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Essay 1: Describe your best day at work This is a new one from PGPX this year. Although we loved the IIMA PGPX past behavioural questions, we are happy to note that these new essay questions bring in a new energy! Through essay 2, they have molded a regular goals essay into a creative piece where you reflect passion for future goals and here they give you a chance to explain what you are currently passionate about and what you have achieved.
My key advice here would be to put on your “enthusiastic” hat on and write down all the things you love about your work…the daily roles and responsibilities, the interactions with people around you, the fire-fighting of issues and yes, that sweet feeling of achievement that makes your time at office worthwhile.
Ofcourse, you cannot write down just everything in this essays, because, well we are guided by a word limit. So, of the list you have created, select your most meaningful and important experiences, and weave them into your routine for your best day. Now there is some bit of strategy here.
Ideally, you should talk about 1-2 of your biggest responsibilities that you mentioned in the application form in the first stage of the application. In the same vain you should also talk about your key achievements. You should go beyond merely listing them down to explain what is it, that excites you about these. What big impact were you able to create through them
For instance if you mentioned about Account Management as one of your responsibilities and cited a few accomplishments about growing a certain account by 30% in last financial year, you should have a meeting with your account reps or with your key customer stakeholder discussing something to this effect which moves the needle forward.
This essay is also a good place to talk about some strategic initiatives that you wish to lead in the future. In terms of essay execution, you could say that you have an important meeting lined up with one of the top brass to discuss this initiative you are driving that will lead to $value impact.
Lastly do remember this: Given that PGPX is essentially leadership-focused course for execs, please ensure that your 'best' day at work contains such activities which demonstrate your:
* Leadership ability: for instance, you motivating a team, influencing or persuading customers, mentoring or giving feedback to a co-worker to help improve her performance
* Strategic thinking: for instance, a planning session, a discussion to figure out innovative ways of doing something
* Execution capability: for instance, an account or sales pipeline review, a meeting to communicate the improvement measures which have been put in place.
Essay 2: Why would you not like to go back to your last organization?
So, can you not go back to your current organization post PGPX? Certainly you can, if that's the plan. In some cases, they might be sponsoring your PGPX.
This has to be a “what are you passionate about?” essay. What dreams are you chasing that require you to look forward and move on to new opportunities, to a new job that empowers you to achieve all that you dreamed of (professionally).
However, cloaked in the answer is also the career goals essay. Here are a couple of questions we would definitely recommend answering in this question:
1. How has your career been so far? What were the transitions? What was the rationale behind the choices you made (to change jobs, or change tracks within the same company)? What were the milestones you achieved, and how did they help you steer your career in a particular direction.
2. How has your learning been so far?
3. With your past experiences in mind, what is it that you wish to achieve now? What large-scale impact do you want to create? Why is this meaningful for you?
4. How will you achieve this? (This is where the career goals come in- mention your short term and long-term career goals) Why will your current organization not be the right place to make this change? (you need to learn a new set of skills, which can be attained through an MBA).
5. How will PGPX help you get there?
There might be opportunities available within the organization to support your career ambitions. If so, great and you might have plans to go back. Else you would look outside your organization. So, a response either way is fine. Just be sure to communicate a passion, a sense of purpose and a larger goal in life. They want to know less about whether you would go back or not, but more about the rest of the things that we covered above.
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Thanks for this post. Some follow up questions for essay 1, if you don't mind answering them -
Isn't the first essay about a day that already happened at work? I got the impression that we need to cite the best day we ever had at our workplace (such as an account win, a major fire-fighting etc.). When you say, that list your best experiences and weave them to your best day, it looks like you are suggesting to take good experiences from several days and then create a hypothetical best day, is my understanding correct?
MBADecoder wrote:
Essay 1: Describe your best day at work This is a new one from PGPX this year. Although we loved the IIMA PGPX past behavioural questions, we are happy to note that these new essay questions bring in a new energy! Through essay 2, they have molded a regular goals essay into a creative piece where you reflect passion for future goals and here they give you a chance to explain what you are currently passionate about and what you have achieved.
My key advice here would be to put on your “enthusiastic” hat on and write down all the things you love about your work…the daily roles and responsibilities, the interactions with people around you, the fire-fighting of issues and yes, that sweet feeling of achievement that makes your time at office worthwhile.
Ofcourse, you cannot write down just everything in this essays, because, well we are guided by a word limit. So, of the list you have created, select your most meaningful and important experiences, and weave them into your routine for your best day. Now there is some bit of strategy here.
Ideally, you should talk about 1-2 of your biggest responsibilities that you mentioned in the application form in the first stage of the application. In the same vain you should also talk about your key achievements. You should go beyond merely listing them down to explain what is it, that excites you about these. What big impact were you able to create through them
For instance if you mentioned about Account Management as one of your responsibilities and cited a few accomplishments about growing a certain account by 30% in last financial year, you should have a meeting with your account reps or with your key customer stakeholder discussing something to this effect which moves the needle forward.
This essay is also a good place to talk about some strategic initiatives that you wish to lead in the future. In terms of essay execution, you could say that you have an important meeting lined up with one of the top brass to discuss this initiative you are driving that will lead to $value impact.
Lastly do remember this: Given that PGPX is essentially leadership-focused course for execs, please ensure that your 'best' day at work contains such activities which demonstrate your:
* Leadership ability: for instance, you motivating a team, influencing or persuading customers, mentoring or giving feedback to a co-worker to help improve her performance
* Strategic thinking: for instance, a planning session, a discussion to figure out innovative ways of doing something
* Execution capability: for instance, an account or sales pipeline review, a meeting to communicate the improvement measures which have been put in place.
Essay 2: Why would you not like to go back to your last organization?
So, can you not go back to your current organization post PGPX? Certainly you can, if that's the plan. In some cases, they might be sponsoring your PGPX.
This has to be a “what are you passionate about?” essay. What dreams are you chasing that require you to look forward and move on to new opportunities, to a new job that empowers you to achieve all that you dreamed of (professionally).
However, cloaked in the answer is also the career goals essay. Here are a couple of questions we would definitely recommend answering in this question:
1. How has your career been so far? What were the transitions? What was the rationale behind the choices you made (to change jobs, or change tracks within the same company)? What were the milestones you achieved, and how did they help you steer your career in a particular direction.
2. How has your learning been so far?
3. With your past experiences in mind, what is it that you wish to achieve now? What large-scale impact do you want to create? Why is this meaningful for you?
4. How will you achieve this? (This is where the career goals come in- mention your short term and long-term career goals) Why will your current organization not be the right place to make this change? (you need to learn a new set of skills, which can be attained through an MBA).
5. How will PGPX help you get there?
There might be opportunities available within the organization to support your career ambitions. If so, great and you might have plans to go back. Else you would look outside your organization. So, a response either way is fine. Just be sure to communicate a passion, a sense of purpose and a larger goal in life. They want to know less about whether you would go back or not, but more about the rest of the things that we covered above.
Thanks for the insights.. IMHO the 2nd essay requires the reasons for your to quit your previous job and to join back, if given a chance. I am going ahead with this line. After PGPX joining same organization cannot be implied from the topic.
what do others think about it
MBADecoder wrote:
Essay 1: Describe your best day at work This is a new one from PGPX this year. Although we loved the IIMA PGPX past behavioural questions, we are happy to note that these new essay questions bring in a new energy! Through essay 2, they have molded a regular goals essay into a creative piece where you reflect passion for future goals and here they give you a chance to explain what you are currently passionate about and what you have achieved.
My key advice here would be to put on your “enthusiastic” hat on and write down all the things you love about your work…the daily roles and responsibilities, the interactions with people around you, the fire-fighting of issues and yes, that sweet feeling of achievement that makes your time at office worthwhile.
Ofcourse, you cannot write down just everything in this essays, because, well we are guided by a word limit. So, of the list you have created, select your most meaningful and important experiences, and weave them into your routine for your best day. Now there is some bit of strategy here.
Ideally, you should talk about 1-2 of your biggest responsibilities that you mentioned in the application form in the first stage of the application. In the same vain you should also talk about your key achievements. You should go beyond merely listing them down to explain what is it, that excites you about these. What big impact were you able to create through them
For instance if you mentioned about Account Management as one of your responsibilities and cited a few accomplishments about growing a certain account by 30% in last financial year, you should have a meeting with your account reps or with your key customer stakeholder discussing something to this effect which moves the needle forward.
This essay is also a good place to talk about some strategic initiatives that you wish to lead in the future. In terms of essay execution, you could say that you have an important meeting lined up with one of the top brass to discuss this initiative you are driving that will lead to $value impact.
Lastly do remember this: Given that PGPX is essentially leadership-focused course for execs, please ensure that your 'best' day at work contains such activities which demonstrate your:
* Leadership ability: for instance, you motivating a team, influencing or persuading customers, mentoring or giving feedback to a co-worker to help improve her performance
* Strategic thinking: for instance, a planning session, a discussion to figure out innovative ways of doing something
* Execution capability: for instance, an account or sales pipeline review, a meeting to communicate the improvement measures which have been put in place.
Essay 2: Why would you not like to go back to your last organization?
So, can you not go back to your current organization post PGPX? Certainly you can, if that's the plan. In some cases, they might be sponsoring your PGPX.
This has to be a “what are you passionate about?” essay. What dreams are you chasing that require you to look forward and move on to new opportunities, to a new job that empowers you to achieve all that you dreamed of (professionally).
However, cloaked in the answer is also the career goals essay. Here are a couple of questions we would definitely recommend answering in this question:
1. How has your career been so far? What were the transitions? What was the rationale behind the choices you made (to change jobs, or change tracks within the same company)? What were the milestones you achieved, and how did they help you steer your career in a particular direction.
2. How has your learning been so far?
3. With your past experiences in mind, what is it that you wish to achieve now? What large-scale impact do you want to create? Why is this meaningful for you?
4. How will you achieve this? (This is where the career goals come in- mention your short term and long-term career goals) Why will your current organization not be the right place to make this change? (you need to learn a new set of skills, which can be attained through an MBA).
5. How will PGPX help you get there?
There might be opportunities available within the organization to support your career ambitions. If so, great and you might have plans to go back. Else you would look outside your organization. So, a response either way is fine. Just be sure to communicate a passion, a sense of purpose and a larger goal in life. They want to know less about whether you would go back or not, but more about the rest of the things that we covered above.
Thanks for this post. Some follow up questions for essay 1, if you don't mind answering them -
Isn't the first essay about a day that already happened at work? I got the impression that we need to cite the best day we ever had at our workplace (such as an account win, a major fire-fighting etc.). When you say, that list your best experiences and weave them to your best day, it looks like you are suggesting to take good experiences from several days and then create a hypothetical best day, is my understanding correct?
Hi Vijay,
Yes, this is what I am suggesting that you talk about your big experiences as your big day.
However, your approach is also perfectly fine. This is an open-ended question and its left to the reader's interpretation. Be sure that you have enough things to say in 500 words if you talk about one particular real day.
Thanks for the insights.. IMHO the 2nd essay requires the reasons for your to quit your previous job and to join back, if given a chance. I am going ahead with this line. After PGPX joining same organization cannot be implied from the topic.
what do others think about it
Interesting Manu. There are so many ways to interpret a question. What you wrote about the "last organization" is also a thought that crossed my mind. However, I thought your current organization is more relevant to the b-school. In some cases, applicants would have spent a considerable amount of time in their present organization, so for them, talking about the "last" or previous one would not make sense.
However, it would be pertinent to know the adcom's views about these essays. But, after reading the responses on this thread I am sure about one thing- the adcom is going to hear a varied set of responses, with different interpretations of the essay questions.
I have just 1 question in my mind? How long should the introduction part,which encompassess my idea of the best day as it is a subjective analysis, of Essay 1 should be?
I have just 1 question in my mind? How long should the introduction part,which encompassess my idea of the best day as it is a subjective analysis, of Essay 1 should be?
Hi Ravi,
That would be very difficult to say without knowing what you are planning to write in the essay.
One caveat is- are you writing too many sentences which could also be repeated by other applicants, and hence are generic? When I am reviewing and editing essays, this is the biggest mistake I find and almost always remove those sentences. These things happen more in essay introductions and ends...so be careful of not doing this.
Re: IIMA PGPX ESSAY Analysis for 2019 Intake
[#permalink]
13 Nov 2018, 09:38
rishit9999 wrote:
Experts, Any suggestions for the R2 essay topics?
Posted from my mobile device
Are the R2 questions any different? R1 questions were quite straightforward and you could write an answer that flows well between both the questions. The first could be the best day/accomplishment at your work and the second question is a continuation of the same where you talk why even though the day in Q1 happened, you still don't want to return.
The biggest mistake you can make for ANY MBA essay is getting too philosophical and not answering a straightforward question. IIMA has asked you rather straightforward questions. Don't worry about it much and write your answers to the point. There isn't much space for flowery language anyway.
Re: IIMA PGPX ESSAY Analysis for 2019 Intake
[#permalink]
14 Nov 2018, 02:22
carpediemwtf wrote:
rishit9999 wrote:
Experts, Any suggestions for the R2 essay topics?
Posted from my mobile device
Are the R2 questions any different? R1 questions were quite straightforward and you could write an answer that flows well between both the questions. The first could be the best day/accomplishment at your work and the second question is a continuation of the same where you talk why even though the day in Q1 happened, you still don't want to return.
The biggest mistake you can make for ANY MBA essay is getting too philosophical and not answering a straightforward question. IIMA has asked you rather straightforward questions. Don't worry about it much and write your answers to the point. There isn't much space for flowery language anyway.
The topics are:
1. One thing you would like to change in your current organization. 2. Your dream job.
Re: IIMA PGPX ESSAY Analysis for 2019 Intake
[#permalink]
14 Nov 2018, 02:34
rahulsri459 wrote:
carpediemwtf wrote:
rishit9999 wrote:
Experts, Any suggestions for the R2 essay topics?
Posted from my mobile device
Are the R2 questions any different? R1 questions were quite straightforward and you could write an answer that flows well between both the questions. The first could be the best day/accomplishment at your work and the second question is a continuation of the same where you talk why even though the day in Q1 happened, you still don't want to return.
The biggest mistake you can make for ANY MBA essay is getting too philosophical and not answering a straightforward question. IIMA has asked you rather straightforward questions. Don't worry about it much and write your answers to the point. There isn't much space for flowery language anyway.
The topics are:
1. One thing you would like to change in your current organization. 2. Your dream job.
These still seem to be in the same ballpark just structured differently. Q1 is why you would not like to go back to your current employer. You may also talk about the challenges you have faced and how you tackled them. How you think IIMA can help you grow and be better to change such setups in the future. After this, flow into the second one stating which specific company/function/position do you see as having those properties and this becomes a long term, short term careers goal essay.
Hi all What should be the basic framework of my job role essay for IIM A pgpx..Apart from my job description what are they looking for in this essay ? Thanks all
Hi all What should be the basic framework of my job role essay for IIM A pgpx..Apart from my job description what are they looking for in this essay ? Thanks all
Hi Debashis,
Thanks for reaching out. Here are a few things you should always include: 1. show your leadership skills: use words such as initiated, improved, launched, established, led, saved (costs, manpower, time), earned, increased (revenue), negotiated..and any other words that help you show leadership and initiation.
2. quantify results where you can. For people working in technical profiles, this is usually a challenge. However, I will encourage you to do some calculations/ sit with your manager and get the figures. I find it vague when applicants write subjectively like "millions of dollars" - it could be $2M, $5M, $10M - give the right info to the adcom, so that they know exactly what your achievement/ responsibility was. quantifying results will also help you to prove that you have business sense.
Since the IIMA application has both a job description section and an achievement section, you can make both impactful using the points I have shared above.
3. in terms of structure, you could use either bullet points or small paragraphs, whatever works better for you.
thanks for your response, So in both the job responsibility and the job achievements segments, I need to highlight about the impacts rather than routine/technical description of the work. Right?
thanks for your response, So in both the job responsibility and the job achievements segments, I need to highlight about the impacts rather than routine/technical description of the work. Right?
Hi Debashis,
its a little difficult to explain. You should not repeat the information between the two sections. But make both of them compelling. Another thing, don't use company/industry jargon.
18 Sep 2018, 10:17
There are so many ways to interpret a question.
close
