Request for profile evaluation

Question

Hi Everyone,

Posting my details here to get suggestions on my admission applications:

Profile:
Gender - Male
Age - 27
Nationality - Indian

Educational Qualification:
Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering (College ranked #20-#25 on NIRF)
Year of Graduation: 2018
GPA - 6.4 on a 10 point scale

Work Experience: 38 Months and 3 Weeks

After completing college I had 2 offers in had both being in Sales (internship). Went ahead with Sales (internship) at Byjus, the world's most-valued edtech startup. Worked in the K-12 segment with an avg product price of Rs 15,000. Roles and responsibilities include:

1. Worked in fast pace startup environment to deliver B2C sales crossing revenue of Rs 15 Lakhs
2. Understood CRM and business networking while being part of various sales campaigns
3. Managing multiple accounts for long-term business association

First Full-Time Role: Assistant Manager- International Operations (Tenure: 1 year 1 month)
Was one of the first ones to get hired in the team to set up an international expansion division of Great Learning, Great Learning a part of BYJU'S group and a leading global ed-tech company for professional training and higher education. Roles and responsibilities include:

1. Established and managed a community of 100+ working professionals from 50+ nations to onboard them as mentors in our programs/courses
2. Developed SOPs and departmental synergies along with higher leadership to set up the team
3. Youngest member to lead a department and was awarded appraisal in the first 6 months itself

Second Full-Time Role: Manager- Strategic Partnership and Employer Alliance (Tenure: 4 months)
Worked on getting organizations and academic institutes to onboard them, understand and formulate program nuances and facilitate end-to-end placements in the biggest MANAGEMENT education platform (Ed-Tech). Roles and responsibilities include:
1. Foster and build strategic partnerships with businesses to boost product profile
2. Closely work with the CEO to pave the product/program development roadmap and execution
3. Worked on one of the key success metrics of the program experience and helped realize multiple career growths

Third Full-Time Role: Assistant Manager- Alumni Marketing and Experience
Part of the Alumni team and worked on roles with a mix of marketing and business/revenue generation. Was blessed to work on multiple projects at upGrad, termed Asia’s higher EdTech leader and India's biggest Ed-Tech organization. Roles (with project's name header):

Hire from upGrad:

● Worked closely in liaison with the Placements team to strategize and run the project to source jobs from within the Alumni pool to help fellow Alumni & hence creating a self-sustaining community.
● Sourced more than 500 jobs from 280 Alumni to help felicitate 100+ transition of upGrad learners across domains
● Showcased exceptional account management, engaging recruiters from renowned organizations like Mercedes Benz, EXL, Capgemini, Group M, and others to meet talent requirements.
● Implemented successful promotional efforts, achieving a significant 21% quarterly increase in new roles.
● Along with the team, conducted offline placement drive, C-Suite Placement program and Pre-placement talks to increase overall Alumni job applications from our pool

Alumni Convocations:
● Spearheaded planning, marketing, promotions, and execution of 9 online and 2 offline convocations in collaboration with 14 cross-functional teams at upGrad. ● Achieved consistent ~70% participation and a remarkable 150%+ Return to Attend (R2A) rate.
● Introduced innovative delight elements, including live bands, yearbooks, webpage, and AR Filters, resulting in high positive sentiment among graduating learners. Worked closely with industry C-Suite leaders and top academics for seamless event execution.
● Demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing the funnel, resulting in repeat and referral business valued at over Rs 4 Lakhs+. Maintained an outstanding overall event financial’s ROI of up to 800%.
● Successfully engaged 16,000+ learners, family, and friends. Drove the highest Social Media Mention channel for upGrad via convocations
● 40% rise in Alumni platform signups via convocation activities (offline/online)

Alumni Team:
● Managed and audited the Q-Q Alumni Database, overseeing 60k+ upGrad learners’ data.
● Implemented strategic initiatives, resulting in a ~7% increase in engaged Alumni participation each quarter.
● Planned and organized multiple offline Alumni Meetups across cities for 100+ alumni across each chapter
● Collaborated with the team to host Mentorship Week, onboarding 188+ leaders from our alumni pool, and conducting 190 sessions with a remarkable overall rating of 4.8+
● Set up and drove Alumni repeat and referral business working closely with the sales team to grow alumni business from 17% to 28% of overall business contribution
● Drove significant business growth of over 63 Lakhs in a quarter by introducing innovative growth channels and enhancing existing avenues within the Alumni base
● Strategized and drove marketing campaigns for revenue generation amongst the Alumni community of upGrad, TalentEdge, and KnowledgeHut (acquisitions of upGrad)
● Got recognized for my work towards the Alumni community and given the "SuperStar of upGrad" award for quarterly performance.

Referral Ambassador Initiative:
● Built and led strategic planning and overall marketing for a new business funnel targeted to generate revenue by Referrals from the existing learners base
● Lead a team of 5 associates to foster a community of 100+ learners & conducted personalized marketing campaigns with them to capture quality leads leading to final conversions
● Created long-term multiple marketing and webinar properties to capture interested leads collaborating with universities, industry leaders, and upGrad leadership
● Generated business worth 1.5 Cr in 4 months of setting up the funnel along with strategizing processes for marketing, operations, and sales
● Drove 200+ social mentions via different social media activities and channels to capture fresh leads

Overall have 38 Months and 3 Weeks of full-time professional experience in the Ed-Tech industry with roles in Sales, Marketing, HR, Business Operations, International Account Management, Strategic Sales, and Event Planning. Have letters of recommendation from an Associate Director at upGrad and also from MD & Co-Founder of upGrad's acquisition company.

Red Flag: Have taken a break to prepare for Indian Army and cleared the Written test, a national level exam (Only 7000 qualify out of 2 Lakhs+ candidates)
Post Intern: 10 months
Post First full-time Role (Great Learning): 14 months
Total break: 24 Months (2 Years)

Extra-Curricular Activities:
• Team Lead, AIESEC
• Organized multiple events/seminars across colleges for college clubs (Alumni Club and AIESEC)
• Worked on a travel planning start-up (up to ideation)

GMAT Score: Yet to attempt. Will give this year.
CAT Score: 92 percentile in 2021. Got call from IIM

Post MBA Goals:
1. Work in the marketing consulting for a leading brand

Posted from my mobile device

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

Alwayslearning154 ,

3 quick questions before a more detailed evaluation.

- Targeting the 2024 intake or 2025?

- Also, both the breaks were for Army (NDA?)?

- You went from Assistant Manager --> Manager --> Assistant Manager. Was that due to the break or nomenclature difference at employer's end?

Alwayslearning154 · Answer

Hi,

- Targeting 2024 intake

- Both breaks for Indian Army (CDS)

- Nomenclature difference across orgs

Thanks in advance

Posted from my mobile device

Alwayslearning154 · Answer

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

Alwayslearning154 , got it. A few thoughts on your profile evaluation and plans

The academic arc seems to be a bit of mixed bag. Has your college been a feeder? The modest GPA will need to be put into perspective - any specific reason for that and any fail grades there? You don't need to convert (most schools do not ask for that). A high score will help - what are you hoping to score on the GMAT? Do explore building a parallel transcript. 
  The professional profile is decent given the nature of your profiles which are in the business domains. The details are a bit too much but it appears you've had a   multiple job changes  , interspersed with large breaks. Given these, the career decisions can come under closer scrutiny and the reason I asked the cycle you are targeting. It may not be a bad idea to consider 2025 to bring some stability into the profile.  
    Extracurricular and volunteer   efforts matter. AIESEC is a well-known bit. However, post graduation, this will be another significant blind spot. Ideation is usually tough to get any mileage from. 
  While we don't   speculate on school selection   or chances, it would be important to approach this in a structured, well thought-through manner. Work on the above elements and depending on the traction you get, plan your timelines accordingly.

Hope this helps some.

MBAandBeyond · Answer

Hello Alwayslearning154 , I hope you are doing well. Your profile looks good on the surface, you have a diverse and impressive profile with substantial experience in the Ed-Tech industry, showcasing roles in Sales, Marketing, HR, Business Operations, and more. Your work at prestigious organizations like BYJU'S and upGrad, along with your leadership positions and significant achievements, will undoubtedly strengthen your MBA application. Given your profile, you have a competitive chance of gaining admission to top-tier business schools. For ISB (Indian School of Business), you have a solid chance of admission with your work experience and achievements. ISB values diverse profiles, and your experience in the Ed-Tech industry can be an advantage. Additionally, you can explore international business schools that match your career goals and offer relevant specializations in marketing and consulting. When applying to B-schools, ensure that your essays and letters of recommendation highlight your leadership skills, impact in your previous roles, and your post-MBA goals. Address the gap in your work experience in a well-articulated manner, explaining how your break helped you grow and prepare for your future career. Remember that the admission process is holistic, and various factors are considered, including GMAT/CAT scores, work experience, academic record, extracurriculars, and interviews. Make sure to showcase your unique strengths and how an MBA from your target schools aligns with your career aspirations. Good luck with your GMAT preparation and MBA applications! We offer a limited number of complimentary profile evaluations each week . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools. In this call, the experts will try to dig out your USP for top B-schools and provide you with honest feedback on your profile and chances to your target schools. Book a free profile evaluation call now! Neha Hadke Strategy Manager Testimonials Meet our Panel of Consultants. Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com MBA and Beyond

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