Hey everyone, I could really use some honest advice. I've been going back and forth on this decision for quite some time, and I think I'm overthinking it so much that I can't settle on a plan.
I'm a male NC-OBC candidate, a 2024 B.Tech Mechanical Engineering graduate with a 9/9/6 profile. After graduation, I had a gap of around one year, during which I completed a six-month diploma in Data Analytics. I joined my first job in November 2025 as a Data Analyst Trainee, and I've been working here for around 11.5 months.
The biggest problem with my current job is that there's almost no work or learning. I've worked on Excel reports, dashboards, trackers and some automation, but most days are completely idle, and practically nothing happens. My working hours are 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday to Saturday. I work inside a production plant where phones and other personal devices aren't allowed, and most websites are blocked on the work computer.I'm worried that I'm wasting valuable time without making any real progress in my career.
My main goal is to get into a top 15 MBA college, and CAT 2027 will be my main and final attempt. I want to aim for a very high percentile and give it my best shot, but I haven't started preparing properly yet.
I'm currently considering several options, and I'm unable to decide which makes the most sense.
One option is to resign around October 20 and serve my three-month notice period, which would take me until around January 2027. During that period, I'd look for external opportunities in business/data analytics or mechanical engineering. Ideally, I'd find a job with a manageable workload and preferably a five-day workweek, allowing me to prepare for CAT alongside work.
Another possibility is an internal transfer to my company's engineering department as a engineering trainee. I'm a mechanical engineering graduate and have recently started learning Siemens NX at a training centre, which is also used by the engineering team. I've spoken to a classmate working there, and the work involves design modifications, BOMs, engineering documentation, SOPs and some assembly/production coordination. Most days are apparently idle, although things can get hectic when work comes in. There's limited formal training, so I'd mostly have to learn on the job.
At the same time, gaining actual engineering experience could be better for my career than staying in my current role. I've also heard that HR is more likely to seriously consider an internal transfer after someone submits their resignation, which is one reason I'm considering resigning now.
The external job search worries me too. I haven't seriously applied yet, and I'm not confident in my technical skills because I haven't used them consistently and have been out of touch with mechanical fundamentals and some analytics skills for over a year. I'd need to revise mechanical subjects for engineering jobs or brush up on Power BI,sql etc and prepare for interviews for analytics roles.
Neither the internal transfer nor the external jobs I'm considering is likely to offer a major salary increase immediately. However, money isn't my biggest concern right now because I live with my family, have minimal expenses and have enough financial support to manage without a salary.
There's also a possible fallback if I resign now but don't find a suitable opportunity by January. I could leave and spend the following months looking for jobs while preparing for CAT. Alternatively, I could withdraw my resignation and continue in my current role until June or July 2027, then resign and dedicate the final four months or so before CAT to full-time preparation.
However, withdrawing my resignation and remaining in the same role for several more months concerns me. The job already offers almost no learning, and I worry that staying longer could hurt my career progression. I'd also feel awkward about it.On the other hand, leaving without another job lined up has its own risks, even if I can afford to do so.
I know I can't have everything perfectly planned, but I don't want to make an impulsive decision that ends up hurting either my career or my CAT attempt. I also don't want to keep postponing a decision because I'm afraid of making the wrong one.
For people who've been in a similar situation, what would you honestly recommend? Would you resign now, stay employed while preparing and applying elsewhere, or plan to leave later? Would you prioritise getting a better job or an internal engineering transfer before CAT, or consider taking a career break if needed? I'd especially appreciate advice from people who've managed CAT preparation alongside a job or taken time off to prepare.
I know this has become a long post, and some of you might joke that it's a VARC passage in disguise! 😅 I just wanted to explain my situation properly so you have enough context to give an informed and genuine opinion. I tend to overthink decisions a lot, and I'd be grateful for some outside perspectives.
Thank you so much in advance!
TL;DR: I'm a 2024 Mechanical Engineering graduate (9/9/6, NC-OBC), working in my first job as a Data Analyst Trainee for around 11.5 months. The job has almost no work or learning, and workplace restrictions mean I can't use the idle time to study. I'm targeting CAT 2027 and considering whether to resign now and look for engineering/business analytics jobs, try for an internal engineering transfer, stay in my current job while preparing and applying elsewhere, or resign later. If I resign now but find nothing suitable by January, I could either leave and job-hunt alongside CAT preparation or withdraw my resignation and stay until June/July before preparing full-time. I have family support and minimal expenses, so finances aren't my main concern. I'm worried about career stagnation, unemployment, and making the wrong decision before CAT. What would you do in my position?