10 career decisions that make more sense than an MBA

Five years ago, the society evaluated your market value solely based on your grades,
college, and the number of degrees you owned.

Thankfully, through the influence of digital age, these stereotypes are slowly finding
their exit route. Today, your grades dont matter as much as they used to and if youre
talented, you can find yourself an amazing job even with basic qualifications. Those
looking to take their careers to the next level often find themselves considering the pros
and cons of taking up an MBA.

Image : shutterstock

For most of us, an MBA programme would either be to increase our business acumen
or simply because we need that feather in our cap to show the world.
 Lets run some quick numbers

The cost of your MBA programme abroad would range anywhere between Rs 40 and
70 lakh, whereas an Indian MBA will cost somewhere between Rs 7.5 and 25 lakh. In
India, if you happen to do an internship or a job that roughly pays around 25,000 per
month, and your MBA fees happen to be Rs 15 lakh; youll still take five years to recover
the money spent on your education. Not to mention the living expenses, and other
miscellaneous costs. Add two more years, maybe? In other words, MBA seems like a
dicey choice. Of course, you will earn more in the future and definitely learn a lot but
what are the stakes?

With these points in mind, here are a few career choices that cost less than an MBA but
will probably do more to advance your career:

1. Start your own business.

Theres no better feeling in this world than being your own boss. Starting your own
business would not only boast your moral, but will also help you gain a lot of
experience. This is the best option for a midcareer turbocharge. The worst case
scenario would be that youll end up shutting it down, but youll still gain more credibility
and it will help you focus in the areas of business management you need improvement.

2. Join a startup
You get to experience everything at one go in a startup. From handling back end to front
end to marketing and promotion, you would get to do it all. You are directly responsible
in contributing to the companys growth. Entrepreneurs are some of the best people to
learn from. People who work in a startup have a very different mental and professional
frame of mind. They are defined by their innovative and original way of addressing
ideas. Not only will you gain more knowledge, you will also learn the key aspects of
team management.

3. Home-tutor yourself
An MBA requires you to cover a variety of topics, whether you like it or not. On the other
hand, by tutoring yourself, you are free to work on the areas which cater to your
interests. You could structure your curriculum on the basis of your requirements and
cover a wide variety of business topics. Strategy and marketing, industry-specific
lectures, leadership, and public speaking are a few basic attributes that must be learnt
in order to have a secure future.

4. Make a plan for yourself and execute it

 A solid life plan will guide you in going forward. Your plan must include a mission, a to-
do list, possible business or job options (with a backup plan each) and an execution
time frame. Whatever you wish to do, you must do some research and homework first.
Assess the market, see the scope, tap your potential and jump in.

5. Write a book:
You dont necessarily have to write a best seller! Just pen down your life story or
your interests in a book. Write, publish, and promote the book yourself and focus on the
journey more than the outcome. A published book acts as the most effective business
card that you could own. Also, you could send the book as a gift to clients. It would
definitely open more doors than having an MBA after your name.

6. Freelance to explore your skills

Freelancing is basically working for yourself without having any company or boss. You
choose your own timings and your own rates. It is the best way to earn some money
while youre studying or doing a job or even having freelancing as a career option. You
can explore some useful skills like coding, translating, website development,
accounting, writing, designing, etc. You can start off with whatever basic skills you have.

7. Pursue a certification course

There are various certifications available in India and aboard, which could be highly
relevant to your business career. Pursuing an MA or MS instead of an MBA, could also
be a great idea since itll provide a greater niche in the subject of your choice. For
example, you could pursue an MA in organiational leadership or an MA in
entrepreneurship. These masters programmes generally add a direct and a more
meaningful connection to venture capitalists or small business incubators.

8. Volunteer for that NGO/cause you always wanted:

Volunteering makes you feel good and also helps you learn about other people. It will
give you experience, exposure, and definitely change you as a person. You will get
a chance to connect with more like-minded people and in return, it will have a positive
impact on your growth. It will also give you the opportunity to practice and develop your
social skills.
9. Apply for fellowships programmes:
Fellowship Programmes help you understand the realities of our country. It makes you
feel more connected to the rural and urban India and no better feeling than doing
something to make it better, right? It will give you an experience of a lifetime. They are
specifically structured to provide work experiences, you will take on a great deal of
responsibility very quickly. LAMP, PMRDF, Gandhi and Teach For India are some of the
programmes that you could apply for.

10. Learn a new language:

Learning a new language is not only exciting but extremely beneficial. You can learn a
foreign language or even a regional Indian language by either attending classes or
online coaching. Be it at whatever age, being bilingual certainly has its own perks
especially in todays society. It adds that competitive edge when you are hunting for
jobs, or managing your current employment. You become smarter and your creativity
almost doubles.

An MBA could be a great professional tool if you know exactly what you want to do with
it. I would suggest that you be proactive and study practical alternative development
programmes rather than going for the text-book knowledge.

The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. Its as simple
as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something
about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur
is a doer, not a dreamer,

We all reach critical points in our lives where our mental strength is tested. It
might be a difficult friend or colleague, a dead-end job or a struggling
relationship.

Whatever the challenge, you have to be strong, see things through a new
lens and take decisive action if you want to move through it successfully.

Related: 12 Daily Habits of Exceptional Leaders

It sounds easy. We all want good friends, good jobs and good relationships.

But it isnt.

Its hard to be mentally strong, especially when you feel stuck. The ability to
break the mold and take a bold new direction requires that extra grit, daring and
spunk that only the mentally strongest people have.

Its fascinating how mentally strong people set themselves apart from the crowd.
Where others see impenetrable barriers, they see challenges to overcome.

00:29
When Thomas Edisons factory burned to the ground in 1914, destroying one-of-
a-kind prototypes and causing $23 million in damage, Edisons response was
simple: "Thank goodness all our mistakes were burned up. Now we can start
fresh again."

Edisons reaction is the epitome of mental strength -- seeing opportunity and

taking action when things look bleak.

There are habits you can develop to improve your mental strength. In fact, the
hallmarks of mentally strong people are actually strategies that you can begin
using today.

1. Theyre emotionally intelligent.

Emotional intelligence is the cornerstone of mental strength. You cannot be
mentally strong without the ability to fully understand and tolerate strong negative
emotions and do something productive with them. Moments that test your mental
strength are ultimately testing your emotional intelligence (EQ).

Unlike your IQ, which is fixed, your EQ is a flexible skill that you can improve with
understanding and effort. Its no wonder that 90 percent of top performers have
high EQs and people with high EQs earn $28,000 more annually (on average)
than their low-EQ counterparts. Unfortunately EQ skills are in short
supply. TalentSmart has tested more than a million people, and weve found that
just 36 percent of these are able to accurately identify their emotions as they
happen.

2. Theyre confident.
Mentally strong people subscribe to Fords notion that your mentality has a
powerful effect on your ability to succeed. This notion isnt just a motivational tool
-- its a fact. A recent study at the University of Melbourne showed that confident
people went on to earn higher wages and get promoted more quickly than others
did.

"Whether you think you can, or think you cant -- youre right." -- Henry Ford

True confidence -- as opposed to the false confidence people project to mask

their insecurities -- has a look all its own. Mentally strong people have an upper
hand over the doubtful and the skittish because their confidence inspires others
and helps them to make things happen.

3. They say no.

Research conducted at UC Berkeley showed that the more difficulty you have
saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout and even
depression. Mentally strong people know that saying no is healthy, and they have
the self-esteem and foresight to make their nos clear.

When its time to say no, mentally strong people avoid phrases such as I dont
think I can or Im not certain. They say no with confidence because they know
that saying no to a new commitment honors their existing commitments and
gives them the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

The mentally strong also know how to exert self-control by saying no to

themselves. They delay gratification and avoid impulsive action that causes
harm.

4. They neutralize difficult people.

Dealing with difficult people is frustrating and exhausting for most. Mentally
strong people control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings
in check. When they need to confront a toxic person, they approach the situation
rationally. They identify their emotions and dont allow anger or frustration to fuel
the chaos. They also consider the difficult persons standpoint and are able to
find common ground and solutions to problems. Even when things completely
derail, mentally strong people are able to take the toxic person with a grain of salt
to avoid letting him or her bring them down.

5. They embrace change.

Mentally strong people are flexible and are constantly adapting. They know that
fear of change is paralyzing and a major threat to their success and happiness.
They look for change that is lurking just around the corner, and they form a plan
of action should these changes occur.

Related: 10 Fundamental Truths That Will Change Your Life

Only when you embrace change can you find the good in it. You need to have an
open mind and open arms if youre going to recognize, and capitalize on, the
opportunities that change creates.

6. They embrace failure.

Mentally strong people embrace failure because they know that the road to
success is paved with it. No one ever experienced true success without first
embracing failure. By revealing when youre on the wrong path, your mistakes
pave the way for you to succeed. The biggest breakthroughs typically come
when youre feeling the most frustrated and the most stuck. Its this frustration
that forces you to think differently, to look outside the box and to see the solution
that youve been missing.

7. Yet, they don't dwell on mistakes.

Mentally strong people know that where you focus your attention determines your
emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that youre facing, you create
and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When
you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a
sense of personal efficacy, which produces positive emotions and improves
performance. Mentally strong people distance themselves from their mistakes,
but they do so without forgetting them. By keeping their mistakes at a safe
distance, yet still handy enough to refer to, they are able to adapt and adjust for
future success.

8. They don't compare themselves to others.

Mentally strong people dont pass judgment on other people because they know
that everyone has something to offer, and they dont need to take other people
down a notch in order to feel good about themselves. Comparing yourself to
other people is limiting. Jealousy and resentment suck the life right out of you;
theyre massive energy-stealers. Mentally strong people dont waste time or
energy sizing people up and worrying about whether or not they measure up.
Instead of wasting your energy on jealousy, funnel that energy into appreciation.
When you celebrate the success of other people, you both benefit.

9. They exercise.
A study conducted at the Eastern Ontario Research Institute found that people
who exercised twice a week for 10 weeks felt more socially, intellectually and
athletically competent. They also rated their body image and self-esteem higher.
Best of all, rather than the physical changes in their bodies being responsible for
the uptick in confidence, which is key to mental strength, it was the immediate,
endorphin-fueled positivity from exercise that made all the difference.

10. They get enough sleep.

Its difficult to overstate the importance of sleep to increasing your mental
strength. When you sleep, your brain removes toxic proteins, which are by-
products of neural activity when you're awake. Unfortunately, your brain can
remove them adequately only while you're asleep, so when you don't get enough
sleep, the toxic proteins remain in your brain cells, wreaking havoc by impairing
your ability to think -- something no amount of caffeine can fix.
Mentally tough people know that their self-control, focus and memory are all
reduced when they dont get enough -- or the right kind -- of sleep, so they make
quality sleep a top priority.

Related: How Smart People Handle Difficult People

11. Theyre relentlessly positive.

Keep your eyes on the news for any length of time, and youll see that its just
one endless cycle of war, violent attacks, fragile economies, failing
companies and environmental disasters. Its easy to think the world is headed
downhill fast. And who knows? Maybe it is. But mentally strong people dont
worry about that because they dont get caught up in things they cant control.
Instead of trying to start a revolution overnight, they focus their energy on
directing the two things that are completely within their power -- their attention
and their effort.

Bringing It All Together

Mental strength is not an innate quality bestowed upon a select few. It can be
achieved and enjoyed.

A version of this article appeared on TalentSmart.

We all reach critical points in our lives where our mental strength is tested. It
might be a difficult friend or colleague, a dead-end job or a struggling
relationship.

Whatever the challenge, you have to be strong, see things through a new
lens and take decisive action if you want to move through it successfully.

Related: 12 Daily Habits of Exceptional Leaders

It sounds easy. We all want good friends, good jobs and good relationships.

But it isnt.

Its hard to be mentally strong, especially when you feel stuck. The ability to
break the mold and take a bold new direction requires that extra grit, daring and
spunk that only the mentally strongest people have.

Its fascinating how mentally strong people set themselves apart from the crowd.
Where others see impenetrable barriers, they see challenges to overcome.
00:29

When Thomas Edisons factory burned to the ground in 1914, destroying one-of-
a-kind prototypes and causing $23 million in damage, Edisons response was
simple: "Thank goodness all our mistakes were burned up. Now we can start
fresh again."

Edisons reaction is the epitome of mental strength -- seeing opportunity and

taking action when things look bleak.

There are habits you can develop to improve your mental strength. In fact, the
hallmarks of mentally strong people are actually strategies that you can begin
using today.

1. Theyre emotionally intelligent.

Emotional intelligence is the cornerstone of mental strength. You cannot be
mentally strong without the ability to fully understand and tolerate strong negative
emotions and do something productive with them. Moments that test your mental
strength are ultimately testing your emotional intelligence (EQ).

Unlike your IQ, which is fixed, your EQ is a flexible skill that you can improve with
understanding and effort. Its no wonder that 90 percent of top performers have
high EQs and people with high EQs earn $28,000 more annually (on average)
than their low-EQ counterparts. Unfortunately EQ skills are in short
supply. TalentSmart has tested more than a million people, and weve found that
just 36 percent of these are able to accurately identify their emotions as they
happen.

2. Theyre confident.
Mentally strong people subscribe to Fords notion that your mentality has a
powerful effect on your ability to succeed. This notion isnt just a motivational tool
-- its a fact. A recent study at the University of Melbourne showed that confident
people went on to earn higher wages and get promoted more quickly than others
did.

"Whether you think you can, or think you cant -- youre right." -- Henry Ford
True confidence -- as opposed to the false confidence people project to mask
their insecurities -- has a look all its own. Mentally strong people have an upper
hand over the doubtful and the skittish because their confidence inspires others
and helps them to make things happen.

3. They say no.

Research conducted at UC Berkeley showed that the more difficulty you have
saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout and even
depression. Mentally strong people know that saying no is healthy, and they have
the self-esteem and foresight to make their nos clear.

When its time to say no, mentally strong people avoid phrases such as I dont
think I can or Im not certain. They say no with confidence because they know
that saying no to a new commitment honors their existing commitments and
gives them the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

The mentally strong also know how to exert self-control by saying no to

themselves. They delay gratification and avoid impulsive action that causes
harm.

4. They neutralize difficult people.

Dealing with difficult people is frustrating and exhausting for most. Mentally
strong people control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings
in check. When they need to confront a toxic person, they approach the situation
rationally. They identify their emotions and dont allow anger or frustration to fuel
the chaos. They also consider the difficult persons standpoint and are able to
find common ground and solutions to problems. Even when things completely
derail, mentally strong people are able to take the toxic person with a grain of salt
to avoid letting him or her bring them down.

5. They embrace change.

Mentally strong people are flexible and are constantly adapting. They know that
fear of change is paralyzing and a major threat to their success and happiness.
They look for change that is lurking just around the corner, and they form a plan
of action should these changes occur.

Related: 10 Fundamental Truths That Will Change Your Life

Only when you embrace change can you find the good in it. You need to have an
open mind and open arms if youre going to recognize, and capitalize on, the
opportunities that change creates.
6. They embrace failure.
Mentally strong people embrace failure because they know that the road to
success is paved with it. No one ever experienced true success without first
embracing failure. By revealing when youre on the wrong path, your mistakes
pave the way for you to succeed. The biggest breakthroughs typically come
when youre feeling the most frustrated and the most stuck. Its this frustration
that forces you to think differently, to look outside the box and to see the solution
that youve been missing.

7. Yet, they don't dwell on mistakes.

Mentally strong people know that where you focus your attention determines your
emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that youre facing, you create
and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When
you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a
sense of personal efficacy, which produces positive emotions and improves
performance. Mentally strong people distance themselves from their mistakes,
but they do so without forgetting them. By keeping their mistakes at a safe
distance, yet still handy enough to refer to, they are able to adapt and adjust for
future success.

8. They don't compare themselves to others.

Mentally strong people dont pass judgment on other people because they know
that everyone has something to offer, and they dont need to take other people
down a notch in order to feel good about themselves. Comparing yourself to
other people is limiting. Jealousy and resentment suck the life right out of you;
theyre massive energy-stealers. Mentally strong people dont waste time or
energy sizing people up and worrying about whether or not they measure up.
Instead of wasting your energy on jealousy, funnel that energy into appreciation.
When you celebrate the success of other people, you both benefit.

9. They exercise.
A study conducted at the Eastern Ontario Research Institute found that people
who exercised twice a week for 10 weeks felt more socially, intellectually and
athletically competent. They also rated their body image and self-esteem higher.
Best of all, rather than the physical changes in their bodies being responsible for
the uptick in confidence, which is key to mental strength, it was the immediate,
endorphin-fueled positivity from exercise that made all the difference.

10. They get enough sleep.

Its difficult to overstate the importance of sleep to increasing your mental
strength. When you sleep, your brain removes toxic proteins, which are by-
products of neural activity when you're awake. Unfortunately, your brain can
remove them adequately only while you're asleep, so when you don't get enough
sleep, the toxic proteins remain in your brain cells, wreaking havoc by impairing
your ability to think -- something no amount of caffeine can fix.

Mentally tough people know that their self-control, focus and memory are all
reduced when they dont get enough -- or the right kind -- of sleep, so they make
quality sleep a top priority.

Related: How Smart People Handle Difficult People

11. Theyre relentlessly positive.

Keep your eyes on the news for any length of time, and youll see that its just
one endless cycle of war, violent attacks, fragile economies, failing
companies and environmental disasters. Its easy to think the world is headed
downhill fast. And who knows? Maybe it is. But mentally strong people dont
worry about that because they dont get caught up in things they cant control.
Instead of trying to start a revolution overnight, they focus their energy on
directing the two things that are completely within their power -- their attention
and their effort.

Bringing It All Together

Mental strength is not an innate quality bestowed upon a select few. It can be
achieved and enjoyed.

A version of this article appeared on TalentSmart.

Best Answer to Sell Me This

Pen I Have Ever Seen
Published on April 23, 2017
LikeBest An swer to

I personally never thought anyone would actually say, sell me this pen
in a sales interview. I was wrong. It will happen to you too. And to avoid
panic, you should know exactly what to say back.
I am going to give you the right sales framework to respond perfectly
every time.

On a quick side note, did you know this sales interview question has
been around for millions of years? Its origins date back to the earliest of
cavemen. Selling slingshots cave-to-cave. Except back then, they asked,
sell me this bowl of crushed berries.

Anyways. The point is, one day it will happen to you and I want you to
be prepared.

Because if you start to describe how smooth the pen feels and how shiny
the pen looks, just like you saw in the Wolf of Wallstreet

You probably wont get the job.

Why it matters to sell me this pen

At first, I didnt realize why it mattered. It just seemed like a silly
question. But, youll see.

When you become good at answering this question, you actually become
one hell of a salesperson.

And thats why people still ask it in interviews. It shows your creative
approach and how good you are at actually selling product (not just
reading your resume).
There are exactly four sales skills the interviewer is looking to see when
you answer:

1. how you gather information

2. how you respond to information
3. how you deliver information
4. and how you ask for something (closing)

Now, since I had a lot of sales interviews lined up at the beginning of

last year. I thought, I better practice my response just in case.

The just wing it strategy is best for making pancake mix, not for sales
interviews.

So lets go through exactly what you can say to address each sales skill.
Because when you do it right, you will blow their mind!

Heres exactly what you can say

Just to back up for a second, I had 26 sales interviews in a period of
three months. Someone was bound to ask me.

Ok. The Director of Sales stood up and said, it was great meeting you
Ian. Let me go grab the CEO to come in next. Moments later, the CEO
of the 30 person startup walked in the small conference room.

Shortly after initial greetings, the CEO wasted no time to start the
interview.
I practiced my answer beforehand. I made sure my answer displayed the
four sales skills the CEO needed to hear.

Now you can read it for yourself. And then use it for yourself.

At the bottom, you can see a simple sales framework to memorize that
will make this work for you in any situation.

You can memorize the script, but more importantly, memorize the sales
framework at the end.

Here you go

CEO: Do me a favor, sell me this pen. (reaches across to hand

me the pen)
Me: (I slowly roll the pen between my index and thumb fingers.) When was the
last time you used a pen?

CEO: This morning.

Me: Do you remember what kind of pen that was?

CEO: No.
Me: Do you remember why you were using it to write?

CEO: Yes. Signing a few new customer contracts.

Me: Well Id say thats the best use for a pen (we have a subtle laugh).

Wouldnt you say signing those new customer contracts is an important event
for the business? (nods head) Then shouldnt it be treated like one. What I mean
by that is, here you are signing new customer contracts, an important and
memorable event. All while using a very unmemorable pen.
We grew up, our entire lives, using cheap BIC pens because they get the job done
for grocery lists and directions. But we never gave it much thought to learn
whats best for more important events.

This is the pen for more important events. This is the tool you use to get deals
done. Think of it as a symbol for taking your company to the next level. Because
when you begin using the right tool, you are in a more productive state of mind,
and you begin to sign more new customer contracts.

Actually. You know what? Just this week I shipped ten new boxes of these pens
to Elon Musks office.
Unfortunately, this is my last pen today (reach across to hand pen back to
CEO). So, I suggest you get this one. Try it out. If youre not happy with it, I will
personally come back next week to pick it up. And it wont cost you a dime.

What do you say?

CEO: (picks jaw up off floor) Yes.

See how simple that was. The CEO loved it. Why?

Because all four sales skills were displayed.

Heres the simple sales framework I used to answer sell me this pen.
Memorize it for yourself.

1. Find out how they last used a pen (gather info)

2. Emphasize the importance of the activity they last used a pen
(respond to info)
3. Sell something bigger than a pen, like a state of mind (deliver info)
4. Ask for the buy (closing)
Does that make sense? Yes. Ok, good.

Conclusion
Remember, its not about actually selling a pen. Its about showing how
well you can sell a product.

Take 15 minutes today to practice the script above. I promise you will
benefit.

Plus, would you mind doing me a favor. Share this with ONE person in
sales. It could save their career

credit: http://senatorclub.co/best-answer-to-sell-me-this-pen-i-have-ever-
seen/KEY ROLE:
Manage Books/Journals operations from process & measurement standpoint.

Monitor associate customer contacts and provide constructive feedback on performance

to individuals on a regular basis.

Collect feedback from associates, managers, and Quality Coaching team to identify

associate training and development.

Assist with scheduling and forecasting of staff to maintain optimal service provided.

Present current customer issues, trends, and recommended solutions to management.

Capacity Planning Production Operations & Implementation of Quality Processes.

People/ Men Management & General day to day Administration.

Vendor management.

Establishing production processes/systems and sequencing them as per the

requirements.
 Good in building teams and keeping them vibrant with energy and positive attitude.

Supervise the operational departments of the organization (different branches) including

the administration of the office and the support staff including monitoring their performance.

Manage staff, preparing work schedules and assigning specific duties.

Ensure timely and accurate reporting of performance metrics and SLA's to the

Management.

Handled overseas clients (USA, UK and Europe). Participate regularly in client

call/meeting.

Identify and resolve problem situations as a final point of escalation.

Manage multiple services across the organization and provide strategic direction and

leadership to the teams so that they consistently meet and exceed performance metrics.

Review & designing of MIS reports for team efficiency, and other performance data to

measure productivity and goal achievement and to determine areas needing cost reduction

and program improvement.

Approve resource planning, recruitment training and other development plans for the

teams.

Mentor and guide direct reports and work closely with all Managers.

Co-ordinate successfully ISO Audits 28007/2008.

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