Way2Top

It’s become a chore to regularly attend PPTs, some out of compulsion, some out of interest, some out of influence!! Yeah, everyone has something called mandatory attendance for a set of Pre-placement talks. If anyone misses the mandatory PPTs, the number of job postings that a person can apply comes down by one! The penalty increases exponentially for further absenteeism…Just a mechanism to ensure minimum attendance for all PPTs. I think it’s fair…The facility to trade PPT allotments increases the active trading within ISB community

In ISB, we get to decide even the slotting of companies. Students bid for the company slottings. For example, if majority of students would like company ‘X’ to come on campus on day 1, they would bid high for that company and slotting…Again, it’s to bring equality…But with majority of students from IT background, the scale can easily shift towards IT companies…One can witness the Consulting giants, I-Banking giants and IT service giants to compete on the same day for the top minds…The top brains will be sold out in 2-3 days…The experienced hearts will be available for grab after 3 days, but for a premium

The 10 days from February 18-27 is going to be a logistical nightmare…Since there are many rooms needed for interviews, word is that even some rooms in the executive housing block will be utilized. The onus of getting the student to the right room at the right time falls on CAS. So CAS faces a logistical nightmare. But given the good track record that they possess in logistics, I think this will be a minor deal!

If one is lucky, placement process can end in as quick as 1 day! or it could drag for months…Just the matter of time, luck, fit, performance…everything should fall together…

As of now, I have decided to apply for around 8 companies…out of which I am confident of getting in at 2-3 companies, need to prepare more for another 2-3 companies. The remaining companies are a long shot…

Just some observations…People are becoming increasingly defensive..some are becoming more agressive…All due to stress…With so many things happening around, disorientation happens very easily…

Anyway, I am trying hard to remain calm…but failing at times!

The whole day was screwed up. Slept at morning 9! Wanted to wake up in time for 2:30 class. In stead Woke up at 3 to my dismay..So had to attend 5-7 class, which means I had to call up my focus group and convey them that I wouldn’t make it to the meeting scheduled at that time…Wanted to review ITBS group assignment…But the write-up was sent around 11:00 in the morning for review, and I was sleeping at that time. Submission was due in the evening, so couldn’t devote time to review it…

Went and attended the presentation of one of the well-paying company. At the end of the session, the ‘expected’ impact was not made, so there were disappointments around. But the salary, location are still attractive. Whatever big the company might be, if the people who deliver, fail to impress, the interest on the company takes a jolt….’Projecting’ a positive image within the stipulated timeframe is key to success and failing to do is recipe to disaster.

Later, forgot that there is a IT-focus group meeting scheduled at 10:00. So gave committment for quad-focus group. Had to chuck one after realizing the clash in schedule…

Still have some more readings for tomorrow’s class….couldn’t read today’s newspaper…

What the heck, will see it tomorrow…Am hitting the bed…tomorrow is a fresh day!

On Monday, I had two options in front of me. Either to attend Infy Placement Talk or Hindustan Times - Media Placement Talk. I chose to attend the second since I thought I have enough information about Infy. Three top-level gentlemen from HT came over to deliver the pitch. I would say their sales pitch was very good. They greeted hands with few people present in the room. Then they went ahead and portrayed the Media landscape in India. Then they briefed about Hindustan Times and its strategies. I was curious to know what roles Media can offer for MBAs apart from traditional Marketing and Sales. The role that HT Media is offering is of strategy and implementation.

Also, they said they created a job for a MBA graduate, who wanted to exploit her writing skills while at the same time wanted to harness her MBA skills. Got some details on that. Compensation is competitive. I somehow have a feeling that Media is one of the places to exhibit and nurture your “creativity”. Anyway, I will keep this as “eccentric” options !

After I came from the talk, I heard that Apollo Hospitals also gave a good sales pitch. Hmm…attending these kind of non-IT company sales pitch is enriching in a way…

I signed up for Mock Interview-GD-Sales Pitch organized by CAS on January 23rd. Interested students are grouped in buckets of 10. Business attire is compulsory. The purpose is to create an experience as close as possible to the actual recruitment. Consulting Club is also organizing similar event.

One of my focus-groups [am Part of 2 focus groups] had ‘Sales pitch’ session today. We cleared the room of chairs and sofas to create a ’stage’ setting. Video recorded the session. Probed the candidates deeply. Provided critical feedback. Then, watched back the video. Group was satisfied with the ‘quality’ of this session.

It’s becoming tough to manage between Placement preparations, Company Presentations and classes. But, it’s all in the good interest….

Three of my important Comrades have done a great social service to some people in ISB. One of them listens to the lectures or interviews very patiently and retains them permanently. He is the most prominent one among all my subordinates. He has been of great help to many people…literally MANY. He has even travelled with the people to assist them in their journeys! Another one of them remembers the images picture-perfect and retains it permanently. Yet another of them listens and observes others carefully and portrays their weaknesses or strengths HONESTLY when asked for!

I am talking about my dear electronic gadgets. iRiver-multi utility jukebox, which also doubles up as Dictaphone [Amazing quality…no doubts]. The other one is Canon Digital Camera [Canon -A95]. The third one is Digital Camcorder [Sony-TRV25]

I will feel my day as incomplete, if I am not been of help to even single human being. So, I make it a habit to help voluntarily…It might be as valuable as evaluating applications, reviewing resumes, observing people and giving feedback…or as trivial as opening the door for someone to enter, or showing up a smiling face to a depressed mind. But these three Comrades have significantly reduced my burden by doing social service on behalf of me

Well, Just submitted my resume + EOI for McKinsey & Co. Huh! Also, spent significant time in shaping the resumes of two of my close friends…Polishing resumes is tough job!!! Damn tired…

Don’t have energy to write…Instead decided to point to a “Brief-Biography” (The date of the post is tampered with!), that I wrote quite a while ago…!

Recently ISB announced a award called “ISB Young leaders award” and “ISB Torch bearer award”, for students who have displayed strong extra-curricular activities, or helped in building the brand of the school, or displayed strong leadership skills…

Now, what I feel strange about the award is we have to nominate ourselves or somebody else can nominate for us(But given the pressure everyone is under, I strongly suspect if the second case will ever happen). Few people I know, who deserve this award are not nominating saying that its ISB who should recognize the students and honour the awards.

“Self Sales pitch”, seems to be the norm these days. Be it admission, recruitment, award, election…Ultimately you represent yourself…World is self-centred…anything for others is only beyond you!!

But when I put myself in the shoes of school, recruiter, position, the notion of “sales-pitch” becomes clear…I would pick up the student who conveys a strong image about himself…Because the time is limited and you have to believe what you see and what you hear..no time to research deep!

This brings to my mind another sensitive topic…Exaggeration in resumes. In the beginning phases of career, I was of the opinion that exaggeration is not good. But over a period of time, when I interacted with recruiters, I understood that exaggeration is not seen upon as negative attribute, but as some skill! Recruiters are clever to make out the difference between ‘extreme’ exaggerations and ‘polishing’ exaggerations. One of my belgian colleague who was my project manager was also of the opinion that exaggeration to some extent is acceptable…Exaggeration puts you across as ‘mature’ candidate who can see the business impacts of your activities!

If you have a look any MBA resume, chances are that you will find some portion as non-factual and some as factual. It’s the non-factual portion which is tough to substantiate…

All of a sudden, all the technical aspects of your job evaporate and only the business aspects emerge! Now, that’s an art…As long as you can defend your statements.

Various Companies are on campus for delivering their pre-placement pitch. Now, it’s the time for them to do the sales pitch…One month later, it will be our turn to do the sales pitch Anyway, Going by the demand and market boom, looks like this year it is going to be the ISBian’s market

Yesterday I had a dream. I saw the average salary of ISB as 15.7 lakhs..The image was so vivid that I remember it still! Time will answer if what is saw was a day-dream or a foresight!

Things at home front are improving slowly. I am also feeling much better with more sleep….

Had my round of “Sales Pitch”(Why EDS? Why You?) for EDS. Didn’t go well…Could have done lot better…

I wasn’t feeling well throughout the day. Was Feeling feverish. Am going to sleep well for next one week and take enough rest.

By the way, happened to see “Sales pitch” made by others…Some people were rocking! Ooph! Man, intensity is high..stakes are high…I think the best route is to just chill out…being your own-self is the route to success…and being chill is the best way to be your own-self!

It was a good experience…At least, I have broken the ice as far as placement call is concerned…

Am shortlisted for further rounds of EDS-job interview…Wasn’t expecting a call to be honest, given the kind of role and competition…Hmm..atleast this gives me a confidence that my resume is fine and I am able to gather attention of recruiters…

Running to press my shirt..Was very confident that I will not go through, that I didn’t press my shirt even…

Let me give a shot at it…After all, I have nothing to lose..isn’t it?

My Ex-employer, who is a self-made entrepreneur, has began his new Software Venture. The venture is in the initial stages…

www.appliedevelopment.com