Despite reading management books, what needs to be prepared for the so-called interview, other than academics?
Firstly organisations are looking for the students who have done fair amount of homework about the organisation before applying. Secondly, they are also looking for students who have demonstrated a value system or a character development activity while on the campus, because the way organisations produce their goods and deliver services happens to be the most of learning’s on job. So you need to ask yourself “Do you appeal to the organisation in a certain type of character, value system and the personality they are looking for?
How would you guide students going on S.I.P and what should they keep in mind?
There are three perspectives when it comes to S.I.P
A) Institutions view point
B) Students view point
C) Organisations view point
For an institution it gives an opportunity to showcase its products i.e its students to the industry and thereby gives the industry a view about the quality of education provided. Secondly it allows the students to build a network within the companies for placements. The problem is students don’t apply much of their mind to select and explore the functional areas which will later help them in making a career choice. Students lacking attitude towards internship is a big hurdle. There is a lot to learn like Hierarchical work, Time Management, Public relations so on and so forth… Internships can be a great opportunity to adjust career planning goals. You may find that you have a great interest in the field in which you interned or conversely that you are entirely disinterested in an industry and/or employer.
When it comes to opting for specialization, what should be the thought process in that dilemma?
Particularly MBA in Indian context is that to some extent this functional specialisation is important because one can test their talent in a particular field. This functional expertise is not the only requirement when you take big corporate responsibilities and fulfil it. And when you study the career parts of most successful practitioners, you find that they have evolved over the series of functional skills either by the way they build their career or by virtue of organisations giving them the opportunities to explore. This allows them to learn from someone who is successful in the business, so they can see what it takes to achieve this status. Some of the lessons learned during this type of work experience are no less important. So there needs to be some functional integration courses. So if your idea is to win a career, you should keep yourself open to getting experience. Let me tell you Job is a 100 meter race whereas career is a Marathon. You can be the best financial guy, with best of the resources, best of the funds, but it is a waste unless it is useful to the organisation.