SP Jain Singapore - Dubai - Jan 2008 intake Interview experience

So my first MBA interview for the year is done. Like i mentioned in my previous post, i was waitlisted for interview by ISB!! :(( i really don’t know why. I have a GMAT score of 710/5.0 and good acads and very good extra curriculars (compared to the general population). I mean, how many can claim to have had the chance of going on an international exchange program while at school or being the state level award winning college magazine editor!! and yet, they chose to waitlist me :( Anyway, im hoping to get a call from them.

When i was waitlisted for ISB, i panicked... Yes... and thats why i applied for SP Jain Singapore - Dubai - Jan 2008 intake (initially i had decided on applying for the June intake only after i had exhausted the 2 other schools i was looking at - ISB and GLIM). To cut the story short, i got short listed for the interview and had to fly in on the 24th of Nov, 2007. The first surprise was that Mumbai Airport is truly worldclass.. really I saw just the domestic terminal.. but man!! Its good.. Hope they maintain it like that.

Anyway, met many of the other prospectives in the flight itself or on reaching the airport.. went to the SPJCRM campus by auto. Had breakfast and went for the eval process. I had chosen 1Pm as my slot, but I requested to be accommodated for the 10:30 Am slot and was allowed to. First, we had to submit all the attested copies of certificates along with 3 photographs and 12 self addressed sticker labels(!! IS SPJ so short on cash that they cant print addresses??).

After having done that, we were given 20 Mins for a case study. Mine was “Indian companies have been going Global over the past 15 yrs. As the head of a company that has its roots set in the Indian market, what would be your 3 strategies to take your products or services Global”. My points were – 1) Mergers and Acquisitions, 2) Tie up with established firms there and 3) Start ops in some of these countries. After that we were to write 2 essays which were personality based. Mine were 1) Who is the person who influenced you a lot in life and why. 2) What is your greatest personal achievement and why.

After this a lot of time was wasted waiting around for the GD and PI. One thing about the process is that you need to run behind the people managing the show to get yur slot for PI and GD (If you need that done according to your time) otherwise thay will take their own sweet time to call you (since there will be so many others who will be scheduling their PIs and GD as per their time).

Anyway I got to go to my PI soon afterwards. It was pure stress interview. Frankly it took me about 10 mins to realize that it’s a stress interview. And then I calmed myself down and started having fun along with them in answering the Qns. I think my interview lasted about 20 mins. They din ask me anything like describe yourself and such clichéd questions. Got right down to business. The first professor asked me to invest his 4 Crores. Yes… I had to ask him all sorts of Qns to get to know his requirement etc.. Looking back I should have asked for a piece of paper and written it down. I was doing it all in my head. Anyway, to cut the story short, I screwed up. And they told me so (well in better words obviously!!). I don’t remember all the qns they asked. But they did touch upon my present domain and y I want to do Wealth management. I liked the PI session. But they told me after my MBA ill be offered only 6L pa as fresh Wealth Manager. But I reckon it was part of interview process how I would do.

Then I had the GD. Topic – “International business are ruining local business establishments” . 8 of us. It was not a good grp. Im not happy with the GD performance. After that I was sent for verification of certificates following which I had the Director interview.

The Director interview was nothing great. He kept telling me to take IT instead of WM as my profile suited it the most and ill be shunned during placements as I wud be a fresher. I got the feeling that he was promoting IT. He “counseled” me on how ive been doing excellent wrk in my present domain etc and how it would be best for me to stick to that. Also the school will not be able to place me in a good firm with great salary. Probably only 6L pa. and wud I be happy with that. And asked him the following Qn – “The demographic of students joining SPJ or any premier institution for that matter comprises of 70 – 80% IT students. And most of these students opt for IB, WM and other financial specializations. If what you say is true, then how can these students be placed and how do you justify the 14.5L avg salary posted on your website.” In reply he said, “I still feel its best for u to join IT. As the director im honestly counseling you”. I had heard rumors that IB and WM were already full and they were conducting these last minute interviews to fill up seats for other specializations. I told him I need time to think of it. But after looking at the figures again, it does not make sense for me to spend 13-14L on the MBA and get a job with avg salary of 11L. if I simply shift my job right now, ill get close to that figure. I promptly mailed back to the Adcom that I was sticking to the WM specialization.

I felt the Director interview was pretty dodgy. He was trying to get me to commit to IT which I dint want. Im glad I dint give in at that time and asked for time to think about it. All in all, the experience was not too great (except the PI part, which I enjoyed a lot).