Do You Think Engineers should do MBA?

HRM Interview, Bglore. 

XAT – 97.9 percentile, GK – 41 percentile

X – 85.33, XII – 91.1, B.Tech- 8.32

Category- GEM

GD: Educated managers or Natural managers (Kind of this way)

       We were asked to discuss on this for 45 minutes with pros and cons. The group came to an agreement before hand to make it a constructive GD.

        It turned out to be worse than fish market. Everyone is cutting in and points getting repeated. Lot many cross talks going on for minutes. Eventually one of the worst GDs I ever performed. Chipped in twice and was able to convince the group with my points. Others were also redundant points from my side.

Video: Chose an abstract topic “A Day”

PI: I would like to convey this with 4 persons P1, P2 (the people who conducted interview), M(me), I (inner voice). P1 and P2 are very senior faculty with serious faces.

P1: What are you actually trying to convey in the video?

M: Sir, I am actually trying to be a bit creative and wanted to convey the message what I see in a day.

P2: Is it what you see only in a day?

M: No sir. There are other notions too. Explained one notion I thought off then.

P1: Why do you want to do this course now?

Inner Voice: This is indirect why MBA question, come up with the best prepared one.

M: Sir, I believe every work is good and (immediately interrupted)

P1: Then why don’t you stay in TCS?

M: Sir, I never dreamt of being a project manager or team lead for a software project.

P1: See, you are making two controversial statements at once. You said all kind of work is good and now you don’t want to do some kind of work

Inner Voice: Poker Face

M: Sir, I believe dreams carry us forward and I am here for what I dreamt.

P1: If you don’t like what you are doing then you did you do B.Tech?

M: Sir, I never said I hated B.Tech, I am a very good engineering and my marks say the same.

P1: Do you think engineers should do MBA?

M: Yes sir. As per me (Interrupted)

P1: Why do you think so?

M: Sir, we will get the analytical skills .. (Interrupted)

P1: Even B.Com students will be good at that.

M: Sir, we will also get the communication skills..(Interrupted)

P1: Even B.Ed students will get that.

Inner Voice: This interview is done, come up with something good

M: To be frank no B.Tech student will study right from day 1 sir. Though he studies at the last minute, he know where to look at the moment and comes out of flying colors.

P1: That’s the leisure of the course you have. Is that even a skill?

M: No sir, B.Tech course isn’t leisure as we write.. (Interrupted)

P2: If this is the way you are going to be, you are not fit for XLRI. As the course will be too heavy and we need someone who works really hard.

M: Sir, I work hard sir. There are.. (Interrupted)

P1: See, again you are making controversial statements. You just said B.Tech students doesn’t work at all.

M: Sir, I doesn’t mean that sir. What I mean to say is..(Interrupted)

P1: You are changing your words again

M: No sir. What I said is a generic statement sir. There will be a stream of subjects where we love the course and go on with reading sir. There will be subjects which we hate and we won’t study them unless there is a need sir.Moreover the statement I made is for 60 to 70% of the case sir.

P1: So you don’t fall into that 70%?

M: Yes sir, I worked hard for my degree. Apart from that I took GATE exam to know if I am a good engineer or not sir. I qualified in it and got AIR 2000. I got admission for M.Tech from few colleges also sir. My parents, relatives and friends compelled me to go with my M.Tech but I didn’t go because I never dreamt for it. Then I joined TCS and went ahead with my CAT and XAT trails sir.

P1: Ok, I am done with it. Sir, do you have something to ask?

P2: What are the subjects you love in your B.Tech?

M: Network Analysis, Digital Logic Design sir.

P2: Tell me one subject for semester that you love till your final semester?

M: Told till 5th semester but cannot recollect after that. Said I cannot remember anymore.

P2: If you don’t even remember this, what will you do at XLRI?

Inner Voice: You are gone my son. Now do that testing back at TCS for 1 more year.

P2: In which project are you working?

M: CPP(Connectivity Packet Platform)

P2: When will the project end?

M: Never sir. It is a telecom project and in the market..(Interrupted)

P2: A project should have an end date. Otherwise it’s not called a project.

M: Sir, In my case as per market requirement..(Interrupted)

P2 (In a very loud voice): See, Don’t you get what I say? (Hitting the desk with his hand)

Inner voice: Bhaag ja beta

M: Sir, there will be many features in the market.. (Interrupted)

P2: Ok, Leave it. Did you execute some feature in your project?

M: Yes sir, It’s called IPSEC

P2: Tell me about that

M: Sir, we need security for the packets that are routed in the network.. (Interrupted)

P2: What cables you used?

M: ATM cable and IP cable

P2: If you have to chose one among them, how will you do?

M: Started speaking technically, he said he needs a generic answer. Sir we keep in mind the time, money and efforts. Being a software engineer efforts is not a redundant parameter. So we went with time and money and chose ATM cable. At a later stage we recognized we also need an IP cable and decided to go with both of them.

P2: Good. So you don’t consider the feature to select them.

M: Sir, this itself is a feature and the purpose of cables is to just carry the packets.

P1: We see that you also applied for BM. If you convert both, which one will you chose?

M: Sir, I will choose HRM.

P1: So Shall I write that you are not interested in BM?

M: No Sir, what I mean is… (Interrupted)

P1: See, you are again making different statements. 

M: Sir, I still stand by my word. But..(Interrupted)

P2: I don’t mind if you sit, stand or sleep on your word.

Inner Voice: This is check mate.

M: I would like you to write that “he is more interested in HRM than BM)

P1: So, I will be writing it here and it will literally screw your chances.

M: Not a problem sir.

P2: Ok we are done. You may leave.If you want to take a chocolate while leaving, help yourself.

M: Took a chocolate and woke up. Both P1 and P2 are looking at me. I asked “Sir, did I fumble anywhere? The interview ended too quick while others were taking too long”

P1: You will get it when the results are out?

P2: Answer any question that you could have done better.

Inner Voice: Choose why HR?

M: Sir, I am also a farewell SPOC in my project. I deal with more than 200 people every week and make them donate for the farewell events.

P1: How much you collect for a farewell?

M: Sir, around 5000.

P1, P2: Ok we are done. You may leave.

M: Thank you sir.

Ending note: The interview lasted for 20 mins. No questions from the questionnaire. Any inputs from anyone on how did the interview go?

My Inner Voice says 30% chances :/