Request for Career Advice

[sattyajmba]

Hi. I am Satyajit Chaudhary from India. I am a passout of IIFT Delhi 2012 batch (a Top-10 Indian B-School), currently working in Cognizant Business Consulting. I am in a tricky spot right now in my life & could really use some advice. In my 3yrs in the industry, I have realized that my MBA degree lacks a global perspective & is pretty India-centric. As such, I was pondering over a 2nd MBA, a global one from a FT Top-20 B-School. I appeared for GMAT just to test myself & surprisingly scored 760 (Q-51,V-41, IR-8, AWA-6). But I got to know from different articles that US B-Schools don't usually prefer candidates in their early 30s. That is what has left me completely confused. My profile-
Class X Board Exams- 92%
Class XII Board Exams- 92%
Graduation - B.Tech in Electronics & Communication - 82.9%
MBA - 3.4 on a scale of 4
Work Ex- 4.5yrs, currently working in Cognizant Business Consulting
Will be 32 by the time I join

Now more than a profile evaluation, I would like to know straight from the horse's mouth if such a profile can make it to a Top B-School, if such a profile has any prospects in the gruelling admission process. Only after receiving ur views can I give a serious thought to writing down my essays, jotting down all achievements, et al. Any help will be much appreciated...

[Dozie@VeritasPrep]

Hi Satyajit,

Thanks for sharing your background. I can understand the predicament you are in as an Indian MBA holder. You are looking to expand your global business focus and feel a bit constrained with your current education. So looking at your background you have some impressive measurables especially your GMAT score which makes you competitive at many top US programs. Numbers alone however are not enough to justify admission at the top US schools. I would focus your gameplan on showcasing why a second MBA is necessary. You have to make a strong case here so it is clear what value add the program can provide. Also, consider taking some time to think about how to highlight personal elements of your profile that would interest an MBA program like leadership, teamwork, and other interpersonal skills that make you seem like a real person not just a high GMAT score.

I think on paper you are a candidate that it would be worth looking deeper into a US MBA but numbers alone will not make that happen for you so make sure you think of how else you can create a compelling application.

Hope this helps!