My PGSEM (MBA@IIMB) 2010 Interview

My interview was on 24th April at 9 am. I reached the campus at around 8.35 am. At the classroom blocks gate, there were 2 persons from IIMB who told to go to room L11 for one essay writing. L11 was a techie class -- audio system, projector, smart system like credit card swipe machine for attendance ...or maybe I am out of college for 10 years now, that's why I got too fascinated by all that :). BTW my kid's school also has projector in all classrooms. Anyway, at 9 am we were given the topic -- Issues and challenges before Human Resource Management in India. 10 minutes were given to think through it and 20 mins to write the essay.

After the essay, we were given our interview schedule. There were multiple interview panels and I was in P2. Each group had 10 candidates. It was in M23 class.

I went to M23. There were 9 guys and 1 girl. One person from admin collected xerox of mark sheets/experience letters from each one of us. The interview started at around 10 am. I was 8th in the queue. Each interview lasted for some 20-30 mins with one taking almost 40 mins. It was a long wait. My turn came at around 1.20 pm. 3 hours I was just waiting and waiting on the chair, and yes there were 2 whose was after mine. There was one conference going on in the next classroom. During there second tea break, one guy actually asked me whom I am waiting for there for so long. I told him about PGSEM interview -- he smiled and wished me luck.

Finally 1.20 pm!!

There were 2 members in the interview panel -- lets call them P1 and P2. I don't know there names,

They offered me seat. Probably it has been too long for them also taking interviews, so may be it was fun time for them :)

The interview started -- no question about introduction.

P1: This is your 4th company. Why did I do so, and at hindsight do I think it was good or bad for me?
I told the reasons why I changed -- some gyan that I wanted to go into development only. In first job after development, I landed into maintenance type work which I didn't want to do. Second company got merged with someone and was not doing well. 3rd one didn't have too many projects....and so on

P1: How do you think about software engineering as a career option, if you have to tell me to my son in 10th, what will you say?
Only job where constantly paid to study/learn, lot of things newly coming every now and then, unlearn and learn...that's why it never gets boring + its better to do MS than jump straightway into job...and so on

P2: But whats the point when you can loose jobs, no guarantee, very few jobs..
Its with all private sector. Agreed that only 5-7 lakhs are software engineers, but its a plush job and where potential is unlimited. Lot of indirect jobs are also getting created because of this. And yes, we need more sectors to open up like software -- biotech, BPOs etc

Now it was mostly P2 -- I don't know faculty or alumni, but P1 I think was faculty

In my SOP, i had put theme as entrepreneurship. Other than this, I was asked on nothing from SOP, and nothing else from anything else either.

P2: Do you have any ideas?
Yes

P2: Which ones
I told him one about retail and one in software (thanks to my office buddies. we have been discussing a lot about these for sometime now)

P2: He asked about retail -- have I done any analysis, what I would need, capital and other stuff
Somehow I managed

Then it was about my software idea

P2: You can start now itself, why need an MBA
I told that I can do, but once it scales up I will need all the skills in sales/marketing blah blah

P2 was not convinced. He was trying to portray I don't need MBA or maybe he was checking if I am myself clear about why I want to do MBA and what I want to do after MBA:)

P2: You can do MBA from Bangalore university or elsewhere. Some correspondence course, why waste time and money
Told him no correspondence course can match the learning of class, and when you want everything best for you, then why not get trained by the best college in country

P2 was still not convinced. Many times to his questions I asked him  -- I don't agree or I don't buy this.

P2: Do you have any stats on how many students have graduated
I told him I don't know about PGP, but PGSEM around 500-600

P2: There have been thousands of students altogether, but we have not heard any great stories on entrepreneurship. So again I don't need MBA

P2: In business you need selling skills, which you have as you are unconsciously trying to sell why we should take you.
I replied for a businessman these things should come consciously and blah blah

P2: Its just theory in class, how will theory help you in business.
I said PGSEM being a part time course is a great advantage. Whatever we learn in class can try to apply those concepts during workweek. Its actually 2.5 years of practical, and its upto the candidate what he wants to take from this course.

Thankfully track of interview shifted now.

P2: If you are asked to handle some project, which model you will use
I couldn't get the question -- maybe because of so much of defense which I did for why I need to do this MBA. Actually he was asking about waterfall/spiral/agile model etc

P1: If we don't take you, what will you do
May be I will apply again next year

P2: But will you continue your business
Surely I will do

P2: But will you apply again next year
Yes, I will do both things.

GOOD LUCK.

Keeping my fingers crossed!!!

More on PGSEM can be found here.