Top Group Discussion Tips For Seeking Admission In Top MBA Colleges In Hyderabad

Group discussion, is nothing, but the process wherein the participants exchange their ideas and opinions on a given topic. This is the process which is used by the top 10 MBA colleges in Hyderabad for selecting the deserving candidates for different management programs. The topics given for the group discussion session vary from being generic to specific. Thus, it takes a lot to stand out during the group discussion round and in case you are unable to bring your thoughts on the table, you straight away loses the chance of studying in that particular college.

However, during the group discussion, a firm grip on the topic is also not a sure shot method to ensure that the result of group discussion will be in your favour. So, what you should for being sure of hitting the bull’s eye?

There are certain group discussion strategies which, when applied can turn the odds in your favour and confirms your admission to one of the best MBA colleges in Hyderabad. Let’s have a look at these strategies:

Knowledge

Knowledge is not the sole factor to register your win in the group discussion round, however, but having the knowledge of the subject matter surely gives you an edge over the opponent. If you have the subject knowledge of the topic, you must be aware of the latest developments in the particular field. So, to gain knowledge on different subjects, widen your reading vision; read what is happening around the world.

Communication Skills

An effective communication is another crucial aspect which needs to be taken care of. There is no use of being a knowledge expert if you are unable to effectively communicate the same to the other person. In order to build an impressive communication skills, enrich your vocabulary and attain a decent command over the language. Attend mock group discussion sessions; else you may also refer to the GD videos available on the Internet.

Body Gestures

Your body gestures speak more than you! Always remember this statement! These body gestures are particularly noticed by the panel sitting to observe each and every candidate during the group discussion round. When you sit for the discussion, sit in a straight posture without leaning on the back. Avoid knocking the table with your fingers or pen. Don’t give an impression that you are easily distracted by what is happening around. Stay calm, don’t show aggressive attitude, but at the same time, don’t get dominated by the other candidates.

Listening

Like a good speaker, you should also become a good listener. If you don’t listen during the discussion round and keep on pouring your inputs, the debate will not come out as a meaningful one. Acknowledge the thoughts and comments of opponents and then come up with an adequate response to support or counter their statement with your knowledge.

Final Thoughts

These are some of the significant group discussion strategies which will help you stand out in the group discussion rounds for admission in top MBA colleges in Hyderabad. The tips may sound simple, but they hold great importance when it comes to cracking the group discussion round. So, Read, Understand and Discuss to get your seat in the top MBA colleges.

Understanding The Benefits Of Work Experience For MBA Aspirants

One of the key aspects that differentiate an MBA program from other graduate business programs is the fact that it requires the applicants to have some minimal work experience. In fact, it is not uncommon for the best MBA colleges in Hyderabad to have specific criteria with respect to the level and type of work experience they seek in prospective candidates. Even though a majority of MBA aspirants are not too happy about this essential eligibility criteria, it can actually prove beneficial for them in more than one ways. The key benefits of enrolling for an MBA program after gaining the requisite work experience are discussed in brief as follows.

It Paves The Way For Experiential Learning

Having work experience makes it easier for the MBA aspirants to opt for a specialization that best matches their career objectives and interests. The existing business knowledge of the candidates goes a long way in helping them to overcome several challenges that they might face during the program. It also enhances the overall learning experience of the candidates by helping them to better relate the concepts and topics being taught with real-life situations and business scenarios.

It Helps In Enhancing The Learning Diversity For A Class

Every MBA aspirant enrolling with one of the top 10 MBA colleges in Hyderabad, has unique work experience. This results in an entire class of diversely experienced professionals coming together to gain management training. The different types of work experiences of every student contribute to making a truly diverse learning experience. The student can share and learn from the professional knowledge and experience of their peers and use this information to enhance their own learning skills and experience.

It Makes Up For Any Lack Of Business Concepts

It is a well-known fact that MBA aspirants come from diverse educational backgrounds, including non-business ones. Having relevant work experience makes it easier for candidates from non-business backgrounds to make up for their lack of academic knowledge with their practical expertise. The students take a practical approach to learning by understanding what they are being taught and connecting it logically with their own real-life experience. They use the theoretical knowledge being imparted in the classrooms to simply think things over and reach an effective conclusion.

It Helps In Enhancing The Skillset Of The Candidates

Candidates with work experience are well aware of their practical strengths and weaknesses. They are thus able to make most of an opportunity to enhance their skill set and evolve as better professionals. The leading MBA colleges in Hyderabad pay attention to imparting key business and personality skills to the students. This enables the students to focus on developing the skills that they might be lacking and which are essential for fulfilling their career objectives.

It Helps Them Gain A Significant Competitive Advantage

The biggest benefit of having work experience prior to enrolling for an MBA program is that it provides aspiring students with a significant competitive advantage. They are actually able to understand and appreciate the need for this qualification in their career growth in a better manner. This makes it easier for them to focus on their learning and completing the program successfully.

Useful Guidelines That Can Help Students To Successfully Prepare For MBA Entrance Exam

Even though the popularity of MBA programs has far surpassed that of any other higher education programs, gaining an admission into the program is still relatively difficult. The first and perhaps the biggest challenge that MBA aspirants need to overcome is that of clearing a relevant entrance exam with a good enough score. In fact, a good score plays a critical role in ensuring that the students get admission in top MBA colleges in Hyderabad. While there is no set study format that can guarantee a good score in MBA entrance exams, the following guidelines can prove extremely useful in maximizing the chances for the same.

Stay Motivated : It is important for the students to stay motivated and focused during their study period. This can be ensured by avoiding too much contact with people, who might discourage and de-motivate them in any manner. The students need to remain determined and have a positive approach towards studies in order to fulfil their dream of attaining success in the entrance exams.

Perform Regular Self-Analysis : Students should perform self-analysis on a regular basis to gain a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. This can in turn help them to plan their study schedules in a more effective way and also learn about the areas that they need to improve upon. One of way doing self-analysis effectively is for the students to attempt as many mock tests as they can.

Practice, Practise And Practise : Most students feel content after learning the topics and concepts a couple of times. However, it is equally important to practice solving all variety of problems related to these concepts and topics. The more the students practise, the lesser are the chances of students coming across problems during actual exam, which they might not be able to solve.

Be Focused On Their Objective : Being focused is an essential trait amongst students not only during the pre-exam study period, but also while they are training at top MBA colleges in Hyderabad. In fact, focus and hard work form the basis for building a successful career. The students need to keep reminding themselves of their objective and the things they need to do to achieve the same.

Take Time Out To Relax : Continuous studies without any break can lead to information overload and mental as well as physical exhaustion. Hence, it is extremely important for the students to take regular breaks from studies and take part in activities that can make them feel relaxed and refreshed. The students can play their favourite games, go out with friends, enjoy long walks, listen to music or do anything that takes their minds off the studies for a very small time.

Develop Time Management Skills : It is extremely important for the students preparing for their MBA entrance exam to develop efficient time management skills. They should prepare a proper study schedule and adhere strictly to it. In addition, they should make sure that they devote enough time to cover every single topic and concept more than once. It also essential for the students to practice the application of time management skills while solving question papers, to get the best results.

Learning About Aspects Of Gaining Admission In An MBA Program Of Choice

The number of B-schools operating in India is growing at a rapid pace, making the country one of the biggest hubs for grooming management professionals across the globe. The presence of such a large number of colleges has also offered a wider choice for the aspiring candidates seeking a management degree. Unfortunately, a majority of MBA aspirants are still not able to fully exploit the benefits of such a side choice available to them in terms of the specialization. This is mainly due to the fact that the prospective candidates rarely consider the various aspects that can play a critical role in helping them to gain admission in the MBA program of their choice.

In fact most candidates are focused only on ensuring their enrolment in the top MBA colleges in Hyderabad and other major education cities in India. This is done even at the cost of having to seek admission in a course that they might not have even considered taking earlier. While this might help the candidates gain the certification of a renowned college, it will surely prove detrimental for their career growth in the long run. This situation can be easily avoided by the candidates by considering the following aspects about enrolling for the MBA specialization they prefer.

 

Conduct Extensive Research

Most MBA aspirants do not look beyond the few popular specialization streams that are offered by the top colleges. However, with the rapidly changing market scenarios, the number of specializations being offered by various colleges has also increased. As such the candidates can benefit considerably by investing their time and effort in carrying out extensive research about the different specialization options available to them. While these might not necessarily be offered by the leading colleges, the candidates are likely to enjoy a more satisfactory career by pursuing them with second or even some third tier colleges.

 

Learn About The Admission Requirements

The MBA aspirants need to make sure that they fulfil the eligibility criteria for the stream they intend to choose for their MBA program. They should seek detailed information about the minimal cut off marks in entry level exams, the condition of work experience and even prior education criteria that they might be expected to meet. Learning about these factors beforehand, will save the candidates from any last minute disappointments.

 

Integration With Overall Career Objectives

Finally, before applying for admission in the program of their choice offered by the best MBA colleges in Hyderabad, the candidates should consider its impact on their overall career objectives. This essentially means that the candidates should carefully consider as to how pursuing the program will help them in furthering their career goals. They should also take into consideration whether or not pursuing another program can prove beneficial. For this they might require to compare the course objectives and curriculum of relevant programs.

Some Unorthodox MBA Specializations That Candidates Can Choose From

Contrary to the popular belief, obtaining an MBA degree is more of a necessity for modern day management professionals, than just a means to ensuring a more successful career. This is evident from the fact that the number of specialization that aspiring students can opt for in their MBA program has become quite diverse. In fact the traditional options of pursuing an MBA in Business Management, Finance, Accounting and even Human Resources have given way to the other choices that have evolved in accordance with the changing market needs. In fact a majority of MBA colleges in Hyderabad have diversified their course curriculums to include these new options. Discussed below are some of these unconventional MBA specialization options that are becoming increasingly popular.

 

Entrepreneurship Or Innovation Management

Young entrepreneurs today are inclined to gain a better understanding of the various aspects of running and managing a business. With a significant rise in the number of start-up companies, there has naturally been an increase in the demand for a Masters program in Entrepreneurship or Innovation Management. The specialization also attracts prospective students with its challenging learning environment and great career opportunities.

 

Operations Or Supply Chain Management

Supply chain managers have come to play in ensuring the smooth functioning of a business and enhancing its reach and credibility amongst the clients. People intending to make a career in this field can benefit immensely by learning about the various aspects related to supply chain procurements, management, strategy dealers in supply chain management and operations as well.

 

Environment Management

It is a common motion that MBA is completely irrelevant when it comes to making a career in environmental management. However, little do people realize that most such organizations are constantly looking for professionally trained financial advisors, corporate green policy experts, as well as experts of entrepreneurship in green business, fund managers etc. Candidates, who have completed an MBA in Environmental Management, are perfectly suited to fulfil these roles and help enhance the performance of their respective organizations working in the field.

 

Energy and Clean Tech

Renewable and sustainable energy is emerging as a major industry across the globe and this has naturally created a huge demand for trained administrative and management professionals in the field. In fact, pursuing an MBA in this field is also becoming a preferred choice amongst aspiring management students craving to make a significant contribution in the efforts for saving the planet.

 

Healthcare Management

This is one specialization that is being offered by every one of the top 10 MBA colleges in Hyderabad. With this particular specialization, the prospective students can enjoy a successful career in health care management, which is a rapidly evolving industry. They can even expand their skills to work in more diversified roles and exploit the best opportunities that will take them one step closer towards achieving their career objectives.

6 Mistakes Every Leader Should Avoid While Managing Their Teams

A key understanding to leadership is that the people hire people, who hire people, who hire people and somewhere within those three generations of hiring, there are leaders who have to handle these people. There will be a lot of things you will learn from one of the Top 10 MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, but today we have come up with a list of mistakes you need to avoid making while managing your team:

 

          1. My Way Or The Highway (MWOH) : Everyone has something useful to offer in terms of thoughts, ideas and suggestions. MWOH is fueled by the insecurity of a leader who wants to create an environment of control. Ideas do not always have to flow from you because you are only one person and you can’t think of everything. By listening to your team, not only will you create a feeling of involvement but will also improve the overall performance of the team by encouraging a sense of  ownership.

          2. All About The Numbers : In simpler terms, if it is  not making dollars, it doesn’t make sense. But numbers only become a problem when you lay too much focus on them and forgetting the team of people who are making those numbers happen. In your race to put numbers on the chart, you may lose sight of the “how.” So always keep people supreme and focus on creating a healthy team.

 

          3. Talk But Don’t Listen : This is one of the major mistake, leaders make. They only talk and they don’t take the opinions of others. Studies have shown that if people are not heard, they will cease to say the things that matter.

          4. Change Things Just For The Sake Of It : Change is the law of nature but it should not be forced just to prove that you support change. It is a universal fact that any change that happens is difficult not only on leaders but on every single employee in the organisation. A good leader surveys the impact, timing and necessity of change before even planning to bring the change.

 

          5. They Just Don’t Care : This is one of the most common mistake a leader makes. Handling a team is no easy task. There would be always a temptation to stop caring about the team and just do what you think is right without taking into account the needs and wants of the team. Such mistake can go a long way in destroying your team and your leadership as a whole.  I’ll close with the words of John Maxwell, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

 

          6. Unwilling To Receive Candid Feedback : “I am a leader and I am perfect.” This is an ultimate ingredient to disaster of your leadership career. As a leader, if you are not open to a feedback from your employee, you are going in an extremely wrong direction. We all learn throughout our life and our resistance towards feedback hampers our ability to grow and further succeed in life. As a leader, if you really want to keep improving, be open to a positive feedback and try to lead your team with open mind.

How To Stand Out In A Meeting?

Meetings are part and parcel of a workplace. As a student of one of the Top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, you might already be aware of the importance of meetings. In order to establish yourself as an emerging leader or the leader of the future, you need to stand out in important meetings. Such meetings can help you create a lasting impression and thus can help you move up the career leader. Standing out in a meeting helps you create your brand and establish yourself as a thought leader.

Once you have completed your MBA in one of the Best MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, the below tips will be very useful:

1. Know Your Agenda

The worst mistake one can make while attending a meeting is going unprepared. Doing your homework before entering into the meeting, not only will establish that you are serious about your work but it will also pose you as a responsible leader who respects his and other people’s time.

2. Know The Purpose Of The Meeting

A business meeting can be called due to any reason. Some of the purposes can be:

1. To make a decision.
2. To brainstorm over something.
3. To make an announcement.
4. To test out a presentation.
5. To create a process.

Know the reason before entering into the meeting as it will help you prepare yourself accordingly. Knowing the purpose of the meeting beforehand would help you keep the discussion to the point making it more effective and meaningful.

 

3. Identify Your Significance In The Meeting

This is extremely important as it will help you make your presence felt in the meeting in a much better way. For example, if the meeting is about brainstorming ideas on how to boost sale, you can use your experience in your department and come up with innovative ideas before entering into the meeting. A meeting  where you think you won’t be able to contribute in a significant manner, it is better not to attend or attend as a concluder who will listen to everyone, make notes and conclude at the end. This is a great way in making your presence felt even though you had nothing significant to contribute in the meeting.

4. Prepare Yourself Well

This is the key to outshine in a meeting. The goal should always be to contribute to the meeting in a way that reinforces your own agenda. Do a thorough research of the topics that will be discussed.

 

5. Gather Your Ideas

Gather your ideas before entering into the meeting and as the meeting progresses, take notes. Constantly look for the areas of discussion where you can add value, burnish your reputation, or push your own agenda.  

6. Read The Room, Then Contribute

The last and most effective trick to contributing to a meeting is to make your remarks toward the end of that part of the discussion. Speak confidently while expressing your views and in complete sentences. Take a sense of how everyone is reacting to your points and then act accordingly.

5 Tips For The Leaders To Manage Change

“Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future” – John F. Kennedy

Quoted correctly here, this theory holds good for organisations as well. You can never see your company at a better position than yesterday till the time you are not adaptive enough towards the change that is happening around. One of the most challenging time to lead a team is when there is a transitional phase going on in the company. It is rightly said that change is the only constant thing in the world but sadly the resistance to change would always be there. People do not like to come out of their comfort zone and do something differently.

The other aspect of introducing change is that an environment of uncertainty is created amongst the employees which in turn creates an atmosphere of fear, low morale, and brings out the worst in people in terms of efficiency and productivity.  After completing your MBA from one of the top 10 MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, you can be faced with a similar situation. As a thoughtful leader if you can successfully address organizational change tactfully and immediately, not only will it minimize its negative effects on the organisation but would also create an environment of high productivity.

A guide by one of the MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, here is a list of 5 Tips that can help you manage the change in a better way:

1.Be Transparent

Keep your employees informed of each step and phase of the change in advance. This would eliminate the element of surprise thus giving you a buffer to mitigate the effects of change to a greater level. Keeping your team informed would make them feel a part of change and thus would increase the acceptability towards the change as well.

2. Be Excited

Change is good for both employees and companies and that is why it is introduced at the first place. Give your employees an assurance of security and also explain it to them how they fit into the picture. This would make them feel involved in the whole process and therefore would provide encouragement and positive vibes to them about the whole change. Asking them for their inputs in advance and collecting and inculcating regular feedback from your employees would make them feel a part of the entire process and hence would make them adapt to the change in the initial stage only.

3. Handle The Negative Aspects Smartly

Change can be harsh for some people and you need to be cautious while making them aware of it. Deliver all the hard news diplomatically and tactfully. Pick you timing and approach them smartly. Focus on the entire communication process and keep them informed of every update regarding the change.

4.  Set Expectations Beforehand

Defining expected results would create a level of expectation amongst the employees regarding what would be the end result of the change. Although this could not be definitive but would at least give time to your employees to adjust to whatever would be the outcome of the change.

5. Make Your Employees Feel Valued

Change is hard and those who were involved in any way in this change management, they need to applauded and recognised. This would make them feel valued during a tough transition and would keep them contented and satisfied.

4 Tips For Effectively Using Linkedin

Finding a job once you have completed your MBA from one of the Top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad is easier and faster when you exploit the full potential of LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a social network that has revolutionised the way people used to find jobs as well as the way companies used to find the right candidates.

LinkedIn is the most ideal social media platform for all professionals, but it is especially relevant and suitable for students doing MBA from one of the Best MBA Colleges in Hyderabad. Many big companies are frequently using the search tools provided by LinkedIn in order to identify the list of potential candidates having an MBA degree. Studies have shown that if you are found through LinkedIn, you are more likely to land an interview as compared to any other platform present online.

LinkedIn offers a lot of features that can help MBA students to find the companies who are seeking for the candidates matching their profile. So what exactly is the best way to use the features offered by LinkedIn in order to land your dream job. Here is a list of 4 tips that can help you maximise the appeal of your LinkedIn profile:

1. A Complete Profile

A complete profile ensures attention to detail thereby offering companies an opportunity to run a global assessment of all the potential candidates. In order to have a catchy profile, you need to develop an all-star profile. Look for examples and see which is the most sought-after profile by companies. The first and foremost thing to do in your profile is to upload a business-oriented profile photo, with all the relevant details of your skills. Clearly mention your educational background, as well as work experience in terms of roles and achievements. Summarise each role in clear job titles.

2. First Impressions Are Important!

Your LinkedIn profile is more or less like a formal introduction of yourself to the outside world.  In other words, it is the first impression that any company is going to have of you. Your profile  should open with a snapshot of your professional skills and personality. The summary/introduction section should clearly highlight your candidate’s strengths, using  clear and compelling communication style. This would not only help  capture the curiosity of recruiters but would also persuade them to continue reading and act on it.

3. Be Visible!

That is probably the first and the most basic rule of social media. Be visible. After all what is the point of having a good profile if it not being seen by people around.LinkedIn is a great way to establish yourself as a subject matter expert by writing on current topics in your industry and also contributing to other people’s posts in the form of comments. Companies often use Google to check out the list of potential candidates, so a search on your name should yield professional results. One perfect strategy in order to be found on Google search is to personalise your LinkedIn page URL with your name and surname.

4. Create A Network With MBA Alumni

Alumni is one of the best strategy to explore opportunities in the industry. LinkedIn is a great tool to find people from your college and connect with them. It would help you in two ways. Firstly it would help you connect with the oldest of the members of your college. Secondly it would open the doors of endless opportunities for you as you can approach various companies through referrals.

Personal Preparation For Learning The Art Of Great Decision Making A Guide By The Top MBA Colleges In Hyderabad

“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.” - Peter F. Drucker

All of us must have had this situation at least once in our life when we had that pit in our stomach telling us continuously, “I am not very convinced with this decision you made.” Many a times in life and work, we have to make difficult decisions some of which we are not quite ready to make.

Getting into one of the Top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad was a good decision making but what next. Once out of the Best MBA College in Hyderabad, you will face a lot of situations at your workplace where you will require the art of good decision making.

We at VJIM, stresses on this important factor while training our students  to become a good manager in future. But there are a lot of thing you can do at personal level as well. Here is a list of few factors:

1.        Preparation

This is the foremost requirement for making the right decision. Try to collect all the relevant data and process it effectively in order to get the most out of it. This would not only help minimize confusion but also eliminate self-doubt while taking the decision.

 

2.      Intuition and Logic

We take hundreds of decisions in a day. Right from what to wear to what to eat and how to respond to the client email, each decision needs a certain amount of mental effort. For bigger, much important choices in life or at work, we need more time while other decisions are just automatic and intuitive.

According to the renowned Psychologist Daniel Kahneman, there are two ways of thinking - System One and System Two.

System One : This caters to the day to day decision making. For example, when you are driving on the familiar road everyday.

System Two : This caters to a much slower and conscious decision making. One that includes complicated and important business issues.

Having an understanding of these two systems can lay a sound foundation for a successful decision making.

3.      Right Mind Space

For making a right decision, the most important thing you need is the right space of mind. Human mind wanders too much and it is hard to make the right decision when you are juggling with a dozen ideas at one time. It is extremely important to focus on making an effective decision by clearing your mind off all the unnecessary thoughts. Concentrate on one thing at a time  and work your way through the problem calmly and mindfully.

4.      Careful Of Bias

Another hindrance to an effective decision making is the presence of biases. Sometimes these are present without our knowledge also. Presence of biases can be a disaster and affect our decision making to a large extent. It is important to challenge the status quo and come out of your comfort zone while making a decision. Only then the former prejudices you have won’t come in the way of your current decision.

5.      Trust Factor

Not only you have to trust yourself but also your team. Self doubt can be responsible for a major error in decision making. With a correct decision, not only will your organisation grow but also the people involved.

6.      Time Management

You won’t have your whole life for making the right decision. Every decision, no matter how big or small, needs to be taken under some sort of time pressure and therefore time management can be one thing that will help you master the art of decision making.