Students’ Speak: Be clear about your target industry before preparing for Placements

By: Aayushi Pandey

Placements hold immense significance for any management programme student. Aayushi Pandey in this article delves on the importance of shortlisting target companies from the industry a candidate wishes to join after the course and plan their Placements preparation around them.

Placements are the most crucial phase of a B-school life. This is what all the students dream of while taking admission in any management institute. Therefore, it is necessary that you buckle yourself up before the start of placement season. Here are the few things, regarding which there should be absolute clarity in your mind, prior to devising any preparation plan:

1. Be clear about which industry you wish to join
2. Shortlist your target companies
3. Be clear with the job profile you have decided to apply for
4. Think thoroughly about the job prospect of the industry in coming years
5. If you plan to apply for various job profiles in different sectors, such as a job in marketing profile as well as some other profile in finance sector then design your CV according to specific profile in each instance

Different companies may conduct different rounds during their placement process. You should therefore stay prepared for all the rounds that will be conducted by the companies you are applying for.

Preparation for Group Discussion & Case Study rounds

However, irrespective of kind of rounds conducted by a company, one of the most important thing for placements is to keep yourself updated with the latest happenings of the world. So, unlike your interview for joining the B-school, where knowledge of what is going around the world and your opinion regarding that was enough, after completing two years in a management programme, the recruiters expect how well you understand the impact of such situation on business. Such things also aid you during the Group Discussion round in the placement process. Do go through eminent news portals such as Economic Times, Financial Express, Guardian and blogs such as Medium regularly to gain a refined perspective on various things.

Many companies instead of Group Discussion round conduct Case Study round, where a specific case is to be analysed by a group within stipulated time. After analysis, you have to discuss the problem by forming small groups and provide possible solution for the same. For such rounds, read the case well and try to think of any similar situation that you might have faced during internships or have been discussed by your professors during lectures. Try to take some ideas from there and then accordingly devise your strategy. Always try to proceed in a systematic way like if you figure out a way, you need to do SWOT Analysis or PESTLE first, implement further steps to improve the situation and present your point accordingly.

This technique of PESTLE & SWOT Analysis of a situation will also help you during Group Discussion round where you can initiate the discussion with a proper analysis of the topic.

Many companies also choose to go for a Presentation round where either they give you a case study and you have to present the solution & case briefing through PowerPoint presentation. They might also give you a specific topic such as devising a branding strategy for the company or doing SWOT for a new market and then present it through PPT. For such rounds, it is necessary to think out of the box and come up with a creative, innovative and feasible plan to present in front of the recruiters. During the past two years of the management course, you must have worked on a number of PPTs and case presentation, so just apply your previous knowledge to tackle this round.

Preparation for Personal Interview round

For Personal Interview round, be mentally prepared because there can be a lot of grilling and series of uneasy questions for you. These things are not meant to discourage the candidate but to check how well they can handle pressure and maintain their composure. Some frequently asked questions include, why this particular specialization, what you have that your other peers do not have, when you are getting same facilities & education, why do you think you are fit for this job, what you can contribute to our organization, etc.

By the end of the interview, do ask some questions related to the company, any news that you might have come across that would affect the industry or you can even ask about what will be your role & responsibilities when you join the organization.

IMI Bhubaneswar has a dedicated Placement Cell that arranges the placement process for the students under the guidance of a committee comprising faculty dedicated solely to placement purpose. The cell is also responsible for arranging workshops before placements to train and groom the students, conduct aptitude test and resume-building activities and much more. They are also available 24*7 for any kind of support & assistance required by the students.

About the Author:

Aayushi Pandey is a BCom graduate from DAV PG College, Dehradun. She is currently pursuing PGDM from IMI, Bhubaneswar. Her hobbies include reading fictional stories & writing while her areas of interest are Research, Strategy & Human Resource