Everything I Do, I Do It For You....

If there is something every MBA grad. is obsessed about, it is something called PLACEMENT.. From the time he enters the gates, to the time he leaves them, if there is something constantly on top of his mind, it’s the P-word.. Everyone wants to crack the biggest firm, and the fattest pay-check.. everything that we seem to do, has only 1 ultimate objective..

Now for the guys how make this happen.. Every B-school has a student placement team.. guys who slog it out throughout the year trying to get the best companies to campus.. It is an unenviable job.. You need to be on your toes all the time.. the smallest goof up may result in many job-losses.. You need to work doubly hard, doing all the dog work, and staying abreast with all the latest developments in the industry at the same time.. the last thing you want to do is to ask an HP executive about competition from Compaq..

All this takes it’s toll on the person’s academic performance as well.. Placecom guys really need to be masters of multitasking and time-sharing..

And what do they get for all that sweat and toil.. Some say, they get an opportunity to secure the best jobs for themselves.. Not sure about that.. but I do believe in one thing, what is the harm is furthering your own cause, as long as it does not impinge on some other person’s interests.. As long as the placement team does not sacrifice the cause of the batch for their personal benefits, I do not think anyone should have any reason to crib.. After all, would any one of us sacrifice academics, extra-curriculars and leisure to indulge in something that will not result in any personal gain at all?..

I have not had a chance to be in the Placement team.. I am sure that I am not good enough for it anyway.. but I have had got a taste of the action.. during Day 0 of for the final placements of our seniors and summer placements of our juniors.. when I was one of the personnel deputed at the Help-Desk.. For the uninitiated, Help-Desk is the hub from where all activities and schedules are coordinated.. It's the most chaotic place during Day 0.. All the chaos, confusion and non stop-hyperactivity has prompted us to call it “The Hell Desk”.. It’s a real nerve-wrecking experience.. You really need to be as cool as a cucumber to handle an assignment such as this.. But I had great fun doing it all the same.. I’ve realized, chaos can be enjoyable too..

Come Jan, I will be on the other side of the so called “Hell Desk”.. when the obsession with the P-word reaches it’s crescendo.. when one and half years of education will be put to test.. when one right or wrong answer can change your fortunes..