Profile evaluation please

Thank you very much guys.

tugbuck : thanks as I have been a bit worried off late.

The thing is I always wanted to work in USA. And since my education and interest is in I.T. I earlier wanted to work as a software developer. However things changed and I got into business and spend my time there. Now even though I have interest in I.T. I don't know what to do post MBA or Exec MBA. I want to work in US however.

What should I do ?

(Moreover if you do a master in the US do you get only that much visa (e.g. 2 years or so) or you get extra visa so that you can look for work and do it)

Hello GR,

At TugBuck, we believe to be honest to our clients, as harsh and brutal as it may be.

Now, you HAVE to understand that the job scenario in the US is not the same as it was, say, 10 years ago. Things have changed. Governments all around the world are trying to focus on the local citizens. The phrase "one world one people" is not applicable in its complete authority.

Merely saying "I want to work in the US" will not suffice. Schools, and companies, like people who can contribute in a meaningful manner. You, of all people, should understand this since you have your own business.

When admitted to a program, you get in using an F-1 student visa. No substantial extensions.

We would strongly recommend that you do a little more research on yourself and your goals, take the GMAT and then worry about the rest.

Hope this was helpful.

Dear GR,

Great to see your willingness and enthusiasm to take on the grind of an MBA given that you are already running your own business.
Though we agree that 37-38 would be much higher than the mean class age, this should not deter you to apply for an MBA at a school of your choice. We do see that schools are now moving towards a preference for a younger cohort but we see no reason why a ‘good’ GMAT score coupled with an excellent profile can’t make for a good story and compelling reason for an admit.

However what we do see are challenges for you to justify i.e. why you need an MBA and more importantly how will an MBA help you at this stage from a career perspective and not just from a geography shift aspect. For the H1B issue that you highlighted, we would say that the situation is uncertain and not grim yet.
Our recommendation:
1) Give your GMAT and aim to score 700+
2) Broaden your choice of countries if possible as it will hedge your risk for Visa related issues
3) Explore opportunities of pursuing an Executive MBA
We would like to understand why you are looking to sell your existing business. We would advise against it till you have an MBA admit in your hand or an alternate job as gaps in your resume at this stage of your career will be difficult to present in your MBA application

We will be happy to take the conversation forward at connect@taterways.com

Kind Regards,
Team Taterways

Thank you tugbuck and TaterwaysConsulting.

I know the logical step forward is to determine what you want to do and then pursue education to strengthen your goals. However the problem is I am trying to figure out what I want to do. I need to discuss with someone that as per my background so far what should I do. If I can sort it out then things would be a lot clearer. I am not selling my business right now. I will only take action once everything is done (for e.g. getting admit card or determining my path forward).

Hi GR,

Considering the uncertainty (especially with regards to H1B visa), I'd ask you to think deeper about why you want to move to the USA and if its going to be a big risk at this point in time (age + high work experience).

Just to generate some options for you- you can consider the Indian executive programs at all the top IIMs. You can also find out about the Sloan fellowship program at MIT and London Business School.

Hi MBAdecoder,

I know it is a risk but I always wanted to work in the US and don't like it here. That's why I am trying to figure out the right degree for me which I can do and move on.

Worst come worst even if I do not get work there I can always come back and work here or do my own stuff.

However a post in FB by Gmatclub did state that if tweak the H1B will become easier for MBA students because now a bulk of it goes to IT firms from India.

Regards,
Saurabh

Hello again Saurabh,

The best way to approach your problem is to stop for a while and think. We would recommend that you start researching Executive programs and concentrate on getting a 700+ score in the GMAT.

You shall also need assistance with application, for which you can get in touch with us on the email below.