IILM University

Gurgaon

Table Stakes Questions in Preparing for an Interview

Blog Catgeory, Career Development (Placement), IILM University, ,

There are a few basic questions that any Interviewer will expect the Candidate to be prepared for. These are
(i) Tell me about yourself
(ii) Why this job, this company
(iii) Why should we hire you.

The tact to handle the question “Tell me about yourself” is to encapsulate ‘why you want to take up a certain profession’ and ‘how you are suitable for it’ in the answer for ‘tell me about yourself’. Further, instead of summarising your resume, you should highlight aspects not written there. Put yourself in the employer’s shoes – what would you want to know about the candidate if you were them ?

You should highlight your personality and bring out your strengths and abilities that you can support by giving examples. Connect your skills to the job description. Mention your past experiences and proven successes. Briefly mention hobbies, intellectual development and community involvement.

Few examples for people with no work experience:

  • I am Rishab Singh and I come from Karnal. My desire is to pursue a career in Sales. I am a very extrovert person and can easily connect with new people. I am a very good listener and tend not to be judgmental. I have the knack of bringing people together and resolving conflicts through logical reasoning. I believe that these qualities of mine help me in making people appreciating my point of view, as well as developing lasting relationships.
  • My name is Harminder and I have a passion for commercial aspects of business. I graduated in B.Com and an now pursuing MBA Finance. I believe that a thorough financial analysis helps in making good business decisions therefore I have carried out several academic projects to hone this skill. (https://www.roberthalf.com.au/blog/jobseekers/your-career-finance-10-skills-really-count).

Look up the skills that are required for your desired specialisation. If you do not have them, work towards honing these skills.

If you have carried out an internship, that becomes a very important aspect of your interview, and of ‘tell me about yourself’. When a company hires a paid intern, they certainly are trying to achieve something. You must understand the ‘aim’ of the internship (i.e. the problem they are trying to solve). Then you must tell how you contributed towards solving this problem using the use the STAR approach i.e Situation, Task, Action and Result. Here are a few examples :-

  • I did my internship with ABC company. The company was facing problem with drop in sales due to inefficient sales channel. The company had drawn own a new channel arrangement and my task was to make our retailers join the new channel arrangement. Though the new arrangement was resisted by most of the retails, in my tenure of 2 months I was able to achieve a 93% switch-over to the new model.

Keep these points in mind as you tell them about yourself:

• Rehearse your answers. Make sure you’re prepared.
• Don’t waste a lot of time memorizing them.
• Once you’ve done that, you’re sure to deliver a satisfactory response to the tell me about yourself interview question.

Some more resources on the internet:

Career Advice

Interviews

Answer to “Sell Me This Pen”

 

Opportunities in India and Abroad after B Com. (Honors)

Faculty, IILM University,

B Com.(Honors) has been one of the most sought after course among students after their XIIth  class. The attraction of B Com. never dies down because of regular and growing demand in job circuit for the graduates from this course.

The course is so popular among students because it facilitates entry to wide range of job profiles in areas like Financial analysis/ Financial Markets/ Financial Portfolio Analysis/ Banking/ Insurance etc. to name a  few.

Moreover after doing this course students can pursue higher studies like CA/ CFA/CS/ ICMA and many more and/or even go for foreign higher education like US-CMA, US-CPA, CIMA London etc.

IILM University, Gurugram is the right place to be for the present & prospective commerce professionals with centrally located lush green campus, state of the art infrastructure, faculty members with rich combination of Industry and Academic experience, International Collaborations, Corporate Connects and curriculum designed with inputs from industry ,  professionals.

Why-MBA-at-IILM-University

Why MBA at IILM University?

IILM University, , , ,

If you ask any aspirant why he or she wants to pursue MBA, the prompt response that comes is “package.” While it is fair to give the millennials credit for this response, they must stop for a moment and introspect as to what value they bring to the organization to aspire that “package”. As a faculty who sees the students sit for various processes year after year, I know for sure that MBA is not about package – it is not about a student’s ROI, it is more about their employability. While they aspire for the money from day 1 of their job, their returns to the organization begin only after a few months of training. And that too if they have the skill-sets required to do their jobs well. The responsibility of the MBA institution is to offer an exciting learning environment to the students, so that they become employable. The students in turn must make the most of the opportunities and exposure their institution offers them during their two-year tenure.

Flagship program
MBA is the flagship program of School of Management at IILM University Gurugram. Students have the options of both functional and sectoral specializations. Through internationally benchmarked curriculum with regular inputs from the industry experts, students at IILM study contemporary courses. These include Intentional Networking, Emotional Intelligence, Critical Thinking, Digital Innovation and Transformation. Online Certifications from institutions of repute are embedded in the curriculum. In each module, a guest expert is invited to share practical, organizational insights whereby beautifully adding to the concepts and theories done in class. We offer students international exposure through exchange programs and study tours abroad, thus giving them an edge over their counterparts.

Giving practical exposure
There is emphasis not only on academic and technical skills, but also the soft skills and life skills. Most of us faculty have PhD and a combination of academic plus corporate experience that contributes to a wonderful learning environment in the classroom. Our focus is on experiential learning with the help of latest tools and techniques using case studies, role plays, videos, field visits, projects, management games, classroom exercises etc. Using innovative pedagogy and emerging technologies, we strive towards a predominantly robust academic delivery to make the education process stimulative, interactive, reflective and creative. As a faculty, I have personally learnt a lot and progressed academically while delivering lectures to the post-graduate students.

Industry Connect
Strong industry linkages are a forte of IILM which facilitate excellent placement and internship opportunities. IILM boasts of highly successful alumni who are now working at very senior positions in multinational corporations. All students are given an opportunity to work on live projects that hone their reasoning and analytical skills.

Mentoring
Each student is assigned a faculty mentor who is involved in giving direction, guiding and ensuring personal and professional development. I am involved in mentoring the students and preparing them to take up meaningful roles in organizations. This increases my connect with them and helps establish a life-long relationship with my students. And that is why many of them start giving importance to their future “job role” over “package” at the time of campus placements.

Almost all events on campus are driven by the students, which enhances their organizing skills and improves their team skills. It gives them an opportunity to be independent in decision making and resource management. Campus life at IILM contributes to their holistic development and enables them to come out of their comfort zone, making them shed their inhibitions. I feel all these factors combine to increase the employability quotient of IILM students. They are groomed to be responsible professionals, ready to take on the challenges in organizations. MBA at IILM is a unique experience, and having seen it myself, I can surely vouch for the same.

IILM-NHRDN 7th Business Leadership Quiz 2018

Events, Faculty, IILM University

“I think what makes us special is that, among all the quiz and game shows out there, ours tends to encourage learning”

On 1st December

IILM University takes pride in partnering with NHRD to organize 7th Business Leadership Quiz 2018 that was held with an element of fun & frolic in the premises of IILM, University Gurugram. It corroborated the institute’s objective of promoting strong learning and development culture by exposing students to value adding enhancements incessantly. As a core value, IILM fosters its students to aim for nothing but the best and to have an attitude of perpetual learning. With this in mind, the leadership quiz was organized that witnessed participants who possessed knowledge from varied domains such as marketing, advertisement, business history, leadership, to name a few.

 

The quiz was peeled off elaborating NHRD’s code of conduct that was addressed to the entire audience. It was followed by a welcome speech by Mr. Dhananjay Singh, Director General of NHRDN who spoke about the importance of continuous learning and expressed his enthusiasm upon unfolding 7th Business Quiz. Following him, Dr. Sujata Shahi, vice chancellor of IILM University welcomed the chief guest and other participants and apprised them about recent achievements and success of IILM in getting converted into a University from this academic year. Post that, Mr. Avadhesh Dixit, CHRO of Moody Corporation expressed his ecstasy upon receiving the invitation and felt proud in being associated with a prestigious and trustworthy institution like NHRD for 20 years. He acknowledged the magnum of such quizzes is seeing an uprising trend every year.  He wrapped up his address by congratulating the students for their empowering endeavor and wished everyone good luck for future. And finally, Dr. Aayushman Gupta, Senior Professor, thanked everyone for their presence and advocated the need of blended education.

 

 

 

The quiz was conducted by Quizmaster Ajay Poonia, who is the co-founder of www.qryptiq.com. Mr. Poonia is a young & exuberant quizmaster as well as an avid quizzer too. The quiz kicked off with prelims round for northern region in which executives from 43 companies participated. This round had a total of 25 questions which were a fusion of general awareness, advertisement, business marketing. This round also had audio & video based questions in culmination to keep it more interesting and engaging. The winners of this round were teams from Deloitte, Hero MotoCorp, NTPC, Maruti, Ernst & Young, and Power Grid. These teams further competed against each other for top 3 positions for northern region. The final round witnessed nail biting moments with Ernst & Young, Deloitte and Power Grid crowned as the first, second and third winner respectively.

 

 

 

In totality, the underlying objective of an exciting quiz was fulfilled when both the students and participants who were eager to learn and enjoy came out of the auditorium with satiating smiles. The smile in the minds and the heart of learners spoke loudly that they are ready for future and settle for nothing but the best.

 

Contributors:                                                                                             Faculty Coordinator:

Juhi Gupta – PG – I                                                                                           CA. Vishal goel

Manan Porwal – PG – II

Liberal Arts Education: Door to Creativity, Happiness and Bright Future

Faculty, General Blog, IILM University, , , , , , ,

Liberal Arts Education has become a buzz word in India from past couple of years. More and more parents and students are inquisitive about it and also showing positive inclination towards the same. Liberal world holds its origin in a roman word ‘liberalis’ which means freedom, hence, simply freedom to pursue the choice of discipline can be called as liberal arts. The term liberal arts originated in Europe however it was American Universities which make the concept not only popular but also successful. In fact, the liberal education brought many American Universities in limelight and on top spot in world university rankings. The Indian higher education was focused on Job driven unidirectional studies where focus was on ‘what to learn’ than ‘how to learn’. However, thanks to the fast changing world dynamics and need of multi facet skills, this trend is changing and driving Indian Higher Education system to embrace liberal arts education with arms wide open.

Is liberal Education new to India?

Before answering the question lets understand Liberal Arts Education. In the words of John Henry Newman, “The purpose of a Liberal Arts education is to open the mind, correct it, to refine it, to enable it to know and to digest, master, rule, and use its knowledge, to give its power over its own faculties, application, flexibility, method, critical exactness, sagacity, resource, address, and eloquent expression”.

If we read the above expression in depth then we understand that Liberal arts education had wide presence in ancient Indian universities like Nalanda and Takshila. Students studying in these esteemed Universities were imparted simultaneously knowledge in the field of grammar, philosophy, ayurveda, surgery, politics, warfare, astronomy, commerce, music, dance, and much more. The students were taught right blend of skills and subjects which were important to contribute in civic life.

Despite having strong educational past; during colonial era India was forced to adopt fixed curriculum model set up by British Education System. Also the greedy aspirations for professional degrees liberal education took back seat from main stream academia.

The Changing Paradigm

There is a pressing need for people to learn and enhance their creativity along with analytical skills and be a path finder in rapidly changing environment. The fast paced technological transformations and disruptions and challenges of degrading physical and social environment put forth the demand for leaders and scholars with deep sense of imagination, analytics and creativity.

Liberal arts education broadens the minds and understands the scenarios from diverse perspectives rather than being a conservative. It lights up the intellectual curiosity which fosters knowledge creation in subjects ranging from arts and humanities, social sciences to the natural and applied sciences.  Liberal education inculcates problem solving and critical analysis skills which are much desirable in corporate world as well as in daily civic life. A sufficient emphasis on liberal arts education help us to tackle practical problems of this century and also provide our current and future generations a chance of freedom of knowledge and a way of living happy.

Who are making efforts?

Since 2015 Indian government decided to invest more in research universities, in social sciences and liberal education so that world ranking of Indian Universities can improve. Taking the initiative of the government forward private universities took charge to address the challenge and creating inter-disciplinary curriculum which are globally bench marked. However, very few have moved in this direction. IILM University situated in the heart of corporate Gurugram is centering interest in Liberal Arts education and aiming at inter-disciplinary education. IILM University has created the curriculum focusing on technology, psychology, business, design, communication skills, critical thinking and academic writing. The best part is, these courses are well aligned to the demand of the market. The extensive major and minor combinations open multiple career options. In all, liberal education not only shape career of the students but also creates informed and happy citizens.

Scope for Design & Fashion Opportunities in India.

IILM University, ,

The current fashion retail market is estimated to be worth US $46 billion and is expected to grow at a promising rate of 9.7% p.a. so as to reach US $115 billion by 2026.

Similarly, areas like Product Design, Interaction Design, Animation Design, Gaming, Graphic & Interior Design have shown a stupendous growth in the last few years.

All this leads to an ever increasing demand for qualified professionals. For instance, in the next three years the demand for fashion professionals alone is expected to be over 2.5 lakhs people.

IILM University, Gurugram with its state of the art infrastructure, experienced  and qualified faculty members, International Collaborations, corporate Connects and industry relevant curriculum, is  the right place to be for the present & prospective  Design & Fashion professionals.

(source:- www.indiaretailing.com/2017/10/15/fashion/indian-fashion-apparel-market-2016-beyond/

www.cii.in/webcms/Upload/a2.pdf)

Entrepreneurship – Job and Wealth Creation

Career Development (Placement), Faculty, IILM University, , , ,

Entrepreneurship – Job and Wealth Creation

(Entrepreneurism must be practiced to be learned)

Entrepreneurial success does not take place in a vacuum. Entrepreneurs exist in the context of their particular geography – be that their local, national, or even supranational economy and society. This mix of attitudes, resources, and infrastructure is known as the entrepreneurship ‘ecosystem’.

Having an entrepreneurial mind-set is critical to being successful as an entrepreneur. An entrepreneurial mind-set stands alone in terms of its importance. No other attribute, personality, inherent entrepreneurial proclivities, training, or demographic profile is common to all successful entrepreneurs whether Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, or the neighbourhood florist or grocer.

Family controlled businesses, both private and publicly-traded, are characterized by unique challenges that threaten their continuity and distinct core competencies.

The challenges are primarily the result of issues presented by the changing ecosystem, government laws, and interaction of family, management and ownership -particularly where the family wishes to perpetuate its influence and/or control from generation to generation.

A large majority of successful companies started as entrepreneurship and few survive into the second generation. Family Business Management has to undergo changes in order to thrive in India.

The leadership issues, adoption of technology, modern HR practices and corporate governance will help companies to become more competitive and relevant.

It is imperative that students learn entrepreneurship as a course to delve deep and understand “What is entrepreneurship” and what it take to have an “Entrepreneurial mindset”.

IILM University focuses on providing such an education to students through an entrepreneurial ecosystem. This course aims to give basic fundamentals to students towards understanding the ecosystem for entrepreneurship and startups and a direction towards developing a mindset for pursuing this as a desired program in as a specialization and an area to work on for wealth creation. The students are also given an exposure into understanding the fundamentals involved in ideation, researching the idea, knowledge about finances in the entrepreneurial space.

While understanding the entrepreneurial journey it would be of fundamental importance to understand the entrepreneurial and startup system in India which is aggressively promoted by GOI. The Startup India initiative launched in January 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered incentives to such ventures to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation

Students will explore some of the myths and key facts about entrepreneurship, and find out what it takes to be an entrepreneur, so that they can conduct their own self-assessment and identify priorities for their own growth as an entrepreneur.

Students will learn how to unlock creativity and innovation to help generate more and better entrepreneurial ideas. This course provides learners with insights to re-frame their thinking in order to maximize their chances for success.

The course provides learners with an understanding of the attributes and perspectives of an entrepreneurial mindset, and the process to acquire one. The course introduces concepts that enable a person to start a trans-formative process in the way they think generally, and in the way they think about business specifically. This new way of thinking has the potential to positively impact not only them, but their family, and community.

So what can a learner expect to gain from this course? At the end of this course a learner:

  • Will be able to argue effectively against all of the reasons for not starting their business (or reaching some goal);
  • Will be able to operate effectively within the new framework or model for starting a business (or any new endeavor), thus increasing their chances for success; and
  • Will be able to make the initial business startup decisions of what type of business to start, and what type of business owner to be.

Entrepreneurism must be practiced to be learned

  • Maybe a student knows and wants to be an entrepreneur, but you’re not sure where to start? This course is for anyone aspiring to be an entrepreneur – regardless of the industry or type of venture you might have in mind.

The course will enable a student to think and maybe start with a project and develop insights to pursue detailed learning towards job and wealth creation.

 

 

Bucket list of Books (5 must read)

General Blog, IILM University

There’s a long weekend ahead and if you wish to do something other than munching on snacks while watching Netflix to get your weekend vibe, here’s something you can do and fall maniacally in love with books.

However, for everyone who just can’t wait for the conclusion and the suspense to unfold like me, I have gone through my inventory and have listed five books after an extensive brainstorming session with myself that will keep you hooked. Reading within this virtual community is fulfilling.

1. 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE by Stephen R. Covey

In a management college one thing that you get used to listening in every lecture is “the power of thinking.” The book talks about how human brains work, how to adapt and take advantages of the opportunities that changes create.

Hit or a miss? This one surely is a hit and should be read by every budding manager and also for your overall personal development. If you a person of curiosity, get this now.

 

2. INTO THE WILD by Roger Ebert

When life hits hard one needs a break from the ordinary. This book is about the wilderness and unforgiving harshness of independence. This book talks about the importance of finding peace with your own company. Knowledge of yourself and how

Hit or a miss? Hell yes! This book gives you a reality check. This one is a masterpiece. It’s all about when one breaks through the mould to find themselves.

 

3. RICH DAD POOR DAD by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Are you a finance person? Well, even if you aren’t, this book will clear your facts about assets and liabilities. The author believes that money without financial knowledge is a waste and so this is definitely a book one needs to grab.
Hit or a miss? Please do not miss on this. You, as a budding manager or a person, need to know the basics of saving and need to gain the basic financial knowledge. This all about money, buddy

 

4. TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Mitch Albom

This book is the quickest read you will pick up this week. Tusedays with Morrie is one of the most heart touching book. This allows a casual avenue for learning about the dying process: learning that not every ending is a happy ending.
As Morrie once said, “Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

Hit or a miss? Super like. This book is going to live in your heart forever. I say, BEAUTIFUL FOREVER.

 

5. BONFIRE by Kristen Ritter

The last book recommendation is for the mystery lovers, because why not.

Bonfire is a book that revolves around actions taken in high school taking a toll in life for the students 15-20 years later. This book will keep you hooked, from apparent murder mystery, kidnapping to horror, it’s got everything. It might give you chills. Watch out people.

Hit or a miss? If you like the tension to build up until everything is revealed, please read it today.

 

Author
Bhumika
Student Coordinator
Aawaz – The Writing and Book club

Reasons To Start Your Own Business With A BBA Course

General Blog, IILM Graduate School of Management, IILM Undergraduate Business School, IILM University, , ,

So, you have the perfect idea for your first business venture. Perhaps you have come up with an innovation or a disruptive business model, and now feel that this is the right time to step into the entrepreneurial world. But this is the moment where we tell you to take a moment and consider something that will have a great bearing on your future business plans: a BBA in Entrepreneurship course from one of the best undergraduate colleges in Delhi – IILM UBS.

Why? Like in every profession, there is a certain skillset that you must possess to tackle entrepreneurship head on and carve a niche for yourself. This is exactly what a degree in BBA arms you with as you work on your business simultaneously. Let’s take a detailed and convincing look at the reasons to start your own business with a parallel BBA in Entrepreneurship course:

Academic and Industry Knowledge:

Having knowledge of various subjects in business, finance and management will strengthen your expertise in entrepreneurship by building a strong theoretical foundation. The BBA in Entrepreneurship curriculum is designed to provide students modern subject knowledge along with practical know-how on the industry practices, case studies, and global scenarios. Such education will enable you to better understand your business and implement your learning in real life.

Exclusive Mentorship:

IILM UBS is one of the only few business schools in Delhi that ensures that every student gets a personal mentor who will guide them throughout the course and help them build upon their business plan. If you already have a business venture, you can set up meetings with your mentor to discuss and iron out problems and issues. Such an intimate interaction gives you and your new business a rare advantage.

Development of Communication Skills:

In today’s extremely competitive world of business, entrepreneurs are expected to be not only experts in their industry but also highly polished, fluent and confident. A course in BBA will help you build your personality from the ground up, and allow you to learn how to communicate and discuss your ideas, proposals, solutions, etc. in a charming, confident manner.

Building of a Robust Business Acumen via Experiential Learning:

In a BBA course, you get unbridled exposure to real-world learning, challenges, work experience, and projects. From internships at top corporates to seminars with business leaders, it is the experiential learning that will help you scale up your business and explore new possibilities. Then, there are the global study programs that provide a budding entrepreneur with international experiences that help in developing key competencies required in the field. All these experiences help cultivate the entrepreneur in you as you simultaneously work to make your business a success.

Apart from the above-mentioned advantages, successfully completing a BBA course along with your business venture provides you with brilliant networking opportunities. If you so choose to, you can later on pursue an MBA to take your entrepreneurial wisdom to another level.

Is MBA a Good Career Choice for an Engineer?

General Blog, IILM Graduate School of Management, IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM University, , , , ,

If you are an engineer who has freshly earned his or her degree, or a seasoned individual working a white collar job in a multi-national, there comes a time when you are faced with the question of ‘what next’. For many, engineering is a means to an end or a truly uninhibited passion. Yet, many of us aspire to go one step further – than step often being management. But, is MBA a great career choice for an engineer?

As top management colleges in India such as IILM eagerly await the next set of applications for their MBA course, it is time for you to decide whether you want to pursue this option. If getting into the family business, becoming an entrepreneur, or landing a top management job at an MNC is what you eventually plan to do, then an MBA is definitely the right option. And we are quite optimistic that after reading this article, you will have already made your decision…in favor of MBA after engineering. Here’s why:

You learn about the finer nuances of business:

Coming from an engineering background, you must already be aware of the technical and operational side of a business. But, in the long run, a business is all about expansion, productivity and profit – domains in which MBA graduates excel. An MBA program develops strong strategic, analytical and financial aptitude in candidates, setting them up to lead organizations one day.  Moreover, if you have a business idea, an innovation you want to market, or simply expand your family business, knowledge of management principles and subjects is critical.

MBA Course

You get exposure like never before:

An MBA degree is highly dynamic and fast-paced. You will be constantly involved in projects, discussions, and debates which will challenge your problem-solving acumen, and impart to you the necessary leadership skills to rise to the top. Most importantly, you will get unprecedented practical experience in an MBA course – via internships, workshops, international study programs, corporate training and interning, etc. An MBA program will thrust you into the real-life business world, and provide you with opportunities to enhance your skillset.

You develop an entrepreneurial aptitude:

An MBA course also opens up avenues for you to become an entrepreneur. Many MBA colleges have tailor-made courses on this subject which allow students to develop and perfect their ground-breaking ideas and innovations into profitable business models. As an engineer, you might have always dreamt of solving the world’s problems and disrupting industries with better services and product. Doing an MBA is how you can devise a blueprint for accomplishing this dream.

You benefit from extensive personality development:

In business, it’s all about the personality, ethics, and manners. Making the right first impression is half the battle won. In an MBA program, one learns etiquettes and communication skills that are synonymous with the best leaders in the world.

You can land an extremely lucrative corporate job:

It is no secret that MBA courses promise great placements in the best and biggest corporate firms globally. If that is what drives you, then doing an MBA is the best decision you can take right now. After all, to reach the top of a company, you need to have excellent business skills, which is why companies hire management graduates with lucrative offers. In other cases, many top positions in your present company would most definitely require an MBA degree. This is where you can get an edge over your colleagues and gain a quicker and bigger job promotion.

Are you ready, now, to take the jump from engineering to management?