I am not a marketing guy, I am a finance guy.

I am not at all a marketing guy. I had applied a lot to many B-schools for marketing specialisation. I didn't get through even a single one. I had thought that interviews and Group discussions are meant to all specialisation. I had thought they won't evaluate you on the basis of the specialisation i have applied for. That was a foolish thing from my side. No B-school found the 'marketing stuff' in me. But somehow ,fortunately, I reached in a blessed institution called SPJIMR and in Finance specialisation.

I remember the day I filled the Online Application Form of S.P.Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. First among the stuffs to be filled was Finance. In a single page, specialisation opting for was being asked, and a submit sign! I don't know what happened, consciously or subconsciously I selected 'Finance' and pressed the 'Submit' Button! Whoosh! I realised in that split second, there's something unusual going on. I had always opted for Marketing in all the other B-schools and now i had just opted finance. I checked for all ways in the website to change the specialisation already submitted. It went to a wasted attempt. But i didn't bother about it. I felt i will be fine with whatever specialisation i would be taking.

All this happened after that filling of application form in spjimr.org. I got selected in the first list itself for Finance specialisation in SPJIMR. And no other Big institutes selected me. K.J Somaiyya Mumbai, IFMR Chennai, SIBM Bangalore etc didn't take me. A momentary sadness prevailed then. Last among the colleges who aired out the results were SPJIMR. Last week of April 2009. In night I was not getting sleep. i waked up at around 2.30- 3.00 am and checked the SPJIMR website. And..the last moment of striving to get into a reputed B-school. I didn't prepare for interview, I didn't enjoy the interview so as to receive positive vibes from the Panel. And now i am here in SPJIMR.

When I was in Trimester 1, for the purpose of an assignment in 'Organisational behaviour' a.k.a 'People and Performance' course, I had asked many friends about myself. Name of the assignment was 'Reflected Best Self' or RBS. It was for finding out how the people around you, with whom you lived with, you studied with, you worked with, etc. are thinking about me. How is the process 'me' occurs to others. One of my friends who was my classmate in Mechanical Engineering batch of 2002-06, George K Perekkat or simply 'Pera' responded to me in a very precise and deep manner. He wrote back to me and among the list was this line 'An introvert but trying to be extrovert'.

Now I know myself better. I was deluded by extrovertish people being lauded by others for possessing so-called heroic qulaities like eloquency, courage, public speaking, communication skill,etc. I am basically an introvert. I am not good in communication skills. I am not a spontaneous person. I am a thinking person. I am not a doing person. I am an analytical detail oriented person. I am not basically an intuitive person. I am a mathematical person. I am not a histroy/social-studies/english/extracurricular-activities person. So I am realising myself right here and now. I am a finance guy.

I really felt in the wee hours of the morning, i was destined to be here in this institute in this specialisation...

jo