream - 'GMAT preparation'. Yes you read it right, 'GMAT preparation' has become my dream and MBA is far behind.
Nevertheless, I started to prepare again afresh, gathering all the required material and even paid a lot for the GMAt material. By the way, I spent the money I earned from my Overseas assignment. I booked GMAT and again targetted the same old target score of 750+.
Then came the big news - 'You have to go to Onsite again'.
Now, again my lucrative ideas striked me to take the opportunity and gain more Onsite experience.
Then I had to cancel my GMAT tests again and fly to UK for the opportunity.
Altough, I tried to Study whilst working on the challenging opportunity, but its far too unachievable.
I parked my dream and concentrated on my IT career.
By the way, This is the period when my family started to pich in, asking for my future goals. Hope you might have understood what that question means. :P
'Marriage'.
I tried to convince my parents and told them that I am preparing for my GMAt and need to complete my MBA before any responsibilities.
2017 -
I started to prepare for my GMAt exam whilst working. I again started the same old process of collecting materils and buying GMAt material.
Now that I am having more money I spent a lot on online courses again. I tried my best to balance both Work and study.
But I was lacking motivation and I was all alone in teh country with no friends apart from my aged colleagues who are relaxing giving me all the work.
Then I thought I need someone in my life to assisst me in reaching my goals.
Alongside, my parents asked me to get married as they are getting older and all the drama, blah, blah, etc.
Hence, I parked my dream and concentrate on my partner search.
At last I got married the same year happily.
2018-
Its a vacation period
2019-
Now I reached a point in my life within my Industry that I am being treated like how I was during my initial days in my career.
So far, I have worked in many Niche areas in multiple industries and have gained loads and loads of knowledge. But the drawback is that I am always treated as a fresher in every project I take up. Altough I have learned and excelled in that task.
Hence, I was never given promotion but was given good ratings, which never corresponds to a high salary.
Nevertheless, my main issue is with respect to myself. I have high ideologies and innovative ideas within my workstream but was never encouraged, rather was pulled down. I couldn't mingle with any of my colleagues as their frequencies doesn't match with mine.
I am now working with people who are well settled and just have no targets in life. They just want to sustain in their job without any goal.
For the last 3-4 months I am not able to sleep properly with all this in mind.
Now, again I wanted to go back to my dream and achieve it. Not sure I this woul remain another year like the one before or will I be able to achieve the targetted score and join a good MBA course and pursue my dreams.
Although, I have challenging months to come with a new family member addition.
All in all, my advise to aspiring GMAT buddies is to just give the test when you have the opportunity and never procrastinate. Also, I do think that there is no perfect score and whatever you score the 1st time is the score that you are destined to get. Although, there are exceptional cases who target and achieve it.
And most importantly, its better to give your GMAT in early years of your career post Under-Grad as its valid for 5 years. (I never listned to this, which was told by my sister way back during my initail days)
Please do advise me what I should be doing now
at this juncture in my life with approx 8+ years of experience.