I am still alive. I know its been almost a month since I blogged but I was busy with a lot of things. Plus, I wanted to post only when everything was in place for this MBA year. And fortunately things have fallen in place over the past 4 weeks. I have also formally resigned from work and the next two weeks will be all about handing over. Then am off to a much awaited month long holiday before moving to Singapore on 1st of Jan.
I have confirmed a condo at Heritage View. Its a 3 bedroom unit which we got for SGD 4600, which seems to a very good deal, and I will be sharing it with a European tech consultant and an Asian banker. They both seem to be really fun people and am sure we will have a great time next year. We need to, especially because the world around us is falling apart and recruitment at INSEAD is totally screwed up. My advice to guys coming in for future promotions is look for a condo first and then flat mates. If you can get your hands on a good deal then people will always be willing to share it with you.
I started with one of the books from the pre-reading list and it was really a silly book. If you have read Freakonomist or Undercover Economist then you can definitely skip Principles of Microeconomics. I couldn't get my hands on the other two books which are all about hardcore financial models but am sure they are the ones which do need to be covered beforehand. But one thing worried me. You see my view is when you study something, it helps you develop new ways of looking at a situation. But in the book I read, at the end of every chapter there were silly questions like "Name the 7 models.." and honestly speaking I think that is a load of bollocks. I think education should be about reading new concepts and then applying them to a situation to show how much you have learned instead of just writing down the name of concepts you came across. I honestly hope this is not the case at INSEAD.
My finances are sorted out. Got a scholarship from INSEAD and also secured a small student loan from Prodigy Finance. Initially I was not keen for student loans but given the current economic situation, I was not too sure if I should dry up my financial resources. Don't want to be unemployed and broke. This scholarship and student loan will allow me to have a comfortable MBA year and my savings will ensure I have something to fall back on in case no recruiter shows me love next year.
There needs to be a special mention here for Prodigy Finance. What comes to your mind when you think of a Loan? For me it is, first a well dressed rep talking in some non human language about all sorts of conditions and stuff, then a truck load of papers which you need to submit for your case and finally another truck load of papers which you need to read and sign. With Prodigy, you can cut it all out. Its a very simple process and they have structured it really well.
Prodigy was started by a couple of INSEAD grads. Their view was that INSEAD looks for truly international people and often most of such people find it difficult to raise finances in their home country due to their global career or quite a lot of applicants come from emerging markets where the cost of MBA converts into a few millions. They aim to help such candidates by raising funds from INSEAD alumni, recruiters etc. and offer student loan to only those people who have already been accepted to INSEAD. Plus having themselves been through the process, they are able to look at a candidate's profile and evaluate if it will be worth anything in the market post MBA. Of course you have to do the traditional background/ credit check but even that has been simplified to a large extent. In my case for example, I have never used a credit product and a credit check on me would result in "no trace". The only catch is that they cannot guarantee a loan to every applicant as the funds they are able to raise is limited. But nonetheless they are doing an excellent job and hats off to them !!
At work, I have been officially relieved of my duties although I will continue to work for the next 2 weeks. This job has been a life changing experience for me. I came in as a clueless boy and am leaving as an ambitious, capable man. This job really broadened my perspective and gave me the balls to dream big. And I am leaving not because I am unhappy with the job but because I have set higher goals for myself which cannot be achieved from this platform.
So finally, I really am moving on to INSEAD.
By the way if you are thinking about what the recruitment scene at INSEAD is at the moment, then let me be the one to tell you this - its all fucked up at the moment. Jobs are hard to come by and even though firms are coming in, the offers aren't. I will be able to get some solid numbers on recruitment only when am at the campus but don't be surprised is recruitment at time of graduation is around 50%.
Showing posts with label INSEAD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label INSEAD. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
One year to challenge yourself !
This is what INSEAD says and you bet your ass its true. Right from GMAT to applications to actually moving to INSEAD. Its a tough ride and given the current economic situation, it also becomes highly unpredictable. I did not post in the last 2 weeks as I was running around like a headless chicken. I was excited about INSEAD but at the same time nervous about the whole transition. Yesterday I was talking to a potential applicant and he said once GMAT is smashed, everything will fall into place. That is so god damn wrong. If you had access to INSEAD portal you will know how so many of admits are working hard for raising funds for this MBA. Plus there is also a big question about the employment scene next year.
Argh....am sick of challenging myself. And its still P0!
On scholarships I got pre-selected for one of the juiciest scholarship worth Euro 25k. But I screwed up in the interview and here I am back to square one. I still have two applications pending but I dont expect much. Right now I am preparing for funding this MBA year all by myself and at many times I do question if this is the right thing to do. Am I being lazy about career building and going for this expensive MBA as an easier way out? Only time will tell.
Last week I was out traveling and met a French admit and it was quite reassuring to get a feel of the kind of people I will be studying with next year. Young, ambitious, smart risk takers. The only disappointment was that we failed to achieve our goal for the evening, which was Drinks>Dinner>Drinks>Drinks>Breakfast>Sleep. Somewhere in the early hours right before breakfast, we both had to give up and go back home. J, if you reading this then we gotta do it again at Sgp !
I also spoke to my contacts in Consulting across APac. Message is simple - Consulting is still seeing significant growth across Asia and recruitment will be strong next year. But firms will look for the fit in terms of regional experience, language skills etc. On banking side, the picture is really gloomy.
Agenda for this week:
- Resign - Yes...finally its time for me to f off my employers. I am planning on scheduling a telecon later today, talk about some important project and our growth and shit and right in the middle of it all, I will say..."urmm...listen fellas...go screw yourselves...am outta here". Naah...only in my dreams. I am going to speak to my Directors and be cordial about this whole stuff. I still have got money stuck with the firm which I need badly and above all, they gave me the opportunity which helped me become a stronger professional. I know I am being politically correct here but its the truth. No one else would have given me the opportunity to run a full scale business at the age of 25.
- Setting things up for the relocation. Accommodation, flat-mates, lease etc. etc. Waiting for confirmation on available condos and then will look for partners to share with.
Argh....am sick of challenging myself. And its still P0!
On scholarships I got pre-selected for one of the juiciest scholarship worth Euro 25k. But I screwed up in the interview and here I am back to square one. I still have two applications pending but I dont expect much. Right now I am preparing for funding this MBA year all by myself and at many times I do question if this is the right thing to do. Am I being lazy about career building and going for this expensive MBA as an easier way out? Only time will tell.
Last week I was out traveling and met a French admit and it was quite reassuring to get a feel of the kind of people I will be studying with next year. Young, ambitious, smart risk takers. The only disappointment was that we failed to achieve our goal for the evening, which was Drinks>Dinner>Drinks>Drinks>Breakfast>Sleep. Somewhere in the early hours right before breakfast, we both had to give up and go back home. J, if you reading this then we gotta do it again at Sgp !
I also spoke to my contacts in Consulting across APac. Message is simple - Consulting is still seeing significant growth across Asia and recruitment will be strong next year. But firms will look for the fit in terms of regional experience, language skills etc. On banking side, the picture is really gloomy.
Agenda for this week:
- Resign - Yes...finally its time for me to f off my employers. I am planning on scheduling a telecon later today, talk about some important project and our growth and shit and right in the middle of it all, I will say..."urmm...listen fellas...go screw yourselves...am outta here". Naah...only in my dreams. I am going to speak to my Directors and be cordial about this whole stuff. I still have got money stuck with the firm which I need badly and above all, they gave me the opportunity which helped me become a stronger professional. I know I am being politically correct here but its the truth. No one else would have given me the opportunity to run a full scale business at the age of 25.
- Setting things up for the relocation. Accommodation, flat-mates, lease etc. etc. Waiting for confirmation on available condos and then will look for partners to share with.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Things to do
After one hell of a weekend, its time to get working now. Job is going steady with sufficient work load and I need to start preparing for my INSEAD year. I now need to really sit down and figure out all the things which need to be taken care of straight away.
1. Resign from my job - I work under the Board of Directors of my company. All of them are very busy at this time but I have to get this done sooner than later. I want to give them enough time to fill my gap.
2. Secure finances - This is a tough one. I have some savings which wont be enough. I applied for 4 scholarships and should get the result by end of September. Raising loan from Banks seems to be difficult as I have never worked in my home country. Might just have to borrow from family and am really dreading that moment. But as of now, it will be waiting for Scholarship decisions.
3. Accommodation at Sgp - Dover & Heritage seem to be obvious favourites. But both are significantly expensive. Especially the two real estate firms mentioned on INSEAD Connect. At this point I am not sure what kind of accommodation I will need. My wife doesnt want to move to Singapore without a job and we need to figure that out latest by mid November. I would really miss her if she doesnt come along but I also totally understand her viewpoint. She wants to build up a career and thats great. But without knowing if she will be coming along or not, it doesnt make sense going apartment hunting.
4. Pack and Move - This is perhaps the easiest one. Packing shouldnt take more than a couple of days. Right now am thinking of leaving my job/ country by end of November. Would like to spend whole of December catching up with family & friends and of course a short vacation with my wife.
5. Pre-reading - The books mentioned are expensive (like most other things within the INSEAD loop). I am kind of fearing the quant heavy side of it and need to get started before its too late.
6. Exit Language - Mandarin will be my exit language and INSEAD needs basic fluency level. I am able to carry out pretty decent conversation in Mandarin but when it comes to reading or writing, then everything goes blank. I need to be able to read about 150-200 characters to get through this hurdle but as of now all Mandarin characters look the same to me.
7. GMAT - Yes, I really need to improve my GMAT. I will need it when gunning for placements during second half of 2009. From 660, I need to move up to at least 700. My Quant is acceptable, I averaged around 47-49, but Verbal is really weak and I really dont know why it is so. I scored 37 in GMAT verbal and need to be around 41+ to achieve 700 in GMAT.
Aargh...way too many things to do.
I will start working on my exit language from today. 1 hour everyday should get me at least 20 characters and I need about 200 to get through the test. Next in line is resigning from my job and I am hoping to do it sometime within this week. Actually the truth is, I have a part of my bonus still with the HR and I want to get it out before resigning. I dont want to be in a messed up situation where HR from UK and China are passing the ball and making my life difficult.
So thats it - Language + Resignation for this week !!
1. Resign from my job - I work under the Board of Directors of my company. All of them are very busy at this time but I have to get this done sooner than later. I want to give them enough time to fill my gap.
2. Secure finances - This is a tough one. I have some savings which wont be enough. I applied for 4 scholarships and should get the result by end of September. Raising loan from Banks seems to be difficult as I have never worked in my home country. Might just have to borrow from family and am really dreading that moment. But as of now, it will be waiting for Scholarship decisions.
3. Accommodation at Sgp - Dover & Heritage seem to be obvious favourites. But both are significantly expensive. Especially the two real estate firms mentioned on INSEAD Connect. At this point I am not sure what kind of accommodation I will need. My wife doesnt want to move to Singapore without a job and we need to figure that out latest by mid November. I would really miss her if she doesnt come along but I also totally understand her viewpoint. She wants to build up a career and thats great. But without knowing if she will be coming along or not, it doesnt make sense going apartment hunting.
4. Pack and Move - This is perhaps the easiest one. Packing shouldnt take more than a couple of days. Right now am thinking of leaving my job/ country by end of November. Would like to spend whole of December catching up with family & friends and of course a short vacation with my wife.
5. Pre-reading - The books mentioned are expensive (like most other things within the INSEAD loop). I am kind of fearing the quant heavy side of it and need to get started before its too late.
6. Exit Language - Mandarin will be my exit language and INSEAD needs basic fluency level. I am able to carry out pretty decent conversation in Mandarin but when it comes to reading or writing, then everything goes blank. I need to be able to read about 150-200 characters to get through this hurdle but as of now all Mandarin characters look the same to me.
7. GMAT - Yes, I really need to improve my GMAT. I will need it when gunning for placements during second half of 2009. From 660, I need to move up to at least 700. My Quant is acceptable, I averaged around 47-49, but Verbal is really weak and I really dont know why it is so. I scored 37 in GMAT verbal and need to be around 41+ to achieve 700 in GMAT.
Aargh...way too many things to do.
I will start working on my exit language from today. 1 hour everyday should get me at least 20 characters and I need about 200 to get through the test. Next in line is resigning from my job and I am hoping to do it sometime within this week. Actually the truth is, I have a part of my bonus still with the HR and I want to get it out before resigning. I dont want to be in a messed up situation where HR from UK and China are passing the ball and making my life difficult.
So thats it - Language + Resignation for this week !!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
INSEAD Application
INSEAD application requires you to write about 7 essays. You can also go for the additional optional one but I skipped that. Your essays have to be precise and present your personality well. INSEAD selection process is pretty intense and my view is that roughly 30-40% applicants are selected for interviews and about 40-50% of interviewed candidates are offered admits. Interviews are easy as it is about your personality and the way you conduct conversations. If you are ambitious, international and an interesting person to be with, then interviews will be a walk in the park for you. (Still, a great interview doesnt necessarily mean an admit)
Therefore it is very important that you do your applications really well.
Before you start, spend considerable amount of time on your product pitch. You should know what you are trying to sell, your USPs, your strengths, your personality etc. And then you have to build your essays around it. With 7 essays of low word count, chances are your whole application will be read in one go. So what do you want the reader to walk away with?
In my essays, I avoided too much technical or business information. I used stories from both professional and personal life. I knew what I was trying to sell - young, successful with business building experience in unfamiliar territories and truly international professional with great soft skills who is bound to pursue entrepreneurial ventures which will lead to community development. That was my pitch, and I used different stories from my life to reflect these elements. Whatever you want to pursue in your post MBA career, make sure you have something to connect your past with it. If you have no connection then show your passion and genuine interest through actual actions. If I say I want to become an astronaut then I should have at least visited the top Space Museums and did one of those weekend programs. There should be a connection. When you say you are going to save the world then make sure you saved at least a small county in your past.
A few things you might consider:
- Your essays have to be crisp and with the word limit you need to work with, avoid technical/ business details where possible. You might be really keen to use all the business lingo but may be its not worth it. The AdCom is looking for a well rounded candidate and not a guy who uses the word Strategy in every sentence.
- Include examples from different facets of your life. Show them that you are a fun person and will fit well with INSEAD's culture of work hard play hard(er).
- Career Goal essay is perhaps the most important/ difficult essay. You cannot possibly be too specific about your post MBA goals (working as an Associate with BCG in the Pharmaceutical practice in London). But you can give a fairly reasonable idea. Like, working with C level executives from consumer goods in emerging markets on boosting bottom lines. It could be an internal consultant position or a position with one of the tier 1 firms. Your essay should give an indication about the geographic region and nature of role and the why/how of it. You have a past, you are gunning for a particular future 10/20/30 years from now, and this MBA will help you implement the road map you have prepared for your journey.
Whatever you do, do it with an absolute honest intent. Dont kid yourself or try to bullshit the adcom. It wont work. Unless you are really convinced about where you want to be, what you want to be doing, how do you expect to convince others about it?
For word limit, most of my essays were within limit+10%. You can do the same if needed, but dont go way beyond the limit. These essays are designed to be a comfortable read for the AdCom. Keep it that way.
All the best.
Therefore it is very important that you do your applications really well.
Before you start, spend considerable amount of time on your product pitch. You should know what you are trying to sell, your USPs, your strengths, your personality etc. And then you have to build your essays around it. With 7 essays of low word count, chances are your whole application will be read in one go. So what do you want the reader to walk away with?
In my essays, I avoided too much technical or business information. I used stories from both professional and personal life. I knew what I was trying to sell - young, successful with business building experience in unfamiliar territories and truly international professional with great soft skills who is bound to pursue entrepreneurial ventures which will lead to community development. That was my pitch, and I used different stories from my life to reflect these elements. Whatever you want to pursue in your post MBA career, make sure you have something to connect your past with it. If you have no connection then show your passion and genuine interest through actual actions. If I say I want to become an astronaut then I should have at least visited the top Space Museums and did one of those weekend programs. There should be a connection. When you say you are going to save the world then make sure you saved at least a small county in your past.
A few things you might consider:
- Your essays have to be crisp and with the word limit you need to work with, avoid technical/ business details where possible. You might be really keen to use all the business lingo but may be its not worth it. The AdCom is looking for a well rounded candidate and not a guy who uses the word Strategy in every sentence.
- Include examples from different facets of your life. Show them that you are a fun person and will fit well with INSEAD's culture of work hard play hard(er).
- Career Goal essay is perhaps the most important/ difficult essay. You cannot possibly be too specific about your post MBA goals (working as an Associate with BCG in the Pharmaceutical practice in London). But you can give a fairly reasonable idea. Like, working with C level executives from consumer goods in emerging markets on boosting bottom lines. It could be an internal consultant position or a position with one of the tier 1 firms. Your essay should give an indication about the geographic region and nature of role and the why/how of it. You have a past, you are gunning for a particular future 10/20/30 years from now, and this MBA will help you implement the road map you have prepared for your journey.
Whatever you do, do it with an absolute honest intent. Dont kid yourself or try to bullshit the adcom. It wont work. Unless you are really convinced about where you want to be, what you want to be doing, how do you expect to convince others about it?
For word limit, most of my essays were within limit+10%. You can do the same if needed, but dont go way beyond the limit. These essays are designed to be a comfortable read for the AdCom. Keep it that way.
All the best.
PO
Right now am in P0. I have the admit and I have to exit from my job, go for a holiday, secure finances and also get everything sorted out for Singapore.
The feeling is great. I am still giving my 100% to my company but at the same time I dont have to put up with the non sensical things around as I will be leaving soon. What I am really looking forward to is my resignation letter and the report which I plan to submit thereafter. In the report I want to highlight areas where the company needs to improve if they want to survive the global economic slowdown, how they can build up from where I leave and the options they have on filling my gap.
I am sure quite a few of you are eagerly waiting for that moment when you know you have that precious admit and you just cant wait to bid adieu to your employer.
It will happen. Be patient.
The feeling is great. I am still giving my 100% to my company but at the same time I dont have to put up with the non sensical things around as I will be leaving soon. What I am really looking forward to is my resignation letter and the report which I plan to submit thereafter. In the report I want to highlight areas where the company needs to improve if they want to survive the global economic slowdown, how they can build up from where I leave and the options they have on filling my gap.
I am sure quite a few of you are eagerly waiting for that moment when you know you have that precious admit and you just cant wait to bid adieu to your employer.
It will happen. Be patient.
Why INSEAD?
When I was looking at business schools to target, I had a clear approach. I pulled out the latest FT Rankings, and researched each of the top 15 schools. Of course you can argue if FT is reliable or not or if ranking really matters. My view is that each one of us during our professional years develop some sort of loyalty to any particular business publication. It could be Business Week, Financial News, FT etc. Whatever it is, your loyalty will create a sense of reliability and that will influence your approach. I have been loyal to FT for years and therefore looked up only FT and nothing else. I am not saying it is the best one out there, but it serves me well. As for rankings, yes it does matter when creating your initial targets.
I knew what I wanted from my target school:
- Short program, starting sooner than later.
- A school where my Asian experience could be leveraged well.
- Strong orientation towards my target industry.
- Truly global program.
- Certain degree of intensity in both academics and social set up. (aka. work hard play hard)
- And, within my budget.
INSEAD and IMD fit my requirements very well. Both are great schools and because INSEAD scored better on my parameters, I decided to apply only to INSEAD in the calendar year. I was also a bit younger for IMD and another year would not have hurt my chances.
School selection needs significant efforts. Dont go about random applications as it will take you no where. You should know what you expect from your school and then do your research to identify suitable schools. I spoke to a number of graduates, recruiters and also met INSEAD representatives at an MBA fair.
The more efforts you put in your school selection, the stronger will be your essays/ interview performance. Each school is positioned strongly for certain industries, geographic regions, nature of recruitment etc. And when you are risking a fortune for an MBA it is but obvious that you do your homework.
I knew what I wanted from my target school:
- Short program, starting sooner than later.
- A school where my Asian experience could be leveraged well.
- Strong orientation towards my target industry.
- Truly global program.
- Certain degree of intensity in both academics and social set up. (aka. work hard play hard)
- And, within my budget.
INSEAD and IMD fit my requirements very well. Both are great schools and because INSEAD scored better on my parameters, I decided to apply only to INSEAD in the calendar year. I was also a bit younger for IMD and another year would not have hurt my chances.
School selection needs significant efforts. Dont go about random applications as it will take you no where. You should know what you expect from your school and then do your research to identify suitable schools. I spoke to a number of graduates, recruiters and also met INSEAD representatives at an MBA fair.
The more efforts you put in your school selection, the stronger will be your essays/ interview performance. Each school is positioned strongly for certain industries, geographic regions, nature of recruitment etc. And when you are risking a fortune for an MBA it is but obvious that you do your homework.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Moment !!
INSEAD decision deadlines are usually Friday. For J09 applicants, the deadline was Friday 29th August. Going by the trend most admit calls/ emails were expected by Wednesday 27th August, a mix of admit and waitlisted on Thursday 28th August and mostly dings for 29th.
I was following the action on BW forums (have to say it is the most active MBA forum). On 27th, quite a few people got admit calls. My heart sank a little. But the saving grace was that no one heard anything from my admission coordinator. On 28th, I was hoping for news to start pouring out by 10 am Paris time, but nothing happened. It was very quiet. By around 3pm Paris time I had kind of given up and was preparing for a formal dinner with German colleagues. Throughout the dinner I was looking at my phone hoping to get the call anytime.
By 4pm, waitlist emails stared going out. The next 20 mins was mostly one waitlist after another. I reached home by 4.40pm. Still no news and I was losing it. I knew I was going to be dinged as I should have definitely heard back if I were either accepted or waitlisted. By 4.50 pm, I tried calling my admission coordinator only to reach her voice mail.
Finally by 5 pm, with a gloomy face I logged onto BW forum to bid my farewell. As I was logging in, my iMail beeped with a new email. It was "INSEAD Confidential Final Decision". I MADE IT !!! The next 3-4 hours were just frantic calls to all my friends and dear ones. Lots of drinks and sleepless night. I dont think I am going to forget that evening for a long long time !
The thing with INSEAD application was that I knew that INSEAD was a perfect fit for me. Plus I also believed I was a natural INSEAD candidate (one interviewer mentioned this) and therefore it was the only MBA application I made. It was one of those moments where you know that you really deserve something but its the fear of an unknown factor which could turn things the other way.
Fortunately it all worked out well !!
I was following the action on BW forums (have to say it is the most active MBA forum). On 27th, quite a few people got admit calls. My heart sank a little. But the saving grace was that no one heard anything from my admission coordinator. On 28th, I was hoping for news to start pouring out by 10 am Paris time, but nothing happened. It was very quiet. By around 3pm Paris time I had kind of given up and was preparing for a formal dinner with German colleagues. Throughout the dinner I was looking at my phone hoping to get the call anytime.
By 4pm, waitlist emails stared going out. The next 20 mins was mostly one waitlist after another. I reached home by 4.40pm. Still no news and I was losing it. I knew I was going to be dinged as I should have definitely heard back if I were either accepted or waitlisted. By 4.50 pm, I tried calling my admission coordinator only to reach her voice mail.
Finally by 5 pm, with a gloomy face I logged onto BW forum to bid my farewell. As I was logging in, my iMail beeped with a new email. It was "INSEAD Confidential Final Decision". I MADE IT !!! The next 3-4 hours were just frantic calls to all my friends and dear ones. Lots of drinks and sleepless night. I dont think I am going to forget that evening for a long long time !
The thing with INSEAD application was that I knew that INSEAD was a perfect fit for me. Plus I also believed I was a natural INSEAD candidate (one interviewer mentioned this) and therefore it was the only MBA application I made. It was one of those moments where you know that you really deserve something but its the fear of an unknown factor which could turn things the other way.
Fortunately it all worked out well !!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
