Saturday, December 11, 2004

MBAs or not... !?

almost everyone around us are running to get-into top Bschool. doesn't matter what his/her prior educational background or interest.. does it makes you wonder what the hell is happening around us?

I even know few doctors joined GMAT classes to prepare for MBA. Down south many do MBA from some junk school and wonder what do to next.! some people do double MBA in india & aboard.

Not sure about the importance for MBAs - is so right or just Myth? I found these were very important & interesting :

  • Understand that an MBA, in India at least, has nothing to do with education. Please 'get' this. It's not that institutes te ach you stuff that is irrelevant and obsolete. That's probably true, too. It's that nobody cares what you are taught here.
  • An MBA is about filtration. You're an employer - more likely, an HR person, and you have to hire the batch of 2004. You can either search far and wide for the right people, and expend a lot of energy - or take the easy way out. You assume that the top of the gene pool would have filtered up to the top of the MBA pool. So you set your sights on the right 'level' schools, and go hire at will. You secretly know your assumption is invalid, but everybody's doing it so it's okay.
  • I'll say it again, in case it didn't get through. It's about filtration. Nothing else will explain why Day One hirers at IIMs are international banks who pick electronics engineers with specialisations in marketing to join finance functions. So much for what you actually spent six years learning. Practical value: zero.
  • An MBA in most places on earth is about learning to run your own business. Expand MBA and you'll see. Here, it's about getting a better job. So if you really want a great job, work hard to get into an institute that has a great placement record. As long as you manage not to get expelled, you have a chance of being hired at a decent salary after two years by some lazy HR people. Again, the real challenge is not in doing the right MBA, but in getting into the right MBA.
  • This works in some schools overseas too. If you've hit the brown ceiling that many Indians bump into while they pursue international careers, get a foreign stamp that a different pool of employers looks out for. So you now compete with firangs on a level playing field.
  • What does this mean for MBAs done through correspondence or from no-name schools? Like you suspect, not very much. As long as it's not on the radar of the HR types, it won't make a difference to your career. Save the money and buy a motorbike or something.
  • What if you actually want to be a master of a business you want to administer? Avoid the big-name schools. Look around and you'll find programmes for family-run businesses at second-rung schools. You'll actually learn stuff there.
  • There is a better prospect than doing an MBA, if you haven't figured it out yet. It's to set up MBA colleges and set up institutes training you to get you into these MBA colleges.
Importance marks are in an MBA - Well, these two are the last fun years you're going to have in a long time. You're going to be dealing with spreadsheets for the rest of your life - shouldn't
you be picking Old Monk over Old Management Writers now?

Is getting placed all there is to being in a B-school, some of you wondered. Nope - there is one other way B-schools will help you. The network you form with your gang will really help when all of you are in positions of relative power maybe five or 10 years from now. Cultivate your buddies on e-groups, have reunions, keep the connections alive.

MBA abroad - Yes, if your dad has Rs 30 lakh to spare, it's not a bad idea. Get into the top-ranked ones (I'm using the dreaded phrase again) and survive. If a firm sponsors your work visa, you could start off at around Rs 45 lakh a year.

MBA is a basic time pass employers want you to go through before they come in to hire you - very commonly known quote

OK.. truth is I have absolutely no formal management qualifications whatsoever. Or even non-management qualifications. So I'm no expert. I'm no career counsellor either.
but my belief is that nothing approaching anything real or useful is taught in MBA or any course in India. fresher filtering process is a joke..

Say 10 out of every 1,000 students get into an Indian Institute of Technology. And then five of those get into an top ranking Bschool. The hideously misinformed HR community then figures this must, hence, be the top 0.5% in India - and proceeds to throw gobs of cash at them for jobs completely unrelated to their education.

So if you want a high-paying job, get into a top-ranked B-school - and don't you worry about your specialisation in graduation or the MBA itself. Nobody else does. Do what you feel like - or can pass exams most easily in. The closest that four years of mechanical engineering education can come to being useful is when you screw caps on toothpaste tubes you sell for a multinational.

The big jobs are at the big B-schools. So what do you do if you're not at one of those? Well, don't mope and blame your college. Go, use your initiative, and network your way into a good job. Meet heads of businesses you admire - use your project time to make friends and influence people.

after couple of years employer would except particularly deluded/experties - will get to know the true mettle of their employees. It can be a level playing field thereafter (my experience). Especially if you refuse to feel and act inferior to those from higher-ranked B-schools. lets not even go there... 'rankings'.

Now the real question - what if you wanted to do an MBA to really learn how to run a business? hmm... very few entrepreneurs whom we can learn from, teach at B-schools. we might do better to actually start off ourself. After all, there are only two things - in any business career we can either be an entrepreneur or work for one.

Monday, December 06, 2004

2004 US elections

Just after 2004 US elections... results gave birth to this website - http://sorryeverybody.com

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Gujarati

There was once a Gujarati, owning a shop, living in USA called Navneetbhai Patel, who was involved in a car accident. At the hospital, when he awoke, he called for the nurse to tell him what had happened to him.. I'm very sorry, sir, but you were involved in a very bad car crash. "Car crash! My Mercedes! Is my car all right?" he asked hysterically."Sir, your car was destroyed, but that is the least of your worries- you lost your left arm in the crash, and we were unable to save it," she said apologetically. "I lost my arm? My Rolex Watch! My Rolex Watch!" "Sir, please calm down. That is the least of your worries. You are in very critical condition, but all your family are here to see you." He asked for his family to be called in.

As they gathered around the bed, he called for each of them by name.

"Alpa, are you here?" "I am here husband, and I will never leave you."
"Diness, are you here?" "I am here father, and I will never leave you."
Krupa are u here? "I am here father, and I will never leave you."
"Kalpess, are you here?" "I am here father, and I will never leave yuu."
"Kamless, my child, are you here?" "I am here father, and I will never leave you."
"Paress, my child, are you here?" "I am here father, and I will never leave you."
"Well" said Navneet Bhai thoughtfully, "Alpa,krupa,Diness, Kalpess, Paress and Kamless are here.....if all of you are here, THEN

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THEN WHO THE HELL IS IN THE SHOP!!!!!????"

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Gone are the days........but not the memories

Gone are the days

When the school reopened in June,
And we settled in our new desks and benches.

Gone are the days
When we queued up in book depot,
And got our new books and notes.

Gone are the days
When we wanted two Sundays and no Mondays, yet
Managed to line up daily for the morning prayers.

Gone are the days
When we chased one another in the corridors in Intervals,

And returned to the classrooms drenched in sweat.

Gone are the days
When we had lunch in classrooms, corridors,
Playgrounds, under the trees and even in cycle sheds.

Gone are the days
When a single P.T. period in the week's Time Table, Was awaited more

eagerly than the monsoons.

Gone are the days
Of fights but no conspiracies,
Of Competitions but seldom jealousy.

Gone are the days
When we used to watch Live Cricket telecast,
In the opposite house in Intervals and Lunch breaks.

Gone are the days
When few rushed at 5:30 to
"Conquer" window seats in our School bus.

Gone are the days
Of Sports Day, and the annual School Day,

And the one-month long preparations for them.

Gone are the days
Of the stressful Quarterly, Half Yearly and Annual Exams,
And the most enjoyed holidays after them.

Gone are the days
We learnt, we enjoyed, we played, we won, we lost, We laughed, we cried,

we fought, we thought.

Gone are the days
With so much fun in them, so many friends,
So much experience, all this and more.

Gone are the days
But not the memories, which will be
Lingering in our hearts for ever and ever and
Ever and ever and Ever.

I hope you went back to your Golden Olden days..........

For a while..........as I DID!!

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Night-Outs

One of my friend fwded this mail .. I don't know who is the author of this.. But it is nice. Even though it is big, worth reading this in your spare time.

My Night-Outs
My feet were getting numb. My arms were getting tired. But I sat there, looking at the monitor, pretending to work. What if I slept off on the keyboard? What would people around me think? Am I not competitive enough. Would another night out hurt. "No it won't." I consoled myself. "Work a little more." I told myself.

Images of links between tables and pages from what we call, ETRMs crossed my mind. "Why?" I asked myself. "Why doesn't my mind wander away to the more beautiful things in life?" "Why does it always have to be WORK!!!?"

That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. I pressed the shutdown button on the PC as if to say, "I hate you". As if in reply, it took me twice to shut it down. I kicked my locker and walked out of my cubicle. The security at the reception looked into my eyes sympathetically. I pretended like I am solving problems in my head. As if the world depended on my silly program. As if to justify the fact that the Security needs to respect me. I hated myself. I walked down the corridor towards the lift.

There I was, on the fifth floor. It was 3.30 in the morning. The terrace looked deserted. I loved the feeling. I was all alone. Just me, and the sky and the stars and the early morning breeze. I looked all around. The world looked much beautiful. Somewhere, far away, I could see lights. I presume that must have been another workplace where people like me are working away at their PCs.

I stood at the edge of the terrace. As I looked at the road that ran in front of our office, I slowly kept my palm on the wall. A chill ran down my spine. Tiny droplets of water had formed on the wall, which I touched. I wanted to feel it again. I touched it again. It was the most wonderful feeling. I wondered why I don't do these things often.

I decided to stay there till sunrise. I closed my eyes and waited. Finally, I could see a faint light in the east. Even though we hardly notice, these things do happen. Like sunrise and stuff. I saw the sun rise. As he rose I could see more and more buildings like ours. The breeze had got much stronger. It was like sitting near the window seat of a bus that was moving through some lonely road near a lush paddy field. I got that taste in the air. I got the feel. It was like heaven had met earth.

"No" I said. "I am NOT going back there again." I ran down the stairs. I wanted the glass that covers our reception to break and let some of this air in. I rushed into my cubicle and got my bag and stuff. Running out, I did not bother to sign the register. Strangely, my vehicle started with just one kick. I rode my bike quite fast, just to feel the air on my face.

When I reached the road, I realized that I was late. Considering the fact that I was in office since yesterday, I was really really late. The world had moved on. People had spent another night with their families. Kids had spent another day studying for exams. Old folks had spent another night wondering when to dye their hair. Teenagers had spent another night dreaming about their loved ones.

There I was, like a machine coming out of my office building. I saw people taking their morning walks. Some of them jogging. Some of them standing and talking. Some old aunties jogging and talking and laughing, all at the same time. There were newspaper-boys, milk-vendors and what not.

I started feeling out of place. "Was I from another planet or something?" I thought. I was dreaming I guess, a milk-vendor chap on his bicycle nearly hit my bike. "Idiot" I said. Didn't he know I am going home after a tough day? Didn't he know that I am tired, and do not have the energy for such crap? "Wait a minute," I told myself. "Are you doing somebody a favor by staying in the office so long?" "Will this world be a better place if you do that?" "Do you have it in you to buy one meal for that milk-vendor's family?"

YOU CAN'T!!! And that's the truth. You can't do anything except writing pieces of code, which you regard as full of life for reasons known best to you.

I broke into tears thinking about my own plight. I hated the fact that I existed. Why was I going through this entire trauma? What was holding me here? The money?. The passion to program?. The feeling that I would be isolated if I didn't work?. I don't know. I am still searching for the answers.

Then, suddenly out of nowhere, images of my family came into my mind. My dad, who had taken care of the family since I remember him. In fact, since I remember anything. My mom who would not have slept even a little bit, since I have not reached home. And my brother, who doesn't actually show it, but misses me when he doesn't see me. "I am not alone" I shouted. "I have this beautiful world to live in, with beautiful people in it"

Friends, do go out sometimes. Share your life with the people you love the most. Share your life with the nature. Share it with the wind. Share it with the sun. Share it with the rain. Things much much more important than programming is happening out there. But it won't come for you, you have to go out and find it .

Thursday, September 30, 2004

Best Moments in My Life....

Best Moments in My Life:

- To laugh until it hurts your stomach.

- To find mails by the thousands when you return of the vacations.

- To manage for a vacation at some pretty place.

- To listen to your favorite song in the radio.

- To go to bed and to listen while it rains out.

- To leave the shower and find that the towel is warm.

- To clear your last exam.

- To receive a call from someone, you don't see a lot, but you want to.

- A good conversation with a sweet person.

- To find money in a pant that you didn't use last year from the.

- To laugh at oneself looking at mirror, making faces.:)))

- Calls at the midnight that last for hours.

- To laugh without reasons.

- To hear accidentally that somebody says something good of you.

- To wake up and realize it is still possible to sleep a couple of hours.

- To hear a song that makes you remember a special person.

- To be part of a team.

- The first kiss.

- To watch the sunset from the hill top.

- To make new friends.

- To feel butterflies! in the stomach every time that you see that Person

- To pass a while with your best friends.

- To see people that you like, feeling happy.

- To use a sweater of the person that you like and it still smells of their perfume.

- See an old friend again and to feel that the things did not change.

- To take an evening walk along the beach.

- To have somebody who tells you that he/she loves you.

- To laugh .......laugh........and laugh ...... remembering stupid things by stupid friends.................... are the best moments of life.

"No one can go back and make a brand new start. But anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending"

Silence...sssshh..

Have you ever experienced a moment in your life
when you just ran out of words and you go... s i l e n t ???

Let me assist you in recalling.....

the moment when you left your home for the first time and you look back at your parents who are worried that their son/daughter are leaving them yet happy that their child took the first step towards independence.

the moment when the girl/boy you like most.. smiled back at you! You dont say anything.. you just smile back..

the moment when you get better marks than you expected...
those "numb" moments of ecstacy n surprise "is that true?"...

the moment when you are parting with your old friend(s) and the train has just started...
and you are standing on the door of the wagon.. waving "bye-bye" with your heart beating fast...

the moment after the HR manager has just called you and told you,"You are through! Congrats!"

the moment when you sit alone in your room after having told everyone that you cleared that exam you prepared for 6 months!!

You can go on remembering your "special" moments!

I had always wondered why I never said anything to myself at those moments.. as if it was "understood"... happiness, joy, pain.. all feelings just flowed ceaselessly in the 'years' that passed in those flash moments!

They say.. the best way to communicate is through "silence".

Love. Joy. Grief. Surprise. Anger. Hope. Expectations. Support. Non-cooperation...

Can you imagine the importance of a silent moment in a song??

When Bryan Adams stops for a while along with music, before he goes on in his husky voice...
... Please forgive me. I cant stop loving you!

Ever had those moments when you thought you were tired enough that you reach for your bed after dinner.. but find yourself wide awake looking at the roof of your room silently...

But you sure are 'thinking'... those moments of self-talk are the most important in our lives. Those moments when we listen to our own hearts! Those promises... those decisions... those are the moments when we make our destinies!

Next time you go silent... listen carefully to what your heart is saying.. listen to its joy...listen to its pain.. listen to its fears.. listen to its desires..

Dont make it shut up and go off to sleep...
LISTEN TO THAT VOICE and ACCEPT EVERYTHING IT SAYS!
That voice alone can lead you to the abode of peace that your sleep lacks...
peace that awaits you!

Be in touch with your true self... be silent once a day, every day !