Interview with Anjali Mishra: IIM Shillong grad hired by Microsoft with 71.3 LPA package

Anjali Mishra from the PGP 2023 batch of IIM Shillong received a whopping package of 71.3 lacs per annum in CTC from tech giant Microsoft. Anjali is from Ayodhya, U.P., and she completed her graduation with a B.Tech. in Electronics Engineering in the year 2019. After that, she worked as an embedded systems software developer at Bosch India.

She appeared for CAT 2020 and joined IIM Shillong in the year 2021, and she felt she had an amazing journey since day one. "It is a matter of pride to get an offer from Microsoft after my internship as a product manager intern, where I got an opportunity to work with the amazing team of Azure Migrate."

Post-internship, Microsoft offered her the role of product manager, where she will be joining as a full-time employee in the coming days.

What made her get an offer from a company like Microsoft?

"During my internship, the skills I learned during my 1st year of MBA were my strength. This includes data analysis and statistical decision-making, visualizing the data on MS Excel and Power BI, understanding customer needs and prioritizing them as primary or secondary needs, and ultimately creating a product that is easy to use, cost-effective, and leads to customer delight."

Data analytics and statistical decision-making are critical skills for MBA graduates to possess, regardless of the industry or sector they choose to work in. With the rise of big data and the increasing importance of data-driven decision-making in today's business landscape, companies are looking for MBA graduates who can leverage data to make informed and effective business decisions. Management graduates who possess data analytics and statistical decision-making skills can help in gathering and analysing large data sets to gain insights and make informed business decisions. With the ability to make sense of complex data, MBA graduates can develop and implement strategic plans that align with the company's goals and objectives. They can use statistical analysis to identify trends and patterns in customer behaviour, market trends, and industry developments, enabling them to make better decisions about pricing, product development, and marketing strategies. By analysing data on operations and processes, one can identify inefficiencies and implement changes to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase productivity. With data analytics and statistical decision-making skills, one can develop data-driven solutions to complex business problems, leading to better outcomes for the company and its stakeholders. In today’s world, possessing data analytics and statistical decision-making skills is becoming increasingly important for MBA graduates to stand out in the job market and succeed in their careers.

Further, she expressed that the techniques taught in managerial communication were very helpful. She mentioned that through this course, I got an idea of how to understand the client’s interests, incorporate them into my deliverables, and create an impactful walkthrough of the product I designed.

How good were you as a management intern at Microsoft?

Soft skills were at the forefront during the course of my internship. A product manager needs to collaborate and work with various teams, including the engineering team and design team, and the list extends to the final launch of the product with the marketing team. Being in two clubs and the founder of a committee, I have been part of several activities on campus through which I have learned how to work with people coming from different backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles and handle last-minute changes." The professors and my study group have acted as a foundation for my journey since day 1, and more than anything, it is peer learning that led me to where I am today. It has only been possible because I joined IIM Shillong and got the opportunity to share a classroom with such a diverse batch. I would always carry its lessons and sustainable way of living wherever life takes me.

“I congratulate her for such an achievement and am glad that such success is a testament to the quality of education and training we offer at our institution.” Prof D P Goyal Director IIM Shillong while

IIM Shillong is the 7th Indian Institute of Management (IIM) established in 2007. It is located in Shillong, Meghalaya, and is committed to offering management education of the highest quality and promoting research and consulting activities in various fields of management.