Is it just me? Or is everyone relaxed but confident of the placement season?! There is nowhere close to the prep-madness I expected...maybe it's just me then! :)

The question is not whether someone will land a job...the question is which job, and will it come at a premium. I'm confident this year's placements will rock, and hope everyone makes an informed choice for the long-term career, rather than the one-month tension forcing a wrong decision.

Happy Republic Day!

The thin line between Philosophy and Real-life...
Real-life demands results...and not just a state of mind....

Basically, when I work or live in the 'real' world, I want to be result-driven...execution oriented around results. And when I philosophise, I want to be of an 'everything will pass' mindset....
I dont want these individual states to merge...since I cannot be both at the same time...and it'll be counter-productive...

As the days go by, the placement madness increases...but there is a sense of maturity as of now...they say it will evaporate come placement day.... Very few companies on my select list...I may need to compromise a bit (I hope not!) with the choice of companies if everyone starts demanding the irrelevant, but much-hyped CGPA....what a one-track mind companies have. So much for lateral thinking, creativity and diversity.... But, in the real world, results matter. So there.

I like being woo-ed! Select companies are wooing students to apply and join them...and why not? The market is hot for management professionals, and it's the companies fighting for the best talent. However, it's surprising that the stuck-up IT companies still think they can get away without any selling... instead if they hopped on to the 'woo-ing' bandwagon, applications and acceptances would increase multi-fold... important lesson here for the 'underdog' on top b-school campuses...salaries notwithstanding, we want more responsibility and more growth opportunities.
Placement-prez month is seeing some good companies, and promise of great growth in the next couple of years at least... but the most important lesson learnt - join a company that recognizes the value of an MBA and fosters its b-school recruits... there's nothing worse than joining a company only to have your identity as a top b-school grad erased from corporate memory. Another key lesson - companies founded by non-MBAs seem to perform disastrously on the treatment and development of MBA recruits.... go figure!
3rd lesson - leadership development programs are an effective way of creating 'lock-in' for b-school recruits. Firstly, you are stamped with a certification (hopefully) leading to more recognition within the company (and hopefully that translates to better roles and responsibilities). Secondly, with 1.5 years of wandering around different departments within the company, you get a holistic understanding of the company's various departments.... Now, the 'lock-in' basically ensures that in the 1.5 years of the program, you do not gain any track-record that you can carry with you in case you want to switch jobs - all you have done is wander around the company!!! Smart way of locking in b-school grads who then need to stay with you for another 2 years at least to build a track-record! Effectively, you have a lock-in for 3-4 years - enough time for the company to recover their investment! :)

Placement season has already begun!!! A little premature and unanticapated, but today saw a fantastic day of offers already! Nobody expected it, but the ones who got through are thrilled to bits - and they should be too!!
Something tells me this will be a fantastic season for placements! The only warning I have (for myself as well) is to be patient, focussed, and sharp as a razor in the interviews. Companies want us - we want the premiums! All the best to all of us!!

A New Year is here!!!

It's been a while since the last blog... I escaped to Bombay after the last post, and spent a great 2 days with pals of college, in the wedding ceremony of one of my best buddies... A great occasion to see 2 pals getting married, and also to meet a big part of the gang... Pigged out on home food and the wedding food... and rushed back to ISB within 2 days :( No time to relax, and spend more time, given the upcoming exams...

The revelry promptly brought about a throat infection and cold... am winning a long battle with it now as we speak... It also made me study the least I have ever done for any exam, and forced me to rest a lot... not bad, considering the torture I have put myself through in the past few months!

As the term exams got over, the New Year came in... had a nice party with most of the ISB population... it was good that Jan 1 was a Sunday, unlike last year, when the exams began on Jan 1 - YIKES!!! This place does not believe in a personal life!!!!
Now that the exams are over, the relaxation continues with a last assignment due in a couple of days.. but rest, movies, and thinking take up most of my time... and the looming placement season about to begin - May the New Year bring all of us the best career paths of our lives!!