Working at a brand-name company before IIM significantly improves placement outcomes because recruiters pattern-match on your pre-MBA company more than your role. The OP confirmed: "Work ex in branding, market research, or even consulting helps, and brand names on your CV matter more than just academic background." Top pre-MBA companies for MBA signaling: Tier 1 Consulting (BCG, McKinsey, Bain, Kearney), Big 4 Strategy (Deloitte S&O, PwC Strategy&, EY-Parthenon), Investment Banks (Goldman, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Nomura), Big Tech (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Flipkart), FMCG management trainees (HUL, P&G, Nestle, Coca-Cola, ITC), Top Start-ups at Series C+ (Razorpay, Zerodha, Nykaa).
These brand names unlock 2x shortlist rates at Day 0 firms. Tier 2-3 company backgrounds (TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Accenture Delivery, HCL) face harder filtering for consulting/IB. The OP's advice for tech backgrounds: "What if someone is a non engineer (bcom) with 9/9/9 profile with CFA level 1 cleared from tier 1.
5ish college fresher. What are chances of finance roles?" Answer: CFA L1 + 9/9/9 + tier 1.
5 UG makes equity research, asset management, wealth management roles achievable at IIM A/B/C. Without brand-name work-ex, compensate with: premier undergrad (SRCC, Stephen's, IIT), strong CAT (99.5+), high CGPA at IIM (top 20%), SIP PPO conversion.
Tech/IT background candidates should target tech PM roles (Rs 30-45 LPA at FAANG + Flipkart + Swiggy) rather than consulting which may discount their background. Leverage your actual experience for aligned roles; don't try to completely pivot without deep preparation. Check your eligibility at collvera.