Request for Profile Evaluation

Question

Hi Jon Frank,

I would be grateful to you, if you could help me evaluate my profile mentioned below:

Current Age: 24 yrs
Nationality: Indian

==== Academics ====
- Class X: 82%
- Class XII: 74%
- Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics) with honors in First Class with Distinction (73%) from University of Mumbai, India. (According to academic grading in India, percentage between 60 to 100 is equivalent to GPA 4 on a scale of 4. Courtesy: wikipedia)
- Successfully completed BE project with Larsen & Toubro - Control & Automation Business Unit. Led a team of 5 members and was instrumental in designing project prototype with detailed project report.
- I am ranked 6th in Electronics department considering cumulative aggregate of all 8 engineering semesters. Consistently ranked in top 90th percentile during individual semesters
- Successfully secured on campus placement with Larsen & Toubro Infotech
- Successfully secured off campus placement with Accenture, Oracle Financial Services Software Ltd., BNP Paribas
- GMAT: Yet to take.

==== Work Experience ====
Currently 2.9 Years (3.5 years at the time of university applications)
- Working with a leading French Investment bank’s IT division. Primarily involved in Software Quality Assurance & Business Analysis for projects in Capital Markets domain. Working in a cross-cultural environment while interacting with French business analysts on day to day basis.
- Efficiently escalated test process variations and associated risk to management thereby implementing recommended test processes for seamless delivery of high quality software solutions.
- Instrumental in design automation test framework that reduced manual efforts from 6 man day to 0.5 man day thereby reducing cost & optimizing human efforts.
- Successfully conducted knowledge sharing sessions by demonstrating project overview & functional architecture to a team of 30 members.
- As a founding member of welfare committee, a team member & I were responsible for management of monthly cash contributions by team members and utilizing the same for team outings, team activities and team participation in cultural events.

==== Non Academic ====
- Secured 2nd prize at state level business plan event during engineering. Developed medical equipment business plan which included initial start-up finance, cash flow, marketing strategy, business sustainability plan
- Secured 2nd prize at state level project competition event during engineering. Demonstrated a project overview on Industrial Automation using PLC system with a software overview to automate a manufacturing plant
- Successfully handled the position of Training & Placement Coordinator for Electronics Department. As a Single point of contact for Electronics department, I was responsible for assisting T&P Officer, creating & maintaining corporate contacts, communications related to training & placements activities and students database management.
- Held the position of Magazine Secretary of Electronics Department. Led a team of 2 students thereby responsible for planning publishing contents, liaising with staff, students, photographer & designer in-order to freeze the final product
- Held the position of Event Coordinator-C Debugging for Electronics Department. As a co-head, a team member and I were responsible for executing C – debugging event from its inception to its closure.
- Awarded with “Man of the Match” award - Inter-class Cricket Tournament at junior collegiate level. Rolling Shield and a Man of the Match certificate to represent Junior college cricket team as an opening batsman to score 79 runs and helped the team win the match.
- Awarded 2nd prize in Environmental Science Project “Eco - Friendly Innovation” at school level. A team of 6 students created an innovative concept of portable refrigerator. Demonstrated the concept along with a prototype to school trust & staff members during annual science exhibition.

==== Extra Curricular ====
- A team of two to design Excel applications: Pocket dictionary for 5000+ English words, roots, mnemonics and Fund manager to track expenses & income and subsequent incoming outgoings per person.
- Involved in browser-based multiplayer economics simulation “Virtonomics” and “Capitalism” where I founded a company with initial capital of US$ 1,000,000. I was Instrumental in formulating business strategy to achieve revenue of US$ 940,950,000 and asset base of US$ 1,339,330,000 in a period of 8 years. Responsible for overall management of the company that includes Business Strategy management, Finance, Marketing, Operations, SCM, Quality management.
- Certificate of Participation in Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp. Successfully completed research & analysis on Starting a Business, Financing a Business, Business Sustainability, Business Expansion, Corporate Governance, Taxation and Trade
- Certificate of Participation in annual function fusion dance at school level
- Certificate of Elementary Grade Drawing Examination, Government of Maharashtra
- Freelancer: Resume writing, Covering letter writing, Campus interview preparation
- Hobbies: Reading, drawing, strategy games, internet browsing
- Professional Interests: Corporate & Business Strategy, Business Restructuring Strategy, Market & Product Research, Product Pricing & Promotion, Strategic Cost Management, Corporate Laws

==== Target B Schools ====
Priority 1: ISB
Priority 2: NUS, NTU, HBS, LBS, INSEAD
Priority 3: HEC, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong UST, CUHK

==== Target B school Program ====
Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing Management

==== Post MBA work profile ====
Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management / Consultancy, Corporate Affairs, Marketing

==== Questions ====
1. Is my profile suitable/competitive for ISB? What should be the minimum GMAT score for ISB? Any special suggestions for ISB as I want to make it to ISB?
2. Is my profile suitable/ competitive for Priority 2 and Priority 3 colleges listed above?
3. Any other universities that you would recommend me?
4. If I get an opportunity to change my work profile to Strategic Management in a start-up / boutique Strategic Management Consultancy firm prior to MBA, then how would the universities rate my work experience of "Software Quality Assurance + Strategic Management Consultancy" v/s "only Software Quality Assurance" considering my target program is Strategic Consultancy / Entrepreneurship ?
5. Any other valuable comments ?

Regards

Note:
Post GMAT, I will be working on the application front and will refine & rephrase my achievements / essays / SoPs / LoRs.

Admissionado · Answer

Hey there good sir!
Thanks for dropping us a line. So let's get straight into it. First of all, I'd like to say that without a GMAt it's not really possible to give an evaluation of whether you can get in or not, but I CAN point out some good things perhaps. The first thing I see is that overall you have a very nice solid basis for application. Good school, good work, good experience. But that in of itself is not enough. Despite your work experience, there is something (that at least for the moment) feels a bit "plain vanilla" about your profile, and you need to work on that. You know how many Indian IT applicants (many working for banks) there are??? Don't know the exact number, but lots and lots... Don't let this scare you though. Many do get accepted! But to be accepted, and to be accepted to the best places, you need to stand out.

Now, very roughly, from what you have written here, the two things that make you stand out are your team leadership and training in your work experience. These things might set you apart from the crowd, as lots of people come in without this stuff. The key for you is FOCUS... right now is this (wonderfully) full profile evaluation, you have way too much info, and you haven't separated the wheat from the chaff. For OUR purposes it's wonderful, as more detail is better... buuuut for the schools you have to CHOOSE a lot more carefully, not just what to put in, but also what to leave out.

now, onto your questions:

1. Is my profile suitable/competitive for ISB? What should be the minimum GMAT score for ISB? Any special suggestions for ISB as I want to make it to ISB?
720 would be nice, although you can apply with lower... Special suggestions for ISB 1. Stand out 2. Have goals that make sense in terms of the school 3. Stand out not just professionally, through proof of success, but also personally

2. Is my profile suitable/ competitive for Priority 2 and Priority 3 colleges listed above?
Yep. If you land that GMAT!

3. Any other universities that you would recommend me?
There are sooooooo many great ones. We would need to discuss this further based on goals, locations preferences, prestige preferences, program preferences... etc. etc.

4. If I get an opportunity to change my work profile to Strategic Management in a start-up / boutique Strategic Management Consultancy firm prior to MBA, then how would the universities rate my work experience of "Software Quality Assurance + Strategic Management Consultancy" v/s "only Software Quality Assurance" considering my target program is Strategic Consultancy / Entrepreneurship ?
Strategic Management is MUCH stronger than IT QA. If you can get it, do so.

5. Any other valuable comments ?
Glad to help!

avkamat · Answer

Thanks Jon for a quick response and a valuable feedback.

Some more queries:

1. Although you gave an overall positive feedback, can you elaborate more about the "plain vanilla" ? Is it something that I have to further refine my profile or just redesign it i.e. separating the wheat from the chaff ?

2. Strategic Management experience is definitely the Rolls-Royce of work experience. But would it make a positive impact to switch from SQA to Strategic Management (Full-time / Part-time) ? I am sure I'll be questioned on change in the work profile, but would that be difficult considering I am ready to answer them and have post MBA target work profile in Strategic Management/ Consultancy / Entrepreneurship ?

Thanks & Regards

Admissionado · Answer

I would say that first and foremost, the main thing is separating the wheat from the chaff.... be careful not to include EVERYTHING in your application, but only the BEST the most interesting and the most relevant. That's first and foremost.

Second, in such large applicant pools it is very very useful if you can CONCRETELY prove that you are better than your peers - you can do so through awards, test scores, performance reports, salary, results, etc.

Regarding the Strategy Management: If you have a full-time offer, TAKE IT! You can always figure out how to weave the narrative at a later stage.. but really it's not that difficult, all you have to do is show interest and passion in this new industry, and then show how you are using anyhow what you learned at your first job.

Hope this helps!

avkamat · Answer

Thanks Jon for the concise feedback.

I'll definitely be in touch with you !

Regards

Admissionado · Answer

I hope so dude!
In the meanwhile, good luck with all the pre-stuff, and we'll chat soon...

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