Days @ ISB

I didn’t know that The Hindustan Times had published my ISB write-up last month itself. But they shrunk my article to 1/7th its original size! Here’s the link to its online version: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/674_1074550,00310004.htm

ISB's info session

The Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad provides an unparalleled model of education. It has formal tie-ups with the Wharton School, the Kellogg School of Management, and the London Business School. Its student strength includes investment bankers, army officers, architects, doctors etc. The ISB’s programme provides a comprehensive overview of how businesses function. On an average, there was a 67 per cent increase in salary post-MBA. More importantly, students were able to make a transition in their job roles and rise to become heads of their divisions. The ISB is holding an information session on October 30 at Taj Palace, Delhi. For further details log on to www.isb.edu.



And here’s my original piece:

The economy is booming, and the companies are hiring. However, there are a set of people who leave their jobs each year – not to go to another company, but to go back to school. These are the MBA students at the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad. What motivates them to take this step? Let’s find out.

An MBA is not just another three-letter word. It has immense implications for a person’s career. When people have been working for a few years at a routine job, they start feeling caged in their jobs. The growth may not be fast enough, and eventually they will hit a glass ceiling. Changing one’s employer does not change the nature of the job much. A computer programmer gets hired by software firms to do what he or she had been doing previously.

Enter the era of MBAs for experienced professionals. Some of the most talented workers are today taking a break from their work to pursue a full-time one-year MBA at the ISB.

The ISB provides an unparalleled model of education. It has formal tie-ups with the Wharton School, Kellogg School of Management, and the London Business School. Just like its partner schools, the average work experience of students here is 5 years. Students here come from different parts of the world, and everyone has a great reason to do so. The ISB has Investment Bankers, Army Officers, Architects, Consultants, Doctors, media professionals, etc in the classrooms. These people were highly successful in their careers, but chose to do an MBA to get into the fast track of their chosen career paths. The ISB’s programme provides an all-round knowledge of how businesses function, and makes one a leader who thinks out of the box.

Let’s look at some statistics. If we go by the record placements of the previous ISB batches, the jump in job roles and salaries is mind-boggling. On an average, there was a 67% increase in salary post-MBA, and the average and highest salary figures were the highest in the country among all b-schools. More importantly, the students were able to make a transition from job roles like IT programmer to Business Development Manager. One year at the ISB helped them jump up the hierarchy, and got them great jobs.

An MBA from a premier institute like the ISB helps open many doors. There is a very close-knit alumni network that students can tap into. Many MBAs quickly rise up to become heads of their divisions. They get to work on strategically important organization level tasks, and get paid top dollars. It may not have been possible without taking that one-year break to do an MBA.

Apart from immediate benefits, a high-class education from the ISB helps in the long run by helping develop skills that one can use during a lifetime. The ISB’s education comprises a global curriculum and is taught by best-in-class international faculty. Many star professors from leading US b-schools like NYU Stern, Wharton, Carnegie Mellon, Kellogg and UCLA fly down to ISB to teach the students. The peer group is experienced, and helps in exchange of ideas. Since the peers are high-achievers in their fields, one can gain a lot of knowledge outside the classroom by interacting with them.

The ISB’s 260 acre campus is world-class too. It is widely believed to be among the best b-school campuses in the world. The facilities are international, which helps attract international students and faculty. The students live on campus in a serene setting, each student gets an air-conditioned, fully-furnished, service apartment with modern amenities. The atmosphere is most conducive for an intensive year of study.

Thus, it makes immense sense to enroll in an MBA at the ISB if you have been working for a few years now. It will help you re-engineer your career and make a quantum leap. The ISB is visiting your city on 27th November to hold an information session. Be there to know more about the exciting opportunities you can get by spending one year at the ISB.