Please fill this survey.

I have been away from the online world for many days now and that has more to do with my work and the job hunt. Presently I am working on a small project to understand the Indian consumer preference with reference to sports, health and fitness market in India. For that a survey has been designed and is available at - http://bit.ly/4AoLV4.

Would appreciate if you could kindly take the survey and help me in my work. I promise to share the findings on my blog once it is closed.

With respect to the job front, I am seriously planning to give it a serious thought. I am in two minds to continue with the hunt or start something on my own. Will post a update soon on that as well.

A state of uncertainity

Ask any MBA student - where do you see yourself in next six months?. The answers most likely will not vary among majority of students. The most common response will be - 'I don't know'. 

This answer stems from the uncertainity that has plagued the job market. What seemed earlier to be a good investment in oneself (it still is), in the short term appears to be one of the not-so-wise decisions. Worldwide collapse of the markets, the recession (Umar Haque calls it a state of compression) and the loss of confidence have taken its own toll on the prospects of finding a job. Students are now dwindling between finding nothing to finding anything so as to pay back the huge loan they have taken. Internships have dried up and the summer projects are not so easy to find. Overall the state of the MBA economy looks not so pleasant. Afterall no one left their cushy jobs to land themselves in this state of uncertainity.

While many will resonate with my claim, I do not claim to represent the entire MBA student fraternity, I for certain falls in the category of uncertain people. Even though all is not lost and there are opportunities to look for, this experience, has certainly allowed me to think out-of-the-box. I do not simply think about the regular profile that I would have got for myself after MBA, nor do I fancy my chances in UK, which I surely considered before joining the course. Now I am thinking more than ever about opportunities in India. Now I am no more looking for a stereotype role in the IT industry (though I may still end up there) but I am considering all types of industries. This will enable me to 

• experience different industry, and
• enhance my profile

I am not so sure if I will be successful in what I am thinking but slowly and surely I am looking forward to apply wherever opportunities arise. If you think you might have something in store for me drop me an email. 

Who said recession was bad, MBA in a recession has definitely made me resilient.  

MBA is not everyone's cup of tea.

Please raise your hands who agree with me.

Surely it requires a lot of Commitment. The commitment with a big 'C' and not small 'c'.

Networking, thinking and giving shapes to new ideas, selling those ideas to people and then trying to start something new takes lot of energy. I believe there are many superstars in the class and everyone is as good as it gets. With too many things happening around, I really admire the small size of the class otherwise a large number would surely be a big distraction.

Recently there was IBM HR director who came and spoke with the class. It was quite an interesting session, but I think I would have derived much value out of it if he would have given more information about the trends in the industry and how to approach IBM and how IBM would help the students from this school. I am slightly selfish, but I think once companies start visiting my school with recruitment, like they do for LBS where they have to sift through 400+ resumes, the small size would be a great advantage to them.

But, that is long term. Right now there are lot of other things that need to be sorted out. Right now I am working on my CV (for a very long time) and looking for opportunities in Business Development / Management Consulting areas but it is a real hard work without a proper network to wade through plethora of companies around the world. It is very easy to get distracted and lose focus but sometimes posting here helps as a reflection. Don't really know, but if you guys know anything that comes up in my "desired" area do let me know. Is that a pitch? May be yes. But the prospects of not doing what I want to do post MBA is terrifying.

I think an entreprenuerial mindset has its own disadvantage. You get excited about the prospects very easily but to really pursue the same is really a hard work. MBA is also an entreprenuerial journey where you invest and take risk. But, I like that. I am also planning to go for the Rice Business Plan competition. Anyone willing to join? There are two more vacancies in the team. Ha ha.. that's funny, the hunted becomes the hunter. I am looking for opportunities and I am offering here one. Do contact me (you know where and how).

Will post soon with the results of job takers. Meanwhile I finished selling Barcamp here at Lancaster and the initial response seems to be quite good. I hope all goes well on Nov. 15. There is lot of work to complete before that happens. Let me go back to the drawing board now. See u soon.