Now that CAT is over… what next?
After the mad prep for CAT and those long nights suddenly there is a vacuum to fill… what is the “best” use of that time and energy or even “any” use…
Here are a few things I can think of. Pick your poison
1. If you have a job
a. Get back to work with same enthu as your CAT prep and do a darn good job of it. For the heck of it, try to be the best in your team just to show that you can.
b. Learn some business concepts and get a head start to your MBA. How about some basic marketing, finance may be?
c. Understand how those business concepts apply for your company – what the positioning of your company, what is its core value proposition, product or service lines, key executives, who are the key clients, key competitors, barriers to entry etc.
d. While you are at it can you first hand explore what the post MBA job scene may look like so you can target better – within your company itself explore roles that look interesting, what are the responsibilities of those roles, what skills are needed to be successful in those roles, who are the key folks that you can track as role models…
2. If you don’t have a job (never took one or quit in preparation for CAT)
a. How about NOT going back to the same industry where you were but exploring afresh. Kind of a second chance in your career life… analytics looks hot, how about non -traditional industries like real estate, education which seem to be booming
b. Since you got your studying habit back, how about a short term 3-4 month course on a skill that may help you land a job in a different industry just in case you don’t make it this year
In either case preparing for GDPI is a smart idea anyways. There are at least 4-5 things that are bound to come up (in some of from or the other) that you can be prepared for
1. Tell me something about yourself / introduce yourself
2. Why MBA?
3. What does your company do?
4. What is your role?
5. What is your future plan?
While the questions look simple and innocuous answers could make or mar your entire GDPI. Think a lot how you want to answer, write it down and practice so that you can deliver under the stressful high stakes situation…
Good luck… and do share if you have more ideas