ISB MBA: Things I'd do differently

It's been nearly a couple of months since I donned the convocation hat and received my degree certificate with a photogenic smile from Mr. Kapil Sibal. With this time lag in between, here's taking a look at what could have helped shape my ISB experience better.

Student exchange-The biggest "if only..." feeling I have is about the student exchange program. I wanted to go for student exchange from the time I was researching MBA schools. I remember meticulously researching each of the schools my target colleges had tie ups with. At ISB the problem was the timing. I was only interested in the very best global B-Schools for exchange namely Wharton, Lbs and Kellogg. I had somehow formed the idea that each of them had an exchange timeline that clashed with the placement season. However, after the first round exchange deadline was over, I realized that Kellogg exchange actually started in Apr! A golden opportunity to get access to the Alumni portal was missed this way. In fact, I could have also (and should have) gone to colleges like HKUST or CEIBS which would be big in Asia. Apart from the travel aspect, exchange really helps in long term professional (and personal networking).

Asia study trek-There were talks of a European trek which I was interested in. Later that fizzled out (only London tour with only 1 person attending) and I decided to skip the Asia trek. While professional networking wouldn't have been a huge gain here, the camaraderie developed with fellow ISB travelers and the personal experience of visiting so many countries and corporates would definitely have compensated for the cost.

More involvement in clubs-Apart from serving the ISB Toastmasters Club as President, I never got involved with any other social or professional clubs. Organizing some of the major events would have definitely helped to know more people and form better bonds at and outside ISB. The toss up here was time. That said, given a choice I guess I'll still settle for my ISB rank.

Choice of subjectsThis is very pero=sonal but for the sake of completeness, let me list the specific papers that didn't work for me and I wish I had chosen otherwise. I didn't find any value in Capital raising for corporations. The profs were fantastic but the paper itself didn't give me a high. I should have taken the course Advertising taught by a stellar prof Jaidip Sengupta. Same goes for "Investing in Private Equity" by prof Vinay Nair and "Advanced Transaction Analysis and Modeling" by prof Ashish Kohli. Both are super profs and the subjects are tremendous value ads. The last course I would mention is LSCM-"Logistics and Supply Chain Management" by prof Milind Sohni -one of the star profs at ISB. Advertizing and LSCM are not something that I may use too often in my professional life but they were good to know subjects taught by people who made the classes interesting. Same goes for the 2 Fin profs above. Disclaimer for future ISB students: Please note that these are my personal opinions, other batch mates may and probably will come up with totally opposite views.

Other-Someone asked me if I would have changed my choice of colleges if I retook GMAT. Well, it didn't matter to me as I only apped to ISB. I would always urge anyone considering MBA to go for the best colleges. I abhor the concept of categorization of colleges into reach and dream and what not. I wanted to get into the best college I could afford. Else I wouldn't have joined an MBA program.

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What is your package?

Ever since placement, I have heard this question so many times that I feel like smacking the mouth that utters these words. Whoever I meet at ISB or outside asks this question as if it's my duty to inform the person about this most private thing. Whatever happened to respecting privacy?

Following is a conversation I had with an old acquaintance recently over gtalk.

S: hey hi buddy

hru doing these days ..?

me: im fine

how are you

long time

S: ye pretty long time ..

doing good ..

so hows all going at your end ..?

MBA over ..?

me: ya

just graduated

S: cool yaar congrats ..!

placed @ ..?

me: hv a cpl of offers

with xx and yyy

S:
congrats yaar ..!

:)

hey can u tell me wht ws ur gmat score ..?

me: 740

S: hmm ...

If u dont mind ...cud u tell me ur package for yyy..?

me: it's good enough for me mate

S: Ya but it was good even before right

me: Ya well it takes care of my needs even better now

S: Ya but exactly how much?

P: I'll get by. Enough to take care of my needs.

S: haha :) ok

People just don't get the hint that someone values privacy.
Another time an ISB classmate asked similar questions. So I said it's a private matter dude. Did I ask yours? So the reply came, "just because you didn't ask me how would I know I didn't ask anybody else? And anyway, I just want to benchmark my salary". me: "!".

Today I got this email...(to set the context, I had forwarded a job posting I got from ISB alum group to my undergrad (Jadavpur University) alum group.

Hi Priyom,

Though I'm not intersted in the job you mentioned but from your signature I came to know you are MBA from ISB 2010 batch. Would you please tell where have you been placed from campus with what package. And what's highest, lowest, average package of ISB this year domestic as well as international.
Regards,
P*******

I got so pi**ed off at this that I felt like giving a mouthful to this person whom I didn't even know.
I eventually replied:

P*******,

I had an offer with ** Corporate Strategy from the campus.
Compensation details are a private and confidential matter and I won't provide that info to you.
The ISB salary and other details are available on the ISB site www.isb.edu (the current year's will be available in a few months).

Now I've decided that I'll be brutally frank and tell people to f*** off if anyone asks my salary. And if you do want to ask, wrap your question in a garb of propriety. For instance, today someone asked me, "Could you tell me what percentage hike you got over your last CTC"? Though I replied "substantial" but at least I haven't lost respect for the person asking the above question.

Anyway, this would be be a good time to mention that I decided to rejoin my old firm. They are opening a new strategy consulting practice and I'd be in charge of the entire east India region. In fact I'm the first and only employee so far in this part of the country. My reporting manager is the SBU head. Interesting days ahead.