Mu Sigma - Review 1

DISCLAIMER

Only one month has passed since I joined Mu-Sigma as 'Business Analyst'. So, may be it is too early to post the review. But anyways, I am doing so. It may be useful for freshers who are looking for a placement in Mu-Sigma. All ratings are out of 10.

OVERALL RATING : 6.9

Salary : 7.5 (Better than most of the companies)

Work-Load : 2.1 (कुत्तों की तरह काम कराते हैं)

Learning and Experience : 9.5 (You get enormous amount of learning, even if you are reluctant)

Peer Group : 7.2 (Mostly IITians & NITians and other good colleges all over the country, all young talent)

Work Culture : 5.4 (strict on timings, formals 'always', no songs, no movies, no Facebook)

Hierarchy : 9.5 (flat hierarchy, seniors are always approachable, no calling Sir/Ma'm, call by names)

Miscellaneous Facilities : 7 (coffee, tea, gym, TT, Fussball, cafetaria, cab facility if you work after 9PM)

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

First thing first. The phrase '3-6-9' is a hoax. Your earning is NOT '3 Lakhs, 6 Lakhs and 9 Lakhs' for '1st, 2nd and 3rd year' respectively. It is actually '4.05 Lakhs, 6.25 Lakhs and 7.75 Lakhs' for total of three years becoming slightly better than the hoax :)

When I was a BE in AIT, Mu-Sigma visited college on September 22, 2011. It hired 8 of us from all 4 branches in total, as compared to 2010 when only one guy was placed (few others were also placed later on when Mu-Sigma conducted an off-campus walk-in in Mumbai in January 2012). All rounds are ELIMINATION type. Criteria for 'University of Pune' and 'Mumbai University' is 55%. For others, it is 60%. For AIT (2011-12), it was 53% with any number of downs. On joining, all clear required.

ROUND 1 :  WRITTEN

You are given a question paper with two pages stapled, both sides printed. All questions were objective-type as follows:

1) 25 questions were from 10th class mathematics

2) 5 questions of analytic and data interpretation.

Time allowed : 30 min

Overall, questions are easy, but time limit is short. You really need to be fast.

In our batch, about 60 students appeared. 20 cleared for round 2.

ROUND 2 : GROUP DISCUSSION

Groups are made with about 10 candidates each. GD Master announces a topic. One blank paper is given to each candidate and 5 minutes are allowed to sit quietly and think your points. Do not write anything on the paper. Then GD is started. This is not supposed to be a debate. So, being in favor, against the motion or to be neutral is your choice. Just take your stand.

After GD is over, another 5 minutes are given to write the summary of what was discussed. Submit the paper.

ROUND 3 : TECHNICAL as well as HR

Actually, Mu-Sigma doesn't care which branch you belong to. So, technical interviews for a Civil guy may differ from a Computer guy or a from a Mechanical guy. All they look for is that :

1) You are a quick learner (they will make you to do so, if selected)

2) You have the urge to learn new things

3) You are intellectual (they will give you a couple of puzzles to solve. Once you solve them, you are selected)

The most important parts of their interviews are questions of following type :

SAMPLE QUESTION :
'Reeshock sports apparels maker' has come to you. They are experiencing a decrease in profit since last two months in one of their store. They want to know, what can be the various factors causing it?

SAMPLE ANSWER : 

a) Time of year (may be they sell winter sweaters, and summer is going on)

b) Location of store (if it is in Himalayas, or on sea-shore, or in Rajasthan, it will affect sales)

c) Keep thinking and telling other similar factors till you get completely exhausted of all the factors, no matter how silly factors you think.

c) To keep in mind, Reeshock is not at loss in this question. They are still gaining profit as per the question, but that profit has decreased. For example, in Jan, their profit was $ 2 Million and in Feb, profit is $ 1.7 Million. Obviously profit has decreased (hance following the problem statement), but it does not mean that it is in loss. So, respond accordingly.

They may ask you if you want to ask anything? It is usually suggested that if you ask anything back about the company, it shows that you are very much interested in the company, and hence increase the chances of you being placed. I personally feel that it doesn't help that much (though I still applied it, and got selected). I really feel that the very moment when you respond to the type of question listed above and their puzzles, it gets decided if you are selected or not. So, asking questions about company doesn't really help.

ROUND 4 : RESULTS

We got over with the selection procedure by 10:00 PM. They will announce the names of students selected. The names are announced neither marks wise, nor alphabetically. It is completely random. So, keep waiting till they announce the last name. They give a paper signed by a Mu-Sigma representative in the team, along with a low-durability Mu-Sigma carry bag (and your friends give you a good thrashing of belt party if you are an AITian boy)

BEFORE JOINING

Long before joining, they appoint a 'Mu-Sigma campus-ambassador' in every college. They call the 'Ambassador' to Bangalore on Mu-Sigma's expenses via flight early morning. Mu-Sigma makes them to have a look of the company so that when they go back, they give a good feedback to their peers. Provides a good lunch to ambassadors in an hotel, makes them stay in company's guest house after the function is over, and send them back to their city by next flight. But that's NOT for all, but only for the ambassadors :(.

After a short period of time, they conduct another meeting, this time they coming to your city. They call all the selected students from that city (including all colleges) and organize a know-each-other party in an hotel. Provide you a good dinner and sends you back. This is for ALL :).

Mail 1: Soon, you get your offer letter in you mail box. They ask you to sign it and send back. No need to do that. Simply reply "agreed and accepted". If you want, at max, send a scanned copy of your signatures attached with the mail. But that's all just formality. Even if you reply "Thanks babe", I THINK, its gonna work fine (Don't do that)

Mail 2: Next mail you will receive is asking about your accommodation. Mu-Sigma provides a 14 days accommodation in Bangalore and expects that you will find yourself a good home within that period (you get only one Sunday to do so. Rest of the days, you keep working). So, I would advise you to ask for the days such that your last day in company's arrangement is the day  of your joining. For example, if your joining is on June 1, ask for accommodation from May 16 to June 2. It will give you enough time to find a home, as well as explore the city (later on, its impossible due to work load).

Mail 3: Now, you will get a mail regarding the accommodation details, with address and dates. Remember, the company has only given you a place to stay. Your food expenses are still on your behalf. It may range from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 3500 within those 14 days. So, it's better to find your own place ASAP and get shifted.

EXPERIENCE AFTER JOINING

(In my next post)