Essay 1 : Please detail, your two most significant achievements. These could be either professional or personal but relevant to your application to the ISB (max 300 words)
"Unless your ideas are ridiculed by experts, it's worth nothing" - I take immense inspiration, from these words, whenever I face a challenge to work with people or to push conversations for acceptance from seniors. Better People Engagement, Building a high performance oriented culture and Employer-of-Choice - these were the predominant Human Resource (HR) agenda vested on me, when I assumed the role of Head of HR for xxxxxx, Hyderabad Office. The prevailing situation was not conductive to focus on any particular HR intervention, especially post the controversial IT-Scam (which linked xxxxxx), with an employee attrition of 43% in Sept 2010, the People Engagement survey scores were at 57% (while national average at 86%). I set my first priority to create a platform for all staffs to air their concerns - 'Speak-Up' was launched, an initiative to capture staffs suggestions, ideas, comments, unspoken desires and all those which makes life exciting in xxxxxx, eventually was well received by staffs and gave me the much needed opening for many HR interventions. I ensured that all posts received through Speak-Up box was bought to management notice and responded to all staffs with definite timelines, clear action plan in consultation with management which created a high level of engagement and 'heard' feeling among staffs. The specially chosen taskforce which comprised of staffs from different levels and SBUs, managed directly by me, propelled the whole theme of employee engagement fuelled with various team building initiatives. The was evident when xxxxxx, Hyderabad scored 69% on People Engagement Index, 68% on High Performance Index and Employee Attrition hovering at 14%. Apart from the above, I have initiated various go-to-market plans and installing the campus-corporate connect with various institutes in Hyderabad, many was regarded as first time: lead the recruitment team for ISB Class 2011 and designed various Graduate Trainee Programs in association with Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Hyderabad chapter and other local campuses. Considering various HR matrices, in Nov 2011, xxxxxx Hyderabad has created its visibility in market as a 'Preferred Employer of Choice' and recorded commendable engagement levels inside the system too. This was made possible by the simple act of connecting with staffs and major stakeholders, working as a sounding board for staffs in leadership committee and engaging closely with people in creating various task forces. These wins have reinforced me the lessons on team dynamics and human relations, when pulled the right chord would deliver dollars for business through 'people'.
Education and Less-fortunate-student has been my interest since the time I realised I have lot to give back to the society. Santhula Charitable Trust Hospital (santhula), Kerala, India was an establishment which held my dream to action. This charitable trust was supported by team of resident Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatric Social Nurses, Speech Therapists, Special Teachers, Counsellors who were committed to promote mental-wellbeing through education, training, care and rehabilitation. I was assigned the role of Special Teacher to guide a team of counsellors to identify students who are vulnerable for psychiatric disorders and to assist these students gain interest in learning and schooling; it was a highly challenging task, given the fact, the coordination and convincing skill required to establish connect with educational establishments and parents, demands dexterity. As quoted in Santhula's (in Sanskrit means 'balance') website - "many children despite being smart and intelligent, score poor marks" and in an education system were marks and ranking are considered as ultimate assessment scales, these students stand less identified and unknown for their inherent skills and abilities. I brought forth transformational changes on teacher-student relationship in those chosen schools, in building inquisitive-learning culture among students, defining project works which help to link learning and application. I have worked closely with three government funded schools and identified 40 differently talented students. Upon identification of the respective government schools, I schedule a meeting with the Principal of the respective school to give a brief about activities undertaken by Team Santhula and the relevance it has in our current educational system. The toughest yet to arrive, post approval from schools, the discussion with respective parents of identified students was a time ticking process because of hesitation and interest from respective parents, and getting their buying is half-success-declared. This identification is made through a detailed sitting with the class teacher, Santhula volunteers and counsellors. All four volunteers in my team are required to spent 12- 15 hours in a week with these students to discuss on various matter which are of students concern. These volunteers in close coordination with me and class-teachers devise special tuition plan and 1 or 2 visits to the student's house also firms the commitment from parents on the charted schedule. If required, few students were given counselling from Santhula's psychiatrists. The success of this initiative was measured by the comment from teachers and parents about the conduct of students and also 5 students who appeared for secondary school examination in 2010 have passed with high second class. The 16 months, I worked with Santhula in Kerala for such close-to-heart mission was considered as defining moments in my life, and seeing those students holding high aspiration in life, gives me a sense of pride - I brought winds of change and heights of hope to few in my life. Inspired by this, I have joined hands with an NGO- Pratham Charitable Society and allocated xxxxxx s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund for 2011, in supporting rural schools in Hyderabad, nominating 27 staffs from xxxxxx office for a 1 year commitment to teach in few identified schools.
Hi,
The two achievements mentioned are very well substantiated and the inclusion of personal and professional achievement makes the essay balanced.
However, I notice that the word limit was actually only 300 but your essay's word limit is coming around 900 words. The real challenge for you is to cut down the length drastically but retain the story.
I would suggest you taking the intricate details out of the essay. For example:
The prevailing situation was not conductive to focus on any particular HR intervention, especially post the controversial IT-Scam (which linked xxxxxx), with an employee attrition of 43% in Sept 2010, the People Engagement survey scores were at 57% (while national average at 86%)
Education and Less-fortunate-student has been my interest since the time I realised I have lot to give back to the society. Santhula Charitable Trust Hospital (santhula), Kerala, India was an establishment which held my dream to action.
This much detailing in my opinion is not required in a 300 word essay.
All the best
