Once you clear CAT, the first thing you will be asked in the interview is the reason for your choosing the stream. This is probably one definite question you can expect. Make sure you are clear about this one or else you might just lose your chance of cracking the B-School entrance. The last thing that the IIMs look for is a confused personality who is not clear about his goals. So right from day one when you start nurturing your MBA dreams, know the reason why you want to do it in the first place.

Your reasons might be multifarious

Money, glamour or the course being the ‘in thing’. But the fact that you should keep in mind is that your reasons are convincing enough. Convincing to yourself at first because unless you are convinced about it yourself neither will you be able to make that 100 per cent effort nor will you manage to make the interviewer confident about you being an ideal candidate. “I want to be an MBA,” is probably one of the most hackneyed and trite comments of the graduating youth in recent times. “Graduates today want to be an MBA, but have little idea what a manager really does. Most students are attracted to a management education at top business schools because of the high pay packets they receive once they successfully complete their course. Sure, it is a brilliant career to pursue, but if your ultimate aim is to stuff your pockets, you might just cut a sorry figure in your future life or, for that matter, even in your Group Discussion (GD) or the interview round.

“You need to come across to the interviewers as a well aware and well motivated person and not just someone doing a degree to earn some money. After all, it is understood all of us want to earn money but make sure that is not the only reason why you want to do an MBA. Make an attempt to be earnest.”

The sad truth is that there are only a few thousand or so CEO’s in the world and the MBA is no guarantee for a CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, CTO, CPO, etc….

Do you have a goal?

Before you actually appear for GD and Interview, it helps to do some introspection. The first thing that you must ask yourself is ‘Do you have a goal?’ Contrary to popular perception that most students do MBA in lure of money, it is a well established fact that some who make it to the best B-Schools do have a purpose or a firm goal. It is surprising but true that every year about six to eight percent of the graduating managers from top B-Schools join startups while almost an equal percentage of students join NGOs or social service organisations. If you know your goal, two years at a B-School becomes a path to your objective and your learning is more focussed.

Dig into the reason

Keep in mind that just having an MBA degree will not help you. why you want to do an MBA.
Discover your core skills and choose a specialisation that is ideal for you. If you are good at creativity and have an aptitude for advertising, advertising schools are a better option for you than a B-School. If you have the gift of gab then you could specialise in marketing. Whatever be your choice make sure that you are clear with yourself right from the onset. Don’t get bogged down with the fat pay packages.

Salary packages are just a direct function of economic growth. If in a particular year, there is an upward economic swing, salary packages will shoot. In any recession year, the best B-Schools in India find it tough to place their students. Remember, an MBA is not your destination but
only a medium to reach your destination.

The following points might help you build a strong foundation to your management career:

• Set a goal for yourself.
• Introspect and find out your flair.
• Shortlist the B-Schools that suit your budget and specialisations based on your flair.
• Read as much as you can about the subject so as to get an edge over others.
• Know how to prepare for CAT. There’s lot more to CAT than just Mathematics and Verbal skills.
• Introduce an element of stress and uncertainty at each and every step of your preparation deliberately.
• Learn to relax at the end of the day.