{"id":2635,"date":"2018-02-11T15:57:17","date_gmt":"2018-02-11T15:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iquanta.in\/blog\/?p=2635"},"modified":"2021-12-28T17:27:16","modified_gmt":"2021-12-28T11:57:16","slug":"you-are-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-most-associate-with-tim-ferris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iquanta.in\/blog\/you-are-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-most-associate-with-tim-ferris\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cYou are the average of the five people you most associate with\u201d : Tim Ferris"},"content":{"rendered":"

We got on a late night call with Kshitij Sanke who is graduating from IIM Kolkata in a few months, and took him on a walk down the memory lane asking him questions about how IIM Kolkata has transformed him. Here is what he has to share with us:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kshitij Sanke, IIM Calcutta<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Me:<\/strong> We have gotten a video with tips on WAT \u2013 PI which we will be sharing with our students. Is there anything you would like to tell our students from your end?<\/span><\/p>\n

I would say the most important factor is clarity of topic<\/strong>. It is very important to understand what the topic is. For instance, when I gave my WAT PI, the topic was \u2018Terrorism and Youth\u2019. A lot of students went on to write about how the youth doesn\u2019t get enough employment opportunities in a terror- prone country because terrorism drives away investment. While this is true, it takes the essay away from the essence of the topic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t try to use flowery language<\/strong> unless you\u2019re really comfortable with it. Otherwise there are\u00a0<\/span>chances that you would end up using a word incorrectly. Put more emphasise on communicating your thoughts clearly with simple sentences while maintaining coherence.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Me:<\/strong> I totally agree with all that you have said. I have a query here. I personally don\u2019t believe in<\/span>
\nquoting a lot of statistics while making arguments because it gives an impression that one is covering the lack of strength in arguments by throwing in numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Aniket I believe that in using numbers and figures, relevance, context and inference are important. If you\u2019re saying that GDP is growing at rate of 7% then make sure you explain why are you bringing this up. Is this higher than the average or lower and how is it related to what you\u2019re trying to say ? Don\u2019t state figures to display your memory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Talking about personal interview, prepare two questions diligently.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Tell me about yourself. I suggest you have two answers to this question. A 2-minute answer<\/span>
\nand a 5-minute answer. It depends on the interviewer to decide whether they ask you to<\/span>
\ngive a time constraint or not. Do not try to mention 15-16 things, pick 5-6 aspects that have<\/span>
\nreally changed you as a person and tell them more about those.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Why MBA? It is okay to say things like you have interest in these subjects and you are yet to<\/span>
\nfigure out more about the options thereafter. You don\u2019t have to give excruciating details of<\/span>
\nwhat you want to do in the future to impress them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Me:<\/strong> Kshitij I have had personal interactions with you before too. I believe that you have learnt a lot in the past two years. Where does the majority of your learning come from?Classes, summers or competitions? What do you think future candidates should focus on?<\/span><\/p>\n

I came across this quote from Tom Ferris, \u201cYou are the average of the five people you most associate with\u201d. I think you learn a lot from your peers during your MBA. It is important that you choose your company wisely. Apart from that, classes at IIM C are dedicated to case discussions which help you solve real business problems. Summer internships are definitely a great learning experience too. I interned with Mahindra Group in their general management cadre. I worked on a strategy project and learnt a lot about the industry. Learning comes everywhere, do not limit it to any one thing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Me:<\/strong> With your MBA coming to end what would you miss the most about being a Joka?<\/span>
\nIIM Calcutta is away from the city. It is about 1.5 hours from the airport. It is a world in its own. So when you live here, you build bonds for life. I will miss my friends and the \u2018chilling\u2019 that we did here.<\/span><\/p>\n

This interview is in two parts. This is part one of the interview.\"CAT<\/a><\/span>