Skills or MBA: What gets you hired in Banking and Technology? A Conversation with Vardaan Sharma

Welcome to the very first episode of INSIDE THE SYSTEM: The World of Finance, hosted by Tamanna Sharma.

In this episode, we sit down with Vardaan Sharma, Vice President at the Bank of New York (BNY), Pune, with 16 years of experience across banking, IT and investment banking. He holds an MBA in Finance (Pune University, 2009) and currently works in business management for technology, a role right at the intersection of finance and tech.

Together, we dive into the most important questions on every student and young professional’s mind today:

🔹 Is an MBA still worth it in 2025?
🔹 Skills vs Degree - what actually gets you hired in banking?
🔹 Are layoffs and firing culture in banking/IT like BNY, Accenture and Infosys really as brutal as they sound?
🔹 How is geopolitics (US–China tensions, India policy shifts) reshaping global finance?
🔹 What skills should college students start building NOW?
🔹 Does growing up in India give you an edge in global workplaces or do we need to unlearn old habits?

We also explore:
• Vardaan’s journey from a small town to leading teams in a global bank
• How the 2008–09 financial crisis shaped his worldview
• His hiring philosophy: gold-medalist vs street-smart problem solver

This conversation is honest, insightful and packed with clarity for anyone who dreams of working in finance, banking, technology, consulting or global corporate roles.

✨ One line to remember
“If you feel you’re in a comfort zone, you need to get out of it.” - Vardaan Sharma


So if you’re a student, MBA aspirant, or someone exploring the world of finance & tech, this episode is a must-watch.

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📌Credits:

Special Thanks
Guest - Mr Vardaan Sharma

Interview by - Tamanna Sharma
Special Thanks
Guest - Mr Vardaan Sharma
Camera & Editing - Tamanna Sharma, Kartik Mishra
Music - ‪@music-library‬ Microsoft ClipChamp
Producer - Neha Sharma

A Broadcast Journalism Project with
Department of Media & Communication, MIT WPU, Pune
‪@mitwpumediacomm‬

Under guidance of
Dr Aquil Ahmad Khan Sir








🎓Disclaimer:

Made for educational purposes only.
this video has been created solely for educational and awareness purposes. The information presented is accurate to the best of our research and understanding any inadvertent errors or inaccuracies are purely unintentional for corrections. For corrections, feedback or a dispute resolution please contact at [email protected] (subject: FEEDBACK) so that we can take the necessary action amicably.






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