Build your resume before having CAT!

CAT Exam
Is there anything useful that you can do along with your CAT preparation which helps build your resume – something which can help you get into a B-school of your choice and also take up a career after an MBA? This is another of those frequently asked questions (FAQ) that we come across on various discussions. Typically the question comes from fresher’s i.e. folks who have just graduated from Engineering (B.E), B.Com, BSc and many other streams. But quite a few students who haven’t even completed their basic graduation are also anxious to know how to make their profile irresistible to many of their dream schools. Well, there are several options that you can consider. And these can work not only for those who would repeat the exam this year but also for those who would write it for the first time in 2017. 1. Go for ‘meaningful’ internship experience: This should be first thing on your list – nothing builds your resume better than actual work experience and an internship allows you to get it in the limited time you will have. Also don’t forget the stipend that will lessen your financial burden and give you some capital power before you finish college. An internship, especially a management internship, gives you an idea of what your working life would be like once your MBA is completed. 2. If not an office, try home internships: If you don’t want to devote your whole day to the internship because you have coaching classes or college to attend, opt for virtual internships which usually require you to work a couple of hours a day from the comfort of your home. During the internship, take feedback from your mentor, set up weekly calls and work on deadlines to ensure that your internship experience is smooth. This would help you (and your resume!) to stand out among the crowd. 3. Take on responsibilities that your peers can’t or won’t: Most of your colleagues at work would complain about getting overloaded with responsibilities. Evaluate your situation differently. If you are doing the exact same thing 5 days a week and 12 hours a day, you aren’t making much progress in terms of getting an exposure to new aspects of the business. Create new learning curves for yourself. Apart from the technical skills you are picking up; keep an eye out for opportunities that need business skills. See if you can volunteer for special projects that have a strategic importance for the management. 4. Start a blog: Even if you do not consider yourself a ‘writer’, I would suggest that you start blogging. Building a positive digital presence will add to your profile. B-schools are looking for candidates with strong communication skills. Chronicle your life journey or write about something interesting that happened to you. Share a story on the blog or just start by writing about technology – some aspect which interests you. Polish your writing (and vocabulary) and ready yourself to write essays and applications for your dream B-schools. 5. Show EQ as well as IQ: Well, this isn’t exactly a hard-skill. But your Emotional Quotient (EQ) is a good glue to bind the earlier 4 points. Whether you are at work or play, nobody likes a jerk. A high IQ without a high EQ would push you into Jerk-land (and no, that doesn’t put you in an exclusive club). While you are working on the top 4 aspects, show some maturity, professionalism, modesty and other attributes that separate the good human beings from the rest. There you go. The 5 ‘secret’ ingredients to make your profile irresistible to the best MBA programs at the top bschools. We’ve left out factors like a high CAT score (most Indians score high anyway) and excellent academic grades (not much you can do if you’ve already messed this up). Don’t wait for an opportunity to come and seek you, when you can build your profile right now! All The Best!!  

Category :

CAT Exam

Share This :

Join us MBA CET 2025