Some mailers from potential and confirmed candidates

Well, I keep receiving number of queries from potential and confirmed candidates asking about GMP program. I am compiling here some of those questions and the response that I posted. For privacy sakes, I have removed names.

Question- In GMP this time 75 to 80 % of the people are from IT background and have similar kind of profile. How does during placement a candidate differentiates himself from the rest of the people. How does the recruitment company differentiates people.My Profile is 6.5 yrs in IT Industry.

Response- Placements at GMP are of two kinds for IT - one, which would consider your 'consulting' skills and take you on the basis of that, two, ones which look at your previous profile and offer you something in that domain. For the former, its about combination of skills that brought you to GMP in first place plus overall knowledge that you acquire from GMP program. For later, honestly, your GMP skills are not determinant of what are you get into but the skills would help you perform better at job. 

Question- How difficult or easy is for a fellow XL GMPian in general to make it to elite consulting firms such as McK, BCG and Bain. As you know working in such firms is a matter of accomplishment and pride, I do see them as probably my end goal. The particular reason I ask this question is that I have been told that these consulting firms often look for MBAs from premier b-schools such as IIM (A & B & C) and ISB. As a matter of fact XLRI is no doubt a big brand standing right there along with these schools. However wanted to know the standing of XLRI GMP in particular. 

Response- Very difficult for simple reason these companies dont come to campus. And except for ISB where they pick <3 yrs exp guys, they dont make it to IIMs 1 yr pgm either. 

Question- My aspiration is to take this IT consulting experience to next higher level i.e to IT Strategy Consulting and I am hoping that my GMP would provide me the required launchpad be it via the courses I study or via the placement into an IT consulting firm. I wanted to know your view how difficult or easy is to accomplish this given this experience.  

Response- To be honest, having GMP give you a launchpad depends on next year market and your luck. I don't see a reason why a GMPian should not be able to get into Strategy role given what the course teaches you. However, I believe the Indian industry is still to mature in terms of taking 1 yr MBAs into strategic roles. The industry is somehow used to getting regular 2 yr folks and then 'moulding' them. Its not about XL's 1 yr program; all 1 year programs at Indian b-schools are suffering this problem. ISB is no exception- very few people make the mark (on an avg 5% of the batch) and only if you are <3 yrs exp. do you get a good placement.