How, therefore, can businesses deliver the value consumers want without blowing their budgets on transportation logistics or impeding the flow of commodities vital to the global economy?

The answer is building resilient supply chains that withstand any disruption, including a pandemic and natural disaster. And this will happen with the expertise of supply chain management and logistics professionals with in-depth knowledge and hands-on working experience.

The world is shrinking and has become a global village now. COVID-19 was a turning point for the world economy, but it had already begun to shift. Simply put, the epidemic served as a catalyst for change. Consumer behaviour is changing. Fast shipping and high-quality goods are no longer incompatible. Global, digital, “always-on” economies are not just a thing of the future. It is already here.

Contribute to a More Resilient Supply Chain System

Supply chain management is no more just a part of the business operation but has become the core of it. Therefore, gain the necessary skills in logistics and contribute and excel in the following ways:

• Companies are constantly looking for experts to determine the correct investment needed to boost the organisation’s profitability. As a result of globalisation, employers in a range of industries—including producers, retailers, logistics service providers, and other fields—have expanded their demand for workers with supply chain management credentials.
• Your work prospects will surely increase once you have finished an MBA in Supply Chain Management in India. A wide range of opportunities will be presented to you, especially in the fields of planning and policy-making, inspiration, evaluation, product creation, and inventory control.
• Supply chain management is making a difference in this highly competitive business environment. Companies like Starbucks, Amazon and Walmart are leading rightfully to show the difference that strong supply chains and logistics make. Therefore, an MBA in Supply Chain Management in India will make you an irreplaceable resource and give you an edge.
• Supply chain management is also evolving with the changing needs of society and business operations. Therefore, along with the traditional aspect of resilient supply chains, it also touches areas such as reverse logistics, warehousing after-sales and returns. Hence, the need to do an MBA in Supply Chain Management in India.
• With everyone aware of the importance of supply chain management now, what will make you stand out? Yes, a bird’s eye view of supply chains and unique solutions will do. Pursuing an MBA in Supply Chain Management in India will equip professionals to understand the supply chain complexities, remove inefficiencies and develop low-cost & unique solutions.
• The MBA in Supply Chain Management scope is also huge. One can explore the field and work as a supply chain performance analyst, business operations manager, VP of supply chain operations, strategic sourcing manager, etc.

Keep up with the present digital and analytical developments in logistics and supply chain by getting a professional degree from a reputed institution.

Revel in the Culture of Learning by Doing at KIIT School of Management (KSOM)

KIIT School of Management aims to master the distribution network with a 2-year ‘super specialised’ MBA program known as MBA in Supply Chain Management.
The institution is effectively tapping the major boom in logistics and supply chain in India by generating a specialised skilled workforce in this field. The curriculum of KIIT School of Management is designed for industry by the industry and is updated with the latest technological advancements. So choose your area of specialisation and fulfil your ambitions.

The institution boasts of esteemed faculty that equips students with adequate tools to approach real-time problems with creative, dynamic, yet industry-relevant solutions.

The employability potential of graduates is very high here as there are plenty of options in the field of supply chain management in globalised India.

KIIT School of Management offers this MBA in Supply Chain Management course to a wide section of learners. Check out the eligibility criteria to see if you can apply here.

The future of logistics is going to be digitised, agile, versatile, dispersed across geographies, and truly open. So, how do we keep up? By facilitating our youth to garner the required knowledge and skills through an MBA in Supply Chain Management from an institution that is up-to-date with the changing trends, both in India and globally.

The post Rule the Future of Logistics with MBA in Supply Chain Management in India appeared first on KSOM.

Now, what is BBA course? This course is your starting point for diving into the field of management.

BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) is a three-year professional undergraduate program whose popularity has recently grown among students. The program teaches you the fundamentals of business and management and serves as a stepping stone if you want to advance your career into the corporate world.

It lays out the perfect groundwork if you want to start your own business or aspire to work as a manager in a corporation.

Explore the World of Business & Management with a BBA Course

 If you want to understand the nitty-gritty of business and management and want to make a well-informed and life-changing decision for yourself, then understand what is BBA course and what are the benefits of doing it instead of a BCA or any other course:

1. Highly In-demand Course

BBA benefits from the increased business-world competition. Businesses need people with strong managerial skills, and their capacity to excel in a variety of managerial positions provides them with an advantage over rivals. Businesses prefer to hire BBA graduates so they can train them to meet their demands. A person with the necessary abilities and solid understanding can imagine himself leading their team and fast moving up the corporate ladder.

2. Market Trend

The BBA curriculum emphasizes both the theoretical and practical facets of management. The curriculum is created and revised on a regular basis while taking into account the most recent technological advancements and business requirements. The need for BBA graduates will always be substantial due to the course’s widespread appeal because management is fundamental to all firms, big or small, and it cannot be eradicated.

3. Substantial Return on Investment

The salary scale is one of the most crucial considerations for students. The median compensation package for a BBA graduate is Rs. 4.59 LPA. Through your dedication and hard work, you can move up the corporate ladder quickly and receive a raise when changing employers. Compared to other programmes like engineering or medicine, BBA is also quite inexpensive in terms of course fees; as a result, the return on investment is very good.

4. Imparting Entrepreneurial and Interpersonal Skills

BBA is not just restricted to classroom learning. One gains a lot of knowledge regarding managerial, communication, and decision-making abilities. Students have the opportunity to study the sales, marketing, and operations domains because the BBA curriculum is created according to industry standards. Through industry visits, case studies, and internships, they are exposed to the working world and improve their personalities.

5. Higher Education

After receiving a BBA, students have a wide range of degree options to choose from, with an MBA emerging as one of the most popular options. Because it exposes students to industry-based learning, BBA is regarded as the ideal foundation degree for those who plan to study MBA in the future. The course will also enable the students to realize the speciation they can pursue while doing an MBA.

In this capitalistic and globalized world, there will never be a dearth of opportunities for management professionals. So, get admission into a reputed institution and explore what is BBA course.

Learn Both Within & Beyond the Discipline with KIIT School of Management (KSOM)

 KIIT School of Management is ranked 2nd in India by Times B School Ranking 2021 and offers a full-time BBA program divided into 6 semesters. Throughout the BBA course duration of 3 years, the institution aims to lay a strong foundation for key business principles through interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary learning approaches and executive education.

KIIT ensures that its students are leading the management market through a well-structured curriculum that is an absolutely rightful mix of core and specialized subjects of BBA course. Students can make a choice for a specialization in the 3rd year only.

The students will actually get to know the real essence of what is BBA course is with the faculty guided projects of KIIT School of Management.

The institution follows a proper admission process which the student will go through if they well-qualify the given eligibility criteria for the BBA course. The college also provides hostel facilities that enable the students to avail themselves of the on-campus facilities and enhance their experiential learning. Have a look at course fees to make a well-informed decision.

The BBA is a professional degree that provides excellent networking opportunities, which later aids in locating excellent employment opportunities and establishing connections with like-minded individuals. Add value to your BBA degree by doing it from a management school accredited by NAAC with an “A” grade and has a strong industry connect.

The post What is BBA Course? – Your Pathway to Become an Effective Business Leader appeared first on KSOM.

Being one of the highest academic degrees, a PhD in Management in India is primarily designed for candidates who wish to make a career in academia, teaching careers at business schools or research positions in the industry. Thus, a PhD in Management is committed to training candidates to excel in their chosen research areas and produce publication-quality work of global standards.

Moreover, there is a vast career scope after PhD in Management. The doctorate course prepares individuals for careers in teaching and research in management studies and careers in the government sector, corporate sector, and various organisations that require advanced analytical and research capabilities.

Career Scope After PhD in Management

The professionals in business administration have an opportunity to find ample job opportunities in the present corporate world. Therefore, a professional with a PhD in Management in India is highly desired in the job market. Additionally, the doctorate is much suited for individuals who wish to pursue a career as a University Professor or as a researcher in diverse areas of administration. A PhD in Management degree holder can also find a job in well-established private sector enterprises or government departments. Some of the job opportunities for candidates after PhD in Management in India are:

1. Jobs in Public Sector PhD degree holders in Management can find abundant job opportunities in the education sector. To be a University Professor, the individual must undergo competitive tests like NET conducted by UGC. Besides the education sector, doctorate holders have enough job opportunities in other government organisations, including:

• Steel Authority of India
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
• Indian Oil Corporation Ltd
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited

2. Jobs in Private Sector The students who have pursued PhD in Management in India can also get into senior job profiles in the private sector. These professionals are offered lucrative salaries along with attractive perks. Some of the job options for PhD degree holders in the private sector are:

• Private Banks
• Business Consultancies
• Brand & Marketing
• Personal Business
• Export Companies
• Financial Organisations
• Industrial Houses
• Multinational Companies

3. Jobs Opportunities Outside India A PhD in Management in India also offers rewarding opportunities to individuals with similar job profiles outside India. There is a vast career scope for PhD in Management in academia, research industries and various private organisations for skilled professionals abroad.

Forge a Successful Career After a PhD In Management With KIIT School of Management (KSOM)

The PhD programme at KIIT School of Management (KSOM) is outlined to equip students with research knowledge and skills that make them specialised researchers with adequate depth of knowledge in several knowledge domains of Management. The PhD Programme at KIIT aims to create new management knowledge relevant to India and the world.

If you wish to opt for a PhD in Management course, then KSOM is the place that can help you stand out. The eligibility for PhD in Management at KSOM requires candidates with a consistently good academic record, professional accomplishments and a rigid urge to contribute to knowledge creation and dissemination in the area of Management.

The eligibility for PhD in Management at KSOM is as follows:

• Tech./ MCA /ME / MBA/ or an equivalent degree with minimum 60% aggregate marks or an equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Or
• Sc./ M.Com./MA /LLM or an equivalent degree with minimum 55% aggregate marks or an equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) Or
• Tech./ BE or an equivalent degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate marks or an equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).

In addition, all the working executives will also have to submit a “NO Objection Certificate” from the Employer with all other academic documents.

Moreover, the individuals at KSOM are exposed to different approaches to doing management research. This imparts equal emphasis to qualitative and quantitative research wherein the students undergo a course on Research Methodology. At KIIT, candidates also undergo domain-specific courses and acquire skills for doing critical literature reviews as recommended by the Research Scrutiny Committee.

Click here to get all the details about eligibility for a PhD in Management, fees, application process and admission process at KSOM.

https://ksom.ac.in/programs/ph-d/admission-process-and-fees/.

The post Get a Deep Insight into Business Administration and Management with a PhD in Management in India appeared first on KSOM.

The demand for an MBA degree still seems to be high and will remain due to the massive returns it provides to students. It prepares you for a job by helping you learn and develop business principles and professional networking. An MBA degree allows you to specialise in areas ranging from marketing, finance, and operations to human resources. These specialisations enable you to acquire managerial skills and become familiar with various industry offerings.

According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s (GMAC) Application Trends Survey, 67% of more than 1,000 business schools worldwide saw a relative increase in application volumes. In fact, 39% of the schools saw a significant increase in MBA applications of 21% or more.

Because of the numerous job opportunities created by MBA programmes, the different types of MBA courses in India and their scope have massively increased. There are over 3,000 MBA colleges and over 8500 different types of MBA courses in India. Aside from the traditional 2-year full-time MBA, aspirants can choose various options.

Types of MBA Courses List

According to current trends and career growth projections, the top twelve MBA specialisations in India are as follows:

1. MBA in Marketing
2. MBA in Human Resource Management
3. MBA in Business Analytics [Apply Now]
4. MBA in Healthcare Management [Apply Now]
5. MBA in Supply Chain Management [Apply Now]
6. MBA in Construction Management [Apply Now]
7. MBA in Entrepreneurship
8. MBA in Finance
9. MBA in Operations Management
10. MBA in Management Information Systems
11. MBA in Global Management
12. MBA in Engineering Management

MBA is a post-graduate course that provides excellent career opportunities. Many people have the basic qualification, and an MBA adds a professional certification to the resume, making them more desirable than those with the basic qualification. Moreover, an MBA degree helps improve your interpersonal and managerial skills, which helps you grab higher positions at top companies. Here are the top five types of MBA courses in India that are quite popular among students:

1. Executive MBA
2. Distance MBA
3. Online MBA
4. 1 Year MBA
5. Part-Time MBA

Now that you’re familiar with different types of MBA courses in India, choosing the right institution is equally important. A highly reputable business school like KSOM can add credibility to the MBA specialisation you choose from the types of MBA courses listed.

KIIT School of Management (KSOM) – Your Gateway to Reach the Pinnacle of a Thriving Career in Management

According to NIRF, MHRD, Government of India, KIIT School of Management (KSOM) is among India’s top B Schools. KSOM is a part of KIIT Deemed to be University, one of 10 private institutes in India to be designated as an “Institution of Eminence” by the UGC, MHRD, and the Government of India.

The MBA programme at KIIT School of Management (KSOM) has been approved by the Government of India’s All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). It is also recognised by AICTE’s National Board of Accreditation (NBA). In addition, South Asia’s Association of Management Development Institutions has awarded KSOM with Life Membership.

The MBA course at KIIT School of Management (KSOM) integrates classroom learning with role-plays and business simulation conclaves. It brings in guest lectures, and students will get mentored by top corporates and live consultancy projects. What more! Students will be projected with seminars, offered a structured summer internship programme, regular workshops, club activities, student research, and collaborative working with the industry through partnerships and tie-ups.

The two-year full-time residential MBA programme at KSOM, Bhubaneswar, is designed to give students as much industry exposure as possible. During the programme, students work on a variety of projects, collaborate with local businesses, and have ample opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to real-world problems.

MBA Eligibility Criteria at KIIT School of Management (KSOM)

The candidate must be a graduate in any discipline with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks:

• From Any university established by an Act of the Central or State legislatures in India.Or

• From any other educational institution established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.Or

• From an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.

In addition, the candidate must have received 50% or higher in the 10th and 12th-grade board examinations. Also, the applicant must have a valid score from any national entrance examination for MBA or PGDM (e.g., CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT including KIITEE Management & KIITEE, etc.)

Candidates taking the final exam for the Bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent examination) and are expected to complete all requirements for the Bachelor’s degree by June 30th, 2023, may also apply.

Foreign/NRI candidates who satisfy the above criteria are eligible to apply for the MBA programme and must submit a completed application form, the required documents, and a $50 application fee. Additionally, they will be assessed for admission based on their valid GMAT scores.

Internships with top corporate entities and guidance from faculty from some of the nation’s finest business schools make KSOM an excellent choice for students seeking a meaningful MBA education.

Emerge as a Next-gen Corporate Leader

With businesses becoming more complex and learning curves becoming shorter, management graduates are expected to be productive from day one. Businesses nowadays expect new hires to have a good understanding of their business and to be able to start working with minimal in-house training.

As a result, business schools must constantly innovate their course curriculum to ensure that students quickly adapt to the organisation they join and begin creating value. So with all this hype and demand, why not choose a business school that will prepare you for a successful career in management?

The post List of Different Types of MBA Courses in India – 2023’s Top 12 Specialisations appeared first on KSOM.

Choosing the right course after the 12th is very important for students as that course decides the career opportunities for them in the future. Students looking for a career in business management and administrative positions must choose a course like Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).

Moreover, due to the significant benefits of BBA course, the program has gained massive importance in the last two decades as the demand for management professionals is continuously rising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment in management occupations is expected to grow 8% between 2021 and 2031, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

There are numerous benefits of BBA course in today’s scenario. One of the crucial benefits of BBA course is that it comprehensively explains all the fundamental knowledge required in management and business principles. In addition, a BBA degree also educates students on other courses like computer information systems, international business, economics, and marketing.

If you want to be a manager at a company or dream of starting your business someday, the BBA course is one for you. Of course, there are other management-related degree courses as well, but the benefits of the BBA course make it distinct from others. Some of the notable benefits of BBA course are:

1. Open Job Market and Scope for Growth. BBA graduates are trained to fit into various roles in an organisation and have plenty of job opportunities in the market.
2. Industry-Oriented Course BBA courses train students as per industry requirements. As a result, they impart an excellent combination of theoretical and practical knowledge.
3. Great Foundation Course for MBA A BBA course is an excellent foundation for an MBA course. The basics for management knowledge, business administration, and practical skills gained by students in BBA assist them in pursuing an MBA easily. Students who pursue an MBA after a BBA usually have a better understanding of the management course.
4. Helps Acquire Managerial Skills A BBA degree offers a good headstart for students who wish to develop managerial skills. The course enables students to learn the core areas of management, including Marketing, Strategy management, Sales, etc.
5. Early Start to Your Career One of the main benefits of BBA course is that it allows students to start their careers early. Since BBA eligibility requires a student to complete class 12, students who wish to pursue a management course but struggle to get the right course can choose BBA. Moreover, BBA graduates tend to find a job early and at a more lucrative salary than Bachelor graduates from other streams.
6. Stronger Network Since communication is at the core of a BBA course, it enables students to build a rigid network of professionals once these vital skills are achieved.

Pave Your Way Directly to Marketing and Strategic Teams and Build a Stronger Business Acumen with KSOM

KIIT School of Management (KSOM), Bhubaneswar, is one of the leading B Schools of India for the BBA program, with a ranking of 2 in India- Times B School Ranking 2021. The three-year Bachelor of Business Administration programme (BBA) at KSOM aims to mould corporate-ready students to become entrepreneurs and junior-level executives in the market or pursue higher education programs by equipping them with a holistic view of the business environment.

The BBA eligibility and selection process at KSOM is as follows:

• Students require a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in the 10th and 12th exams.
• Students who appear in UGAT can also apply with the valid UGAT Score.

You can get more information about BBA eligibility here.

KSOM Business School has a well-defined and state-of-the-art course structure of BBA that enables students to stand out in the industry. The programme duration is spread over three years, comprising six semesters. Each semester at KSOM Business School is of 4.5 months duration and offers 6 courses. Moreover, the B School offers the latest specialisations to the aspirants, and they need to choose any of the following specialisations:

• Marketing Management
• Accounting and Financial Management
• Human Resource Management
• Operation Management
• International Business Management

KIIT School of Management (KSOM) has a legacy of academic excellence and imparting industry-focused management education. The B School was founded with a vision to make it a trend-setting centre for business education, where young minds are equipped with the right balance of classroom learning and practical exposure to be successful professionals and inspiring leaders.

Visit the official page to get all the details about the benefits of BBA Course, the course structure of BBA and BBA eligibility at KSOM.

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When Sayantee joined KSOM, it was the first time that she lived away from home. At first, she was terribly homesick, because it was a huge change for her. However, she soon found her footing at the institute, and the transformation in her is palpable. “KSOM and PGDM have given me a lot of relevant exposure”, she says. “Whatever I am today is because of the institute and its rigorous PGDM program.”

In her PGDM, Sayantee chose to specialize in Marketing and Operations. She believes that apart from fostering competencies in a specific domain, specializations play an important role in motivating a student to remain focused on his or her studies. “During our first year when we are studying all subjects, we are often unable to focus and end up getting distracted because we don’t like certain subjects”, she says. “For instance, finance was always tough for me. Once I chose specializations, however, I became more involved and focused”.

The holistic development of a professional necessitates a lot more than academics. KSOM offers a robust mix of academics, as well as academic and non-academic events that groom an individual. On this subject, Sayantee says, “Each year there are three academic conferences at the national level pertaining to HR, Finance and Marketing. During these conferences and conclaves, we get to participate in domain specific workshops and, more importantly, we get the opportunity to interact with academicians and industry professionals who share with us their learning and experience”. The institute also encourages student clubs that organize small events like quizzes and become a platform for the students to participate in events of other colleges. Each event is an opportunity to learn and grow says Sayantee: “I have been in the student organizing team of ‘Kolosseum’, our annual festival for the last two years and I am convinced it has brought out the best in me as a management student and professional.”

KSOM knows the importance of preparing its students. It embraces a holistic approach, but it also understands the importance of preparing students for the recruitment process. The institute, as much as the students, wants the recruitment process to be a success. Each student undergoes an internship project after the first year that has a stringent selection process, which is similar to the recruitment process. Thus, reinforcing the skills needed to get placed in the industry is a priority. In fact, for Sayantee, her internship experience with Emami Ltd. became the main point of discussion in her interview, and perhaps this was the conversation that got her placed.

By Sayantee Chakrabarty,  KSOM Alumnus

The post A top summer internship with a high-end consumer brand led KSOM’s Sayantee to her final placement with Colgate Palmolive appeared first on KSOM.

Vikalp is passionate about finance and commerce. He has invested seven years of studying the ropes in this field, and this, he believes, prepared him for the interview and the responsibilities for his new position with Deloitte: “I always had the target of finding placement in one of the four big finance companies. My background in finance and my internship helped me bag the job with Deloitte”. Vikalp did his internship in taxation with NALCO (National Aluminum Company), where he had the opportunity to work as a Tax Assistant. Through this internship, he gained insights into indirect taxation – this included a focus on a wide range of topics, including excise, customs, central sales tax, VAT, and entry tax.

KSOM offers dual specialization, which is an opportunity that, according to Vikalp, gives an edge to aspiring managers:  “There is an equal weightage of two specializations and I feel it’s important to choose the specialization carefully. Special domain knowledge helps secure a job, and it also can aid an individual’s job performance”. Apart from specializations, Vikalp believes the rigorous curriculum at KSOM, the splendid faculty, the industry orientation, and the focus on the overall development of students leads to a life-changing impact on young minds. Giving an example, he says, “In the first year I took up a paper in Behavioral Economics, under Prof Snigdha Tripathi, which was a very intense course. I learned many things, such as how to experiment with people to learn how they make decisions, rationally or irrationally, depending upon their situation. The course helped me better understand human decision making process”.

Vikalp believes KSOM has also given him the opportunity to showcase his talents of singing and playing the guitar. He also anchored six conclaves organized by the institute, as well as the KIIT’s alumni meeting Bangalore. He also got the opportunity to coordinate the National Management Convention held recently. All of these experiences, Vikalp believes, are a vital part of his education and development as a person. Excited with his new assignment, Vikalp is looking forward to a fulfilling career and aspires to grow in his management role.

-By Vikalp Sahay, KSOM Alumnus

The post KSOM has helped me become a well-rounded management professional appeared first on KSOM.

However, it’s funny how the mistakes that are so glaring when you sit on the “safer” side of the table are not so evident when you are an aspirant. Nothing much has changed in all these years; year after year, students commit the same set of mistakes, fuelled partly by misguided coaching institutes and partly by ignorance.

In the following paragraphs, I will attempt to list six such areas that I believe, if taken care of, can brighten the chances of an MBA aspirant.

1. The GD is the biggest war  on the way to an MBA admission.

For many, many aspirants, GD is a tense moment. Time is limited and others just won’t stop talking and hogging all the airtime. Therefore, one has to jump in and make a point. Or look for that quick opportunity to summarize. Or steal your moment of glory when someone pauses for breath. Or cut someone short.

For someone listening to the discussion, it seems so concocted. So artificial. In GD, we look for genuine students who have a decent hold over the subject and also have respect for others’ opinions.

As I always keep saying in my earlier articles, a good idea is to come to GD venue early and mingle with the fellow participants. Ask where they are from, what their backgrounds are. Show a genuine interest in knowing each other and being friends. Then you realize that suddenly the discussion is less of war and more of a friendly conversation. If not entirely, to some extent at least; because when you know someone, you automatically start to respect him/her more.

Also show a good interest in the topic being discussed…not behave like a leopard about to jump on its prey. Listen to others intently and show them you respect their opinion. Be in the discussion, forget you are being evaluated.

2. My interview is ruined. I couldn’t answer several questions.

There are all kinds of interviewees. Some are nervous from start, some appear normal and others seem over-confident. There are ways to bring out the best in each of them, or even make them show their true colours by employing a variety of techniques. For example, an interviewer might deliberately ask difficult or ambiguous questions, or ask repeatedly to unnerve a seemingly over-confident candidate.

However, whether one seems normal, stressed or over-confident, the purpose of each question is not to always elicit the correct answer. Many times questions are posed to see reaction, check a particular parameter in a candidate. Therefore, a wrong answer may not be the end of the road. It might – and this might seem unnatural – just be expected.

Far too many candidates get an I-have-lost-it attitude and show a sudden dip in performance, once they fail to answer couple of questions. Bear in mind that you haven’t been conclusively evaluated until the interview is over. So whether the answer are right or wrong, don’t try to assess your performance by looking at the face of the interviewer, because you never know if you are reading that face properly.

Each question is a new opportunity. Don’t lose it because you think you didn’t give a satisfying answer to the previous question

3. Undergraduate is underground.

It’s surprising how several candidates who appear to have scored well in their undergraduate courses fail to answer very basic questions on their subject. I once asked an Electrical Engineering student with more than 80% marks from a good institution what kind of motor the regular ceiling fan has, and didn’t get an answer.

Many engineering students fail to calculate the amount of current in a simple circuit of resistors and capacitors. Yet several of them answer questions on current business and political affairs well enough.

The explanation I get is unwittingly clichéd: “I studied them long back and don’t remember them now”. It’s hardly sufficient, however. MBA curriculum is rigorous and students are expected to have the ability to grasp the fundamentals and never let them go.

Your graduation course might be irrelevant for business studies from a pure content perspective, but for an interviewer, it shows your attitude towards academics and whether your learning is concrete or superficial.

4. I speak my mind. You see, I am honest, at least.

When the interview was already going good, I asked a girl candidate why she chose to go for an MBA. “Otherwise my parents will marry me off. I need some excuse”, she said. To me, this might be a perfectly honest answer and I give 100 out of 100 for that. But should I go ahead and select the candidate? Probably no, because her purpose is entirely different from what I am looking for in students.

Honesty is great, always. But one need not be crude, in order to be honest. A statement like “I am not sure what I want to do after MBA, but at least it will add to my overall skills and help me manage my career better” is also honest while putting things in a better light.

5. I have the best answer to all questions.

This is related to the previous question. While crude honesty might spell trouble, too much cooking up won’t help either. I once asked a candidate what he thinks about our school and what other B-schools he has applied to. “This is certainly the best and I have applied only to KIIT School of Management”, he said. It’s very hard to believe that an MBA aspirant applies onto to one B-school. Similarly I asked another what he dislikes about our admission process, and he said it was wonderful, even though he was kept waiting for several hours for the GD.

MBA students are expected to have a mind of their own and display maturity in their answers. So don’t go collecting the best answers to each question. There are no best answers. The answers that truly reflects you, and brings out the best in you in a mature and polite way (and not being crude) is your best answer.

6. I am great, but sorry don’t ask for any examples.

Many application forms ask the candidates to write their strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, the dreaded “tell me about yourself” question in the interview also prods you to speak a little about your strengths. Most candidates end up writing very generic strengths such as “hard working”, “committed”, “team player”, and so on. There may not be anything wrong in this, but to a reader, unless they are substantiated with example, these words don’t carry weight.

Many times, when I ask a student to prove to me how he thinks he is a good team player, I get a blank stare. A good practice is to write a sentence about a strength (e.g. A good team player because of my past association with several clubs and committees), rather than just a word. If that is not possible, always keep at least two examples ready to prove that you possess the strength.

You will see that it gives you much more confidence when you can prove what you claim.

-by Prof. Ashutosh Kar, Associate Professor (IT Area). Alumnus of NIT Rourkela & IIM A

The post Six uncommon mistakes that MBA aspirants frequently do appeared first on KSOM.