Why, I don't like to go back to Kardan?

It's been three days, I do not attend Kardan classes anymore. It's clear, because I want to move to AUAf. But why? This piece by Seth could be an answer, in some way.

Changing frequently or sticking to one organization?

Willing or planning to apply to any world-top MBA program, you've got to meet some requirements to being admitted in such business schools. Meaning, you must start from now; for example, for myself, which currently attending courses, in the second year of the BBA.

One of these requirements is job experience, which different b-schools have a need of typically five years experiences, very much preferably in the field of administration.

But, a question, has been a few weeks with me:

Which one is more desirable?

• Having variety of job experiences i.e. having been worked in different positions and in different organizations; or,
  
• Sticking to one organization and passing a long time on it.

assuming, in both, conditions are the same, regarding salary, job environment, promotion, etc.

The same way, I raised the question on B-School Forum. Up to now, it got one response (thanks to tomino), as follows (any update would be possible):

Soroush, I'd probably prefer sticking to one (or two) organization(s) for a while, instead of changing jobs too frequently. If you have 4 different jobs in 4 years it could indicate that you can't adapt to any environment and are a difficult person who doesn't really know what he/she wants.

tmino

To see the complete discussion, click here.

Update (Thanks to deldotto):

It's best to have as few company shifts as possible, and show continued growth (i.e. promotion/raise). If you switch companies, make sure you have a good reason, such as accelerated promotion/title/pay, or something like your company had a major layoff. Switching just to switch with no sound basis will only work against you. Migrating positions (work type) probably won't really work out all too well, as B Schools are looking for people with a vision. If the work shifts help you reach your goal/vision, it's great, but if t hey don't...it might be a tough explanation.

As for years of experience, 2+ is likely preferred. This is the basis of Harvard's 2+2 program...they basically say you can apply while in undergrad, but they expect you to go work for 2 years before you start the MBA program. Moreover, Harvard is the program that is currently leading the push towards younger applicants, so clearly they see some value in experience.

deldotto

First meet with AUAf

I just went to the AUAf. They said I've got to pass TOEFL with minimum 500 scores, and also, I have to pass a 12-credit semester in there. If my results are satisfactory, I am going to be allowed to transfer my credits from Kardan, otherwise, I have to start from the beginning.

Even in that case, I would not give up. I am pretty sure, I am not going back to Kardan, again.

Do you prefere competing or being protected against that?

Is it really good to have a safe haven for your business with no person competing with you? Seth says, NO:

You can pretend that you are unique, that you have no competition and never will. Inevitably, this will create an attitude that, while fun for a while, will probably harm you later.

OK, THIS is certainly, like it or not, a reality, that you have to compete. So, is competition, in essence, a good thing, if you have the option not to choose that?

Read In search of competition, by Seth Godin.

Getting beaten only for a pair of gloves?!

Last Sunday, I bought a pair of gloves from Roshan plaza. But the gloves got torn off after just two days. I am a student, and I had planned to wear them for very many years! But however, just a two days was not fair.

Anyway, I returned to that shop to change those gloves. The shopkeeper accepted to get them back and change them with other ones. But I wondered the new ones' life was only two hours! Comparing with the previous ones, better I'd not have changed them!

I, again, turned them back to the shop, this time certainly for a refund. The shopkeeper refused to refund and paying back my money. We were almost starting fighting that I gave up and said, "OK, accept the money and the gloves both as a Christmas gift"! And, went away. What could I do more?!

You know, it's good to fight to get your right, but at that time, I felt I would being behaved discourteously more, if I continue that.

All the thing, I was thinking about, during those arguments between me and the shopkeeper, was all things I was being said and taught in my Sales management and Marketing courses. Alas! I forgot about my money, but what about the shop and its reputation, if any?

Wait until tomorrow

Back to work, and damn feeling not so enthusiastic about things around! But why?

Last Thursday, I went to a friend of mine who is in AUAF, to talk about my possible opportunity to be admitted in there. He made me very much hopeful about that. He said, I would better go personally and ask the admission office, but he said, I have a chance to transfer my credits, and also, as far as I counted roughly, I don't have to pay so much, as tuition fees and like that.

Today is off, tomorrow, I am going to AUAF. You keep stand by. Let's see what will happen...

Merry Christmas

Not so much to say, just Merry Christmas, and very much happy holidays with your families and friends.

I have come to work, today, in a holiday. Everything is damn shut down!

Also, last night, I thought, I'd better to move to the AUAF, as I already said, but the time is so tough, and financial issues, too. In addition, I've got to pass a few tests and exams, I don't hope, it'll be a good time for them.

Another question is whether or not I'd better finish this semester. I am even not sure the AUAF would accept the transfer or not.

OK, let's see what's coming.

Social networking--living in a virtual world

TechCrunch yesterday, Monday Dec. 22, published a post on I’m Sorry Robert, But It’s Time For A Friendfeed Intervention, by Micheal Arrington which brings an attention, again (by Robin Wauters), on "addiction" to some social networking Web sites such as, Twitter and FriendFeed. And, this time the subject is Robert Scoble, the author of the Famous Web log, scobleizer.com. Robert, himself, has responded to the post by another post in his scobleizer, which both are worthy to review, particularly, if you are too, a networking addict!

I, myself, a couple of months ago, was spending 5 hours on FriendFeed, on average, a day. Now, I am not. At that time, I was passing a depression period, which somehow I was being relieved by spending time on FriendFeed and chatting with other guys, on there. I don't know, I am not a psychologist or something, but it, itself, could have been the cause to getting into depression in my case. I am saying this, because, last night I, also, read a post on What Online Community? by Keith Whitworth, on Business Week. It pays attention to reactive behaviors in teenagers' "lives of the so-called Millennials, who were born between 1982 and 2003 and grew up on the Web and mobile technology".

Definitely, social networking has brought us very many facilities, no need to mention again, but, what about these all negative reactions caused by living in a virtual environment such as the Internet?

Virul Marketing--something I need

I knew it has been so unprofessional, but I have been keeping doing that! I don't know, myself, why! I am talking about marketing for TUC. It's really strange--at least for myself. Since, I am a business student, why haven't I been looking for a better way to market for my Web log? Couldn't be there any other possible method of marketing?

What have I done, then?--the way I have chosen yet to market my Web log has been sending an email manually to each and every other students at Kardan Institute of Higher Education, to inform them that, yeah, I am updated! Don't you think it is the most unprofessional, inappropriate, stupid, selfish way of marketing? So what about all those things I have learned there, at my marketing courses?

How have I now gotten to the point?--today, while scrolling on G.R., I reached to, again, sethgodin.com, which has gotten to the list of my favorite Web logs, since only less than a week. Seth Monday Dec. 22, has published a piece on What is viral marketing? Shortly explaining two kinds of "Viral Marketing" as:

The original classic sort in which the marketing is the product and which a self-amplifying cycle occurs. Hotmail, for example, or YouTube. The more people use them, the more people see them. The more people see them, the more people use them...

A second kind has evolved over the last few years, and that's a marketing campaign that spreads but isn't the product itself. Shepard Fairey's poster of Barack Obama was everywhere, because people chose to spread it...

He also has provided a link to his book on Unleashing the Ideavirus, which "the book itself is an example of viral marketing", as:

1. I posted the PDF for free. Three thousand people downloaded it on day one.
2. The file is small enough to email to your friends. I encouraged people to do just that.
3. Some people mailed it to fifty or a hundred people. It spread.
4. ...

This is really how a person, a genius one, markets himself without even you know it or feel it! Actually even now, I have marketed his product here. So no need to add that, I recommend you very highly this post to have a look, and also download the book.

P.S.: I must find a way (like the one) to market TUC. Anyone having an idea?

Etisalat's CRBT-- getting shocked while making phone call

From the very beginning of the Afghanistan Interim Government, one of the flourishing industry in the country has been the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology, since after a few decades of war in Afghanistan, there was no possibility to establish other means of telecommunication, regarding infrastructures and so on.

Etisalat Afghanistan, a U.A.E.-based telecommunication corporation, is one of these providers of GSM technology. In May 2006, it signed an agreement with Afghan authorities in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. to operate a GSM network across Afghanistan and become the fourth GSM operator in the country. The company is completely owned by Etisalat U.A.E. and it's the "sixth largest company in the Middle East".

One of the services the company provides, in Afghanistan, is CRBT, or Coloring Ring Back Tone, which provides "your caller with your favorite songs, before you pick up the phone [...] instead of the dial tone".

To activate the service, one having the Etisalat SIM card must subscribe to the service which it charges 100.00 afs. The other charges for the maintaining the service include Rental Charges and Usage Charges, for selection or changing the ring tone, you would like your caller to have a good moment with while calling you by listening that.

The problem exactly is hear. Imagine the case when somebody, for instance, an important person, was calling you, what would he/she be thinking about you, then?! That's good, to some extend, using it among your friends, but I don't think it could be so appropriate for official use-- the CRBT and the Etisalat SIM card then. OK, this is definitely MY taste, as a potential customer for Etisalat. What do you think?

Being funny (!), it could have another use: using it to shock your callers!