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What is the objective of admitting freshers in Ivy B-Schools like IIMs, FMS, JBIMS, SIMSREE, SPJIMR, XLRI, etc.?
MBA admission in Indian B Schools is a fairly weird process in comparison to that of foreign B Schools. In India, the admission process requires a candidate to have some work experience and in certain B-schools, it even carries a certain weightage. But during Final Placements, this scenario changes entirely as the recruiters prefer freshers over experienced candidates. The major reasons for this contrast are:
- The recruiters offering Marketing roles are on the lookout for candidates who can initially go through a sales job for a few years. They believe that the route to Marketing is through sales only. Now Sales requires a lot of traveling that too to rural areas. The recruiters know that these tough job conditions cannot be undertaken by Experienced professionals and thus prefer freshers who they can mold easily.
- The companies offering Finance roles know that the candidates with prior work experience won’t be working for the long hours they require them to. So they prefer freshers who can work long hours without complaining.
Recruiters are looking for candidates with work experience of not more than 11-12 months. Honestly, this strategy is illogical as a person with more work experience is bound to excel much better than a fresher, and restricting him from getting a job just because they cannot be exploited to the fullest extent is a bit cruel.
The scenario is pretty much the opposite in foreign countries that prefer MBA candidates with work experience only. This is because in India MBA is considered a way to become more employable or earn a fatter cheque. Whereas in the West, it is a means to upgrade your career and take it to new heights. The entire concept of MBA is at fault in India thereby this illogical strategy.
In my opinion, MBA candidates should have a work experience of at least 1 year, only then they can harness the MBA program to the fullest and not approach it just as a source of placements.
How was your interview experience at SPJIMR for the Operations stream?
The interview experience of a student at SPJIMR for the operations stream with an academic score of 9/9/8 and 32 months of work experience is provided below.
During the WAT, his laptop crashed yet he managed to complete the topic in the last 7 minutes. Group Interview 1 consisted of 2 panelists, a male, and a female, and 4 applicants, including 2 Operations, 1 Finance, and 1 Marketing where he was questioned about his job role, the supply chain system, his competitors in the industry, and his biggest challenge during Covid-19. The female panelist asked about the importance of inventory management and establishing a plant in the city.
In Group Interview 2, the panelists were 1 male and 1 female, and the applicants included 1 Operation, 1 IM, 1 Finance, and 1 Marketing where he was asked about courage vs. foolishness, what his parents don't like about him, and how he would handle a situation where someone asks for an under-the-table commission.
Ultimately, he cleared both group interviews and was converted. He says that success in MBA interviews is not just about knowledge, but also about staying calm in unprecedented situations and showcasing your problem-solving skills.
What are the chances of getting a job in Dubai post an MBA from SPJIMR Mumbai? What is the kind of profiles students from SPJIMR get (in Dubai)?
Your skill set is the most important factor that determines your employability in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. This skill set is something that you can develop over time with experience.
Keep in mind that there are very few opportunities for freshers from SPJIMR post an MBA, although IIM-K is a separate case. If you are a Keralite or a Malayali, the UAE may be another option to consider.
Recruiters in the GCC region will always prefer someone who knows Arabic, French, or other foreign languages. This is something that you can work on and improve over time.
After a few years of solid work experience, your chances of getting a job in the GCC region are higher. However, keep in mind that recruiters have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to hiring, especially for jobs that require cheap labor from Asian countries.
In the Middle East, your experience matters a lot, as well as your ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. You need to be able to adapt quickly and work efficiently to succeed.
It's important to note that Western nationalities also have an edge in the Gulf job market. If a company has the option to choose between a Marketing person with similar skill sets, an average-looking Indian guy, and a Western-style icon with a model-like personality, they will most likely choose the latter. This is because most jobs in the Gulf require excellent communication skills, a little bit of relevant experience, and a Driving License.
Can the MBA specialization be changed at SPJIMR after the first year?
Yes, it is possible to change your MBA specialization at SPJIMR after the first year, but it is not a common occurrence. However, if you are looking to switch from Marketing to Finance, it is highly improbable but still possible to convince the management.
It's important to keep in mind that Finance is a specialization that requires a basic background in financial knowledge, which is not always the case for Marketing. This means that changing from Marketing to Finance may be harder for the management to accept than the other way around. It's also important to note that some students have been rejected when requesting to change their specialization.
If you have a financial background, it's possible that you initially tried to get into the finance specialization at SPJIMR but were accepted for your second preference of Marketing. If this is the case, it may be difficult to convince the management to switch your specialization in the second year. However, if you excel in finance subjects in the first year, it may be possible to convince them otherwise.
Which one should I go for, SPJIMR or IIM L?
IIM Lucknow is ranked as one of the top 5 business schools in the country, while SP Jain is typically ranked somewhere between 6-10. Choosing IIM Lucknow over SP Jain is a wise decision, as IIM Lucknow has a larger and more prestigious brand. The institute has a better reputation among companies, a stronger alumni network, and slightly better placement opportunities.
While SP Jain may have a location advantage, it won't make a significant difference as there will be plenty of opportunities available to you at IIM L. It's important to do your own research when making decisions, but in this case, it's a no-brainer. Choosing IIM Lucknow is the clear choice, especially when compared to other business schools like SP Jain, IIM K, IIM I, MDI, and JBIMS.
If you have the opportunity to choose between SPJIMR and IIM L, head all the way to Lucknow without a second thought
What was the placement of the SPJIMR, Mumbai last year?
The SPJIMR, Mumbai PGDM placements for 2022 were a success, with 70 companies visiting the campus and offering a variety of exciting opportunities to students. A total of 123 PPOs were made during the placement season, which is a testament to the quality of education and training provided by the institute.
The placements resulted in a substantial rise in the median and average packages offered to students. Compared to 2021, there was a remarkable 20% increase in the median package, which indicates that students with a diverse range of skills and expertise were offered competitive compensation packages. The average package offered during SP Jain SPJIMR PGDM placements 2022 was INR 32.06 LPA, which was a significant rise of 23% compared to the previous year.
The highest package offered during PGDM placements in 2022 stood at INR 52.16 LPA, which is a testament to the caliber of the students and the effectiveness of the institute's placement process. The rise of 14% in the highest package compared to 2021 is a clear indication of the growing reputation and recognition that SP Jain Institute of Management and Research has been receiving in the industry.
The top recruiters for SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in 2022 included leading companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Tata, which is a testament to the quality of education and training provided by the institute. These companies have a reputation for recruiting the best and brightest candidates from top business schools, and their presence at SPJIMR PGDM placements 2022 is a testament to the quality of the institute's graduates.
How was your SPJIMR interview experience for the Marketing stream?
Here is the SPJIMR Interview Experience of a student for the Marketing stream:
Her interview was profile-based and included a writing assessment related to piracy and a psychometric test with 20 questions. During the interview, she was in a classroom with six candidates, two professors, and one alum. After giving a one-minute introduction, they were asked one-on-one questions based on their introductions and why they wanted to join SPJIMR. She talked about her current company (Cognizant), her extracurricular activities, and her hobbies, among other things.
They asked her about her work at Cognizant, and about her role as a secretary. They were then asked to wait while the adcom people announced the results. After lunch, they returned for the second round of interviews with senior professors. The interview ended positively, and she was ultimately selected.
Does SPJIMR have a different course structure and calendar than the IIMs and other top B schools? If so, is it better?
There are a few differences in the course calendar of SPJIMR and the IIMs that you should be aware of.
The major difference is that SPJIMR's flagship 2-year MBA course has Autumn Internship while IIMs have Summer Internship. In Autumn Internship, you will have completed most of your first-year B-school knowledge, which is a plus point when applying for corporate internships. Additionally, SPJIMR's famous Sem-III, which is a semester for Specialization courses, would have been completed by then. During this semester, you will undergo live projects which is like a near-internship experience and helps you a lot in your actual internship. However, this can keep you away from interacting with students from other B-Schools, unlike in the case of the Summer Internship. During the Autumns Internship selection process, roles are Specialization Specific, and having completed Sem-III restricts the roles you can take outside of your specialization.
With the completion of the Autumn Internship, the final placement season is usually 3/4 months away, giving companies time to roll out PPI/PPO wisely and allowing students to choose prudently between PPI/PPO and the option to be part of Final placements. However, this can leave students with less time for preparation for finals if they don't get PPI/PPO or reject those.
There are also a few minor differences in the course calendar. For example, in the summer, SPJIMR has Social Internship, whereas IIMs have a corporate internship. Additionally, in the mid-second year, SPJIMR students fly to the US for Fast-Track Learning, which is not available in IIMs. The second year for SPJIMR students is mostly busy with Sem-III then GFT then Autumns Internship. Thus SPJIMR students take part in corporate competitions (likes of LIME, Mahindra War Room, TBLA, etc.) during the first year itself, although this is just a norm. SPJIMR also offers numerous Minors (viz. Analytics, Finance, Consulting, Strategy, etc.). But the Analytics semester overlaps with International Exchange Semester. This means students can either do a Minor in SPJIMR OR an International Exchange at Foreign Universities.
Overall, while the timing of the internships is different, SPJIMR's Autumn Internship can be an advantage for you, and the live projects in Sem-III can provide you with valuable experience. However, you should also consider the minor differences and how they may affect your interests and goals.
How good is SPJIMR's PGDM? I’m looking at the current placement records of over 26L average. Is it performing better than top B-schools like XLRI/FMS/IIM?
SPJIMR has been among the top 5 or 10 B Schools over the past few years consistently. Its brand value can be compared to XLRI, FMS, and even IIMs except for IIM ABC. This is because even now there are some roles offered to IIM ABC students that are not offered at SPJIMR. But this is not a major issue as these roles seek only extraordinary profiles and In Fact, many other roles offered at IIM ABC are lower than average.
In SPJIMR even the lowest package is decent and the range of salary is not very broad. This year, SPJIMR's average package stood at INR 33.02 LPA.
Other key points to note in comparison to old IIMs is that our Highest CTC is lower than that of IIMs but our Lowest CTC is higher than that of IIMs. So I will suggest anyone with an exceptionally good profile to choose IIM whereas someone with a decent average profile should go for SPJIMR only. It is important to note that getting roles at SPJIMR is a bit easier than IIMs mainly because of the small batch size and less competition.
How was your SPJIMR interview experience?
The following interview experience is based on my friend whose profile looks like this
- 10th: 95%( Odisha board) : state rank 47
- 12th: 79% (Odisha board)
- Graduation: 82.2% ( BSc in agriculture 4-year degree program)
- CAT 2021: 96.07 %le (2nd attempt )
After ID Verification, she was taken into a room for GI where 3 panelists were waiting for her. After the introduction, she was probed with the following questions:
- Why did she choose Marketing as her specialization? To this, she gave a pre-prepared answer
- Looking at her rural internship, they asked her why she did not take up Rural or agricultural marketing. She told them that agricultural marketing would be monotonous because of her graduation in the same field and she wanted to explore other fields. In fact, many of the courses offered at SPJIMR aligned with her career interests.
- The panel also asked about her achievements during the rural internship program. This part was also answered smartly by her. She told the panelists how she provided better market accessibility, solved problems, and understood consumer behavior.
- They asked her how she provided better market accessibility. She told them about government online portals like eNAM and ReMS.
GI Round 1 concluded after some more related questions. The other members participated actively and all 4 of them got selected for Round 2. Here they asked more objective questions like:
- Who would you prefer as a captain between Virat and Dhoni And why?
- Do you think aggressive behavior is unhealthy for the spirit of sport?
In conclusion, the 1st round was data-based and subjective while the 2nd round was easier and quite objective.
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