Saturday, March 25, 2006

My First Consulting Project: Rejuvenating SPANDAN

Last three days I was speculating on my fortune which is soon going to get decided by IIMs in near future. I thought the best strategy to get rid of the impatients about the results is to bring some ‘I don’t care’ attitude but soon realized that this is something that I couldn’t do in 24 years of my life so how it is possible to do in 24 days ? Hence I skipped that idea. Then I decided I will keep me busy with something challenging task which will not allow me to look beyond that. When I look around I realized there is nothing interesting to do in my current job as already counting my days to get release out of it
I realized that my group SPANDAN is not in good shape and there are many things I can do to rejuvenate it. Last 8-9 months I haven’t contributed much for SPANDAN as I was busy with my IIM mission.
I deecided to metamorphose SPANDAN and to rejuvenate it completely in next 2 month. Thus first consulting challenge is ready for me before a set to join MBA.
Rejuvenating SPANDAN.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Expectations…Predictions…. Plunging into the deep sea of uncertainty again ?

Finally my 007 encounters with the some of the best (or BOND) management schools in India got over. I seen many ups and few down over this journey but believe me all that I mentioned was My Opinions and I expect time will prove some of them wrong. Still it is general human tendency of expectation and prediction equally applicable to me so will like to try my hand on this.

IIM A: Great GD followed by good PI -->Time being on toss --> Chances of winning more inclined to my side.

IIM B : Good GD --> Big mistake over summary --> Good PI --> Heads or Tail both cases IIM B will win. I am expecting coin to land up straight --> Very rare chances in first list --> May find place in second if these guys are generous enough.

IIM C: Good GD --> Good PI --> They will not like to miss my name in final list.

IIM L: Good GD-->PI Nothing can judge here à Numbers look good after top 600 getting into top 3 --> Good chances here.

IIM K & I: Great GD --> Great PI --> They should start typing my final call letters.

After the long wait for the CAT results one more time I will be thrown into the deep sea of uncertainty. But if you ask me I had learnt lot of things in this last 3 years of my CAT journey and one of it is ‘Give Your Best and Forget he Rest ‘.
I gone much beyond the glamour of the ranking and salaries of these school and for me it something different I am looking out of them and my strong self confidence says I will get it anywhere in six so no need to panic for me.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Encounter 07 : IIM B…..Art of Digging Your Own Grave !!!

First Impression:

As I already discussed in one of my previous posts, if I have to put money on any of the IIMs before the results, I would put it on IIMB as these guys know the value of work experience well. But what happened today was total contrary to what I expected and that also because of my unique ‘Art of Digging Own Grave’

Rule of the Game:

Case study 10 mins to think 15 mins to discuss 10 mins to write summary.

They specially instructed that THEY WANT SUMMARY IN RUNNING FORMAT NOT IN POINTS.
(Hey….I noticed it well but I didn’t followed it…..in 15 mins I wrote the summary the best way in which I can….but problem was doing so I forget the rule of game that it should not be in points)

I was very happy after my GD and thought I just have to play safe in my PI to reserve a seat in IIM B but the happiness didn’t last for more time.

PI

P1: Tell me where your place Jamkhed is ?
ANS: Located in Ahemdnagar district of Maharashtra sir.

P1: What people do there ?
ANS: I told some kind of trading and majority of them in farming.

P1: What do your family do?
ANS: Told my dad is lecturer and also do farming as hobby.

P1: So how much interest you take in his work?
ANS: I told not much but sometimes I do think on problems farmers faced, as I want something to do for them in long run.

P1: What are these problems?
ANS: I mentioned collapse of cooperative sector in my region and reasons for same.

P1: So what you can do for them?
ANS: Sir..after gaining some experience and financial stability I will like to do something in line of what ITC had done.

P1: So what ITC had done?
ANS: Talked about e-choupal here.

P1: Can you explain me how they do it?
ANS: Told details about the functioning of E-choupal

P1: What TATA does ?
ANS: Talked about Tata Kisan …work they done like selp help groups.

P2: Why ITC should do it ?
ANS: I said to explore the market at the bottom of the pyramid.

P1: What is this concept ?
ANS: Explain him concept in detail here.

P2: Why ITC should do that?
ANS: Sir to further increase their business coverage areas they were in cigarettes and want to explore other fields also.

P2; Why not alcohol?
ANS: Sir…there is good profit margin available in this area and also they can win good will of people.

P2: But at same time they will gain hatred of middlemen in farm business? Will these guys put pressure on government to create problems for ITC?
ANS: I don’t think so…. because politicians also want good will of people and I haven’t read any such incidence yet…at same time I can’t rule out possibility of same sir.

P1: How TATA gain from what they done in this area?
ANS: No idea in detail of TATA Kisan sir.

P2: How you know these things in details?
ANS: Sir recently I read Fortune at the Bottom of The Pyramid by C.K.Pralhad.


P2: What else you read?
ANS: Sir I read good books like Alchemist, Monk who sold his Ferrari and also as I am Marathi poet I do read Marathi poetry also.

P2: Hey…you don’t mention all this in you form?
ANS: Sir there is no place to like achievements and interests in form sir.

P2: But you might have mentioned it in your SOP? Actually its very nice and rare to find that an engineer write poems also…tell me for whom you write this?
ANS: Sir while college I used to write for college magazines now I right it on my blog.

P2: Marathi blog ?
ANS: No sir I write it on English blog by uploading picture. Whenever I get free time I also like to listen my own poems.

P1: what kind of poems do you write ?
ANS: Sir on social issues and some on romantic also…I also write on the disappointing part of love also.

P1: Yeh we heard to write good poems you have to experience it what say?
ANS: I am not agreeing sir…I put myself in shoe of others to write it.

P1: But in that case it will not come from bottom of your heart?
ANS: You can say up to some extend my experience also influenced my poems sir.

P1: It seems you have lot of free time? See you write poems, read book and also maintain your blog so when did you work? Actually we herd lot of complain from IT guys that they don’t get any time for their personal life ….how you manage this ?
ANS: Sir….I have 5 days working week so I use rest of 2 days for my interests. I also believe in quality of work rather than quantity and also give time for other activities.

P1: Tell me what you have learnt from your job?
ANS: Start explaining here in detail…he stopped me and said please tell in bulleted points (this guy sucks)
Sir I learnt
Its people who drive the business not money.
How to handle people and client interface.
Handling the team that also when you have seniors working under you

P1: So tell me how you handled seniors in your team?
ANS: some crap here

P1: Give me a scenario…. one of your senior team member not working when you told him he said I am OK you are wrong what you should do?
ANS: I defend with some crap here.

P1: Still the guys not working and says he is fine problem with you only.
ANS: I gave up and said I will try my best and if not possible escalate it to my PL.

P1: So you mean you are not able to handle it?
ANS: No sir I will do it only when I run out of all possibilities.

P2: So tell me how you find in Pune after joining engineering? How you handled it?
ANS: Sir initially I find difficult to mix with the local convent guys but later on I synch well with them. My participation in extra curricular activities helped me to mix up with them and also them more than a person.

P1+ P2 THANK YOU VERY MUCH


This was my last interview and as my IIM A was not pakka convert type I thought I will create option for it with some great performance in B.
When I came out of the hall, my first reaction was I dig my own grave. I didn’t realize how I committed that stupid mistake that may prove vital in long run.
The whole day that mistake sucked me lot. But when I thought it was not the first mistake I committed in my life. I am here today thanks to many such small mistakes I committed in my life which taught me lot.
I realized that its not like I never fell but number of times I stood up were more than number of times I fell and that’s why I am here. Might be this mistake want me to stand more firmly before I enter into the world of management.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Encounter 06: IIM I ……Phod Dala RE !!!

First Impression:

I was holding the exact address of Indian Institute of Capital Management (IICM) in my hand. It is mentioned as plot number 82 Sector No 17. I was searching if the plot number was written anywhere so that I can get a clue…..but thanks to Navi Mumbai Mahanagar Palika there were even no remote signs of plot numbers. I searched for more than 1 hour (thank God I left early today) and asked almost 10 shop keepers but no clue. Finally I called my friend who used great google to locate my destination.
I meet with a guy standing outside who had his interview in morning batch he said chill dude!!! No new things as usual they asking acads to freshers and work ex questions for working guys. I thought that this encounter would be nothing but repetition of what happened in last 5.

Rule of the Game:

Case study (thank God I am sick with the normal GDs and hell repetition of same points)
05 mins to think 15 mins to talk and 5 mins to summarize. In PI the sequence will be random.

My Show:

Started discussion with giving good direction to the case. Then chipped in 3-4 times with good points …..Overall I was happy with the GD performance. I just completed the 3/4th summary when he took paper back (I realised it was only 31/2 mins but no objection after everything fare in WAR)

PI

The panel took almost 15 mins to call first name so I am damn sure it will be none other than me as I had written so lengthy and know it will take 15-20 mins to read it thoroughly.

I thought the interview will be just formality …..like tell me about yourself….what you like?….What you do? Why MBA ? and to give it a feel of management interview some gyan on what on society and ethics.

But it was all different game……Meet the two Guru’s from IIM I

Guru 1: Finance and Economy Guru (FEG)
Guru 2: Tech Fundoo Guru (TFG)

And here the details of how the encounter went

FEG : Tell me why you left Bajaj ?
ME : (Oh that mean you were seriously reading my form) My standard ANS

FEG : So you are with which company now ?
ME : TCS sir

FEG: What is TCS’s revenue ?
ME : 2.4 billion $

FEG: Where TCS is present in world ?
ME : Sir almost all over 53 countries……told major market US+ UK + Europe and now days foraying in S American countries and also in China. (I used WE rather than TCS here like I am CEO of TCS and talking about it, in news conference but I hope this showed my great feeling with my great company )

FEG: What is software services? Software products? And ITES ?
ME : Told giving examples with TCS context.

FEG: What is NASSCOM?
ME : Told.

FEG : Who is heading it rite now? What is NASSCOM’s role ?
ME: Bata diya.

FEG : Heard of NASDAQ ? Is it similar to NASSCOM ?
ME: Yes sir…but I think it is stock market similar to BSE?

FEG: Are you sure ? It is company or something like BSE ?
ME: No idea sir.

FEG: How can one list shares on NASDAQ? Anyone can do it ?
ME: No sir…there are some regulations and requirements from both side India and NASDAQ also.

FEG: What is ADR, GDR?
ME: American Depository Receipts and Global Depository Receipts.

FEG: Why they used? Are they instruments or shares or anything else?
ME: They are financial tools used to conversion of currency for investors.

FEG: Heard of SDR?
ME: No sir (excuse me I am engineer don’t you read my form!!!)

FEG: Heard about Rich and poor? This is any company or brand?
ME: No idea sir.

(Though out this discussion TFG was reading my file and shown that he didn’t have any interest in MY SLAUTER…..then two profs switched their tasks they exchanged my file and TFG took the control of machine gun…..but I am also ready with my AK 47)
TFG: What is hotspot ?
ME: (Jsach sach bata du kya…..FC Road in Pune and band stand in MumbaiJ ) sir these are wireless LAN access points.

TEG: What is Wi-Fi ? Why it is call so ?
ME: Sir Wireless Fidelity…..you are free to roam and same time access the wireless.

TEG: Any wireless standards?
ME: Sir IEEE 802.11a to IEEE802.11g

TEG : What is difference in these two ? Which one is recent?
ME: Technically sab bata diya.

TEG: What is broadband and intraband ?
ME: Told TRIA definition of broadband and talked about the convergence here. Intraband I said not sure but guess it is …..

TEG: Tell me how the Triband services are possible with single copper wire?
ME: Told its not wire sir…its optical fiber…..he said talk wrt to copper wire only…me explained multiplexing demultiplexing fundas.
(here he grilled me lot on how come three services possible at same time? I tried my best to explain him )
TEG: Tell me what is role of modem?
ME: Sir…it is modulator demodulator…..

TEG: Is there any difference between the ordinary and cable modem ?
ME: Yes sir…. I guess later one better for high data rates.

TEG: Where there is analog and where digital in the link ?
ME : Bata diya.

TEG: I heard companies coming up with the 2inOne GSM + CDMA mobile in India soon in news ? What is that ?
ME: Nothing great in that sir…..it will same like two mobiles in one device and you can use either of two…..as far as GSM and CDMA wireless side are not getting converged in 3G that is nothing great but handing 2 mobile at same time.

TEG : So what is 3G convergence ? Will that be possible in near future?
ME: Talked about the UMTS here and told though Japan implemented 3 G they also not yet achieved that.

TEG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH RUSHIKESH

BOTH : HAVE SOME BISCUITS !!!!
ME : Thank you and have a nice day sir.

What was that……I bate even I applied for any TECH Giant for the job they might not grilled me that in that detail…..But that what the beauty of the IIMs and that’s why I said IIM A ho ya IIM I …..Every interview is different ENCOUNETR and I am enjoying it fullest.

The BIG B is poised next on 21….so Bangalore here I come …..With experience of 6 GD/PI…..I am ready to take any challenge!!!!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Admit 01 ---- NITIE – My Dream Institute in Those Days !!!

Circa 2003 in a cool morning of the Jan a guy with thick glasses and big hope in his eyes entered through the gates of NITIE and his first reaction was he was entering into the heaven!! The whole surrounding was engulfed in fog. Adding to it the campus was surrounded with the Vihar Lake and lush green lawns. It was first time in his life he is visiting any management school campus. After strolling through the campus he realized yes this is heaven for guy like him who want to do something in management.

The memories of the last day’s NITIE exam (those days NITIE used to conduct its separate exam and as this guy never thought he is capable of cracking CAT so he took this easy way out) sent quivering through his body which brought him on ground and then he headed towards the NITIE hostel. He managed to catch one of PGDIM program student and then he asked everything from will I make it to NITIE or not? What about the sectional cut offs (He screwed in one section out of 5 badly). The fellow answered many queries and headed towards his block wishing our guy all the best. He returned from NITIE campus empty handed but yes there is something more he got that day…..A DREAM TO BE IN BEST SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT.

It was no wonder that after doing CRT F and entering his name in the short listed candidates for GD/PI after n number of time this guys failed to locate his name in the list….how can he found it when it was not there in first place. Dejected, rejected he thought the B-School is not his game but his dreams always reminded him, no he can reach there. Then next 2 year’s story was not much different. Every year this guy used to fill NITIE form hoping at least he land up there. But only years changed but not his scores. With such an abysmal scores in CAT 2003 and CAT 2004 this guy never dared to send his score card to NITIE after the results.

With such a humiliation from CAT his fellow was in no mood to write it again but the dream inside never made him to stop. As usual he filled CAT form but this time he was reluctant to fill NITIE form (of course looking at track record why to loose 1000 bucks). But he didn’t know what happened, the hope inside made him to submit his form on last day. Two days later it was last CAT of his life and this guy don’t want to give CAT one more chance to humiliate him. But with sheer determination this guy rocked CAT 2005 with 99.71 and BLACKI honor. The NITIE was remained only a formality to give him a call.
Now his targets on radar were different. They were none other than 6 IIMs. When NITIE GD/PI date declared, it was clashing with IIM L so this guy thought he will forget NITIE as chances were high that he will land up in some of IIMs. But still he made schedule change and decided to attend NITIE.
The day was 8/03/2005 our guy entered the NITIE campus but this time he had his bag full of IIM calls which added extra confidence to him. With this he rocked the NITIE GD/PI and came back home with full confidence of converting it.

The formality completed when yesterday NITIE thought to wish him the Holi with this good news. He got the overall rank 07…..One time his dream institute calling him….Will he go ?

You now must realized this guy is none other than yours truly !!!
Yes I am surely happy over the NITIE victory. Now I am expecting IIMs to join party soon…..even they don’t I am not much bother at this moment as I am already at my one time dream institute. Yes my dream got promoted last 3 years but I know there is no end to it ……AFTER ALL DREAMS ARE UNLIMITED !!!!!

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Encounter 05 : Call from CAL??…. Everything Crossed !!!!

First Impression:

I contacted guys who had interviewed yesterday and from their experiences came to know that the CAL profs are so cordial (total contrast to their earlier reputation!!) and trying to get best out of you so obviously I didn’t need to worry about the MATH stuff.

Against all odd:

At the time of IIMA it was sudden eruption of my wisdom teeth, which didn’t, brought any wisdom to me but caused lot of trouble. This time it was Food Poisoning. When I waked up at morning I realized that there is something terribly wrong with my stomach and then next 2 hours were just hell for me (will not mention here to maintain the sanity of my blog !!).
This all mess-up resulted in 30 mins late to left the home for Dadar and adding to it there was only slow local available so no option. I was looking into my wristwatch throughout my journey.
Luckily I managed to reach the center at 1.45 pm and had nice time with people out there before clock stroked 2.00.

Rule of the game:
3 mins to think….13 mins to speak and 1 minute of everyone to summarize.

GD:

There were 12 people in a group with one lady sitting at center. (You can say center of attraction also!!!)

Topic: Life is chair.
(Does IIMC devoid of creativity? Repetition of last year’s day 01 topic…)

The GD was semi fish market where most of the times 2-3 people were trying to coming at same time.

I came up almost 4 times (but might have tried to came up 10-12 times and skipped…I don’t like this but that was unavoidable)

My contribution
Human life need support of basic needs like cloths, food, shelter and education same like 4 feet’s of chairs.
The most important element of the chair is its support similarly nation though supported by many pillars the most important is “ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT”
The chair don’t differentiate between who is sitting on it and offer equal relief to everyone similarly life give everyone same chances to grow.
Some crap here
(When asked to summaries I was 3rd last to do so….I said as most of my team members given the summary well I further want to add that the basic function of chair is to give the relief but still we demand for modified and fancy chair…similarly in life our basic needs are limited but we always demand more than that and this journey don’t have any end so we need to draw line here….blah blah )

So if I have to rate my performance I was near GOOD (but definitely not BEST)

PI

(Panel 2 IIMC profs and 2 alumni one working with MAFCO)
Q. Tell me about yourself?
ANS: My standard answer (Told about my group SPANDAN here)

Q. What is SPANDAN?
ANS: Explained meaning of word.

Q. I want to know the details of it ? Like, work you do ?
ANS: Sab kuch bata diya.

Q. How many members? Do you raise funds or only contribution by work ?
ANS: told in details.

Q. Your place is famous about something? Tell me (same Qs as IIM A )
ANS: Told the reason.

Q. Do you know MAFCO? (Lady from MAFCO asked this)
ANS: I said NO (the lady was very surprised and told me its very famous and you should know it. The other prof added that they were first one to start the concept of frozen chickens)

Q. Any idea why the MAFCO is collapsing?
ANS: (How I should know this when I don’t know what it is in first place) No MAM.

Q. You can draw the similar line with other thing in same region
ANS: I said I will compare it with the collapse of cooperative sector in MHA and gave reasons for its collapse they seem not interested in this crap (I reason to mention this was in my career goal I mentioned that I want to help this dilapidating firms in future)

Q. Your region has many sugar factories can you talk on the environment effect of it
ANS: Talked on the air and water pollution due to sugar factories.

Q. Do you know any environment standard for it?
ANS: I said I am not aware (I just recollected it while writing this that it is ISO 14000)


Q. Ok…Rushikesh you are TRUE INDIAN?
ANS: Yes sir (with full of confidence)

Q So will you tell me what is your reaction if Sonia Gandhi become PM of India ?
AND: I told sir I strongly believe in the Indian saying that Atithy Devo Bhava ….with this Sonia Gandhi becomes not only daughter of Gandhi family but also of whole nation and when she accepting that she is Indian from the bottom of her heart that shows her commitment (one prof added that he also thinks same and also mentioned Bush famous saying about India.)

Q. Can you tell me your job profile?
ANS: Told that I am working in Nortel CDMA project.

Q. Hey….we observed that our mobile shows no signal sometimes can you suggest any changes for improvement ?
ANS: I talked all technical stuff saying improved handoff …and adaptive and overlapping sector ka funda.

Q. (Lady getting curious) hey I don’t know this is right but I use CDMA mobile and observed that every time I reach top of the flyover the connectivity drop any reason for this?
ANS: (I said I will think on this and shown I went in loops…I felt this is just crap no reason I can see ) Maam I don’t see reason for this

(OK Rushikesh tell me this when you will find it in future!!!)

Q. Rushikesh…tell me why manhole called as manhole?
ANS: Told I don’t know but might be due to Man should not fall through the it … (no satisfaction on his face)

Q. So Rushikesh why manhole cover is only circular? Why not other shapes?
ANS: Sir don’t know but try to guess (he said go ahead)
Sir only circular shape don’t have edges so it will not affect to the tiers of wheels (he said no )
Sir circular shape is optimum use of area (he said no )
Then he said can you put the cover inside …..I got the hint thanks…. reason same as the cover of cooker being circular so that it should not fall inside…and I like to correct my earlier and that manhole named as Manhole because through it man can go inside…bingo!!!

Q. So how many calls Rushikesh ?
Ans: Thankfully all six sir …

Q. So how you compare your performance in A and C ?
ANS: Bata diya….GD more better than this GD.. I can’t compare as my C PI yet not over.
Q. Consider your C PI is over here …
ANS : Then I rate IIM C better than A.

Q. Why A guys stressed you in PI ?
ANS: No sir actually I missed some sitters there something related to my BE project.

Q. Where do you think you stand in our GD ?
ANS: Sir I think I am in top three.

Q. So how you compare A with C ?
ANS: Sir I think A,B,C are all at same level and this time I am not in position no differentiate between them but I seen many good things with IIM C like…its becoming consulting hub. As I am looking forward for career in this area it is better for me…one more good thing is it’s initiative in social area whose motto has same as my long term goal….so looking at all this I thing IIM C will be better choice for me….but still after result I will do further analysis and decide between the call I get.

Ok thank you very much Rushikesh…All the Best for Your….

Such a marathon PI but no stress no grilling I really enjoyed it.

So will CAL call me ? Time being I will cross fingers, toes. legs ,arms all that I can cross !!!

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Journey half traveled.

I finished with the half of the IIMs. The other half with two big Bs poised in it is big challenge ahead.. After the IIM A almost going on toss my hopes are now on B and C.
I heard that C is (ill)famous for the tricky questions on the Maths so I think I need to prepare for that.
As usual nothing can be said about the B but one thing is sure if I have to put my money on any of the IIM before results I will put it on IIM B as there preference to the work experience, which I have enough.
Surely, I can’t afford to be complacent and need to continue the good show….so here is the action plan for the rest of three.

Maths…I think I need to put much efforts here.
Economics…..ET in classroom should suffice here.
Industrial Management…..the management subject that I studied in 3rd year.
Two Books to talk on……I will choose Future of India and Fortune at the Bottom of the pyramid.
IIM I ka biggggggggggg form……it looks bit scary but I need to work on this also.

I hope this much will be sufficient dose for the last stage of my IIM race.

NITIE.....Dho Dala !!!

After the comparatively disappointing day with IIM L yesterday I was eager to show the improvements and NITIE was good stage before the 2 big encounters with B and C.
So here are my experiences with the NITIE….

Process:

I reached at NITIE between 8-8.30 am for the registration. Then we were asked to assemble in the Auditorium for the presentation on NITIE and it’s activities.
HATS off to the IMPACT team for such a good presentation and also overall support during the entire procedure.

Then we were called for the documents verification and then group for the GD is formed there.
There were 12 people in the group.

Rules of the Game

The topic displayed on the laptop kept in front of us.
2 mins to think and 18 mins to discuss and last 2 mins for group to conclude.

Topic :

The skills learnt from the management subjects will not match that learnt from the actual experience.

I was sitting in the middle so good position to get command over the group.
I put some very good points and also earned good reputation from the group members.
I was at my best today !!!! So GD was cakewalk for me.

PI

I came to know the PI having panel of 6. I thought it is good, I will have good variety of questions and it went as follows….

Q: Describe yourself
Me: My standard answer... they stop me meanwhile and started asking questions.

Q: You are from COEP ? There is name change what the new name ?
Me: Sir they changed it to PIET and then again to COEP

Q: Why there is name change ?
Me: Sir…150 years brand value so alumni opposed the name change.

Q: Do you participated in the rowing in college boat club ?
Me: No sir I am not a good swimmer.

Q: So that means you have fear of water ?
Me: Not true sir….rowing and water sports never fascinated me and actually I am too busy with the my other activities.

Q: It feel you are interest in indoor activities? Is it right ?
Me: No sir ….I done lot of things, which were outdoor like sports and other events.

Q: What are your hobbies ? Apart from work what you do ?
Me : Sir I coordinate the activities of my group SPANDAN.

Q:What is SPANDAN ? What you do in it ?
Me: Sir we perform various activities like ……and I coordinates and sometimes participate in them.

Q: Rushikesh why not ISB ?
Me: Sir I think ISB need more work experience and also for me a two year course will more apt than one year course ?

Q: So what do think how many years of work ex require for ISB ?
Me: I think 3+ is sufficient sir. But I think the quality of work experience is more important than the quantity here.

Q: So you mean you don’t have quality work ex ?
Me: No sir….but it is true that as I changed my job so most of the time I was under grooming and last 6 months I am working on the leadership role,

Q: What are you doing in TCS ?
ME: I am working in TCS-Nortel CDMA ODC, I am working in regression testing sir. (seems they are clueless here !!!)

Q: Why we should take you ?
ME: Sir,,,,my diverse background I work from assembly line to the IT so that will add value to my profile.

Q: Do you like to work for TCS after MBA ?
Me:Surely…..if they will be offering me work in my area of interest.

Q: So what is your area of interest ?
Me: It is consulting sir,,,but still I will give the thought during my first year of MBA about my specialization.

Q: Which schools you attended ?
Me: (Took it wrong like….Which schools you work for ? I though he is asking on SPANDAN again….) sir LNHV school and junior college in Jamkhed located in Ahemdnagar district.

Q: Why Bajaj don’t offer you profile in R&D ?
Me: No sir they put me in other departments.

Q: What is VAT ? Why they call it as Value Added when actually they are taxing you ?
Me: Sir it is actually the tax on the value added so that the cascading effect of the taxing get avoided.

Q: What is ProVAT ? It is something came before the VAT ?
Me: No idea sir.

Q:What is diff between VAT and MAT ?
Me: I told the definitions of two….but told I can’t differentiate between two.

Q: What are your long term goals?
Me : Bata Diya

Q: You applied to IIMS ?
Me: Yes and thankfully I got calls from all six of them.

Q: So which interviews you finished ?
Me: AKL sir ….rest yet to finish.
(Suddenly the panel became silent like they feel anyways this guys will not going to join NITIE so why to waste more time)

Thank You !!!

I used my mantra of 5c perfectly so I can say I was at my best in PI also….

No wonder if NITIE give me a final call.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

I think NO Luck Now !!!

After my 2 encounters I am feeling that my Luck Account is depleted badly and that you will also agree after reading my experience with the IIM L.

Place : Dadar Mumbai
Day : Thu 07/03
Time : 2pm Panel 2

Rule of the game
1. We had asked to write a essay in 150 words on given topic.
2. Then is was followed by the 15 min GD and then PI.

TOPIC: The cost of living is increasing and the chance of living is decreasing.
About the Group


Frankly the whole discussion lack liveliness. I can blame is for the 2 people being absent so only 8 people in the group and no one is picking others points and coming with his/her own views. I wonder how the discussion went on middle class having resources but lacked happiness. Someone also tried talking on philosophical view....me chipped in 6-7 time and here are the points brought.

1. Cost of living ....cost to fulfill basic needs.
2. We have developing economies still the fruits of development is not getting distributed equally.
3. Given stats... India though growing at 8 % per annum still we have 25 percent on paper and 38 percent people below poverty line also put forward the digital divide issue.
4. Take ex of India and China.....India have democracy and China have communism still both government are lacking in the overall development front.....so apart from the government to support the reforms the corporate should chipped in......they should go to the bottom of the pyramid like ITC e-choupal.
5. Why prices increases....inflation....we need to take care it.
6. Quoted Rach and Amartya Sen's work underline the poverty is results of economic mismanagement and poor reforms so we need to work on this.
Though my points look strong still I was not able to steal the show due to the my unusual stammering articulation and the others not picking my points so they are not getting discussed......what ever it may be but I was not at my best here.......can rate 06/10.

PI
The two guys before me were grilled on the acads and other stuff almost 20 mins each so I am expecting same treatment from the profs but here how it went

P1 : Can you close the door well ?
Me : Ok sir.
P1: So your name is Rushikesh and your father's name is Chandrahas
Me: (What's in name sir...ask me what that mean I am ready with answer ).....Yes Sir !
P2: How you pronounce your sirname?
Me: (What is this man....??) me pronounce it .....Smile !!
P1: Tell me about yourself ?
Me: Standard 2 min ka ans.
P1: So why you left Bajaj and Join TCS?
Me: Told him the reason
P1: (looking into my file ) You studied Industrial management ? What was there ?
Me: (Ohh the subject I read one day before exam) Said some weird things.
P1: No tell me something like list of topics ?
Me: Like sir various ways in which the industrial operations are handled like marketing HR finace
P1: What is similarity between marketing and HR?
Me: I told see HR job is to motivate people to perform best and same is the Marketing guy has to do he has to
motivate his team to increase the sell so both are people centric..
P1: But then every thing in management are people centric tell me something different
Me: (Not agreed boss....In finance I mange money ) No idea sir.
P1: tell me what is EVA ?
Me: Bata diya.
P1: How much is your EVA ?
Me : Bata diya.
P1: How do you calculate EVA in TCS?
Me : Bata diya.
P1: Not happy......but how you decide how to distribute the EVA ?
Me: (sab moh maaya hai sir ) I told sir appraisal decides rating and rating decides EVA.
P1: Who does your appraisal? Your boss? Is it 360 degree ?
Me: My immediate boss....no sir it is only unidirectional no 360 degree.
P2: In TCS context tell me what is internal and what is external clients ?
Me: No idea about the internal clients sir....External like Nortel GE......if I have to guess on the internal part I say employee and stakeholders....
(P1 Now looking thought my file.....no expressions )
P1: All companies main aim is to earn money ? Are you agree ?
Me: Yes I do agree on this and if you are earning money by good ways there is nothing bad about it....but at same time take example of TATA they spend 30 % of there PAT on the social causes....so there are exceptions also.
P2: What is TBEM (Tata Business Excellence Model ) ?
Me: Explained it.
P2: I want the quantitative model ?
Me: I remember there are 1000 points divided into the various areas ,...I told 485-500 for results ....85 each for 4 groups like leadership....quality and some other two aspects....
P2: What is these two aspects TELL ME ?
Me: Sir I can't recollect.
P2: Thik Hai !!!
P1: Do you remember your acads ?
Me: yes sir !!!
P1: What is Boolean algebra ?
Me: Bata diya ?
P1: Your know any other similar methods ?
Me: No sir...we studied only single
P1: He told some 3-4 extra terrestrial methods which was at least no there when I studied digital electronics....any idea on these ?
Me: No sir.
P1: What say P2 I think we done with you so you may leave now !!!!
Me: (What is this only 10 mins....sir ask some more things.... ) Thank You sir .....have a Nice Day..
That's it and I am done with the IIM L.....so here goes the tally....

IIM A : Gone on toss.....lets see head or tail in April.
IIMK : I am at my best....who care about the rest !!!!
IIM L : They are sure to take me or not to take me.....but I am not sure which one of these is final verdict so for the time being I will say No Luck Now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Success Mantra for Interview

After the two interviews with the IIMs and the lot of MOCK interviews during my training, I came up with the success formula for cracking the interviews. It is nothing but 5C:

Calmness: Always be calm before and while the interview. Loosing the calmness cost you lot when it come to the answering the questions. You should think before you answer and even if interviewer try to stress you this weapon will help you to defend yourself.

Coolness:Just be Cool” is the most widely used and less practiced clique. What actually means by being cool? I will define it as just don’t loose your normal thought process. It will make conversation as simple as you are talking with your friend. Genuine smile on you face surely helps you a lot here.

Composed: You should look composed. It includes way you carry yourself in interview like using voice modulation, body language and of course the way you put forward your views. In nut shell the interviewer should see a hidden future manager inside you here.

Confident: Yes!!! This is very important aspect of a manager’s personality so why not to show it also. Just think a second or two about the question before you answer. Then decide if you know it or not and if you are guessing it tell them that I am not sure but it might be….
Even ‘don’t know’ in right way show more confidence than giving a bad try.

Courage: One should not loose one’s courage at any point of the time in interview.
Take every question as a new and don’t bother even if you have long history of don’t knows before. And don’t forget one thing your interview is not the end of everything.
Though it’s true that you badly need to get into the IIMs but IIMs also want candidates like you badly so its fare game hence don’t allow the pressure to daunt you here.

This all will definitely act as arrows in you arsenal but wait only arrows will not help you. You will need a strong bow of overall knowledge of various areas around which your interview will revolve so make sure you tight your strings before you hit the bulls eye,

This is all Gyan that I accumulated over the last 2 months.

I agreed that practicing it is difficult game but these are my weapons to tackle my next encounters. I will share with you how effective they proved in actual scenario in coming days.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Guess What is Coming Here For You ?

It is something new apart from the pangs of my IIM journey you will get to read from this blog now onwards.
So guess what I am coming with ???

MOVIE REVIEW -----NOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!! (Provided there is no other RDB will release soon)
BOOK REVIEW -------No I am definitely not THAT GREAT to review works of great minds.

So what left ……I will call it as SHARING A JOY OF READING

I am reading and going through lot many materials that touches many management areas so will like to share with you gist of what I gained from it.
You may not be a ASPIRING MANAGER to read this. In fact I am sure you will get interest in these toppics even if your are reluctant towards management.

Here comes something interesting I learn and like from the last week'sCOQ I attended.

The Parable of the Broken Window

I like this funda, definitely not due to it is outcome of some undesirable things but it proves that every cloud have a silver lining.

Yes….disaster like tsunami are really cost all the mankind badly but still if you look beyond, it is fueling growth in the affected areas and friends this is nothing but the
Beauty of the Economics.

One more good thing that happened this week is I purchased 9 bestsellers in management (Good news for you is, you don’t need to purchase them….as I am going to share it will you ) and thanks to the TCS professional membership policy I dare to pay the bill also.

Here is the list

The Future of India --------------------Bimal Jalan
The End of Poverty---------------------Jeffery Sachs
8th Habit ------------------------------- Stephen Covey
Smart Leadership-----------------------Gita Piramal
The Tipping Point-----------------------Malcolm Gladwell
The Fortune at the Bottom of The Pyramid --Prahalad
Good to Great ---------------------------Jim Collins
Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance-----Louis Grestener
The World is flat ------------------------Thomas Fredmans

I don’t know how much of it I can cover next coming days as schedule is already packed with the IIM encounters but still something like The Parable of the Broken Window will not allow me to hold for longer time, so stay tuned.