Manpreet Singh

4 CHALLENGING MASTER PROGRAM INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

You have submitted an impressive essay and now admissions’ officers would like you to state your case in person. All excitement aside, you should be aware that there are some Master Program Interview questions that may prove to be quite difficult, especially if you haven’t prepared well.

Once invited for an interview, some Master Program aspirants may decide that they have all but gained admission to their dream programme and take it easy.

Can you tell me about a time you failed?

Why is it challenging?

Of course, aspirants are eager to highlight their achievements and strong sides but they are well advised to prepare for questions asking them to discuss failures and low points. Questions about past failures can throw those who expect to talk only about success, progress, and growth.

How to answer

Think about a failure which you were involved in but which was not ruinous for the organisation. Explain your role in the failure and what you learned from it. If possible, point to a recent situation where you applied the lessons learned from the failure.

Can you describe a conflict at work and how you handled it?

Why is it challenging?

This question represents a real minefield. If you are not careful, you can be tempted to speak ill of your colleagues or understate your role in the conflict. And if you started the conflict you may come off as ill-tempered and quarrelsome. In short, it is difficult to describe a conflict you were involved in and remain objective.

How to answer

Avoid disparaging your colleagues, your bosses, or your organisation. The reason admissions officers ask this question is to see if the applicant can see the conflict from different angles. You can prepare for this question by thinking of a conflict at work you were involved in. Describe the conflict in detail and your role in it. Explain how the conflict ended (if, in fact, it ended). It is crucial to mention what you learnt from the conflict and, if possible, point to a situation where you applied the lessons learnt from the conflict.

How do you make big decisions?

Why is it challenging?

This question is not as challenging as it is crucial, because your answer will deliver insight into your decision-making process. It will basically show the admissions officer how you think and whether you apply structure when you make decisions.

How to answer

Describe your decision-making process, but point out the structure you apply to it. Demonstrate how you progress gradually from one stage to the next. Also describe the methods you use when making decisions. Do you jot down the pros and cons on a sheet of paper or use a spreadsheet? Mention that, too. Of course, big decisions are often based on intuition. Don’t hesitate to talk about this.

Would you explain to me the last project you worked on as if I were a seven-year-old?

Why is it challenging?

The purpose of such questions is to assess your ability to distil the essence of complex information into simple language, which is a key business skill. If your job entails explaining complicated issues with simple words, you will have no problem with this question. Otherwise, you may find it surprisingly difficult. Just try to explain derivatives trading to your grandmother.

How to answer

Prepare to answer the question about your job, but bear in mind that you may be asked to capture the essence of some other complex issue. Practise presenting complex ideas clearly and watch how others do it. The question may be posed by the interviewer in a humorous fashion, but take it quite literally. Also don’t be condescending to the interviewer.

WHAT IS A GOOD TIME TO SCHEDULE YOUR JOB INTERVIEW?

Every job interview is an opportunity, and you cannot take any chances to waste this opportunity. Right from the preparation of the interview to the actual interview, there are many factors which influence the outcome of the job interview.

One of the factors that make an impact on the interview is the time and day of the interview. No, we are not talking about referring to astrology and figuring out the right time and date for your interview!

However, things are changing and most companies, being MNCs, are asking their job applicants a choice of interview timings. When you start getting interview calls, you might be asked for your preference for a time for the job interview.

Here is a guide for you to decide on a good time to schedule your job interview –

Check on the interview window – The interviewer will often have a specific set number of days to fill a position, and they try to finish their interviews before that. You can talk to the interviewer and ask politely how long you have to schedule an interview.

You can tell them that you are busy with a project or have an exam and would appreciate some flexibility. If you are lucky, the interviewer will tell you a date range between which you can appear for the interview.

Once you get the range, pick a job interview day in between the range, a bit closer to the final date. This way you will be one of the last persons for the interview and will be fresh on their mind for the job.

Fix a time away from the busy or dull hours of the day – A job interview will require both you and the interviewer to be active and mentally present during the interview. First hours of the morning or any shift (If later shift like 11 to 8) are always busy preparing for the day, while the last one or two hours of the day are occupied in closing the activities and preparing for the next day.

You should pick a time between the lunch hour and both these ends of the day.

Avoid the last meeting of the workday: The same can be said for the last meeting of the day as by then there are surely many things on the mind including priorities for the next work day, dinner plans, kids’ homework, etc. And, don’t even think about the end of the day on a Friday.

4 TYPES OF JOB RESUME FORMATS YOU NEED TO REFER

Your search for resume templates will lead you to find four basic types of job resume formats. A format is the way something is arranged, and once you understand how the job resume content is organized, you can find the best one for you.

THERE ARE THREE COMMON RESUME FORMATS

Chronological: Classic format that lists your work experience in order, starting with the most recent.

Functional: Emphasizes qualifications and accomplishments instead of specific jobs, but isn’t recommended.

Each resume format has a specific purpose and highlights different parts of your professional history.

CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME FORMAT

The chronological format is the most recognizable and traditional format for resumes. It is preferred by most recruiters and hiring managers because it requires less guesswork than other resume formats. In a chronological resume, your experience is laid out in a manner that is familiar and easy to understand. It also presents your skills in context, making it easier for a recruiter to see your career progression and development.

Also referred to as “reverse-chronological,” this resume format lists your most recent experience first then works backward through time. This helps recruiters and hiring managers see your highest-level achievements and most timely experience first. For example, in a chronological resume’s education section, a master’s degree would be listed above a bachelor’s degree because it was earned more recently.

The chronological resume format accommodates most industries. It emphasizes the where and when of your employment history more than other resume formats. Its straightforward layout also makes it the easiest format for recruiters and hiring managers to digest. This is beneficial as recruiters rarely take extra time to hunt for information. If they can’t locate the required skills and experience immediately, they might move on to the next applicant.www.iibmindia.in

Functional Job Resume Formats

The functional format is focused on the skills and abilities of the job candidate. The resume templates in this format look slightly different as they list out the things that highlight the skills of the candidate to the job required.

You will have to list out your various skills and then under it mention all the accomplishments and activities that were done with the skill set.

Pros – This type of resume format is perfect for those with resume gaps and those who are looking for a career change

Cons – Traditional recruiters may not be happy with this format as they may wonder if you have something to hide in your resume.

DON’T SKIP THE MASTER PROGRAM. IT MAKES YOU A BETTER ENTREPRENEUR

Master Program of Business Administration for aspiring entrepreneurs. The suggestion is that an Master Program may not give you a large enough payoff in startup world. Entrepreneurs can effectively replace formal management training with rapid on-the-job-learning.

I believe that timing really determines whether you should invest in an Master Program. If you don’t have a genius, winning idea just yet, studying for an Master Program Certification could be exactly what you need to create a platform for success.

You Can Learn “Entrepreneurial” Skills by Doing an Master Program

Advocates for skipping the Master Program have questioned the real-world relevance of Master Program for people who want to start a business.

This begs the question: are the skills you learn by doing an Master Program relevant for entrepreneurship? The answer is absolutely yes. The main reason is that just about every skill you gain by doing an Master Program could be useful to you as an entrepreneur.

If you think being a salaried manager within a corporation is tough, try starting a company from scratch and growing it into a lasting profit-making business.You really need a wider set of skills to be an entrepreneur compared to being a regular business manager.

This is something I found out for myself after launching my own company. The work I used to do managing teams and providing high-level industry advice for the government now seems like a walk in the park.

Entrepreneurs need to wear a lot of hats. Typically, you are managing a small, lean, evolving enterprise. Hiring a specialist for each task is something you may dream about but probably must hold off doing until revenue grows.

Study for an Master Program Flexibly Online

With online study options expanding, you also have the opportunity to get the entrepreneurial skills you need in a targeted, efficient way. Gone are the days when you have to spend hours attending lectures of questionable relevance.

WHY MASTER PROGRAM? 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD DO AN MASTER PROGRAM

Selecting the right career path is critical for all MPBAs and prospective Master Program students. The reason is simple – every Master Program wants to see a return on their investment. Why Master Program has become such a sought after course in the last few years is the sheer spectrum of career options that you can opt for after completing the course. From marketing to advertising and even finance is great career choice. AnMaster Program could help financial advisors attract clients. For those who are not self-employed, anMaster Program can make it easier to move into a management role.

Sometimes decisions are taken just because it happens to be the trend or the “in thing.” Of course, there is nothing wrong in this, but it is always better to have clarity on “why Master Program” and the career benefits that one will derive from the same.

Let us examine at least a quarter of a century compelling factors:

Entry Barriers- Some decades back, having anMaster Program qualification was an added step to success at the corporate growth level. Now, many branded and blue-chip organizations have made it a policy to hire only Master Program even at the entry levels. They are tagged as management trainees. In various departments, it is these management trainees who move up the ladder.

Removing Growth Barriers:

 Having a management Certification is an added weapon which helps when being considered for promotion and higher positions in the corporate structure. The lack of an Master Program Certification can lead to deserving people being overlooked simply because it is an organizational policy. In 2017, nearly 7% of Master Program students secured immediate placements.

Limitation of Generic Jobs :

 Having a non-professional certification often becomes a constraint when someone starts entering the workforce. It is not necessary that all have a specialization like – Engineering, Doctor, Chartered accountant, or others. A plain vanilla graduation degree will only give generic jobs, and such jobs always have ready substitutes.  There is no demand for generic profiles, and there is always a glut of supply.

At the Top Hierarchy is Master Program:

The corporate culture is changing. There was a time when the Chief Financial Officer used to get the top boss job. If it was a manufacturing company, then the production head due to his technical expertise used to get the coveted position of the CEO. But today, the trend is to put the Master Program manager in the top slot because of their ability of bird’s eye view. Due to this discernible view, they are entrusted with the role of steering the ship in the right direction.www.iibmindia.in

Personality Development:

It is not just about subject knowledge. It is the development of the soft skills. An Master Program helps in overall personality growth (source). The course helps to have better presentation and interpersonal relationship skills by fine-tuning the communication. This communication ability is enhanced from the vigorous training and group discussions imparted as part of the curriculum. There is an overhauling of the personality, which otherwise would have taken, painstakingly long years.www.iibmindia.in

Confidence Building:

The personality development leads to a high level of confidence. Having high confidence is the gateway to career success. The present-day corporate scenario demands self-esteem and the ability to instill confidence in others. These include internal colleagues, superiors as well as external customers, partners, etc. For them to have confidence, first, the self-confidence should be inculcated. This is where having an Master Program helps.www.iibmindia.in

COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR BUSINESS ANALYST

A Business Analyst is the one who analyzes the business of an organization. The core duty of a Business Analyst is requirements management.

BA should be able to understand the business policies, business operations, a structure of an organization and suggests any improvements (like how to improve the quality of services, technical solutions to business problems etc) to achieve the goals of an organization.

For a BA interview, you should be confident enough to answer the questions of the interviewer. From the answers given by you, the interviewer can judge your listening skills and can assess your capability of responding to the situations.

As a Business Analyst what is your role in an organization?

1. A) A Business Analyst plays a vital role in a project for an organization.
2. i) The main role of a Business Analyst is to find out the needs of an organization, finding out their problems, even predicting the future issues to an extent and suggesting the suitable solutions for the same and drive through the organization’s achievements.
3. ii) Business Analyst role varies from organization to organization, project to project and even from domain to domain.

iii) BA in a project can play the role of a Business Planner, System Analyst, Data Analyst, Organization Analyst, Application Designer, Subject Area Expert, Technical Architect etc.

1. iv) Core skills of a BA are a good grip on system engineering concepts, leadership qualities, technical knowledge, writing and verbal communications.

What is meant by Benchmarking?

The process of measuring the quality of policies, programs, products, rules and other measures of an organization against the standard measures or against the other companies is termed as Benchmarking. This is used to the measure the performance of a company to compete in the industry.

The main purpose of benchmarking is to find out the areas of improvement in a company and to analyze how the neighbor companies are achieving their goals.www.iibmindia.in

What makes you unique from others?

The answer to this question will test your experience, skills, and individuality. “I am technically sound and can make a strong relationship with the customer. With this unique combination, I can use my knowledge and information to build a user-friendly environment”.

What are the tasks that are not part of a BA’s job?

1. i) A Business Analyst is not intended to organize the project team meetings.
2. ii) A Business Analyst should not bother regarding the risks and issues tracker of a project.

iii) A Business Analyst should not perform activities like testing (executing the TC’s), coding or programming.

4 TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE THAT REQUIRE NO SPECIAL TALENT

You all know or have been around some very successful people in life. Somehow, you all aspire to be like them one day. Not that you’re short of talent, but it’s what lies between your current status and that successful person’s position.

There are some special traits of successful people, which can very easily be acquired, that differentiate them from others.

Besides being adequately talented, what makes them who they are?

Well, in this article you’re about to find out those traits of successful people that will be your ladder towards success.www.iibmindia.in

Punctuality

How hard is it to be on time? Every time you hit the snooze button on the alarm, you inch farther away from success. A lazy, de-motivated and lethargic individual is never likely to make it on time to important meetings, calls, and exams which automatically results in failure.

Successful people not only arrive on time but are mostly ahead of time. This allows them time for prepping for the day, pulling themselves together and of course enjoy a cuppa coffee in peace.

Enthusiasm

You will always find enthusiasm as one of the obvious traits of successful people. Real passion, dedication, and love for what they do reflect in their eyes. They are unafraid and unapologetic about showing it off. Every office has that one individual shuffling hard every day to make it to the top of the ladder.  This is the kind of infectious energy you should surround yourself with. www.iibmindia.in

Positivity

All of it boils down to starting and ending your day with a positive thought. It is one of the traits of successful people that provide them with the courage to face challenges and failures with a broad smile.

All of us face the same challenges at work but how you deal with them decides your fate for the future. Being positive puts you in the driver’s seat of your life and enables you to make the change.

Willingness to learn

Successful people never stop learning. There is absolutely nothing like ‘too educated’ or ‘too successful’. The successful people constantly grasp knowledge. They take classes, attend courses, master skills and read books to widen their horizon.www.iibmindia.in

TOP 3 SOFT SKILLS THAT YOU SHOULD MASTER FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER

While it is easier to define and quantify hard skills, soft skills are intangible but hold a lot of importance in determining whether you would get the job or not.

Most companies shortlist candidates on the basis of their technical skills but when it comes to the selection process for non-tech job profiles (even if the company is into IT industry), it is based primarily on the soft skills you possess. Therefore, it is important to master certain soft skills for a successful career.

That is why today we are here with a list of top 4 soft skills that you should focus on to ensure a successful and rewarding career.

Team Player Attitude

The ability to play well with others is a soft skill you’ve been working on — unknowingly — since your first day of pre-school or daycare. You might not have known it when you were fighting over blocks or figuring out the rules of a made-up game, but you were actually preparing for a lifetime of workplace collaboration.

Whether you’re an individual contributor or a people manager, you have to work with other people — in meetings, in brainstorms, and on various cross-functional projects within your company. A positive, can-do attitude when it comes to working with others is essential to team harmony, which means you need to be able to run an effective and inclusive meeting, be open to new ideas, and work respectfully with others. www.iibmindia.in

Read our guide to running better meetings for all personality types here, and brush up on these rapport-building questions to get to know and work well with any team member you encounter.

Problem-solving skills

One of the major soft skills that employers look for is problem-solving skills. Of course, you need to be critical and analytical to be a problem solver but that is not it. You also need the attitude to look at a problem and try to think of a solution rather than give up in the face of it.

To test a candidate’s problem-solving skills, recruiters often ask ‘situational questions’ to see how they would react to it and the approach they would take to arrive at a solution.

Also, you don’t necessarily have to come up with the solution to every problem every time. However, you should try and look at all possibilities before giving up.

Creativity

One of the most undermined soft skills, creativity is often misunderstood for being artsy. You don’t always have to paint poetry to be called creative. Creativity in general workplace is being resourceful and thinking out of the box.

Creativity is the requirement of every job profile and will get you noticed. So, work on your creative juices to have a super successful career.www.iibmindia.in

4 ESSENTIAL JOB ETHICS YOU SHOULD FOLLOW FOR A GROWING CAREER

You’ve often heard the words “work ethic” being bandied around. In fact, it has become one of the many phrases often included in many want ads and job descriptions, as a trait that you must possess so you can be considered for an open position.

Something about how you must have a “strong work ethic”, or something along those lines.

And then, once you are already part of the company or organization, they’d go on and on about how all employees must have a good work ethic so they can contribute to the achievement of the organization’s goals.www.iibmindia.in

Important job ethics for a growing career

Integrity

Staying true to your work ethics and principles builds integrity. If you’re willing to give up your job ethics and principles for a reward of more money or recognition then you’re diminishing your reputation and self-respect.

Hold on to your beliefs when the odds are against you because these will sail your boat through a successful career. Having integrity reinforces your honesty and professional behavior as it helps build relationships and career progress.

Quality of work

If you show dedication and commitment in completing the assigned tasks, your job ethics will shine out. An ethically right person goes the extra mile to attain results that surpass all expectations. In your first job tips book, you must include an emphasis on quality of work as an important work ethic to possess.

Discipline

Job ethics emanate from within. The supervisors can ask you to be this or that and do this or that but if you do not have the discipline to follow rules and instructions, you can never really be a productive employee for the company. Discipline involves focus, dedication, and determination on your part to do what you should.

Professionalism

The term is so wide and broad that it is often used interchangeably with job ethics. Professionalism includes everything – From your dressing sense to table manners to communication etiquettes at the workplace. In order to be professional, you must follow a strict book of job ethics that guide your behavior at work.

Sometimes, we all feel the urge to cross lines, take shortcuts or miss a few rules here and there but this is where job ethics play a vital role. An employee with ethical behavior wouldn’t resort to unethical ways of achieving results because of the possible consequences in the future.

Whether experienced or fresher, you must follow certain principles and strictly abide by them when the odds are against you.www.iibminidia.in

FAST FORWARD YOUR CAREER WITH AN EXECUTIVE MASTER PROGRAM
The season of management entrances is on and one can find table lamps lit up more than fairy lights of Christmas. With students all over India preparing rigorously for entrance after entrance, opportunities for working professionals in the education section aren’t any less. Now, you can pursue further education while continuing working and no, we are talking about Online education. Although what we are talking about can be pursued Online. In context here is Executive Master Program, a management program specially designed for professionals who already have learned the hard way how the industry works but now seek to fast track their career.www.iibmindia.in
Executive Master Program is pursued only when a student has years of experience in a managerial position. Which is why, a regular MBA would not suffice to your educational needs as you no more are a fresher and probably know the industry by heart now. EMPBA is the right choice to make if one wishes to get a change of pace and pay in their career and although the challenges you have to go through to pursue it are many, the benefits of an EMPBA far outweigh them.
2 Reasons to pursue Executive Master Program
Uplifts your managerial competency
Working in a company for years together sure gets you the knowledge of the industry but top it up with an Executive Master Program and you see things in a different light. Many students have admitted that they found the extra education to be more enlightening as the course reflects real life situations but come with added procedure for solutions. You start thinking differently and understand the importance of strategic thinking in critical decisions. One begins to find and clearly see new solutions for old problems they faced at work. It increases your managerial competency to a new level which not only adds to your skill set but in turn adds value to the place where you work.
The promotion
On an average, a person after pursuing an Master Program Executive gets a pay increase of 25% or more. This is because a company finds it effective in the long term to have their own employee of years to be in a position of management. But a study conducted by the Executive Master Program Council reported that students do see the advantages of an Master Program executive but usually underestimate its effect. This was based on the data that out of all the students opting for such a course only 37% expected a promotion whereas on exiting the course over 43% of the students received a promotion.www.iibmindia.in