Decision Point - MBA or Onshore

Back to India from a 6-month stay in US, I realized the humidity of Mumbai can be quite killing, especially since I landed up in the middle of May (summer peaks here). Life started back on track with old friends and relatives reunited after this gap. Office was as usual and a party was due from me to my team. We went to Lotus Suites in Andheri for the lunch treat. I had kept a French beard at that time and was looking very weird (when I look back at those days in my snaps now). The party went nice and people enjoyed having a good time together, gulping down food and chatting with each other. Lots of snaps were clicked from the new Canon SD700 IS digital camera that I had brought which was being tried on by my team mates.

Career-wise, I shifted back to the Development Team of our project when I returned offshore. The Production Support Team whom I led from onshore didn’t like this move but it was not in my hands. The shift plan had already been laid out before I was to return. Work began slowly at offshore, gradually picking up the pace. There were new people in the team with whom I had started working. So, it was exciting to learn about new people and the way they work.

Most of the new team members were very enthusiastic and keen to learn, to grow and become experienced in the system. But there was this one girl who gave all of us a tough time to manage. Very aggressive and not ready to consider the other person’s viewpoint, it became difficult for me to manage her even though if I was a Tech Lead at offshore.

Not ready to budge from her position, I had to escalate her way of working with my seniors. They tried to explain as much as possible to her but she countered them by getting aggressive in her tone with them too. Finally, it was not too long before she was about to be thrown out from the company. But she made a choice before it could happen and resigned on her own. It was a nightmarish duration for me – the psychological effect was way too much. I guess this is what you call “Experience” – when you meet and interact with all kinds of people – like all the colours of a rainbow.

As the dates for submitting the application form for CAT came close, my mind hovered around the idea of going in for a preparation for CAT and do an MBA this time around. I started preparing as much as I could after office hours and on weekends.

SG realized that I was preparing for CAT and wanted to retain me in the team. So, out came the offer – another onshore experience this time, but a longer one. I sign a bond; stay on for a year at onshore and return back offshore to stay for another year. Earn US dollars and INR salary both – then go for an executive MBA for 1 year or give GMAT and get into ASU, Phoenix.

Believe it or not, this entire idea was communicated to me by SG as he looked to convince me that giving CAT and settling in for a non-IIM college was not worth it. But, I was adamant and I gave myself an optimistic chance of making it in either any IIM or a worthy college.

The next few weeks were all about CAT preparation at home, discussion sessions with SG on the offer and work as usual with the team. All these discussions with SG were starting to play on my mind now. I considered 2 options in front of me now – that would shape my career, my destiny and most importantly – my future life.

The decision had to be taken and it was going to be a tough one. Life is never easy and decisions are not made so quickly. I gave it quite some thought - what should I do, what if I do this and not that, what would be the consequences, etc. One thing that I decided was that whatever decision I take, I will stand by it and I will never regret not taking the other option. I have to move ahead in life without dwelling on the past.

Finally, I made my choice – I scored a decent enough score in CAT – got a call from IIM-K and NIRMA University (IMNU). The IIM-K GD and PI experience was difficult yet a learning one. I thought the day could have been better – it all depended on how I performed on that day. So, let me not make too much out of it – even if I get selected or not.

I travelled to Ahmedabad with my mother for the IMNU GD-PI session. The GD went better than that of IIM-K and during the PI, I was mostly asked about my work experience and onshore exposure. I thought I fare better in the PI and had a chance of getting selected.

Ahmedabad city was similar to Mumbai city (especially near the Railway station). The areas of Kalupur and Mohammad Ali Road looked like cousins of each other. The city surprised me with the first sight of yellow-and-green auto rickshaws. Then, the climate was pleasant during the month of March 2008 when I went there for the GD-PI call.

May 2008 came and I received a notification that I got selected in IMNU for the MBA Full time program. The time came when I was again going to move out of my comfort zone, that is Mumbai. Ahmedabad was calling and Syntel was to move on from my life. I communicated this to SG but he was not happy with my decision. I convinced him that I had to move on and do my MBA now. I resigned in May 2008 at the month-end with SG and most of the team members still being reluctant to let me go.

The farewell was a sad occasion for me as well – I had spent more than 2.5 years with the project. GMAPS application was trickling down in all my veins, it had become a part of my blood, I would say. But life is changing each day – nothing remains the same, you move on in life, people move on and new people soon enter in your life.

I conclude the post now having remembered as much as I can. The next post brings me to Ahmedabad and the start of my MBA life in IMNU, the first time that I spend in a Hostel and meeting new friends who will impact my life in the future. If you feel that I’ve missed out on anything in this post, kindly provide your feedback and I’ll make sure I’ll write it in my next post.

Signing off now. See ya, friends!