How to land that dream job?
How does one describe 'a dream' job? Tough to answer as it is a very individual-centric question. Many newbies opt for the major multinational investment banks as they pay top dollar and fantastic year-end bonuses. The technicians would like to work at the cutting edge of progress in a technology company. There are those who want to work with strategic consultancy firms where one gets to meet with the board of a multimillion-dollar corporation, thus helping to shape the strategic market.
Setting goals gives you long-term vision and encouragement for the short term. It focuses on informal learning and helps you organize your time and money to make the most of your life. Goals are a terrific thing; they encourage us to aim for more. But then, life becomes an endless search of objectives and accomplishments. Endless, and we achieve one target no sooner than we aim for the next. We fall out of the chase, miss the bus, and inevitably face career stagnation if we're resting on our laurels.' In his philosophy,' the hierarchy of needs,' Abraham Maslow very succinctly supported this inherent human conduct that continues to aspire for achievement. It is a great achievement to gain admission to a top-tier business school either in India or abroad - it is the culmination of 17-18 years of intense academic pursuit from early school years to completion of college.
The dream job race
There are over 200,000 applicants per year for the common admission test (CAT) that helps to gain entry into elite business schools in India — and the acceptance rate is around 1 percent! When joining the most sought after and prestigious B-Schools, this top ranking of 1 percent moves to their next goal—getting a dream job!
The recruiters visit campuses to handpick good students who have the ability to fulfill the resource requirements of the company, thanks to the campus recruiting services provided by several business schools. For the students, it's a deja vu moment as they need to reach the competition arena once more to go through a grueling series of placement interviews.
The multi-million choices
As a broad spectrum of companies from various sectors visits the campus, students in successful business schools are spoiled for choice. IT businesses employ huge numbers, FMCG organizations provide sales and marketing and branding jobs, consultancy firms are continuously in search of smart business graduates. The treasure hunt for talent is as competitive as the exam. Students are employed for fields such as engineering, operations management by many-core industry businesses. Technical services businesses have emerged as large campus recruiters. Strategy consultancy companies and foreign investment banks are however the two enduring favorites among the students.
Consulting firms
In drafting new legislation or using IT to provide services to people, there are several instances of consultancy firms collaborating with governments. For young graduates, it is a perfect opportunity to focus on such projects in their careers. Regardless of the option, to achieve the aim of landing the job of your dreams, careful planning and preparation is required.
Recruitment
Know the method and the recruiters. The recruiting teams that visit the campus are often staffed by line managers or billable associates, as we refer to in consultancy parlance. In the squad, there will be a nominal HR representation, but more often than not, the more experienced line managers will make the main decisions. The placement season in many universities almost resembles "speed-dating sessions" where under extreme time pressure, both the recruiter and the candidate need to make wise choices.
The first impression is the last impression
In an interview situation, this is very accurate. Several recruiting resources are available: written evaluations, group discussion, psychometric profiling, appraisal center, reference search, and personal interviews. Interviews are the most commonly used technique, although studies show that it is the least accurate selection process. In the first few moments of the meeting, interviewers subconsciously make the critical hiring decision and the remainder of the interview period is used to check for proofs to validate their decisions.
The unfulfilled choice
And before he/she begins speaking in the interview, there are occasions where an applicant is mentally hired or rejected! It is most important to go all out to make a perfect first impression. Do take into account that you have to please, but still come across as a real person.
Business fit and chemistry: The applicants are tested for the correct fit by senior managers who are part of the recruiting team. This is a challenging attribute to describe now. They are searching for people who are approachable and quick to go in clear terms and who can fit into a team. It also helps to have friendly colleagues with a very optimistic outlook to help tide over nerve-racking deadline situations in sectors such as consultancy and investment banking, individuals work in teams and they spend long hours both in the office and during travel.
Preparation is the key
Get to know as much as possible about the business as well as the company's culture. Sources like Linkedin acquaintances or colleagues or business school alumni can help in a big way. It is necessary to assimilate all published and public knowledge, but vital insights can only be gleaned from reliable sources.
Transforming your interviewer into a champion who will serve as your spokesperson is the final key to success. The recruiters always look for self-confidence and personality traits in the candidate. So work hard and remember all the tips.
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