smukherjee42 wrote:
I am aware that my profile is fairly average but would still appreciate some feedback. My GRE score leaves a lot to be desired. While I am preparing for a retake, I'm finding it difficult to balance work with prep at the moment.
Background and nationality: Indian, male, age 29, 31 at program completion
Undergrad: Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Telecomm Engineering from a top public university in India (Nationally ranked 10th in engineering)
GPA: 7.53/10, roughly translates to 3.33/4
GRE (323 160 Q, 163 V) I underperformed on the day and have a retake scheduled this week
Looking to join an MBA program in August 2024
Already applied to: Emory Goizueta, Georgetown McDonough, Cambridge Judge
Other Shortlisted Schools: Oxford Said, Cornell Johnson, Dartmouth Tuck, NYU Stern, UNC Kenan Flagler
Work Experience and Leadership (~6.5 yrs at time of joining program):
Post college experience:
3 years at a major US digital marketing agency where I started as part of a founding team that helped set up a service delivery centre in India for the agency. Led a significant amount of knowledge transfer from international teams to set up the practice. Led discovery sessions and requirements gathering for every new client the Indian business unit onboarded for the marketing platforms practice for the first six months. Onboarded roughly 15 accounts (including several Fortune 500 and 100 accounts) over this period and trained 70+ new joiners. Worked directly with business unit head in talent acquisition- screening, managing job posts, ATS, and vendors (job portals, hiring agencies). Headcount grew from 4 to 200 in 6 months, interviewed hundreds of candidates and filled 80+ open positions. Was the lead consultant on several client accounts with demonstrated impact on business KPIs like engagement, conversions and CAC
Most recent experience:
Close to 3 years at Goldman Sachs working in the Asset Management marketing team. Led go-to-market activities on digital channels for 7 ETFs, managed performance marketing campaigns targeted at fund distributors, institutional investors and family offices that led to gross sales of over $476 mn, led a 25 member team for post-merger integration workstreams for platform integrations, rebranding, website reskinning, rebranding of over 370 funds. I also lead the SEO function within Asset Management Marketing. My role involves a lot of cross functional collaboration across sales, tech, portfolio managers, investment and product strategists. I am also directly exposed to the investment research and thought leadership that is produced by the investing teams as that is a key component of our marketing messaging.
I am the program manager of the mentoring initiative entire Asset Management marketing team (roughly 80 people) under direct supervision of the Asset Management CMO.
I led 3 person team to regional finals of Goldman Sachs Analyst Impact Fund, where teams identify nonprofits that are tackling global challenges and pitch innovative solutions to the firm’s leadership.
Older experience:
After junior year in college interned at an Indian NGO called Goonj where I did fieldwork in a economically disadvantaged district of rural India that was a hotbed of Maoist millitancy, directly mobilizing 150 individuals for rural development projects such as canal digging, shed construction, cultivating a school kitchen garden. Built a lead list for fundraising. Organized collection camps that raised over 1 metric tonne of material and $24,000 in monetary contributions. Worked directly with organization leadership to launch a range of upcylced products to monetize surplus material by producing and marketing a range of upcycled sustainable lifestyle products (bags, accessories). Set up kiosks at collection drives, earned $1200 gross sales in pilot.
Had an industrial internship at Honeywell where I was stationed at a major steel plant in India and worked on process automation control and safety.
Post MBA goals: Long term is to set up a PE firm focused on deploying growth equity in India. Short term is to transition from Asset Management marketing to a more core finance role in IB, preferably in an FSG Group (still trying to figure out if this indeed is the best option for me). Currently networking within Goldman across Global Banking & Markets and Asset & Wealth Management and self-learning to prepare for the transition. Looking for a pre-MBA internship and am actively reaching out to people in my network to help land a role. Would appreciate any information around how to secure a pre-MBA internship that can help my transition.
Anything else?
Organizer of film festival at university
Co-founded graphic design and creative club in high school
Many thanks for your consideration
👋 Hey smukherjee42,
I came across your profile evaluation query on the forum and thought I'd reach out to offer some assistance from my own experience.
So here is what I would suggest:
Your profile showcases a robust blend of experiences that span across sectors like digital marketing and asset management, which lends uniqueness to your application. Here's a deeper look into the elements of your profile:
Strengths:
➡️ Diverse Experience 🌐: Your work in digital marketing and at Goldman Sachs offers a comprehensive understanding of both the marketing and financial sectors. Setting up a service delivery center and engaging in significant client onboarding at the marketing agency is a strong point.
➡️ Leadership and Impact 🚀: Leading the go-to-market strategies for ETFs at Goldman Sachs, managing performance marketing campaigns, and being responsible for significant gross sales are substantial achievements. Your leadership role in post-merger integration and SEO function further fortifies this.
➡️ Community and Social Initiatives 🌍: Your internship at Goonj and the tangible impacts you created in rural India adds depth and showcases your commitment to community development.
➡️ Extracurricular Activities 🎨: The involvement in the film festival at university and co-founding a graphic design club demonstrates creativity and initiative beyond work.
Areas of Improvement & Detailed Suggestions:
➡️ GRE Score Enhancement 📈: While 323 is a decent score, bumping it up to 330+ can enhance the application, especially given the competitive demographic.
➡️ Example: Allocate focused hours for GRE prep, particularly for the Quant section. Engage in mock tests and time-bound problem-solving.
➡️ Clear Transition Plan 🔍: Clarify and substantiate your short-term goal to transition into IB. Articulate how an MBA will facilitate this transition and why it's crucial for your long-term vision.
➡️ Example: Seek feedback from industry professionals to understand the critical skills required in IB and how an MBA can bridge your existing skills with the desired ones.
➡️ Pre-MBA Internship 🏢: Given your long-term goal of setting up a PE firm, gaining experience in private equity, even if it's a short stint, can be beneficial.
➡️ Example: Connect with PE professionals on LinkedIn, express your aspirations, and seek advice or opportunities for pre-MBA internships.
Relevant Schools 🏫:
➡️ Dream: Cornell, Kellogg, Tuck.
➡️ Competitive: NYU Stern, Duke Fuqua, USC Marshall, UNC.
➡️ Safe: Emory Goizueta, Foster, Georgetown McDonough.
Your aspirations to set up a PE firm focusing on growth equity in India align well with your background and experiences. With a well-articulated narrative and strong application elements, your profile holds promise for several top-tier MBA programs.
If you need more help, we'd be happy to set up a
FREE call and give more pointers on how to improve your profile and the right schools you should target.
Or DM for help!
👉 Click Here to Schedule a FREE Call 👈
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19 Jul 2023, 01:54
