Hi, I am Barun. I was working in Pune, Maharashtra for a leading MNC company. I worked as a Software Engineer, developing application products for Credits Cards for a world renowned bank based at UK. I completed my core studies in Bhubaneswar, Odisha before moving to Pune in 2013.
As a Software Engineer very early in life I assessed, this is how my life will be for the next 40 years until retirement. I was doing very well at my job, received constant promotions and appraisals throughout my tenure of 5 years. But, then the industry that I was in was always about switching jobs. I was working as a Consultant and my friends would often suggest that I change job. That is when I started to introspect.
My Introspection Bit…
When I started to introspect, I got to realise that my current job gave me technical skills and knowledge but it did not give me any exposure to people skills or business knowledge. All I did was just coding and solving bugs, knowing just the system or at max the function. This is when I realized I need to expand my skills and knowledge base. Now the bigger question is, in India when you speak about higher education what should you go for? M.Tech or MBA? I was 27 Years old back then and any course that I choose to apply would take at least 2 years of learning and time. Now the only option was a program like Distance Learning. But, how much of a value will that add?
Beginning of my MBA journey…
The journey began searching colleges and universities offering MBA Programs and all the entrance exams that I have to appear to get an admission. So, in pursuit of programs, I found that, there is a 1-Year MBA program specifically designed for Working Professionals. To be honest in India, you need to write 3 to 4 different exams to get an admission. But, one thing that was commonly accepted by all colleges is a GMAT score. So, I left my job and started preparing for GMAT exam.
World of Woxsen…
While applying for universities I had applied for Woxsen School of Business. They were real quick in responding and took up my queries as well. So, in no time my Online interview with the panel was scheduled. The interviewers were very candid, we had a discussion rather than having a Q&A session. I was offered my admission letter along with that I was offered half a million scholarship based on my profile and interview performance. I accepted the offer and came to Woxsen.
It has been quite a while since the first class but I still remember how our Dean, showed us a different perspective of business. Every day I learnt something new and it gave me a fresh experience of learning. Completing an MBA in one year is no easy task, however we stepped out of our comfort zones to finish presentations and submissions. It was an immensely rewarding experience working with such a diverse group of experienced professionals who came together from various parts of the country sharing their valuable perspectives and helped me grow intellectually. Technical skills acquired over the years were helpful, but the most important skills that I learnt at Woxsen were Leadership, Presentation, Human Relations and Thinking Out of the Box.
Today, I am working as an Associate Product Manager at Telebu Communications LLP, Hyderabad. A company focused in making products for Business Communication. I am extremely proud to be a part of Woxsen and it is so reassuring to know that you don’t just leave the college with a degree and learning, but have built a network of mentors through the faculties and the students you have worked with and that they will continue to help you learn and grow.