A sack of salt

In less than a month if I am right, it would be placements time at the ISB. This post goes out to all those people from the current batch who visit my blog.

Guys, I know its the most important time. I know that everything that happens during that time matters, but this is not the end. In fact, I would go and say that for most of us, the placement season is not even a beginning.

You'd enter the print room inside the student village to get a print out and you'll accidentally see your batch mate's resume lying there. Simple curiosity would pressurize you to have a quick glance at the highlighted bullets AND THEN?

Few of them would claim stories about the Innovation Challenge. The fact of the matter would be true to a large extent, but they would have twisted the information in such a skillful manner that it would be hard to believe.

Then you'd have people claiming "chosen from the whole batch to do this and that" - well the point here would be that - the administration would have no choice than to get someone from the GSB because according to them, the GSB represents the batch. But for some, this is also a resume spike.

Then you'll have some more people talking about scoring highest marks during the core terms. Okay, agreed. They worked extremely hard and scored the highest marks. But how does it matter? For all you know, that course was so difficult that even the guy who scored 20 marks less also got an A. In the end, its the A that matters - not who scored highest.

Then you'll have all the directors and deputy directors of the professional clubs going gaa-gaa about their work, when most work would have been done - either by the club president alone, or business development team at the ISB, or sponsors themselves or the administration.

Non-professional clubs are not be left too. You'll have some more presidents claiming about having started some new talk series - all they would have done is called one person to talk. after that no one would have had time to do anything. but the claim would continue.

And many many more...

That's why I am telling you that this is not the end. Its just a beginning. The world outside has at least another 1500 more of such people.

Not even 3 months and all of you will be out in the open trying to find a place for yourselves to settle down.

The time that is remaining is the best time guys. Make use of every minute. This is the time to make more friends - meet all those people who you haven't met all this while on campus. Get to know them. You don't know how long it will be before you meet them again. At that time, you don't want to be introducing yourself to your own batch mate.

And seriously, its quite impossible to keep in touch with everyone regularly. So make a list of 20 friends, if that is too small, then 30, with whom you'd want to be in touch with for the rest of your life. Spend quality time with them. Go out for dinners. Talk about stuff other than life inside campus. Get to know them well. I am telling you - this would help a lot. Not in the next one year. Much later. But sow the seeds right now. Its for mutual benefit.

Your friends on campus, whom you talk to everyday would need your support during the next month or so. Jobs wouldn't happen for everyone on day one or day two. After your first job, don't really bother about your second job. You'll get it. Stay with your friends and encourage them. The placement week is not just about you. Its about everybody around you. You'll be known for what you are.

Take everything that you see around you with a bag of salt. Reality is yet to come - it would strike around 6 months from when you join your first job. When you join work is when you'll realize that the company you thought to be excellent before signing the LoI is totally disgusting. The best of the jobs aren't always made on campus. A lot of it is made outside.

Bottomline: If you missed all the fun till now, there is still time. Don't miss the opportunity.