HOW TO GET THE RIGHT JOB AFTER MBA?

How to get the Right Job After MBA

Getting a job after MBA is not a difficult task but the right one that would take your career into the horizon of success needs in-depth analysis and speculation. There are multiple job opportunities after MBA but you need to weed out the thorns meticulously to weave the path of success so that you can leave footmarks for others to follow.

There are so many questions which need to be answered while assessing a job offer. Will the organization be a good place to work? Will the job be interesting? Will I get the opportunities for advancement? Is the salary fair? Does the employer offer good benefits? If you have not figured out exactly what you want, the following discussion will help you to develop a set of criteria for judging a job.

Factors for Getting the Right Job After MBA

You should consider the following factors before you take up the job after MBA.

The Organization

After MBA, to grab the right job in the ocean of opportunities, you have to conduct a thorough research to find out information about the organization that will help you decide whether it is good place for you to work. See, whether the organization provides an environment which is conducive to your development or not, because the seed of talent does not sprout, if the environment is not congenial to its development. Stories about an organization published in magazines and newspaper can present you a crystal clear picture about its success, failures and the future plan. In addition to it, you can get the details of a company from its website. You can also identify articles on a company by looking under its name in periodical or computerized indexes in libraries. However, it will not be useful to look back more than 2 or 3 years.

Organization's beliefs vs your personal beliefs

As an MBA student, first of all, you have to do brainstorming to set your professional goal as well as discover the area of work you enjoy doing. It is very important to know your true desire and talent because it will help you decide on the job that is best suited for you. It is easier to apply for the job if you are enthusiastic about what the organization does.

Size of the Organization

As an MBA professional, you may like working for a small company, but it is in your interest to work for large companies with thousand of employees. Large companies generally offer a greater variety of training programmes, career paths, more managerial levels for advancement and better employee benefits than a small company. A large company may also have more advanced technologies and specialized workforce. Large Companies present opportunity for networking because the more people you get to know on a personal level, the better chances you have for success in the future.

Apart from this, jobs in small company may offer broader authority and responsibility, a closer working relationship with top management, a chance to clearly see your contribution to the success of organization.

Start-up or an established organization

It is said that adversity always presents an opportunity. New businesses have a high failure rate, but it also gives you liberty to do experiment to pull out the company from troubles. It is the right place to apply your knowledge and expertise which you have acquired during the MBA course. However, it may be just as exciting and rewarding to work for a young firm as the established one because the latter gives you specialized training whereas former gives you to apply.

Public vs Private company

An individual or a family may control a privately owned company and key jobs may be reserved for relatives and friends. A board of directors responsible to the stockholders controls a publicly owned company and key jobs are usually open to anyone.

Nature of  the job

MBA course provides specialization in many areas that need to be considered while selecting a job. The nature of the job holds importance in order to make a successful career. Even if everything else about the job is attractive, you will be unhappy if you dislike the day-to-day work. Determining in advance whether the nature of work suits your skill or not? Whether it will utilize your skills or not? Will you enjoy your work to the fullest or not? Work on this aspect before you accept or reject your offer.

Job Profile

Applying all the knowledge and vision that you have acquired from the MBA course, you must create a title for professional life. Try to target only the intended job, rather than evaluating every single job opportunity that comes your way. Instead of taking a job based on pay, you should think about taking a job based on your title because it will help you rise on the path of professionalism.

Location of the Job

If the job is located in another part of the country, you need to consider the cost of living, accommodation and transportation, and the quality of educational and recreational facilities in that section of the country. Even if the job location is in your area, you should consider the time and expense of commuting.

Working Hours

Most jobs involve regular hours—for example, 40 hours a week, during the day, Monday to Friday. Other jobs require night, weekend, or holiday work. In addition, some jobs routinely require overtime to meet deadlines or sales or production goals, or to better serve customers. Consider the effect the work hours will have on your personal life.

Opportunities offered by employers

A good job offers you opportunities to learn new skills, increase your earnings, and rise to positions of greater authority, responsibility, and prestige. Lack of opportunities can dampen your interest in the work and result in frustration and boredom.

The company should have a training plan for you. What valuable new skills does the company plan to teach you?

The employer should give you some idea of promotion possibilities within the organization. What is the next step on the career ladder?

 When opportunities for advancement do arise, will you compete with applicants from outside the company? Can you apply for jobs for which you qualify elsewhere within the organization, or is mobility within the firm limited?

Salaries and benefits

In order to know if an offer is reasonable, you need a rough estimate of what the job should pay. You may have to go to several sources for this information. Try to find family, friends, or acquaintances that were recently hired in similar jobs. Ask your teachers and the staff in placement offices about starting pay for graduates with your qualifications. Check the library or your school’s career center for salary surveys.

If you are considering the salary and benefits for a job in another geographic area, make allowances for differences in the cost of living, which may be significantly higher in a large metropolitan area than in a smaller city, town, or rural area.

Take into account that the starting salary is just that—the start. Your salary should be reviewed on a regular basis; many organizations do it every year. How much can you expect to earn after 1, 2, or 3 or more years? An employer cannot be specific about the amount of pay if it includes commissions and bonuses.

Benefits can also add a lot to your base pay, but they vary widely. Find out exactly what the benefit package includes and how much of the costs you must bear.

IIM PERSONAL INTERVIEW TIPS

CAT Personal Interview Tips

CAT Personal Interview is the next most important step after the Group Discussions for getting into MBA institutes and IIMs. Candidates hoping to get into business schools must be ready to face CAT Personal Interview.

Typically, there is a panel of two or three members who evaluate you, in most cases these people are professors from the institute where you have applied, while some institutes ask someone from industry, typically alumni from that institute, to sit on the panel. 

Approach to the CAT / IIM Personal Interview (PI)

The focus of a B-school Personal Interview can range from specific questions about your job to broad discussions on life. Approach the Personal Interview as a conversation to be enjoyed, not as a question-and-answer ordeal.

It may be about your hobbies - your recent cross-country trip. This doesn't mean that the interviewers are not serious. It just means that you're being sized up as a person and a future professional in all your dimensions.

A typical interview covers more than one theme. You are generally asked to first introduce yourself to the panel members. Remember that this is your opportunity to 'lead' the interview into areas that you are comfortable with or to topics that you wish to discuss.

It is quite important to highlight your achievements, whether academic or extra-curricular, in your introduction itself. Don't wait for the panel members to specifically ask you about them! Other things that you could mention in your introduction are your family and academic background, hobbies and interests, goals and aims in life, your strengths and weaknesses, etc.

CAT / IIM Personal Interview (PI) Tips

Speak clearly and enthusiastically about your experiences and skills. Be professional, but don't be afraid to let your personality shine through. Be yourself. Don't be afraid of short pauses.

Be positive. Employers do not want to hear a litany of excuses or bad feelings about a negative experience. If you are asked about a low grade, weakness in your background, don't be defensive. Focus instead on the facts.

Be prepared to market your skills and experiences as they relate to the described.

Research information about the institutes before the interview. Make sure you know the institute in detail at least for three years such as minimum and maximum rank , performance, faculty and placements made by them.

Arrive early for the interview. Plan to arrive for your interview 10-15 minutes before the appointed time. Arriving too early confuses the employer and creates an awkward situation. By the same token, arriving late creates a bad first impression.

Carry a portfolio, notepad or at the very least, a manila file folder.

Bring extra resumes and a list of questions you need answered. You may refer to your list of questions to be sure you've gathered the information you need to make a decision. Do not be preoccupied with taking notes during the interview.

In many career fields, the lunch or dinner included during the interview day encompasses not only employer hospitality, but also a significant part of the interview process. Brush up on your etiquette and carry your share of the conversation during the meal. Often social skills are part of the hiring decision.

After the interview, take time to write down the names and titles (check spelling) of all your interviewers, your impressions, remaining questions and information learned. If you are interviewing regularly, this process will help you keep employers and circumstances clearly defined.

IIM Admission Interview - Sample Questions & Suggested Answers

Justify your decision to pursue the MBA program?

Don't tell the panel that you are looking for a "challenging job in a good firm with lots of money, status and glamour". Instead, you must convey to the interview panel that you have made a rational and informed decision about your career choice and your intended course of higher study. There are broadly four areas which your answer could touch upon.

Career Objectives: You could talk about your career objectives and how the two year MBA program will help you achieve them. 

Value Addition: Value addition will essentially be in two forms knowledge and skills. 

Background: This is where you connect your past to your future. If you are an engineer, try and say that the MBA course and your engineering degree will help you do your job better in the company that you will join. You should be able to convincingly justify how your engineering qualification will help.

Opportunities and Rewards: You could also at this stage mention the opportunities that are opening up in organizations for management graduates. At this stage mentioning superior monetary rewards for management graduates may not be a bad idea.

Why do you think you would enjoy your chosen area of study (Eg: Marketing)?

Marketing is key to the success of any organization and the function has always appealed to me, because it requires a combination of creativity, strategic and analytic ability - all qualities that I feel I possess.

Through discussions with some of my seniors, I have a pretty good idea of what it's like to work toward taking up a marketing job, and I know I will enjoy the work. 

How do you spend your spare time?

I have a good collection of books of different genre and enjoy reading. In addition, I love driving during late evenings or on rainy weekend afternoons. Also, for the last two years I've been volunteering at the local children's hospital on Saturday mornings. 

What are your weaknesses?

I used to be somewhat disorganized, but eventually this got me into trouble when I missed an appointment I hadn't written down. It was clear that I had to learn how to be more organized.

So, with the help of my senior colleague we worked out a system that I still use today. Not only do I stay on top of things, but I'm more efficient, too.

The first thing you need to do prior to interviewing is assess yourself. This includes listing your strengths and weaknesses, your accomplishments and achievements, reviewing your strong and your weak subjects, and recording some of the key decisions you have made in your life.

You should then review your interests, the disappointments you've encountered, your work environment likes/dislikes, your business and personal values, your goals, needs, restrictions, and life style preferences. It would help if you're ready to practice answering the following potential questions.

B-SCHOOL PLACEMENTS AND EFFECTS OF RECESSION

The Recession has struck b-school placements as expected, but its strike is harder than what was expected. Top Bschools are looking forward to those companies which were politely rejected last year by them. Top B-schools including IIM-A,IIM-B,IIM-C,IIM-L,XLRI,MDI,NMIMS 

and other A+ institutes have told their students to accept job offers in their  respective field without considering the package.IIM-B and Narsee Monji have  also told their students to be prepared to travel for recruitment and those getting  a PPO(Pre Placement Offer) are not allowed to sit for further placements in   companies.This clearly suggest Colleges opting for a 100% placement to save    their reputation.This has  happened because Lehman Brothers inc. & Meryll Lynch (now Bank of America) one of the major  recruiters from these top colleges have created a vast gap ,accompanied by global  financial metldown which these bschools are finding hard to fill up by domestic  recruiters.             

    

Now, that recession has kicked in What effect will it have on MBA aspirants Consider this thought : Since most of the MBA's from these top notch institutes  would avail jobs pertaining to their fields they would be prepared for the expected    boom that comes after every slump.Since current recession would continue to exist for atleast 1 more year this means there would be a pool of talented MBA waiting for the good times to come.This would inturn effect placements of top bschools further as for every vacancy companies might find experienced MBA's in competition with you when you finally graduate out of a bschool.

Another school of thought is while the global recession is hurting economies you  might not be able to find a job having your desired objectives. This time can be considered best to load upyour resume with an MBA degree. This is what most of the people would think, but the point to note here is that you would face stiff competition for every single seat into these top Bschools ,looking at the stats of some of the top engineering  colleges IIT-B(450 placed out of 1200 till now) the number of IITians would increase for MBA competition.

The dilemma is what if after completing MBA from youre dream Bschool you are not able to find a job suiting your needs. This is what an MBA from IIM-A has just faced(name cannot be disclosed),just after 6 months with a pay scale of 14 lkhs was asked to leave the company as the company could not afford IIM-A grads.

The above two points need to be taken into account, if you already have a job my suggestion keep trying for MBA but wait for the good times to come and never go for a B,B+ degree college. Whereas if you are a fresher you might be tempted to go for MBA preparation, you should consider the trend i.e IIM's have started giving weightage to experience so finding a job,buiseness or even indulge in social activity to load you resume with something substantial.

IIFT CHEATING CASE

POINT OF THIS ARTICLE-Its to show how big institutes like IIFT(certainly in top 10) aren't bothered about their next generation of students. This article would provide enough evidence on why I believe that IIFT PAPER wasn't  FAIR or in the worst case it might have even leaked.
Firstly on the day of examination I was shocked, when I saw that paper's were not sealed,

How can an institute of the stature of IIFT doesn't even bother to put a seal on their papers
(cost cutting?? Why rough pages at the end then?), even when there have been cases of leaking of CAT paper in 2003.The paper could have leaked from the printing station or any person who would have packed the papers ( as in the case of CAT 2003).

Secondly, Instructions to the invigilators were not appropriately given; many of them did not even know what the instructions were!
In my center teachers were confused when the papers should be distributed, there were students in several another classes at my center where students fooled the invigilators by stating the instructions are written inside the paper and stated the reason that's why the papers aren't sealed.
I managed to ask one of my friends about it, he told me he had done 7 questions when finally the starting bell rang!! Though he didn't get a call but still 7 questions of DI or LR would mean on an average if you get 5 correct and 2 incorrect= 5x0.8 -2x0.2=2.8 marks! Thus anybody who has missed the  cutoff 27.1 by this margin(2.8) i.e 24.4 was capable of getting a CALL from IIFT.

What's more frustrating is that it happened in many centers, check out threads of pagalguy which states that in other centers of Banglore,Calicut etc there were centers which gave papers 15 mins earlier.
If in 2 hrs paper 1/8 i.e 12.5% extra time is allotted to some students that by large means is unfair and unjust for the hardworking students.
People have filed a PIL against IIFT and its everyone's duty to support the case.

And this isnt the first time this has happened an online petition has been filed on the same issue of invigilators back in 2005.

SNAP Discrepancies !

Over and Over again this debate has come up, that there are discrepancies in SNAP regarding scores, results and admissions. This year has been no different, SIU(Symbiosis International University) has often been termed as a Money Making University with almost 50% persons from the backdoor entry or rather lets say it the Management quota, which anyone of us can avail for double the fees provided you have that extra buck to burn your pocket for an institute which lacks ethics and standards.

This time it can be proved because this time they have given the mark sheets to the students and there seems to be no reason for people getting a difference of 10-15 marks in quant or the logical reasoning section which have a definite answer. Even English cannot be ignored for that purpose but lets face it, times like these have come and gone few days from now it will again be a history. Next year you won't see lesser number of people giving SNAP just because of this controversy.
Its the burgouise attitude that all of us possess and compromise on issues which we shouldn't.

There has been an online petition filed
But such petition have no effect one such was logged against IIFT in 2005!
My advice to people giving SNAP would be that unless you score double the cutoff marks you can never be sure of you making into an SIU reputed college.And its not that everyone has got a difference in their marks but its a majority of people who have difference in their calculated scores.

While the marks itself are controversial, the calls are even more :
SCMHRD has given call even at 62 marks, while on their site they have mentioned the cutoff as 81.25 marks.
The cut offs for SIBM were 76.5 overall:

But  MBA at this point of time would not ensure you a better future atleast from SIU and the point strengthening my view SCM Directors this message to the call letters.Dear XXXX
    At the outset, please accept my congratulations for being selected
    for the GD/PI process for the MBA-Batch 2009-11. I am pleased to know
    that you have made it & you have worked hard for it. You deserve it.
    Having said that, please think about your decision to do MBA for 2
    years since it costs time & money. This is especially so for working
    professionals as most of you feel now that post MBA you will be in a
    different league. This always does not happen. It depends on your
    ability & market opportunities which jointly play a significant role.
    Also it is quite possible that you might have done well in other
    exams & hence may look at this as a backup option for various
    reasons. I sincerely appeal to all such candidates to try and avoid
    it since it puts deserving candidates into inconvenience & confusion.
    It only increases the administrative work of the institute.
    In spite of all the above, it will be a pleasure to meet you during
    the GD/PI process. Congratulations once again.
    K.S.Subramanian,
    (Director, SCMHRD)

This clearly depicts the placement situation in the college, this is a warning sign of things to come.

ESSAY QUESTIONS AND EXAMPLES

Essay are a vital part of selection process in Bschool.

Some more tips are given through examples:

1.Expressing yourself in positive language

2. Use paragraphs and connect those paragraphs using words like later, furthermore, additionally, or moreover; If you are writing about Topic A and now want to discuss Topic B, you can begin the new paragraph with a transition such as "Like (or unlike) Topic A, Topic B..."

3. Vary your sentence structure. It's boring to see subject, verb, object all the time. Mix simple, complex, and compound sentences.

4. Understand the words you write. You write to communicate, not to impress the admissions staff with your vocabulary. When you choose a word that means something other than what you intend, you neither communicate nor impress. You do convey the wrong message or convince the admissions officer that you are inarticulate.

5. Be succinct.and avoid qualifiers such as rather, quite, somewhat, probably, possibly, etc.
and always use the active voice as it is more precise and less wordlier.

Examples:XAT Essays:

1996  There is no right way of doing a wrong thing.

1997 "By the third or fourth week of the term, business school had succeeded in afflicting me with a variation of the Stockholm syndrome, named after the incident in which a hostage in a Stockholm bank robbery fell in love with one of her captors." (Peter Robinson in Snapshots from Hell : The making of an MBA)

1998 Max Weber, a German Sociologist, defined state as an entity that has a monopoly over legal violence. India proves that the converse is also true; if criminals cannot be punished by the law, its effect they become the state. (The Economist September 27, 1997)

1999 "Television really is, another eye so you can sec anywhere, another part of your heart so you can feel and care about things you never felt and cared
about before, another ear to hear strange music .... The first and only
international language?

2000 Ships are safer in the harbour. But they are not meant for the same.
2001 “EC0l]OII`1lC Growth without distributive justice can only lead to violence

2002 "Indian Economy in the Post WTO Era."

2003 To give real service, one needs to add something that cannot be bought or
measured, like sincerity and integrity.

2004 Asked at the age of 83, as to which of his project would he choose as his
master piece, Frank Lloyd wright, the architect answered, "The next one”

2005 More than o11e billion Indians: A gigantic problem or a sea of opportunities.

2006 India has one of the largest pool of talented manpower but few innovations and patented products.

2007 Economic growth without environmental damage – a mirage or a reality

2008 Gender Imbalance would lead to Third World War

IIFT Essays:
*Balance between professional and family life(2005)
* Coalition governments and their impact on the country.(2008)
* National rural employment scheme is a step in right direction for rural development.(2008)
* Globalization and the Indian value system.(2008)
*The implication of the change in US presidency for India (2009)
*Ramifications of change in US presidency on India(2009)

ESSAY WRITING -TIPS

General Information: This Section is an attempt to give you tips on writing essays specifically under time limitations.

How do you Write essays under a given period of time 20 Minutes!!
Specifically stating most of the Bschools keep essay writing as a part of selection process.

Some of the elite institutes including ones under XAT,FMS,NMAT,IIMs etc..have now started essay writing making it as one of vital process and thus it becomes imperative for every MBA aspirant to know more about essay writing .Breaking it up into several sections as :

What does essay writing Test?What Can we do in 20 minutes ?What are the key points to highlight?What can be the topics in essay writing?

=>What does Essay Writing Test?
Essay writing
The essay is used as a tool to judge the the social and ethical values of the aspirant as the written piece provides a valuable insight into the mind of the test taker. The B-school uses the essay as a pre-interview yardstick.An Essay can test you out on : Clarity,Logic,Focus,
Structure,argument and several other factors.Each of these factor reflect your personality traitsand that is the main criteria for selection. For example XAT essay would test you out on these parameters including the knowledge about the topic,so the interviewers would know some of yourpersonality traits and can easily spot you on lying.

=>What can we do in 20 Minutes Essay Writing Test ? In 20 mins [ as in most of the bschools as IIFT,IIMs,XAT,NMAT etc] given a topic, if have substantial information regarding the topic or even if you don't have ,always remember one of the most important criteria is to STRUCTURE you essay! A 20 min essay can test you out as a panic situation if you aren't sure of the information you know, In that time its very important to keep your cool and structure.A structed essay is always interesting and gives vital insights about a person, who is clear and structured in his approach. You are not expected to know everything but you can show that you are meticulous in your approach which is the desired quality by all the bschools.

=>Key point to Highlight during an Essay Writing Test ? As mentioned you already know which are the desired qualities that you need to show case through an essay.One main criteria for writing an interesting essay would be think of what the reader would like from an essay. You are a reader and reading about 1 lakh essay how would you select! You would only select those which are different from the rest and provide interesting points. This can be done through stating Facts,Humor or adopting a single one sided approach and justifying your point of you that is quite different from the customary views.Few more general points are:
->Develop your main idea with vivid and specific facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons. There's a big difference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details.
->Be Specific and Avoid clichéd, generic, and predictable writing by using vivid and specific details.
Cliches are overused expressions, expressions that may once have seemed colorful and powerful, but are now dull and worn out. Time, pressure and anxiety may make you lose focus, and that is when cliches may slip into your writing. A reliance on cliches will suggest you are a lazy thinker. Keep them out of your essay by thinking ahead and proofreading.
->Avoid any regional expressions

=>Topics in an Essay Writing Test ? As such we cannot predict but looking at trends our suggestion is to read current affairs and once a story is found try to read more stuff about past instances of it in wikipedia 

12 EASY STEPS TO STOP BEING TIRED AND START STUDYING

Is it sometimes difficult for you to study?  Would you rather watch TV, a movie, listen to music or chat to friends? Do you like to study with friends but they are busy?

The simple trick is: just start studying!

Here are a few tips to get started studying when tired, lazy or just not interested:

·       Say to yourself: ‘I will just do 10-15 minutes of study now’.

·       Do not think about what you have to study. Do not worry about it.

·       Wake up your body by splashing cold water on your face.

·       Get a drink and go to your study area. Getting up to get a drink after you start studying will disrupt your 15 minutes of study.

·       Jog or jump on the spot for one minute. Do a few stretches eg stretch you arms and hands up to the sky then gently bend over to try touching your toes. Breathe deeply while you stretch. By now you should have more energy and feel relaxed.

·       Put your mobile phone on silent. Shut down all chat groups and email on your computer while you study. Avoid getting distracted.

·       If you need to, write a ‘to do’ list of three things you will study.

·       Slowly take a deep breath in and then breathe out. Relax and start studying with a smile on your face!

·       If you are writing by hand, enjoy it by writing with your favourite pen.

·       Think, ‘I will just study for 10-15minutes’, and do it. You will find that 15 minutes of study time passes quickly. You will notice that studying for 30 minutes, 45 minutes or more becomes easier and natural!

·       11.If you are  at the library, get curious about your topic by finding some interesting books on the topic you need to study. Sit near others who are studying seriously. This can make you want to do the same! Do some stretches before you sit down. Most people are too busy studying to watch you stretch!

·       This is very important: Be happy and grateful for your study today!

FIRST STEP-HOW TO START STUDYING?

How to Get Motivated to Study

Have you ever sat down with your book and stared at the same words until you fall asleep? You know you should study but you just don't feel like it? Hopefully these ideas will help you get motivated to study.

STEPS:

1

Find a quiet place with little distractions, such as a room, a library, or a living room or at a cafe.

2

Get paper, pens, etc.

3

Have all your stuff there. You don't want to run round the house getting them while studying.

4

Think of the good stuff before starting such as what you will achieve by doing this.

5

Decide on some colleges/schools you might like to go to.

6

Though studying is sometimes boring and hard, think of what you will achieve in your end results, that will always keep you pushing yourself to study.

7

Don't think about that level you are supposed to complete or where you should be, just sacrifice your fun time for awhile to study, it's hard but like I said in number 6, it always pays off in the end.

TIPS

Do not procrastinate, i.e. don't wait until the last minute to do a long project or finish a book for class. If it is assigned Monday and due Friday, start on Monday and finish early in the week so you don't have to worry about it at the last minute.

Sometimes studying with a friend can keep you from getting bored. If this person is in your class, its more useful because they can help you with your work. But don't get too distracted by talking to him/her, remember, you're supposed to study!

Be sure to take good notes during class and keep them in an organized binder or folder. Use these to help you with homework, projects and especially upcoming tests. If you're scared you might miss out on a few things the teacher is explaining while writing your notes, just scribble on your notebook with a pencil while listening. You can always erase your pencil writings and re-write it legibly in pen!

If you know you have a test coming up, start studying early.

Get organized! Keep your desk or workplace clean and tidy, have your backpack free of papers you don't need, and keep all your papers in a binder with different tabs. When you are organized, you won't lose assignments, and working will be less painful.

If you need help, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TALK TO YOUR TEACHER! I know teachers can be intimidating, but they are paid to answer your questions. They WANT to help you, and if you ask them questions, it will help you in the long run because they know you are motivated and want to do well in their class. Don't worry about what other friends might think. It's better to know your stuff than to act all cool and showy and act as if you understand.

Get a tutor! Tutors can be fun and they definitely help in subjects you are not too keen on. If a tutor is too expensive, you could always ask a family member with good knowledge of the subjects you are weak on to help tutor you.

Just get started! Sometimes that can be the hardest part. Just read one section or chapter. Just do one or two problems. If you start early in the week, the assignment will pass by without undue stress.

Remember to drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated! People are more productive when they're hydrated.

Study in comfortable clothing. You don't want to keep pulling up your trousers all the time - Keep hair out of your face..

If you're easily distracted, face a wall.

WARNING:

Don't cram or otherwise study a load of material at once. Do an hour with breaks in between.

If you are really into music, do not listen to it because you will be so focused on the song you will not be able to focus on studying.

Try not to think of things you would rather be doing. This will make you want to give up thinking that you don't need to be studying.

Be self disciplined at all times.

5 ways to motivate yourself to study a boring subject and/or complete a project

"How do I get motivated to study?”is one question I am constantly asked by students.

Having just completed my honors thesis (which turned out to be the hardest, most stressful and rewarding project I have ever done) I am happy to say that there are many ways to motivate yourself, but it may involve some pain, frustration and overcoming mental barriers to begin with (at least this was the case for me!).

Unfortunately, there are no quick and easy solutions to have you feeling totally inspired and energized about studying a subject or completing a project that may not be all that inspiring/interesting at times.

Here are some of the things you can do to motivate yourself to get on with the work and study that needs doing.

1. Make every thought serve you and move you forward

During the initial phase of my honors project I spent a lot of time in my head but it wasn’t time well spent. I would worry constantly about whether I’d be able to pull this project off, whether I’d get the response rate I needed, how I’d start writing it, etc.

In hindsight, this was a complete waste of time. It was only towards the end of my project that I started to be more effective with my thinking. I heard Dr Sharon Melnick state that we have 60,000 conscious thoughts a day. Now for those of you who just thought ‘What’s a conscious thought?’ that’s exactly what a conscious thought is, you just had one! Dr Sharon Melnick states that each of these thoughts are going to either be bringing you closer towards achieving your goals or further away from your goals.

After hearing this I decided to carefully watch what I was telling myself. I replaced thoughts such as ‘I can’t do this’ and ‘My writing sucks’ with ‘I’m making progress’ and ‘I’m doing the best I can and my writing will evolve and get better. This is a work in progress!’.

2. Visualize yourself taking action

Studies have found that visualization makes a difference to professional athletes’ performance, so why don’t we as students practice doing it as well?

Practice visualizing yourself taking the actions that need to be taken (e.g. see yourself typing up your work on your laptop, organizing your files and being able to access articles/materials with ease).

This simple strategy helps you to stay focus on what needs to be done. As Jesse Jackson said

“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it”.

3. Small actions add up

My mum recently said to me ‘Jane, every action is a cause which has an effect! If you put in the action, you’ll get the results!’. What great advice mum!

Often we can get bogged down and feel overwhelmed/stressed by the enormity of the things we need to do (e.g. writing an 11,000 word thesis). I had to regularly remind myself that even if I wrote only one sentence each day, eventually all those sentences were going to add up to my 11,000 word limit.

But I was really committed to finishing my thesis on time and doing a good job, so in February I set myself a goal to write 500 words a day. This meant that if I stuck to my goal then my draft thesis would be written in 22 days. I said to myself ‘It doesn’t matter how bad the writing is, just type up 500 words’. This was a very empowering activity as it forced me to be in action.

I read somewhere recently that worry disappears in the face of action. So next time you start worrying about an assignment or exams, force yourself to do something, however small it might be.

4. Get some comrades and spend time with them

There’s something really comforting and energizing about spending time with others who are going through or have gone through the same painful experience as you.

I found that it made a huge difference to be able to talk to other students who were doing their honors projects or had completed an honors project in previous years. A lot of these people gave me motivating pieces of advice such as ‘You’re going to feel so good once you finish this project! We know it’s tough but just stick at it!’ as well as practical advice/tips (e.g. “Make sure you don’t leave your referencing until the last minute!”)

I was told by one of my lecturers about this idea of getting together with other honors students and having regular writing sessions each week (where you would all sit around at a table and write for an hour or so). Whilst I never did this for my honors project, I have done this in previous years with friends when preparing for really difficult exams. Getting together with others can turn boring, stressful tasks into fun, playful ones.

5. Remind yourself that this won’t go on forever

I see a lot of students that are really overwhelmed and want to throw in the towel at this point in the year in regards to their studies. If you’re a student, remind yourself that this won’t go on forever, that everything changes and all you need to do is just keep taking action.

motivation to study....

Study motivation

Slackness explained

If you're hoping to give yourself a kick up the backside, begin by understanding why you've lost momentum in the first place. Only you can decide what's behind your work-shy attitude, but here are some of the main offenders:

·       · Lack of focus - any long term goals, like graduating, don't register

·       · Lack of interest - your coursework leaves you cold

·       · Lack of drive - you're not good at working under your own steam

Other factors can include stress, depression, the break-up of a relationship, or problems with drink. The key is to highlight what's holding you back, in order to take steps to overcome the situation.

Share the problem

There's no shame in admitting you've been slacking. In many ways, it takes courage to admit the only time you get your head down is when it hits the pillow. What's more, people will want to help. Whether it's a good friend, a course tutor or your student welfare officer, they can help you get back on track. But first, of course, you have to want to help yourself.

Prepare to change

So you've worked out what's gone wrong, and taken steps to sort any underlying issues. With nothing to hold you back, you need to look at ways of firing your enthusiasm. There are several strategies, outlined below, but first establish the willpower to make them work for you. That you've identified a problem with knuckling down is an important first step. It shows you want to make a change. The key now is to build on it.

Motivation made easy 

Get the work done properly, and you can kick back with a clear conscience. Here are the only four steps you need to achieve it:

Create the space
Wherever you live, from a hall of residence to shared accommodation, establish an area for you to work.  Even if you don't have a desk, restricting a small area for you to open your books will help to create boundaries between work and play.

Ditch the distraction
Consider your working environment, and cut out anything that tempts you from the task at hand, such as the telly or even music. If you just can't work in silence, go for tunes without vocals or anything so complex you feel compelled to shut your eyes and listen. Review the state of your social life too. Instead of going out late through the week, consider staying in until the weekend, when you're free to party with a clear conscience.

Establish a work schedule
often a fear of the workload ahead is enough to tempt many into work-dodging habits. The run up to exams is a case in point, and at no other time is it more crucial for you to get a grip. The way forward is to break up the slog into more manageable sessions.
So, if you're faced with six hours worth of work, for example, why not split it into three two-hour sessions? You'll feel like you've achieved something faster, which is a buzz that'll keep you going.

Create regular breaks and rewards
there’s nothing like the prospect of a treat to keep you focused, so be sure to pepper your sessions with them. Five minutes free time every hour, for example, will help to maintain that spark and drive. Use the opportunity to leave your working environment, get some fresh air, or do something that is rewarding to you.
Also think on a long-term basis, and line up something really special for getting through your exams or academic year. As for the moment that you graduate, if you can say you've worked your hardest then you'll be guaranteed to enjoy the rest and relaxation that follows.

Effective Study Motivation Tips:

Finding it hard to get study motivation? Have a big test coming up but just not motivated to study? Fallen back on your classes but still not able to get yourself to pick up the books?

Well you’re not the only one feeling this way. Whether you are currently a student studying in school or an adult picking up new knowledge, all of us have experienced lack of motivation to study. This is especially so when the subject you’re studying interests you as much as watching paint dry!

Fortunately, with will power, determination and some simple tips & techniques, anyone can turn their dislike into study motivation.

Studying can be fun, interesting and exciting. Never label studying as “boring”, “painful” or “uncomfortable”. That way you’ll be pre-framing yourself negatively even before you start. You’d have lost the battle before it even began. In fact, don’t even call it a battle.

Studying is a meaningful journey of discovery.

Useful Study Motivation Tips

1. Be Curious – get interested in the subject you’re studying

When you’re interested in the subject you’re studying, things become so much easier. You’ll be naturally motivated to learn and read about it. So how do we become interested in what we’re studying? We adopt a curious attitude.

As long as you’re curious enough, anything can be interesting.

Question it, use your imagination, get inside the subject, understand what makes it tick, find out how you can apply it in life, read real life case studies. There are many ways to make a subject interesting when you adopt a curious mindset.

2. Set a schedule and study at the right time

Set a study schedule everyday. It’s good to plan your day in advance. Set a specific time for studying, and a time for playing or relaxing. This way, you won’t worry about ‘missing’ your fun. You may be studying hard now, but you know that later on you’ll be enjoying yourself. So this keeps you focused on studying in the present.

Here’s a tip: When planning your day, it’s always good to study first and have fun later. If you think you should watch some TV or relax a little first before ‘getting down to it’, you’re making a big mistake. Doing that will only make it harder for you to start studying. The first step is always the hardest.

Also when setting study schedules, schedule your studying time at the time of the day where there will be the least distractions. Also choose the time when you’re at your peak state to study. This means obviously not studying after heavy meals (where digestion will make you sleepy) and times where you’ll be tired (ie. late nights).

3. Get started – 5 minute challenge

The hardest part of doing anything is getting started. The first step is always the toughest. After you got that out of the way, it’s all downhill. This is because once you’ve got momentum; it’s easy to keep it going. So it’s vital that you get yourself going in the first place.

This study motivation tip can help you get started. This is what you can do, whenever you’re not motivated to start studying, just plan to study for 5 minutes. That’s it, just 5 minutes. Tell yourself that you’ll be studying seriously for 5 minutes then you’ll stop.

Usually, what happens is after the 5 minutes are up, you would have been well into the swing of things that you’ll want to continue studying longer. Yeah that’s right. It’s quite a cool way to ‘trick’ ourselves. The key here is to make sure that for those 5 minutes you are really studying 100% and not dreaming or getting distracted by other stuff.

4. Stop/start at the fun part

When having to stop for breaks, meals or other activities, plan to stop when you’re at a fun or easier part of the subject. The parts that is more interesting and enjoyable to you. This way, when you continue to study later, it’ll be much easier to get started because you’ll be starting at the fun parts.

5. Remove distractions from your surroundings

Obviously this is very important for your study motivation. When you got the TV, phone, computer, bed, magazines etc nearby, you’ll be easily tempted to throw your books aside. Try to remove as many distractions away from you as possible.

You don’t need strand yourself on an island with only your books. Just make sure that any of these distractions are not near you.

When the remote is right next to you, you’re more likely to pick it up. Same with your phone, laptop etc. But if you have to walk all the way across to another part of the house to watch TV chances are you’ll be less likely to do it.

6. Set a study area – make it as conducive as possible

The environment can play a big part in your study motivation. Imagine studying in a dimly lit, hot and stuffy room with loud music on playing in the corner. Or, in a quiet room, bright, with the right temperature and good air ventilation. Which room would make you feel more motivated to study?

If possible, have a regular study area. Make sure it’s conducive like being well lit, has ventilation, quiet and so on. Place all your notebooks, stationary, reference books in your study area. Make your study area as conducive to studying as possible.

7. Put yourself in a strong motivated state

Take 5 minutes before you start studying to put yourself into the proper state. Turn off any music, sit down, clear your mind and take deep breaths. Say a prayer or do some visualizations and light meditation. Visualize yourself happily studying and clearly understanding what you have learned.

Other methods include pumping yourself up by saying encouraging words and making a fist, and also by using NLP techniques such as anchoring and sub modalities.

8. Set Goals

Setting goals will give you more motivation. When there’s a target to aim at, we’ll be more determined rise up to the challenge and push ourselves to achieve it. The sense of satisfaction from the achievement is also a good confidence booster, and this will further cultivate a studying habit.

Set goals such as for the number of sections / chapters you plan to cover within a period of time, your target grades to score in tests and others.

9. Reward yourself

Finally remember to reward yourself for the job well done. If you’ve stuck to your schedule, didn’t let yourself get distracted and successfully achieved the goals you set out, you deserve a reward for that.

Always reward yourself immediately. It doesn’t even need to be anything major, just simple things like enjoying an ice-cream sundae, watching your favorite TV show or calling friends up to chat. Of course, also give yourself big rewards whenever you have major achievements.

Final thoughts…

Remember, the toughest part in studying is to get started. As long as you are determined and push yourself to pick up the book, half the battle is already won. With willpower, determination and using the study motivation tips above, getting study motivation shouldn’t be a problem anymore!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES....

HELLO TO ALL,

I HEAR THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE STARTED APPEARING FOR MOCK CATS AND YOU ARE DISCOURAGED AFTER SEEING THE RESULT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY DON'T GIVE UP YET.THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.NO ONE ACES AN EXAM IN THE FIRST ATTEMPT.KEEP TRYING.WORK HARDER.

WHEN YOU SEE YOUR  SCORE DON'T BE SAD.DON'T BE DISCOURAGED.DON'T BLAME YOURSELF. INSTEAD OF SITTING IN A ROOM AND SULKING PICK UP YOUR PAPER,SEE WHERE YOU MADE MISTAKES,FIND OUT WHY YOU MADE THOSE MISTAKES AND CORRECT THEM.

THERE IS NO SHORTCUT OR SECRET TO SUCCESS.IT IS THE RESULT OF PREPARATION, HARD WORK AND LEARNING FROM FAILURES.

THE TOPPERS ALSO GAVE THE SAME MOCK CATS AND ALSO GOT THE SAME SCORES.THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THEY FOUND THEIR MISTAKES, CORRECTED THEM AND WORKED HARDER TO NOT REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES.

HERE ARE SOME QUOTES TO MOTIVATE YOU:

·       ·       “A lot of us would like to move mountains, but few of us are willing to practice on small hills.” ~ Anonymous

·       ·       “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” ~ Chinese Proverb

·       ·       “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” ~ Albert Einstein

·       ·       “Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” ~ William A. Ward

·       ·       “The best way to finish an unpleasant task is to get started.” ~ Anonymous

·       ·       “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” ~ Napoleon Hill

·       ·       “You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

·       ·       “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” ~ Conrad Hilton

·       ·       “Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.” ~ Jules Renard

·       ·      
“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” ~ Nora Roberts

·       ·      
“Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it.” ~ William Durant

·       ·      
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” ~ Carl Bard

·       ·       “You’re never a loser til you quit trying.” ~ Anonymous

·       ·       “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ~ Thomas Edison

·       ·       “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” ~ David Bly

·       ·       “Strength of mind is exercise, not rest.” ~ Alexander Pope

·       ·       “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” ~ Robert Collier

REVIEWS OF CAT PREP GUIDE BY STUDENTS

HELLO FRIENDS,

I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE SINCERITY YOU ALL HAPPY SHOW TOWARDS YOUR GOALS AND AMBITIONS AND I AM GLAD I GOT TO BE A PART OF YOUR CAT PREP JOURNEY.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF STRESS AND ANXIETY  IT CAUSES TO PREPARE FOR AN ENTRANCE EXAM SPECIALLY THE HIGH LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY ALL MBA ENTRANCE EXAMS HAVE.THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD WEBSITES OUT THERE TO HELP YOU WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCED AND EDUCATED STAFF AS COUNSELLORS   BUT NOT ALL OF THEM WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU GOING THROUGH.

WHEN I STARTED TO PREPARE I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS.SOME WERE AS SIMPLE AS "HOW TO START,FROM WHERE AND WHAT TO STUDY" BUT THE ANSWER WAS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST BASIC STEP TOWARDS CAT PREPARATION.
THE REPLIES I RECEIVED WERE NOT TO MANY AND SOME THAT I RECEIVED NEVER ATTENDED TO MY PARTICULAR QUESTION.THEY WERE JUST COPY PASTED ANSWERS.
YOU CAN ONLY GET SOMEONE'S REAL  ATTENTION IF YOU PAY FOR IT.ALL CLASSES OFFER COUNSELLING ALONG WITH COACHING BUT THEY ALSO CHARGE A HANDSOME AMOUNT FOR IT.

SO,WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD THOSE COACHING?HOW WILL THEY SOLVE THEIR QUERIES?WHAT ABOUT THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING TO PAY FOR THEIR EVERYDAY NECESSITIES?WHY SHOULD THEY NOT GET THE SAME ADVANTAGES THAT ALL THE OTHER  STUDENTS DO?

EVERYONE DESERVES A FAIR CHANCE TO FIGHT FOR A BETTER FUTURE.

HENCE,I AM TRYING TO MAKE A SMALL CHANGE IN THIS UNJUST WORLD.
EVERYDAY I REMOVE  1-2 HRS OF MY TIME TO TRY TO ANSWER ALL THE QUERIES OF ALL THE STUDENTS WHO WRITE TO ME.IF I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS I GOOGLE THEM OR ASK OTHERS WHO ARE MORE EXPERIENCED THAN ME.IF THIS SMALL EFFORT FROM MY SIDE CAN HELP AT LEAST ONE STUDENT I WOULD BE VERY THANKFUL.

LIKE MAHATMA GANDHI SAID  “We must become the change we want to see in the world.”


I REQUEST ALL THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE  PURCHASED THE GUIDE TO PLEASE REMOVE A FEW MINS FROM YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO COMMENT BELOW ABOUT YOUR REVIEWS ON THE GUIDE,WRITE YOUR THOUGHTS,IF YOU LIKED THE GUIDE / DIDN'T LIKE THE GUIDE , IF IT WAS HELPFUL SO THAT OTHER STUDENTS CAN READ THE REVIEWS AS WELL.

I HOPE I CAN HELP YOU ALL AS MUCH AS I CAN AND I HOPE IN FUTURE YOU TOO WILL TRY TO HELP AT LEAST ONE STUDENT WHO IS IN NEED OF ADVICE OR HELP.

REMEMBER- WE CANNOT GO GREAT THINGS,WE CAN ONLY DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE.

REGARDS,
KHUSHBOO