In this episode of our Placed Learners Podcast, we talk to Arpit Trivedi, a Jobaaj Learnings student who turned his passion for problem-solving into a career in management consulting. Arpit shares how he transitioned from being a commerce graduate in Lucknow to landing a role as a Strategy Consultant — all without a traditional MBA. He walks us through his CAT journey, why he chose Jobaaj Learnings, the mentorship that shaped his skills, and his placement experience. This episode is full of insights for anyone aspiring to break into the consulting field through a practical, affordable route.

Podcaster:
Thank you so much for joining this call, Arpit. First, can you walk us through your overall experience—your education background and how your journey shaped up?

Arpit Trivedi:
Sure, thank you so much for this opportunity. My name is Arpit Trivedi, born and raised in Lucknow. I completed my Bachelor’s in Commerce from the University of Lucknow in 2021.

During my second year of graduation, I began exploring career paths. I wasn’t interested in CA, CFA, or CMA. My goal was to crack the CAT and get into a top B-school. I cleared the CAT, got calls from baby IIMs, but unfortunately, I couldn't get an education loan, so I had to give up that dream.

While preparing for CAT, I came across management consulting, and I instantly felt connected to it. I’ve always loved solving puzzles and problems, so the domain really resonated with me. Then, one day on Instagram, I discovered Jobaaj Learnings and saw their 6-month Management Consulting Nano Degree program. After researching thoroughly, I enrolled—and that changed everything.

Podcaster:
How was your journey right after discovering us through Instagram?

Arpit Trivedi:
It was smooth. I found the contact details, got a call from the team, and everything was clearly explained. I received the login credentials, resources, and started the course.

One of the highlights was learning under Sugam Sir, who has years of experience in strategy consulting. The recorded sessions, live lectures, and teaching quality were excellent—I really understood the concepts deeply.

Podcaster:
And how was your learning experience, especially with the mentors?

Arpit Trivedi:
It was outstanding. I want to give a special mention to Anamitri Sir. His way of breaking down case problems, building frameworks, and guiding through mock interviews helped me crack my real consulting interviews. His mentorship was critical in helping me land this job.

Podcaster:
We also provide a structured LMS, tools like consulting.io, and mock interview prep. How did you find that ecosystem?

Arpit Trivedi:
Very user-friendly. The LMS had six modules, with the final one dedicated to live sessions. The UI/UX was excellent. Tools like consulting.io helped me practice guesstimates and case studies effectively. The resources provided were very supportive during my learning journey.

Podcaster:
If someone out there is aspiring to get into management consulting and is considering Jobaaj Learnings, what would you say to them?

Arpit Trivedi:
They should definitely enroll. This course acts as a bridge for students or graduates who can’t afford a full-time MBA but want to enter consulting. In just six months, you get the right training, mentorship, interview prep, resume support, and LinkedIn optimization.

Unlike a ₹20–25 lakh MBA program, this course is budget-friendly and outcome-driven. If you’re serious about becoming a strategy consultant, this is a very efficient and practical route.

Podcaster:
Let’s talk about ROI—how do you compare the investment in this course vs. a traditional MBA?

Arpit Trivedi:
The ROI is exceptional. Let’s say you invest ₹30,000 in the course—realistically, you can recover that in just 1–2 months of salary. Whereas with an MBA, it could take 5–6 years just to repay the loan. This is not only affordable but very high impact.

Podcaster:
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your overall learning experience?

Arpit Trivedi:
I’d give it 9.5 out of 10. The only thing I’d suggest improving is customer support—it sometimes took 3–4 days to get a response. But otherwise, the experience was great.

Podcaster:
Thanks for that honest feedback. Lastly, how was your placement journey?

Arpit Trivedi:
It was smooth. Within 20 days of finishing the course, I landed an offer from a mid-sized consulting firm. The placement team was supportive throughout the process.

Podcaster:
Wonderful. Thank you so much, Arpit, for sharing your inspiring journey. We wish you all the best in your consulting career. And to all our readers and listeners—if you’re serious about consulting, you know where to start!

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Don’t miss the full conversation—watch the podcast now and get inspired by Arpit's journey!

 

General Interview Questions Asked to Sufiyan during his selection process

Q: How do you structure a market entry case for a new product in a foreign country?

A: I follow a MECE framework starting with:

  1. Market Attractiveness – Market size, growth rate, competition, customer needs.

  2. Entry Strategy – Modes like JV, acquisition, partnership, or greenfield.

  3. Capabilities – Does the client have the supply chain, team, tech, and capital to enter?

  4. Risks & Regulations – Local laws, cultural fit, political/economic risks.

  5. Financial Feasibility – Expected costs, ROI, breakeven timeline.

Q: Walk me through how you would estimate the size of the electric scooter market in India. 

A: Sure. I'd break it down:

  • Start with India's total population (~1.4B).

  • Focus on urban adults likely to buy a scooter (~25% = 35 crore).

  • Assume ~10% are potential EV buyers = 3.5 crore.

  • Assume annual conversion rate of 2% = ~7 lakh units/year.

  • Multiply by average scooter price (₹1 lakh) → ₹7,000 crore market size.

Q: What is Porter's Five Forces? Apply it to a D2C skincare brand.

A: Porter’s Five Forces analyzes industry competitiveness:

  1. Threat of New Entrants – Moderate; low capex but branding is tough.

  2. Bargaining Power of Suppliers – Low; many manufacturers.

  3. Bargaining Power of Buyers – High; price-sensitive and many alternatives.

  4. Threat of Substitutes – High; home remedies, ayurvedic options.

  5. Industry Rivalry – Intense; Mamaearth, Minimalist, Plum, etc.

Q: How would you approach a client whose profitability is declining year over year?

A: I’d break the problem into revenue and cost components:

  • Revenue Side: Pricing strategy, customer segments, product mix, channels.

  • Cost Side: Fixed vs. variable costs, supply chain inefficiencies, SG&A expenses.

  • Benchmarking against competitors helps identify leakages.

  • Use frameworks like value chain analysis or cost breakdown tree.

Q: What's the difference between top-down and bottom-up market sizing?

A:

  • Top-down: Starts with total market size and narrows down using filters. E.g., total vehicle sales → % electric → % scooters.

  • Bottom-up: Builds from specific unit sales or usage data. E.g., # of dealers × average monthly sales × months/year.

  • Bottom-up is generally more accurate but data-intensive.

Q: How do you analyze a company’s value chain?

A: I map out each activity from inbound logistics to outbound delivery, marketing, sales, and after-service. I identify high-cost or low-efficiency areas, then evaluate which are core vs. non-core to the business. This helps suggest outsourcing, automation, or restructuring.

Q: How would you approach a case where a company wants to reduce customer churn?

A: I’d start by segmenting customers (who's churning). Then analyze:

  • Product usage patterns

  • Customer support logs

  • Pricing feedback

  • Use NPS and cohort analysis
    Solutions may include better onboarding, loyalty programs, restructured pricing, or improved service quality.