Competition is everywhere; don’t be afraid of it: Pragati Jain

Amity Business School

I was one of those students who didn’t find studies interesting, and that’s why I always tried to avoid going to school. Sadly, by  the time I realised the importance of my studies, time had already passed and because of this tendency, my Science and Mathematics bases were not strong enough to choose Science stream for my class XI education. So, I took Commerce. The reason behind it was that Commerce was a completely new stream, and it was a chance for me to build a new and strong base for my future.

Career Decision

In 2014, I passed my board exams of class XII with 75% aggregate marks, and again, I was not very happy with my performance. But one thing that I observed during my school education was that I loved to study about management. So, at that time, I decided to go for a management course, thus opting for BBA from Jagan Institute of Management Studies (JIMS).

JIMS gave me a lot of experience. The faculty members were the backbone of JIMS, and I can’t even describe in words how much pressure they took to teach us.

And completing BBA from JIMS with 84% marks in 2018, I decided to take admission in MBA (Finance) in Amity Business School. I chose Amity because of its brand name and goodwill in the market, and yes, I wanted a good exposure to shape my career and develop my overall personality. So, when I measured Amity on this context, I found it perfect and decided to go there.

Exam Tips and My Admission Journey

Honestly, I didn’t prepare for JIMS and Amity entrance exams. It was a basic aptitude test along with a basic English Proficiency test, followed by Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds.

• JIMS Entrance Exam - It was a basic aptitude test along with the basic grammar questions. The level of entrance test was not as high as I was expecting. Anyone who had the basic awareness and knowledge could easily crack this exam. After that, there was a GD round. We were 10 students in a group and the topic of the discussion was ‘Women Safety’. Then, the last round was Personal Interview, where a panel of 2 female teachers asked the basic introduction and details about my family and my interests.
• Amity Entrance Exam – There were two tests; one was the basic aptitude test and the second one was an English Proficiency test. The levels of these tests were high if I compare them with that of JIMS. After that, there was a Personal Interview round. Again, there was a panel in which 3 female faculty members were sitting. One of them was judging my body language and my way of speaking, while the other two were busy asking questions from me (like why you chose finance, what are you expecting from this course, etc.)

Tips to crack Personal Interview

After having given so many interviews in the past 3 years, I can say that interview is one of the easiest things and anyone can nail it. You just need confidence and honesty. The interviewer just wants to know the basic things about a candidate in an interview and if you want to crack any interview, make sure you show confidence, politeness, and honesty (take your time before replying to them but don’t build up any fake answer), that’s it. Always keep in mind one thing- one interview can’t decide your entire career, so don’t be sad or criticize yourself if you are not able to crack it. Everything teaches us, so just identify your mistakes and try to improvise the next time.

My Learnings and Insights

• College Life – In my opinion, the college life gives us so much to remember throughout, like your friends and fun memories during your college days. But one thing that I also observed and emphasize on is that it’s the right time to identify your weaknesses and convert them into your strengths. During the college life, we get ample opportunities to participate in different activities and work for a corporate. Don’t take these opportunities for granted; take them seriously and you will see a new, emerging person within yourself. These are the things that not just make your resume, but at the same time boost your confidence, develop your personality, increase your knowledge bank, improve communication and much more. 

• Learnings from first Internship

I did a 6-week internship in BLK Super Speciality Hospital, and I was in the International Marketing -Query Team. The things that I learned during my internship were:

ü  Learn as much as you can- being as a fresher, we should always have the urge to learn new things.

ü  Always be on time.

ü  Take accountability for every task you have performed.

ü  Make a proper record of whatever you are doing, what changes you have made and under whose guidance (don’t blindly trust anyone).

ü  Never fudge any data or use any private information without asking your superior. 

• Did I choose the right career for myself?

Yes, I chose the right career for myself. Doing Masters in Finance is one of the best decisions that I took, and I am happy with it. I am learning so many new things and trends due to this course, and I am having no complaint about it. 

• How did your college education help you in your career?

College is the backbone of my learnings and my career. Whatever I learnt and observed that shaped my personality, I got it from my college itself. So, I suggest each and every person to choose their college wisely and on the basis of their set parameters and goals of their life.

Tips on Career Selection

• Identify your interest area and subject, and then only choose your course.
• Don’t be in a rush while choosing your course and college because of your friends and family. Choose what you like, not what others like.
• Try to believe in yourself and find your own path. Don’t blindly follow others. Whatever is good for them will not necessarily be good for you.
• Search different courses and career options available with that particular course. Proper research is very important before opting for any course.
• Competition is everywhere. Don’t be afraid of it; just work hard and with passion, and that comes only if you are interested in your work and are satisfied with your career.

So, it is very important to take time before choosing your career as per your interest.

About the Author

Pragati Jain

I am Pragati Jain pursuing MBA (Finance) from Amity Business School, Noida. I love writing blogs and articles. My hobbies include Playing Chess, Singing and Reading (novels, blogs, etc.)