Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea

I am about to join corporate next week, and here I come across this picture which aptly defines the current job scenario. The placement scene seen across campuses back then in march said it all. Just about a year back, these very companies were thronging the campus for a slot, and this time over even after a lot of cajoling and sweet talk they relented – Hiring on freeze.

Forget hiring, many of the companies are actually firing away their employees, and some 'virtualizing' them ala Mahindra Satyam.

This picture, got on a mail forward, very aptly describes the current market scenario. One can't be like the man jumping off, due to the huge liabilities attached and a very remote chance of a job.

Also, it is getting tougher with every passing day to continue in the same job with cost cuts, salary cuts, virtualized and all. It is like being in the position of the fish.

Why am I ranting on the negatives of the job market just before joining a job? Nah! I am all charged and decked up for the new role. This holiday has really been long, and now I want to work.!!

Jobs Jobs.. Where are they?

Its placement time in campuses across the world, but where are the jobs? The newspapers, pink and white, have not been very friendly or encouraging in this matter of late. Every day we hear of reports about layoffs, large companies (read big recruiters) in distress, no jobs in market, and top it all THE financial fraud.

In such times the article in MINT, about overseas students also looking for a share in the Indian job market pie, makes it even more tough, or competitive.

The reasons for this are manifold:

This year, fewer companies are expected to visit campuses—several international investment banks, traditionally big hirers on campuses, have either gone under or no longer exist in their previous forms—and the competition among students will be tough.

As stated, companies which were dreams are now the worst nightmares. Who could have guessed that a company of Lehman Brothers repute, where a majority of individuals would vie to work in, would go bust one fine day? And if Lehman can be a victim, why not any other company? Who could have evn guessed in the wildest of his dreams about the Satyam balance entries being reversed by one letter of the chairman?

"We certainly are seeing a lot more interest from Indian students in foreign business schools," said Sri Rajan, partner at consulting firm Bain and Company's Indian arm. "We are seeing a lot more applications for two reasons—economy in the US is pretty bad and long-term growth prospects of India are better. So, applicants are hedging their bets."

One more reason for the overseas students looking at India as a greener pasture is the glowing opportunities provided by the emerging economies of the land of tiger and Dragon. This probably also explains new interest for the incoming exchange program among students of developed countries.

Some students say India will remain a long-term bet for many and recession has nothing to do with their plan to move back home.

India as a long term bet once again summarizes the above said reason. Emerging Economies. The future power.
 

Thus, the conditions are terrible no doubt, and it does require test of patience and courage to steer through it. As a friend here in L animatedly described, " We would be a batch of Phoenix. Literally rise from the ashes."

In such conditions, IDEAS – the economic times Initiative for emerging and budding entrepreneurs is very well timed. In L itself, many of my batch mates here are contemplating various B Plans. The initial plan while joining was to first get placed in a good paying job, work for a couple of years and then start of on own. But now, looking at the gloomy market scenario for jobs or maybe the brighter market scenario for start-ups, the plans have changed.

Life at a stand still

PPO from Cadbury. I have not yet announced this to my Collegian readers. Yes people, i have got a Pre Placement Offer from Cadbury India Limited - the place i interned last summers.

My two months in cadbury were very eventful and i enjoyed every bit of it. It made me a frequent flyer with KingFisher, and am also the prowd owner of KingClub Card. I was also made rich by 50K during the course of two months, and had a chance to visit the choicest of the places in India( Vizag - Home!!, Delhi and God's own place - kerala). Also, i had the chance to reside in the best of the hotels and live life to the fullest.

tangible things apart, it was quite an enriching experience. The people there were quite friendly and inspite of the huge age differences, everyone was so amicable and easily approachable. The Power Distance (picked up this word in the Advanced Oral Communications (AOC) class today) as such did not exist at all.

On the whole, my two months in corporate life, my first ones for that, were like the ideal setting for the perfect work experience i wanted. i always believed i worked really hard during those two months, and the PPO just added the cream to all the cherish able moments.

Needless to say, with my weakness for chocolates, I have accepted their offer and have signed out of the campus placement process.

All this happened in November first week, during Summer placements. I was given three days to accept, or reject the offer. These were like the most confusing three days in recent past. Accept?? or Reject?? (And chase my dream of PnG, HUL and likes??). After lots of consulting, talking to family,friends, seniors, teachers and everyone possible i just could not resist the tempting offer.

Cadbury is THE BEST FMCG company and no doubt i always so wanted to join it. My only consideration and the reason for confusion was - What would i do for the rest of my tenure at L? Till then i was busy day in day out preparing for various competitions, participating in all extra curricular events, etc.. Now after the PPO what would be the motivation level?/ Would i still keep myself engrossed with these? Or would i have to search new avenues? Finally i decided - Enough of this mad rush and blind follow the herd mentality. Follow my own dream, nurture my own stature without any kind of Peer pressure. pursue all those activities that i always wanted to do, but could not find the time for..

After seeing the movie Dasvidaniya i made my own MBALIST (Something like Bucket List with a list of things i would like to accomplish before completing my stint here for MBA). i have made a list. And hope i reach each one of them. hope i be able to tick away on successful completion each one of them. Would disclose my MBALIST very soon, after it is completely drafted.

Btw, I hav joined Salsa Classes here at Lucknow to learn shake my hops more better!!

So till i learn shaking my hips to the Cuban tune, have fun watching the new Khan flick Ghajini. Have a look at the poster of Ghazini or Gajodhar..



p.s.: Going to jaipur, Rajasthan, this Saturday to attend my cousins wedding.

WORLD AIDS DAY

Sorry guys. Long time. Was so busy caught up in so many things, that this part of my life got totally ignored.
1. Mid terms (Time in L that i can actually blog the most!!!)
2. Trip to MICA
3. Summer Placements
4. Cadbury PPO and my subsequent acceptance of the same (yes yes! I am joining cadbury)
5. Parties.. thnx to our international friends.. The frequesncy of parties just got too high
6. loadsa other things...

more about all of these in subsequent posts, which i promise would not be long.

For now, i just wanted to kick start the posting thing again, after this long hiatus. So inspite of me still being caught up (This time in academic projects), i wanted to post this from ARBIT MBA.

Funny take on MBA and the after effects on people surviving this two year fun ordeal.




For the uninitiated (which i am sure and hope is a very small minority and more better none at all), World aids day according to Wiki..

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe the event, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar announcements.

AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007,and an estimated 33 million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007,making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007,of which about 270,000 were children

Signing off for now, with the promise of coming back soon

Where is the softie in BJ??

Tried tweaking a lot with the blog, adding new widgets, playing around with the existing settings, and tried to rehash it. Even downloaded DreamWeaver to get back to those good old FrontPage memories. But to no avail. I realise that i am no more an engineer. Could not do anything. It feels so bad, that HTML was something that i had taken keen interest on right in second year of engineering. Though it is a very easy thing as far as computers are concerned, but i was so proud of the first site that i developed. GITAMACE


Then i was an engineer. now am an MBA. All those technical things are not my job. They are supposed to be outsourced. Yeah! one thing, in spite of my limited technical knowledge. I managed to put in those google ads. Money making buddy. And also, the site counter. Gotta keep a track of the number of visitors. Consumer Behaviour u c..

Chal then.. more of it later.. Now off to the mess!!!