MFI@ISB

[MFI= Micro Finance Institutions (NO!!) It means My First Interview-----]
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Over the last month or so I was jealous of all I -banking types and IT types interviewing for various International jobs and giving us lesser mortals that “ I have a shortlist” look in their crisp business suits. So I decided that I must do something to get that damn suit of mine out.

So it was a pharma major—a nice company—found the role to kind of interesting and presumed that money would be decent. And bang u go I had my first shortlist.

The day of Interview me happy posing the “I have a shortlist” look. Attended the Capital Markets Conference the whole day since the interview was at 6 (what do I need to prepare! I kind of know my stuff attitude). Came back at 4 and read up a bit of this and that. Had practiced for a PI with my group so was feeling fairly comfortable.

Started dressing up. But----------What is that? The bloody zip of my business suit trouser got stuck ---damn---Drycleaner—that bastard---why I dint chk this before? What should I do? Quaddies—they all have business suits—no but misfit in size—oh my god –panic panic—Should I chk with Consultant---no size too big ---oh my god—lemme try with this itself try try try ---------Ha atlast it worked –Yippieeeeee—I am atleast going for that first interview.

Reached the Spot. Exce housing first floor. Chatted with a couple of candidates. Bored them to death with unwarranted gyan and gossip.

Interview---The HR lady told me that two fin guys were supposed to come—Only one is here cos the other one missed her flight. So that’s y I am interviewing. I know nothing bout Finance. (Yippiee—No technical questions)---

Started with tell me about yourself types—then went on to totally different tangent. We discussed San-Francisco roads, Alcatraz, New York, Middle east whether She would need to cover up her face in Dubai—I said no only in Saudi—In Dubai u can wear whatever you like---Diabetes, Indian Vs Swiss food habits, What I liked most about middle east ( I said roads—I could drive as fast as I want to ) What speed did you touch? (180 types) No police –I said no there are cameras but u should know how to trick them---She was impressed with the technology and said we don’t have it in Switzerland! I said oil money can buy anything!!

She asked for Tea and I said yes---again useless crap like Why MBA, Why ISB, Why This company? Why Pharma? Rattled out practiced answers with tons of gyan----
Interview over

Takeaways :
Was it even an interview? What was I doing there? Laughing my guts out with an old lady------ What was I thinking? I don’t know. If I have all interviews like this am I ever going to crack a job?

One hell of an interview ---( if you think it was one !!)

The Focus Shifts----

As term 6 starts today, I would say it marks a beginning of an entirely new phase in our lives at ISB. Radical or exaggerated as it may sound, but the focus from this term is going to be mainly on placements( if not entirely). I can see the various highs and lows people would go through this phase as the international placement process going on right now is really like a trailer of the movie to be released in Feb.

The first couple of weeks in Term 6 are full of activity. There is the Capital Markets Conference on 29th followed by the ILS this weekend and Global Logistics summit over the next week.

I can see a direct negative correlation between the thickness of the course material and the seriousness with which students would read the material in Term 6. Most of the course packets weigh equal to the heaviest weight at the gym. Probably ISB wants to ensure that its graduates are healthy and fit apart from excelling academically.

However, the courses in term 6 (at-least the ones I have taken) look extremely interesting. I am particularly looking forward to CCMA and INPE courses, which would involve discussions on some really exciting M&A ,buyout and PE cases in the class.

Activities of most clubs would be at peak this term and would culminate as the term ends. The capital markets conference and Mckinsey visit on Dec 1 for an advanced case interview workshop can be termed as the "perfect begining".

term 6 is going to be the most hectic----(would confirm this by the end of the term)

What’s Hot, What’s not?

Now since exams are here, no matter how much I try to study I can always think of things I should complete before I start studying. So I thought why not make my list of what is currently hot on campus these days and what is not. Here’s my take: (not in any particular order)

What’s Hot ?

1) Consulting: Everyone wants consulting. So consulting is the obvious buzz word. Consulting rocks at ISB. So do all the wanna be Consultants.(atleast they think so) The McKs and BCGs and ATKs of the world. Hot hot favorite among all kind of junta. Likely to continue on the hot list till the shortlists are out -----
2) CCMA: Chronic crimes, Murders and Accusations ---noooooooo it is Corporate Control, Mergers and Acquisitions. Thanks to the superb ratings of the Prof. and good course content, this course being offered in Term 6 is really hot.
3) B-school competitions: Everyone is participating in them. So to get resume bullets, some for fun and some because its really kewl to do so. Everyday some competition or the other keeps coming up. ISBians have actually done very well in some
4) International Placements: This is quite hot these days. Many companies including some top notch I-banks and some great companies are a part of this. Needless to say most people are applying to most of these jobs.
5) Admissions: Admissions for the successors to the kingdom of ISB. Evaluations, interviews and everything. Hot hot—(atleast for those in the taskforce)

What’s not ?

1) Gyan: A general term for any kind of crap which one person talks and (usually) the other does not understand. [“Gyan” means knowledge in hindi but it can mean several things at ISB. Like stop giving ”gyan” I am tired of it or we have an alumni “gyan” session---depends on context] These days ppl are really tired of gyan.
2) Parties: Well sadly on the not so hot list. Nothing very interesting is happening on this front. Social life council needs a wakeup call.
3) I-Banking: Was on the hot list till last week or so. After DB and GS interviews has cooled down a bit. Very likely to get back on the hot list soon.
4) Pre-read: This has continued to be on the not hot list since term 2 or so. Not likely to recover now!!! (Pre-read means reading prior to the class and going prepared for discussions)
5) Blogging: Pointed out by consultant yday. Sadly, I had to agree. Bloggers have suddenly gone dead. Except a few here and there, not many posts—Wake up ppl.

Oops another thing really hot is exams starting on Monday. I better study else I am sure to burn my fingers-----

Hilarious

Not that i am big movie critic of Hindi movies, but somehow i find "chocolate type" stuff extremely hilarious. Was just chatting with some ppl over lunch and came to know that there is a movie called "Vivah" (meaning wedding in hindi) just released and has been directed by Sooraj Barjatya who is the king of wedding type chocolaty hindi movies.

Decided to check out the reviews---The following link on rediff just murders the movie and is one of the most hilarious reviews i have read in sometime.

http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/nov/10vivah.htm

Now my next mission is to find a person on campus who has seen this movie!! (I always like meeting insane ppl)

Cant stop laughing----

Exam Types

This post serves dual purpose. One is to say something interesting about ISB for the prospective candidates some of whom are victims of this blog. Second is to pay tribute to ourselves for having taken 136765645389 exams over a period of about last 6 odd months and another 3758669709 exams we would take during the remaining period.

1) The common exam: In ISB lingo this is called “Closed book/ closed notes/ no cheat sheet allowed exam”. This is a common exam. Terminology becomes clear as we go along.
2) Open book/ Open notes: Bring along any book/notes. Usually such papers are so damn difficult that no one has a clue about what is going on. So books and notes lie in one corner and booth hands are usually busy in pulling out the hair and trying to make sense of the questions
3) Closed book/ Closed notes-Cheat Sheet allowed: Cheat sheet is a sheet which helps you cheat. Usually, a two sided sheet of A4 size is allowed. Normal font size on the sheet is some 3.5 to 4. People try to print the entire book onto this sheet. Mostly its useless, but could be useful if you make it intelligently. So pre-exam most time is spent on making the cheat sheet and not studying.
4) Open any non living source: This is the latest avatar. Not only books and notes, you may bring your laptop and use internet also. Needless to say, the Prof will make sure you waste time in googling and will set and impossible paper.
5) Take home exam: Another horror. People would think take home should be easy. But the question in contention would be so vague and difficult to figure out that even if you take it anywhere you like, its still going to be a tough nut to crack!
6) Midterms and End terms: An optimist would say that two exams in a course give you time to recover if you screw up one. I would say nah---they just give the Prof two opportunities to laugh at you instead of one. Anyways, turning it into a boon or bane is mostly in our own hands.

So much for exams. One thing is clear that whatever be the exam type, some people would always get good marks while others would continue to pride their average scores. Nevertheless, the whole exam giving experience along with tons of presentations, assignments, cases, classes and blah and blah would make you so immune to working for unreasonable number of hours that if you get a couple of hours extra during a weekend you would check your calendar a million times just to make sure you are not missing out on a deadline.

Good stuff !!