Students’ Speak: Preparing for placement is more than being academically sound

Pre-placement preparation should be looked at from different angles. People misinterpret it by thinking that they only need to prepare academically, which is an important part. However, it is not everything that a student should focus on. Pre-placement preparation can be divided into two broad categories namely mental and academic preparation.

Prepare mentally

The placement season is the most stressful time for any student and being mentally prepared for it is as essential as being academically sound. A student goes through a lot of mental exertion where he/she should calm during the entire process. It is very easy to be frustrated during the process especially when the student doesn’t get their “dream job”, the term which is very commonly used in colleges.

Students forget that if they lose their “dream job”, it doesn’t they lose hope because then they will not perform well for the other jobs which might be beneficial for their career. Students should not be exposed to negativity during this time because they need to be at their best and that can only happen when they are mentally strong.

Motivation is the key for placement preparation, and it should not be lost at any point of the time. Motivation to not bag the highest package offered in the college but to get a job role in which there is scope for immense growth in the future.

Prepare academically

From the academic side, a student should start preparing all the subjects being taught to them and to focus more on the subjects in which they feel they are weak. A student should not limit themselves to books only. For each and every subject the approach should be such that first, they should clear the basic concepts and once it is done, they should then start looking at what is the new trend in that particular subject. Companies look for candidates who are aware of the industry trends and hence it is advisable that the students should know the know-hows of that particular domain.

Placement at IMI

IMI, New Delhi has a team dedicated to the placements and they are known as the Corporate Relations Committee. They work all throughout the year to get good and well-known brands to the campus for placements. They also make sure that the CVs of the students are vetted properly before the placement season starts so that there is a standardised format and the companies do not face any issue while reading them. There is also a week dedicated for pitching where not only the members of the committee but volunteered students also go along for pitching to different companies and this gives an opportunity for the non-members of the committee to get a glimpse of how to approach a company and convince them to visit the campus for placements.

A pre-placement preparation along with the tireless work by the placement committee can help a student achieve what they intended to by joining a business school.

About the Author:

Shalini Mitra is a second-year PGDM - HRM Student at International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi. She has also been working as a student coordinator at Admissions committee, IMI New Delhi. She has a diverse work experience and has always been the front runner in all her endeavors.