Profile Evaluation - LBS/INSEAD
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11 Aug 2011, 11:57
Dear Alex,
I would like to seek your help w.r.t my profile evaluation for MBA schools. I am an international applicant from India and am planning to apply to INSEAD and LBS this year. I have worked in the development sector (at a top 10 Indian Microfinance Institution) for the last 4 years in India and I don't have any international exposure. I would like to see my profile evaluated specifically for these schools and how much, the lack of any international experience will hurt my chances.
I have mentioned my profile at the bottom for your reference. In particular, I wanted your feedback on the following:
1. I choose to work in India because I wanted to work in the development sector and since I am Indian, to me it made the most sense to work here
2. Post MBA, I want to work in a Social Venture Fund - to understand how companies make decisions on investing in social enterprises. I don't have a preferred location of my job post MBA (India/international) but I am guessing that if I choose India over international, then it might hurt me in my application to these schools
3.My long term goal is to start-up a end-to-end dairy consulting firm for Indian farmers (I believe that combined with my current on-field experiences and experience in an SVF will provide with the skill sets and expertise to start up in future)
In view of 1-3, can I build a logic/defense for my INSEAD/LBS apps which can counter my ZERO international experience?
I might have said a lot above, but I just wanted to explain my entire dilemma to you and how I think I can counter that
I would love to hear your thoughts and your evaluation of my profile
Profile:
Age: 27 years
Acads:
• Under-grad stream: BTech (ICT)
• Under-grad %age: 62.4 (have a couple of Fs too!) – will basically own up to it in my optional essay. Also, after graduating, I have chosen a completely different field (Microfinance), so will build my defense around that.
GMAT: 740
Extra-curricular: Good (Have won a state-level lawn tennis championship, written 2 academic research papers which got published, was active in the student body of my college)
Workex details:
• Years: 4 (on 28th Aug'11)
• Industry: Microfinance (Development Sector) - currently working in Product Development as Senior Manager (Ujjivan Financial Services)
• Work Progress: Good - have done well and consistently moved up in the 4 yrs at Ujjivan
o Have handled some key projects in the company and delivered on the same
• International Exp (Abroad): None
Recommendations: I am in good shape on that front
Outside Office Work:
• Lead writer for a social sector oriented blog
• Advisor and volunteer for Activist Circle – a discussion+networking platform for local communities of youth involved in the development sector
o I give introductory lectures on microfinance and mentor fellows who join the Activist Circle fellowship
Post MBA career goal (short-term): Social Venture Fund (I believe that my on-ground operational work-ex in Ujjivan plus the hard-skills, i.e. finance learnt at an MBA program will equip me for a job at an SVF). I plan on taking relevant electives (Private Equity, Finance) during my MBA to give myself the best shot at an SVF job
Post MBA career goal (long-term): yet to give shape to that (I have an idea for a start-up, but I have to think thru it and don’t want to appear unrealistic)
Other notables:
• Got admitted tp IIM-Indore in 2008 (IIMs are the leading MBA schools in India with acceptance rates of less than 1%), but decided to stay in Ujjivan (I had initially joined Infosys after my under-grad and gave my CAT exam during my tenure there. By the time CAT cleared and results came out, I had switched to Ujjivan and then I decided to stay and not pursue my MBA)
Thanks,
Srijan