How A Fresher Got Into SPJIMR And What Happened Afterwards - Mythbuster Edition

These were, unfortunately, some of the statements made by people when I told them that I was applying to the institute. The reason behind such statements is half-knowledge. And as the famous saying goes: “Half-knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance”. Before I convert the half-knowledge to holistic understanding, I’ll give you a quick description of my profile, I am a Mechanical Engineer (2017 batch) with a passion for Marketing and zero work experience.

While it is true that relevant work experience is always a plus, but the weightage given to it during the admission process varies across the different specialisations. Applicants are required to mention their preference for specialisation at the time of filling the form and hence it is critical for Freshers to understand what the institute is looking for and what the different domains require. I’ll take you through 3 stages of my journey so far.

Form filling:      

This is the most critical phase of the journey, do not take this stage lightly. I urge you to put considerable effort into this and refine the form such that it is the best reflection of who you are as a person.

As a fresher, it is necessary to highlight the different qualities that you possess, and leverage the experience from any project, internship or a course that you have undertaken which is relevant to the specialisation applied for. I had a certification in Digital marketing and an internship in Sales and Distribution role. It is also necessary to showcase your versatility. SPJIMR values ethics and hence it is advisable not to mention any point for which there is no valid proof.

Interview Experience:

While the other applicants were asked questions based on the work experience they had, my interview was more general, with questions such as “Why Marketing?”, “Why SPJIMR?” and questions pertaining to my projects, internships and positions of responsibility. This was my interview experience and it may vary for others. SPJIMR looks for curiosity, enthusiasm and clarity of thought regarding the choice of specialisation. Hence, good preparation and honest answers are the key ingredients to crack the interview.

Post joining the theatre of dreams:      

SPJIMR is the land of opportunities. The supremely talented batch provides immense scope for peer-learning. It is easy to feel overwhelmed but I slowly realised that Freshers were also selected for a purpose, as we are not accustomed to any standardised procedures and can hence question some of the ‘accepted’ practises. Also, we are associated with being creative, enthusiastic and we do not face the issue of going back to studying after a gap due to work.

Summary: It has been an amazing four months at my second home. It can best be described as a roller-coaster ride with ups and downs along the way. Learning to accept rejection and having the maturity to analyse it objectively in order to improve oneself is the biggest life lesson that I have learnt. The batch is always united and there is no unhealthy competition, this is due to the culture embedded in the philosophy at SPJIMR and is a testament to the qualities of ‘Courage and Heart’ that the institute stands for.

About the Author: 

Aditya Karthic

Aditya Karthic is a first year PGDM student in the Marketing specialization. He is a Mechanical Engineer from Anna University, Chennai. A fun-loving soul who loves to communicate with people, he enjoys taking up new tasks or challenges and always has his dancing shoes on. Food is his first love and he has always remained loyal to it.