Getting a Post-graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) isn’t funny- especially if you are one of the placement committee representatives. Oh, the daily challenges, the hassles, and then, the satisfaction! Now that all the humdrum is over and the placement season is slowly coming towards its end, there are so many things to reminisce and be nostalgic about. Funnily, I don’t even remember the number of lunch breaks I’ve missed or the number of parties I had to evade. Don’t have a track of the number of presentations made or even the number of nights that went without sleep. But all of it looks too tiny in front of the fact that- all the hard work got paid.

One lesson learnt clearly- It is not easy to be anything. And if you are one of the placement committee representatives of a school dedicated towards values, academic rigor and innovation, it is far more difficult than you can construe it to be.

Why?

1. It always has a new placement record set for itself every year. Objective: Topple it.
2. Your school is held very highly by companies. Objective: Be the torch-bearer (an efficient one at it).
3. Your alumni have done tremendously well in the industry. Objective: Live up to the expectations.
4. Your faculty is your major strength. Objective: Learn from them and harp on it.
5. Your batch-mates (and your juniors) look forward to your ability. Objective: Deliver to them efficiently.
6. Finally, keep in mind: careers are more about conviction than planning.

In short, being the student placement-in-charge is like implementing and integrating your whole two years of management lessons right on campus and then evolving as a human being. It is almost a full-time job. The slight differentiator is, here you are working largely for a whole community that is passionately driven towards making some meaningful differences in the field of management.

Through all these, I’ve had my share of doubts, anxieties, worries, and breakdowns along the way. In times like these, I held on through my conviction, building upon my strengths while sorting out my weaknesses. My school taught me that bit well enough. Now we stand at a glorious placement record once again. It is an extremely fulfilling feeling to see the batch placed with top companies and at solid profiles. The media is going loud about the sort of placement that took place in the school this year and talking from the placement point of view, it does not require a second thought to say that the school is at its helm currently. From Deloitte, Pepsico, Tech Mahindra, Reliance Capital, TATA Projects Ltd. to Hackett Group, marquee profiles have been extended to our students by top-notch companies. Most importantly, we have got the chance to select our profiles and the school saw a mixed bag of new recruiters and old ones flocking in to recruit in bulk from the campus.

We did not just bag jobs but made careers. Clearly, the class of 2014 stands as the show stoppers ready to prove mettle with exceptional competencies. Oh, now you know how I feel!

–

Prajwal M.R

PGDM, Class of 2014