Learning doesn’t happen by chance; it has to be attained and seen as a step towards your goals. If that goal is to scale the corporate ladder or become an entrepreneur then securing MBA admission to a Business School is the big milestone in that direction. Over 3000 B Schools admit more than 5,00,000 aspirants every year in India. But the catch is that aspirants don’t always get picked by the business school of their choice. If you want to be chosen by top management institutes in the country, you need to give yourself an edge over other candidates. It’s a task accomplished by a strong MBA profile that is a cut above the rest.

What are the elements of an MBA profile?

Before you start building an impressive MBA profile, you need to understand its different elements that include:

• Your academic performance through college, academic achievements, the academic institution you have graduated from.
• Your co-curricular activities like paper and journal presentations, NTSE, Olympiad score, involvement in student and college clubs.
• Extracurricular activities and achievements in the fields of singing, dancing, arts, filmmaking, photography, sports, and more.
• Any positions of responsibility you have held during school and college years, organizing events, leading a project, etc.
• Your work experience, the duration, role, and responsibilities you have handled, projects what you have been part of.

How does your MBA Profile impact your B School prospects?

There are three significant ways in which your MBA profile can make a powerful case for you with top B Schools in India.

All management institutions in the country have their criteria for admissions. They can change every year but the fact is that top business management colleges have a preference for students, who can showcase diverse all-around abilities. If your MBA profile reflects that then you have a better chance of getting a call from renowned B Schools.

Your MBA profile will be considered closely during the Personal Interview. This is the make-or-break stage for the Business School admission of your choice. Your profile will give the interviewers leads for questions they ask you during the PI, which include your career aspirations etc. You need to be completely honest and well-versed with your profile.

Not many B School students realize this but it is their MBA profile that also influences their summer internship placements. Your first internship will be a few months into your program, which means your resume hasn’t grown much. Recruiters will look at your MBA profile to shortlist you for the roles they offer.

Steps to building a standout MBA profile

• Not all students have a clearly defined MBA goal when they are in school or early years of college. So you may not have actively worked towards building your profile for an MBA, and that’s perfectly okay. As they say, there is no point in trying to re-do the past when you have a glorious future ahead of you. You still have time to work towards creating an impressive profile with your achievements, interests, and accreditations.
• Top B Schools have MBA students from varied backgrounds. If you have a background in IT but aspire for a corporate career in finance, then you can do an MBA/PGDM in Finance and send out a clear message through your profile with finance-related certification courses and another diploma in Financial Services.
• Taking specialized courses in MBA Marketing, Analytics, Finance, etc. never goes amiss with B Schools. And the good news is that they are easy to apply for today. Renowned institutions like Wharton offer them apps like Coursera for your benefit. Or, try Harvard and MIT’s edX!
• If you are in college, take the initiative to become a part of student organizing committees, cultural activities, and events. It will create that well-rounded personality image that B Schools find appealing.
• You can also present yourself as a future manager with a strong social conscience and ethics by getting involved in CSR activities, NGO projects, etc. These platforms are a huge learning experience for future MBAs.
• Working professionals can focus on activities and projects that are aligned with their MBA interests. If you want to build a corporate career in Human Resources then you can highlight your work experience being part of teams and even leading them.
• Your MBA profile should showcase your passion and intentions as much as your abilities. When you manage to achieve that goal, you can stand out from other applicants and get yourself a seat at the table of top management Colleges in Noida, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Indore in India.