ISB Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

Hi knavnit90, since your work experience has been largely in the Project Management area, you need to give a good thought around your career goals and how exactly you think that ISB can contribute to your goals.

Hi priitotos, your slightly lower undergrad CGPA mandates that you score very well on GMAT (730+). Note that GMAT is purely an indicator of your academic ability. So, by scoring well on GMAT, you are basically telling the Admissions Committee that you are not inherently weak in academics.

In fact, your board marks are also a testimony to your academic abilities. Let's just make the case stronger, by acing GMAT.

In terms of profile, most other parameters (undergrad college, current employer, nature of your work etc.) are working to your advantage.

Hi Umang, your GMAT score is your nemesis right now. Believe me, pushing your score up significantly, is the single most important favor you can do to yourself right now, to enhance your chances of an admit.

Thanks Varun Sharma for having a look at my profile.As you have mentioned about the missing data about my career achievements,i have posted a detailed profile now.Please have a look and tell me your valuable opinion.Your opinion for aiming 720+ in GMAT is duly noted.Also I have some doubts which i mentioned in the last lines which i believe you can clarify.


My Profile:
Age/sex: 30 yrs /Male
Experience: 6 years in Thermal Powerplant(2*500MW).
Current Designation: Sr.Engineer (Powerplant Central Control room Operations)

Achievements:
Erection and Commissioning:
 Youngest member to get picked for coordinating with the client and EPC (BHEL) regarding the erection activities of 500MW Turbo-Generator of 6000Cr Thermal Power Project
 Identified the deviations early & ensured the erection activity to be carried out as per the Field Quality Plan (FQP).
 Appreciated and congratulated by Top Management for my role as a team member in making the Plant Commercial Operation Declaration(COD) a successful one.
 Developed the list of BOM (2800+ materials) for Turbo-generator which was instrumental in creating the Spares list.

Operations:
 Got Appreciated for taking swift actions and prevented a generation loss of around 5 million INR.
 Got Appreciated for taking early corrective measures and averting Plant emergencies.
 Prepared the SOP(Standard Operating Procedures) for Generator Auxiliaries
 Now Leading a team of 4 member in carrying out the shift operations activities in Turbine and Electrical fields.

Part-time work- Sep 2017-till date:(Don't knw whether this one counts for my MBA application)
Iam working with my friend(Amazon ex-employee) for managing his client's Amazon seller account and help that seller to improve the sales in Amazon.So far we are able to grow from 30k sales p.m to 2.02Lakhs p.m in 6 months time period.

GMAT Score: Yet To be taken.
International Exposure: Nil
Graduation: Not from a renowned institute,B.E (EEE), 70%, (2005-2009); Done one year full time PGDC in Thermal Powerplant Engineering (2011-12)
10th/12th: 83% / 83%

Extra Curricular Activities:
Represented my College in inter-college cricket competitions .
Member of Event Organizing team in the National Level Symposium in my college final year.
School Pupil Leader in my Secondary (Does it even count for MBA appln?).
Member of Trekking team in Roopkund terek (16500ft).

Target schools: PGPEX in IIM A/C , PGPEX VLM in IIM C.

Doubts:
1.In my 6 yrs career path,i have got only one promotion.Also though i have received appreciations i don't have any letter/token of appreciation to prove the same.How bad will it affect my chances?
2.Is it possible for me to move into renewable energy sector after my MBA (as i don't have any experience in renewable energy sector)?
3.How difficult is it for me to switch career from power sector to some other sector ?(as a backup plan)

Hello ranjitm

With the info that you have shared You stand a fighting chance at IIMs provided you get your target GMAT score and combine it with a strong written application. It will depend on how you time the GMAT + Essays.
Regarding your more specific questions- here's my 2 cents (or rupees if your will )

Doubts:
1.In my 6 yrs career path,i have got only one promotion.Also though i have received appreciations i don't have any letter/token of appreciation to prove the same.How bad will it affect my chances? Career progress is not necessarily promotions. Plus every industry has its own pace of promotions- some quick some slow. Showcase maturity, initiative and responsibility. A promotion/award is ultimately just a result of the positive impact you had on your business. I'm sure you have many such stories in 6 years.
2.Is it possible for me to move into renewable energy sector after my MBA (as i don't have any experience in renewable energy sector)? It may be possible and I have seen 2 people do this from IIMB. You could move into general management and stay in the energy sector itself.
3.How difficult is it for me to switch career from power sector to some other sector ?(as a backup plan) Very broad question my friend. What sort of switch? How drastic? For example, if your plan is to move into Management Consulting, it is going to be a challenge. Usually IIM graduates are able to change one out of Industry or Function. Changing both is possible but is an exception. So the answer will depend on what sector/function you plan to move into.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
Free Profile Review
MBAkarma.com
Quora
LinkedIn
info@mbakarma.com

Hi Kavya,

I really like your profile. YOur work experience is very relevant to an MBA class- just make sure you project it in the right manner- show your business savvy and leadership skills in driving initiatives.
A 720+ GMAT score will be a plus - keep up your prep and score well.
Now the issue that I am concerned about and one that can be harmful to your application- your career goals! You don't need an MBA to become a professional baker. You have the skills and you have past experience that will help you take off. An MBA can help you scale up your business from say a multi-store outlet in a city (say even two) to a PAn India brand.
By stating your goals above you will run the risk of being perceived as having a myopic vision for yourself. Think of it like this- you were running the imports for 90+ stores and then you handled an entire category of business and now you want an MBA to launch a baking store? (even if you scale later, you will start small) A more justified approach from MBA admissions perspective will be to start your baking business, take it to a certain level, identify your challenges and then say you need an MBA to overcome them/ to scale. Entrepreneurship works best as a career goal when you have already dirtied your hands prior to an MBA.

T

is this opportunity available yet?

I am interested, what should to do guy?

Do you have really got in the same batch?

Dont worry dear, nothing to worry

Hello!

I am considering applying to ISB via the Early Entry Option this year and would be grateful if you could spare some time to evaluate my profile and offer some feedback.

The basics:
Indian female, non-IT (I am a graphic designer), 23 years old

Education:
10th ICSE- 91.25% from one of Bangalore's reputed schools
12th (ISC Arts)- 96.25% from the same school, school topper
Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication and Strategic Branding from Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology CGPA- 8.42/10

GRE: 312 in first attempt (Q 150- 38% and V 162- 87%)
I haven't studied Math in 7 years now, hence the poor Quant score.
Currently enrolled in GRE Coaching and working towards a better score.

Work Experience and Industry Exposure:
2 college internships at communications/creative agencies. Both in Mumbai. Worked on Dabur, Viber Film Festival, Mahindra Auto, Loreal at the first.
Second internship I was hired to work exclusively on the HUL account for their fashion and lifestyle products. If I remember correctly, this account was the largest retainer in the industry at the time.

Have freelanced consistently right from the first year of college, working for small/medium sized companies designing for social media, branding and marketing communications. Clients have been from a range of industries- a legal firm, content writers, home automation services, Japanese product design magazine, etc.

Presently have 11 months of work ex under my belt working in design and brand management at a small/medium sized executive education services company. Secured a promotion within 9 months of being here. Was promoted to leading Communications for the Data Science domain. Have led small teams, and worked across functions right from the start. Have successfully organized 2 events for 200+ people each. Tried my hand at Sales and realized I was decent at it. Have regularly interviewed senior managers, technical managers at Fortune 500s and interacted with leading CxOs while on the job. Worked with the press and media and basic PR exercises.

Leadership:
- Was Research, Marketing and Communications Student Head for a leading college project that received prominent media and press coverage
- History of leadership in School: School Cultural Secretary (12th grade), House Vice Captain, Sr. Prefect, Jr. Prefect
- Girl Guides (in School): Company Leader, and Asst. Company Leader and Patrol Leader before that

Extra Curriculars:
- Presently digital volunteer for CRY (Communications Design)
- Passionate about working with children: Recently co-conducted a civic awareness walk for 15 international school students, volunteered as teaching assistant at Spastic Society of Karnataka for one month last year
- Consistently been a part of the college's PR, Marketing and Logistics teams for a range of key annual events
- Pro Bono Design Projects in the past for NGOs and non profits (right through college): AIESEC, Nehru Bal Sangh, Storybook Me (encouraging reading among children in rural India), Project Pragati (transgender community emancipation)
- Well travelled, having visited a number of countries and leading cities
- Fitness and Yoga enthusiast
- Caricatures and Cartooning
- Fine Arts (charcoal portraits and watercolour nature studies) and Tanjore Painting
- Girl Guides (active member and leader for 6 years, from grade 7 to 12 in school)
- Member of the School Editorial Committee, House Council, House Props Committee (Head)

Achievements:
- School topper (ISC Arts)- secured 10 academic awards including special annual awards sponsored by alumni.
- Rashtrapati Girl Guide- National Award, the highest level of girl guiding attainable in the country and awarded by the President of India
- Participated in State Level Girl Guiding events, led the troupe in their march past at the Annual Republic Day Celebrations and received the salute from the then Chief Minister of Karnataka
- Recipient the School's first ever Best Girl Guide Award
- Co-organized the School's first MUN
- Organized several large scale School events

Strengths- Excellent command over English and very strong oral and written communication skills.

Post MBA- Brand Management, ideally FMCG. Ultimately want to hold a senior Marketing position

Hello S995

You certainly have a lot going for you. Your graphic designer background will give you brownie points for diversity and your future goal looks sorted and organic.
However, 312 is a weak score and I would recommend you should re-take it if possible and improve the score to 325+ that will put you in a good position looking at all other aspects.
In addition, be prepared to answer Why MBA now and not a few more years down the line. I say this because there are several applicants each year from NIFT (closer to your background) who apply after gaining 5-6 years of industry experience.
Overall experience+extracurricular look strong and have potential, I will advice you to connect the technical side of your role to business impact in your stories.
To conclude re-take the GRE/GMAT if possible and showcase the need for an MBA now. Needless to say how you tie it in your written application will be the deciding factor.

Best
Varun Sharma
+919137133507
Free Profile Review
MBAkarma.com
Quora
LinkedIn
info@mbakarma.com

Hello S995,

Thanks for posting your query.

First things first - you have a strong overall profile with a number of elements working for you That you have a design background will also work to your advantage as ISB values diversity.

However, there are two areas of concern in your application:
- Your GRE score is quite a bit under the ISB average which ranges between 323 and 325. Hence, a GRE retake is strongly recommended.
- While you will need to put together a set of essays that are representative of your strengths and project you as an individual with the ability to contribute, you will also need to focus on your need for an MBA (considering you have a design degree) and what you intend to do post the same. This becomes particularly essential in your case considering your current academic and professional background.

Feel free to write to us in case you have any follow-up questions.

All the best!

Hi Varun!

Thank you so much for responding so promptly, I really appreciate it. I have some last follow up questions, could you take a moment to answer them please?

1) How much does your undergrad school matter? As far as I know, no Srishti alum has ever applied to/graduated from ISB. That being said, we do rank in the top design schools in the country.

2) Srishti is very 'unconventional' when compared to the standard Indian system of education. My transcripts, for example, have courses like 'ply split braiding', 'charrettes', 'form function and expression in print design'- that kind of stuff. Pure design school, basically. Is that too unconventional for ISB?

3) The company 'prestige' factor- My current firm is small/mid sized and not a 'big brand' name that people will recognize. We do have strong industry connections with large MNCs like SAP, IBM, Bosch, Nasscom etc and I have done work related to these accounts. Will the lack of brand name hurt my evaluation?

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi Akanksha!

Thank you so much for responding so promptly, I really appreciate it. I have some last follow up questions, could you take a moment to answer them please?

1) How much does your undergrad school matter? As far as I know, no Srishti alum has ever applied to/graduated from ISB. That being said, we do rank in the top design schools in the country.

2) Srishti is very 'unconventional' when compared to the standard Indian system of education. My transcripts, for example, have courses like 'ply split braiding', 'charrettes', 'form function and expression in print design'- that kind of stuff. Pure design school, basically. Is that too unconventional for ISB?

3) The company 'prestige' factor- My current firm is small/mid sized and not a 'big brand' name that people will recognize. We do have strong industry connections with large MNCs like SAP, IBM, Bosch, Nasscom etc and I have done work related to these accounts. Will the lack of brand name hurt my evaluation?

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi Expert,

10th-94%

12th-84.6%

B.Tech(Mechanical Engineering)- 77%

Best student Award for the Academic session 2009-2013 among 2000 students.
Gold medalist awarded by TCS.
Won several State and national level quizzes on Automotive Quotient.
Active Member of College committee.

Experience- 5.3 yrs (by the time I will apply)
Field-Oil & Gas at one of the biggest Oil refinery.
Domain-Procurement & Contracts Manager.
Involved in a project capped at 17Billion USD and played an active part in buying services for the project.
Award- Best Performance in Contracts Function in the year 2015-16
Young Achiever Award for the year 2017-18

Hobbies- Active Swimmer, Bicycler.

Extra-Curriculars- Master of Ceremony in many functions, Toastmasters member, Active debater.

GMAT- First Attempt- 620( Q49, V27)
Second Attempt- 660( Q49, V31)

Planning to appear for GMAT again in this month targeting 700.

Is my profile Ok for ISB?

what all GMAT score and Experience I shall develop to have an outstanding chance at ISB in the class entering 2019.

Really appreciate any thoughts on this.

Much Thanks in advance.

Hi S995,

Please find our point-wise reply below:

1. The standing of your undergrad school does have some weight, if not a lot. What matters is you achievements at undergrad school, your GPA, and the kind of skills you garnered. in your case, Srishti would bring in the much-needed diversity to you profile

2. Yes, it is unconventional. However, how well you bring out the diversity, you learning, and your overall profile will depend on your essays. If done well, that you are not from an overrepresented pool of IT applicants at ISB could be a huge plus.

3. Over and above the brand name, you need to focus on how you are performing at work and progressing, as well. Remember, with your application, what is most important is your ability to portray your need for an MBA, what you wish to pursue post the same, and how you will use your academic and professional experiences (combined with an MBA) in the pursuit of your career goals.

If you are able to take care of the above and put together a competitive GRE score, you have a strong chance at cracking ISB!

Let us know in case you have any otehr questions.

All the best!