Letter of Intent
“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too”. This is what is on my mind as I write my Statement of Intent for pursuing Masters at the XXXXXXXXX University.
Introduction:
I, NAME, hail from a small town in India and was born in a family with limited resources. However, my father always emphasized the importance of Education in one’s life and ensured that his children were not deprived of this wealth, no matter how expensive it was.
Academics:
I completed high school with good grades (72%) and was among the top 5 students in my school. Having seen the financial struggle, I wanted to enter into the professional life at the earliest, hence, with the understating I had and counselling from educators, I decided to pursue technical vocational education by enrolling in a Polytechnic. I scored well and got admission into the most sought-after course (at that time) of “COURSE NAME”.
After completing the three-year diploma, I moved to the nearest metropolitan and India’s capital, New Delhi for a job. For some time the excitement of being independent continued and I enjoyed the work. This phase helped translate the classroom learning into practical implementation and real-life scenarios. I spent almost 2 years as a Testing and Repairing Center (TRC) Engineer when I started realizing that the current job had limited upside.
Having realized the limitation of my past education, I decided to head back to school. I secured a seat in a reputed Engineering college, XXXXX Institute of Engineering and Technology in 2002. The next 3 years (4 year Bachelor of Technology (B.TECH), but students with a Diploma were admitted directly into the second year) of my life introduced me to holistic learning and self-development. The course in XXXXX COURSE helped me hone my logical reasoning and critical thinking skills. I was inquisitive and participated actively in each class. I not only gained theoretical knowledge on the subject but also practical implementation through projects. During my college, I was also exposed to the importance of community service. I loved to volunteer in charitable events (educating underprivileged students) organized by the college.
I successfully completed B.TECH and was conferred a degree in the summer of XXXX. The only downside to this phase of my life was that I exhausted all my savings and unfortunately also ended- up taking a huge sum of money from my father which eventually put him in debt. Despite having a penchant for higher studies and wanting to complete my master I could not go any further and had to put a brake on my studies.
Work Experience:
The next phase of my life was full of learning. After completing my studies (until now), I worked for some top-notch IT companies (like XXXX, XXXXXXX, XXXXXX, XXXXXX and XXXXX) and currently working in the XXXXXXX department of XXXXXX Infotech, as an XXXXXXX Analyst. My work entails tracking quality assurance metrics, like XXXXX and open defect counts; Estimating, prioritizing, planning and coordinating testing activities; Design, developing and executing XXXXX using XXXXXXX; improving business processes and systems to streamline these processes and reduce costs to the company.
During this period, apart from gaining experience, I also managed to re-pay my father’s debt and saved a significant amount of money which will now help me support my higher education. Despite a few career breaks, due to my pregnancy and kid’s health, I managed to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Why Higher Education?
In my current organization, for the past one-and-a-half years, I have proved my mettle and attained a reputable managerial position. However, I don’t want to stop just yet. I want to take my career to the next level by equipping and upskilling myself for the leadership position. All through my career I have been working in the information technology (IT) industry and currently managing a team of millennials located at different locations across the globe. I am now expected to move into different roles and start understanding different facets of the business.
In order to achieve this, it is imperative for me to acquire a new skill set which may not be possible if I continue working with my technical glass. I believe that a course focusing on enhancing management and leadership skills can help me achieve my objective. After a year-long introspection and taking a birds-eye view of my career, I now find myself on the verge of going back to school and relooking at my career with a fresh perspective.
Why Master of Management at XXXXXXXX University?
With admission on my mind, the next logical step was to find the best course and the right university or college which could help me achieve my objectives. After a detailed discussion with both, the student counsellor at XXXX (education consultant) and the counsellor from the XXXXX University (whom I met at an education fair), they were convinced that pursuing higher studies would eventually boost my career and suggested Master of XXXXXX Management course as the best fit for me.
I evaluated the University and the course on various parameters and found it to be suitable for me. Here are a few reasons. First, a long-term (18 months) course will help me grasp most of the content in its full essence. Second, the program is cohort-based, which is designed keeping in mind the requirements of students with experience. A cohort-based study encourages collaboration, with individual excellence through camaraderie. I look forward to engaging with my fellow students by sharing my experience and learning from them. My intent will be to give back to the same extent that I expect to receive.
Apart from receiving a world-class education, which is recognized globally, I would also benefit from the education in Canada because most of my clients are based out of North America (US/Canada). It would be advantageous for me to acquire business skills in an environment conducive to the practical business scenario. Not only it will help bridge my skillset gap but also foster the cultural amalgamation required while interacting with the clients.
Future Goals:
Having spent a lot of time going through the course content I am confident that the program will add tremendous value to the next phase of my career (next 5 to 10 years or lifetime). Most of the courses in the program will complement my skills, for example, courses like “International Business” and “Business negotiations” will help me create a connection with my global clients, help acquire new business by negotiating better deals for the organization. Other courses like “Comparative management” and “International Business operations” will help me better manage the resources spread globally and to effectively oversee the operations from a global outlook. I find the program courses aptly designed for someone like me. With these skills by my side, I intend to return to work with a global outlook and secure a leadership position in my current organization.
I would like to conclude my Statement of Intent with a quote by Benjamin Franklin “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”. I would also like to mention that I am excited about the prospects of enrolling in the XXXX program at XXXXXXX University which will allow me to take my career to the next level. I look forward to your positive response and eagerly wait to join the next Cohort.