The global pandemic just opened a can of worms. The aftermath of the novel coronavirus has gone beyond just the health of people. The future of the country’s economy looks bleak while those who have lost their jobs are struggling to subsist. 

As most countries have imposed lockdowns impacting workplaces, companies, where work progresses at a snail’s pace, are a little better off than those where it has come to a standstill. 

The financial draining of budgets has not only gnawed its ugly teeth into peoples’ homes but also corporates. This pandemic situation seems to take a lot longer to resolve than the health authorities had foreseen, and it looks as if this scene has just frozen in time.  

What is the scene at the job fair for outgoing students?

One major concern for the outgoing class of 2020 is the company placement of final year students in Management programmes. Students often cite job placement as a major parameter in selecting an MBA programme/institute.

Do companies honour their promised job offers? Will they continue to recruit more employees? Or will they freeze placements, and rescind offers that were given before the pandemic in the current situation? The current scenario on placements of management graduates has been in the headlines ever since some of the organizations withdrew their offers of placement.

While some students who received placement offers now await the final call to join, others have been issued letters of regret, citing the lockdown and the current economic meltdown.

Students who have been told that there is a deferral at least keep their hopes of employment, but those job-seekers who have an outright cancelation are left demotivated and dejected. And a plethora of press reports announcing job withdrawals even of students from top institutions and company retrenchments further dampen their spirits. 

What can one do to ensure selection and retention?

While those who lost their job offers to the pandemic are not entirely to blame, there may be a few steps that could help the others seeking placements. Just like one needs to predict the opponent’s move in a game, we also need to understand what companies need in the present situation.

The way forward is to ensure that you know what skill sets and qualifications would fulfill the present and future employers’ requirements, and work your way to qualify for the same.

How does one ensure procuring the coveted appointment?  

Awareness of the health of the sector and the organization one seeks employment in is crucial to chase the right jobs that anyone aspires to be in. Industries like realty, airlines, the hotel industry (includes both diners and restaurants), app based taxi-cabs, entertainment, sunrise industries, organized retail and e-retail, are some of the saddest victims to this meltdown and hence are in no position to recruit too soon.

But some sectors like Information Technology, education, media, social networking websites, online streaming platforms, gaming, agriculture-based businesses, health, and health care, seem to be faring quite well.

What do organizations seek in a candidate?

Companies today need employees who come with an open mindset and can work on various platforms and adapt to the changes that come up time and again. They look for people who can think clearly and work smartly.

The new-age employee needs to be as perceptive as he/she is skilful. Those who can procure and service clients as they also maintain a good relationship with them stand a good chance of selection by an organization.

Many companies prefer to go for candidates who are willing to travel and be on the move, as and when the situation calls for it.

A person with a thirst for knowledge and the acumen for problem-solving with an ability to juggle a multitude of tasks are all some of the traits that will fetch him/her the coveted placement.

Acquiring as many skillsets as one possibly can, besides enrolling for courses like AI, analytics, and design, including learning more local as well as foreign languages, are some of the investments that will bring the desired returns. 

What is the situation of the outgoing batch at Flame University?

Mr. Mohit Gupta, Director- Corporate Relations & Placements at Flame University, Pune, is optimistic about the placements their students have earned. He opines that everything will soon be back to normal once the pandemic threat fades away. 

All the recruiters who had placed offers at Flame University, have promised to honour their commitments. The worst-case scenario is a postponement by not more than three or four months by a few of them. A good number of corporations continue to engage in hiring at the Flame University campus.  

What does Flame do to ensure good placements for their students? 

• The participants are exposed to a multitude of activities that are part of the curriculum.
• The University places a good emphasis on Business Communication skills throughout the programme.  
• The MBA programme comes with mandatory learning of one foreign language. 
• The faculty strive to churn out students who become leaders in the professional world, well equipped to approach any situation pragmatically and smartly. 
• The various sections of the course at Flame work with all the participants to unshackle the hidden genius who can perform at his / her peak in the corporate world.   
• The programme consists of practical lessons by experts from the corporate world, who engage the students in actual industry situations and capstone projects. 
• The students are involved in various activities that promote networking and connecting with the other participants. 

Why is it crucial to be sanguine? 

The world today is a global village in terms of communication as companies have learnt to connect with their employees and clients virtually. People get good family time as commuting to work has minimised or stopped, owing to work from home by the majority of the workforce.

Furthermore, the environment has got cleaner – fewer vehicles on the road and cleaner air for us to breathe, and many more positive fallouts make one wonder how a virus has turned humankind into a more conscious breed! With this cheerful thought, here is hoping for the ray of sunshine to arrive soon in campus placements. 

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