XLRI PGDM(GM) Application Essays 2023-24
Essay 1: From your work experience, share your three key achievements in the last three years. Please explain why do you consider them as your greatest achievements? (Maximum 500 words)
Essay 2: Please share the most challenging/difficult situation you faced at your previous workplace(s). How did you handle it? What did you learn from that situation? Kindly do not exceed 250 words per question
Essay 3: Please share one mistake from your work experience which really troubled you. Explain why did it happen? What did you learn from that mistake? Kindly do not exceed 250 words per question.
XLRI PGDM(GM) Winning Sample Essay – 1
From your work experience, share your three key achievements in the last three years. Please explain why do you consider them as your greatest achievements? (Maximum 500 words)
In my 8 years of work experience, the past 5 years have been the most educational and challenging years to me. Please find below the three most recent challenging yet satisfying achievements of mine:
- In 2021, I completed a high complexity assignment of migrating automated business processes from On-premises to On-cloud middleware solution. The business process takes FUTURES and OPTIONS Stock data of the client and updates it in the client database. The process has many internal subprocesses. The process updates around 3 lac messages every day. Before migration, the process used to take 4 hours to complete. I worked on the development of the On-cloud solution, optimisation and performance testing of the new solution. Currently, the process takes around 1.5 hours to update in the database. As a result, the client is able to make stock market related decisions in a holistic manner. This Interface development taught me a lot about the On-cloud infrastructure and how I can utilise the functionalities of the tool. I received appreciations for handling the requirement, development, testing and deployment of the business process successfully.
- In 2020, I was working as a Subject Matter Expert on On-premises middleware solution for a Consumer Goods client. I undertook a momentous task of migrating almost 800 automated business processes from an older version of the middleware solution to a newer version. This task was momentous, as it would impact the business substantially due to expiry of license and support from the middleware product team. I had a team of around 7 individuals. We had SAP ERP software and a multitude of 3rd party systems. We did a mock migration of all Interfaces in a dev environment to check the stability and compatibility of the upgraded environment. Then we proceeded to test all the interfaces in quality environment in tandem with the business stakeholders to receive sign-off. Then we did another round of testing in the regression environment. Once we deployed the interface in Production, we provided hyper care for a month to handle bugs. The migration was successful and we received commendation from client as well as higher management. This migration taught me how to manage a team under pressure and how to delivery quality deliverables in a tight deadline. Also, coordinating with various teams and other stake holders instilled a conviction in me.
- In 2019, I joined Infosys as an L2 support consultant for a Consumer Good Client. I worked mainly on resolving incidents before SLA breach. I showed in-depth knowledge in troubleshooting and ticket resolution and even received commendation from higher management. After a year, I was promoted to Subject Matter Expert and was sent to client location. I received an exposure to work directly with the client and to cater to the requirements. I consider this as my most important achievement as this change of role helped me pave the path of my career as well as provided me with necessary knowledge and tools to groom myself to a Senior Analyst.
Please share the most challenging/difficult situation you faced at your previous workplace(s). How did you handle it? What did you learn from that situation? Kindly do not exceed 250 words per question
In 2020, my team of 7 individuals was responsible for the migration of 800 automated business processes from an older version of the SAP Middleware solution to a new version. We had a span of 6 months to understand the impact of the migration, enhancements, thorough testing and production deployment.
As a Subject Matter Expert, my responsibility was to drive the migration successfully. I developed a plan to upgrade the development environment to the newer version to conduct a mock migration. Post the business approval, my team proceeded with the relevant checklist. We tested the connectivity, mapping, routing, administrator roles and other necessary details. We came across a multitude of expected issues to resolve and proceeded to evaluate the impact.
We decided to make a list of the tasks to follow during quality environment migration. We were able to coordinate with other teams and stakeholders to make the QA environment migration a success. We proceeded to test every process with the business stakeholders and received sign-off. On a particular day during non-business hours, we migrated the production environment successfully.
In the end, with teamwork and collaboration, we were able to finish the migration project. The team understood the priorities and were able to work together for development, testing and deployment. I also learned that delegation of tasks to the right resources generates confidence and garners trust among the team members. The credit goes to all the contributors and team members who worked hard to make this project a success.
Please share one mistake from your work experience which really troubled you. Explain why did it happen? What did you learn from that mistake? Kindly do not exceed 250 words per question.
During 2015, I was working as an Application Development Procedure Developer. I adapted the SAP ABAP language to create systems applications and products. In one of my assignments, I was asked to develop an invoice using the SMARTFORMS feature.
As time passed by, I felt the pressure building up as the deadline was coming closer. Before the day of the delivery, I was finishing some retouch of the code. I was fatigued and I committed a mistake. Instead of the saving and closing the code, I accidentally deleted the same. I did not pay much heed to what I had done and went to sleep.
Next day, I was supposed to show the code and the intended outcome to the project management. However, I realised my blunder in the morning. I panicked and decided not to tell any senior members about it. I tried to recreate 3 weeks’ worth of work in 4 hours, but it was in vain. So, I decided to come clean to the project management and take accountability. Once I mentioned the same to the project management, they were very supportive and asked me not to panic. They decided to give me an extension of 1 week to finish the task.
The major takeaway from this incident is that accountability and responsibility are very important in any sector of work. I learned to take absolute accountability to all my tasks and this trait of mine has helped immensely in my professional and personal life.
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XLRI PGDM(GM) Winning Sample Essay – 2
From your work experience, share your three key achievements in the last three years. Please explain why do you consider them as your greatest achievements? (Maximum 500 words)
One of my key achievements was devising and implementing a social media strategy for Netflix India, which resulted in doubling their follower count and engagement within a year. This project required a deep understanding of digital marketing trends and meticulous planning. I consider this a significant achievement because it showcased my ability to drive impactful campaigns that align with client goals and industry standards.
Another notable achievement was leading the social vertical at Please See //, where I developed a social strategy for Theobroma that increased their social media reach by 2x in two months. This accomplishment was particularly rewarding as it not only boosted the client’s online presence but also complemented their traditional growth across outlets by 10%. This demonstrated my capability to integrate digital and traditional marketing efforts effectively.
Lastly, founding the non-profit organization ‘Beyond Issues’ to address mental health awareness and support is a deeply personal and professional achievement. Through this initiative, I organized sessions and support groups that helped numerous individuals navigate mental health challenges. This venture is one of my greatest achievements as it had a tangible positive impact on people’s lives and reinforced my commitment to ethical and inclusive practices in all aspects of my work.
These achievements reflect my dedication, strategic thinking, and commitment to making a positive impact, both professionally and personally.
Please share the most challenging/difficult situation you faced at your previous workplace(s). How did you handle it? What did you learn from that situation? Kindly do not exceed 250 words per question
The most challenging situation I faced at my previous workplace occurred while leading a critical campaign for Netflix India as a Senior Brand Partner at Please See. Midway through the project, Netflix requested a complete overhaul of the campaign’s creative direction. This unexpected change required us to revise already approved content and produce new material under an extremely tight deadline, creating significant stress and confusion within the team.
To address this challenge, I first organized an urgent team meeting to clearly communicate the new requirements and listen to team members’ concerns. Acknowledging the team’s frustration, I emphasized the importance of flexibility and adaptability. By breaking down the new tasks into smaller, manageable parts and setting clear, achievable milestones, I aimed to make the project seem less overwhelming.
Next, I reallocated resources and responsibilities based on each team member’s strengths and workload. Collaborating closely with project managers, I ensured everyone had a clear understanding of their revised roles and deadlines. Additionally, I formed smaller teams to focus on different aspects of the new requirements, which helped streamline the workflow and maintain productivity.
Throughout this process, I maintained open lines of communication, encouraging team members to voice their concerns and suggestions. By fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, I boosted morale and kept the team motivated.
Despite the challenges, we met the revised deadlines and delivered high-quality content that exceeded the client’s expectations. This experience taught me the importance of clear communication, adaptability, and leveraging individual strengths within a team. It reinforced my belief in the power of collaboration and the need to maintain a positive and inclusive work environment, even under pressure.
Please share one mistake from your work experience which really troubled you. Explain why did it happen? What did you learn from that mistake? Kindly do not exceed 250 words per question.
One significant mistake from my work experience occurred during my tenure at The Glitch, where I was responsible for managing a social media campaign for a high-profile client. We had developed a content calendar that included a series of posts designed to drive engagement and promote a new product launch. In my eagerness to meet tight deadlines, I overlooked a critical step in the approval process and published a post without the client’s final approval. Unfortunately, the post contained a minor factual error that did not align with the client’s brand messaging.
The mistake resulted in immediate backlash from the client, who demanded an explanation and immediate corrective action. This situation troubled me deeply as it not only strained the client relationship but also reflected poorly on my attention to detail and professionalism. It happened primarily due to my rush to meet deadlines and inadequate communication with the client.
From this mistake, I learned the importance of adhering to established processes, regardless of time constraints. Ensuring that all content is thoroughly reviewed and approved by the client is crucial in maintaining accuracy and brand integrity. I also realized the significance of clear and constant communication with clients to manage expectations and avoid misunderstandings.
As a result, I implemented a more robust review and approval process within the team, ensuring that all content undergoes multiple checks before publication. This experience underscored the importance of diligence, accountability, and maintaining high standards in all aspects of my work, ultimately making me a more meticulous and reliable professional.