At InsideIIM, we strive to bring to you content that is not just highly insightful but also takes you behind-the-scenes of what an MBA entails. It is only through experiences of post-MBA professionals that one can truly grasp what a career after an MBA looks like. More often than not, through their anecdotes, these professionals bring out certain truths and realities about the corporate world that may burst thousands of bubbles about what an MBA really is.
The following is a compilation of some of the most hard-hitting talks by perceptive individuals sharing their stories with an audience about to begin their MBA journey!
'The Reality of Life At An IIM - Saurabh Sengupta, IIM Indore, Ex-VP Sales at Zomato'
When you take exams like CAT, XAT, etc. and decide to join a business school, there is a starry-eyed expectation of what life at a B-school will be like. However, there are a lot of truths about life at a B-school that one realizes only after stepping into their campus.
In this video, Saurabh Sengupta (ex-Zomato) speaks about his life at IIM Indore and the key learnings he took away from those 2-years. He also candidly shares tips drawn from his own experiences, such as identifying and maintaining your distance from what he calls the
"faltu janta", as well as the importance of academics and visiting faculty at a B-school. He also talks about and compares his life at IIT Delhi and IIM Indore, and speaks at length about the
"charitra parivartan" that he observed in people at IIM Indore.
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Saurabh Sengupta series! Watch them here:
I Chose The Wrong Job From My B-School Campus Before I Joined Zomato – Saurabh Sengupta, IIM-I & IIT-D
My IIT IIM Tag Has No Value When I’m Doing Sales – Saurabh Sengupta
Why The Rat Race? You've Already Made It!
“Use your years at the b-school to find out who you really are and what you want from life.”
In this video, Seema Bansal, Director - Social Impact Practice @BCG India & Asia Pacific, IIM Calcutta Alumna shares the secret to a successful career and life. If you’re joining a b-school just because you want a day zero job, or one of the best jobs on campus, stop and think. Do you want to be chasing day zero jobs at campus? Or would you rather figure out who you are and what you love to do? Spending 19 years at the same company, Seema has a unique insight into various career paths one can take after post-graduation.
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Seema Bansal series! Watch them here:
‘Don’t Take A Decision When You Are Feeling Low’ – Seema Bansal, Director – BCG & IIM C Alumna
Life As A Consultant At BCG India – Seema Bansal, Director – Social Impact Practice & IIM C Alum
Early To Mid 20s Is When You Can Take Risks - Raghav Joshi, COO Rebel Foods, IIM Indore Alum
In this video, Raghav Joshi, COO at Rebel Foods (formerly Faasos), Ex-Deloitte & JP Morgan, IIM Indore alum, talks about his journey at Rebel Foods (formerly Faasos). He shares the predominant trends in the food tech industry and the pros of working at startups. If you’re curious about the food tech industry or working at a startup, this video is for you!
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Raghav Joshi series! Watch them here:
How A Campus All-Rounder Became The COO Of Rebel Foods (Faasos) – Raghav Joshi, IIM Indore Alum
How Food-Tech Companies Are Changing Eating Trends – Raghav Joshi, COO – Rebel Foods (Faasos), IIM-I
What Can An MBA Grad Do At Google - Aditi Shukla, Google, Ex Rothschild, XLRI Alumna
"What Does An MBA Do At Google?”
In this video, Aditi talks about the different roles she has worked at. She talks about the skills an investment banker needs. She tells us why corporate strategy is a coveted role. She paints a picture of an enterprise-level view that a corporate strategy role offers. She tells us about working at Google and what kind of opportunities an MBA graduate has. She takes us through her role and explains what large partnership solutions are all about.
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Aditi Shukla series! Watch them here:
From Investment Banking To Google – Journey Of A Mother Of Twins – Aditi Shukla, XLRI Alumna
‘I Nearly Failed A Subject At XLRI Jamshedpur’ – Aditi Shukla, Ex-Investment Banker, Google
IIM Tag Matters Only In The First Few Years Of Your Career - Harshil & Anusha, Flipkart & IIM Alumni
In this video featuring Harshil Adesara and Anusha Jayanti, both PMs at Flipkart, get answers to your common questions about product management. Hear as Harshil and Anusha answer your questions about a career as a product manager. Find out about Harshil’s love story and the opportunities for romance at b-school. Find out as they tell you, what matters more today, the IIM or B-school tag, versus work experience. Find out what kind of qualities recruiters look for when hiring product managers. Find out if being from a tech background is required to become a product manager. Find out what resources you can fall back on as a product manager.
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Harshil & Anusha series! Watch them here:
From Being Average Students At IIM To Flipkart – Harshil & Anusha, Senior Product Managers
“You Don’t Need To Be An Engineer To Be A Product Manager” – Harshil & Anusha, Flipkart & IIM Alumni
Uber Drivers, Maids Make More Than Lower Tier MBA Grads - Kenneth Serrao, IIM A, Venture Capitalist
In this video, Kenneth paints the reality of doing an MBA. He shares how after a decade or so, your degree may become redundant. He talks about how placements are not the be and end all at b-school. He shares how the most important skill you need to pick up is communication. He talks about how every job becomes a sales job after some years. With anecdotes on financial markets, he shares his tales of studying at IIM A, and how excellence is a learned quality. He talks about putting your head down and working hard during your years at b - school because hard work pays. Finally, Ken talks about humility and figuring out what career path one can take.
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Kenneth Serrao series! Watch them here:
Your Burning Ambition In Life Should Not Be To Be Manager At An MNC – Kenneth Serrao, IIM Ahmedabad, VC
Switching A Job For Higher Salary Is A Stupid Decision – Kenneth Serrao, IIM Ahmedabad Alum And VC
Why I Did Masters In The US Despite Having A SPJIMR MBA - Divya Anand, PM, Uber, Ex-Amazon
In this video, Divya shares with us, the story of studying at SP Jain. She talks about just why she chose SP Jain as the b - school to do an MBA from. She shares how writing a statement of purpose (SOP) was a part of the admissions process before her MBA. She further talks about studying at the University of California Berkeley (UCB) and what motivated her to select UCB. Divya touches upon the various options for management studies, especially outside of India. She shares some gyaan about doing a dual MBA.
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Divya Anand series! Watch them here:
‘What Is It Like To Work For Amazon?’ – Divya Anand, Product Manager At Uber, Ex-Amazon
MBA Taught Me Discipline – Divya Anand, Product Manager At Uber, Ex-Amazon, SPJIMR Alumna
Why I Chose To Play Poker After CA & IIM - Deepak Bothra, International Poker Champion
In this video, Deepak Bothra, International Poker player, CA and MBA from IIM Indore tell us what it takes to develop and maintain a career off the beaten path. Deepak tells us of his struggles getting placed and the feeling of inadequacy he dealt with.
Deepak tells us of his journey of doing MBA after CA from IIM Indore and finally getting placed at CRISIL. Deepak shares how he happened to crack the CAT purely because he enjoyed solving puzzles.
If you want to know what mental prep it takes to take a different road after MBA, this video is a must-watch for you.
Enjoyed this? There are two more parts in the Deepak Bothra series! Watch them here:
‘Main 15 Saal Baad Life Mein Kuch Regret Nahi Karna Chahta Tha’ – Deepak Bothra, IIM Indore, Poker Champion
‘Bhagavad Gita Helped Me Play Poker Better’ – Deepak Bothra, CA & IIM Indore, International Poker Champion