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Words. Wisdom. Winners.
good ending…
Yesterday was a pretty crappy day…except for the closure…(which btw happened only today…). Read on to decipher the cryptic statement…!
It all started in the morning…all was good…till…never mind…! So anyways…I was really really hoping to close my books yesterday…wrt my friends and their placements. Unfortunately things didn’t work out as expected…which was pretty sad. I was feeling low the entire day…actually tense…
Add to that the bloody movie…page 3…depressing shit. I hated the movie for its truth…one of those rare moments when I wish I never knew the truth.
But then…it was awesome spending time with myself. Everyone had gone out…and I am glad I didn’t go. Watched the movie…went for a walk…and it was breezy and cold…came back…wrote some stuff…and basically just had a good time with myself…!
The girls came back from dinner…so went to catch up on S and E. Spend some good time with E…she is cute when she is high…! :)
Then P called up and asked to come over. Went there…and the entire FOGP was there…and U as well. started chatting…absolutely every shit under the sun…ate maggi…drank…tea…started playing games…decent ones…had an awesome time…
Time: 5.45am…
“ab too sunrise dekhke hi soyenge…”
All of us go to the roof garden…awesome breeze…the moon almost fading out…sitting there doing nothing…absolutely still…looking at the campus top down…and how small things r from such a perspective…
Good ending…!
~a
PS:
1st leg of the placements is over. However, the work is far from over. Companies are lined up for this week as well…
The next one month…system sudhaar andolan. Will make sure that all the loopholes in the system are fixed to the best possible manner. No padhai this term…only social service…! :)
its not my usual…
Only 2 more to go…and I am sure they shall convert very soon as well. I realize that its not the best position to be in…when people all around you are getting jobs and celebrating…but then I respect them for holding on to their nerves and not giving up. that’s what makes me so proud of them…and I know that this very trait of theirs shall take them far ahead in life.
Records are being broken left right and center. Record for the highest domestic and international package ever in Indian B-school history has already been established. And it doesn’t stop here. The number of people who have got placed in the 1st 6 days itself is phenomenal.
A very disturbing email was sent by an R2 applicant about the ISB placements this year. What makes the entire situation worse was that the ‘details’ had come from a current ISB student itself…who ofcourse was no where close to senses when he spoke. Things written in that email make you wonder if that last strand of intelligence had also died an unfortunate death in that ass****’s mind when he gave off the ‘real scene’…!
All this makes you disillusioned. And I hate to be writing all this here. But I need an outlet. If there is one thing I could wish for right now…its to catch hold of that guy…shake him up…so hard that he realizes the difference between ignorance and reality.
People…and this is especially for students coming in…need to understand a few things about ISB. And I shall act as the preacher today…
- This is the basic…and if you get this…you will get whatever you want. ISB is not…repeat…IS NOT…a magic wand that shall get you to where you want to be. YOU WILL TAKE YOURSELF THERE…AND ISB SHALL MERELY FACILLITATE.
- Which means that if you are looking for a career shift…from say IT to finance…you shall have to do that much more. It won’t happen just cause you are a fin major.
- ISB is a lateral school. We are not in the business of closing our placements within 3 days. We have…and will always have…month long placements…wherein people shall negotiate on roles, compensation and the toilet paper brand used in the office…for eternity.
- And hence…companies that comes during the 1st 7 days…are not the only companies that come. There is almost a 50% increment on that base…if not more.
- With 279 students…and the average comp as 10.1 lacs (last yrs stats)…everyone does not get more than 10 lacs. That’s precisely why the average…the sum of all salaries divided by the number of students…get it…is 10.1 lacs. Hence…there are people less than this number as well…
- The reason for this is the fact that not everyone pays the way the consults and the I-banks pay. Their business model is different. If an entire industry is surviving because of cost arbitrage then please don’t expect them to pay the equivalent of Bill Gates’ salary…! Please be realistic.
- …don’t think that anyone in ISB doesn’t want you to get a good job. Everyone at ISB is working towards the same. So please trust the system…and support it. and even if you wish to criticize it…do so by entering into it and suggesting improvements…
- And lastly…it is not that the top rankers get the best job. I wish I could share the stats of this yrs…but if we do a ‘CGPA adjusted compensation’…some guys will shock the toppers…! The entire thing is to simply stay focused…work towards your aim…network…leverage upon the batch strength in terms of its experience…and…pray…!
Today was a sweet day for the marketing group. ABP and Reliance gave off some real sweet offers. Almost everyone in the marketing domain got placed within hours…and the roles and compensations are sexy. People are bloody leading radio stations…and entire west regions…and what nots…! Awesome…
If everything goes fine…then I shall be closing my books tomorrow and can plan for a nice party and a delhi trip. Lets see how it works…
Apart from that…nothing else…! Yah…the Jessica lal case was quite shattering. Was feeling horrible for hours because of it…and almost broke down this afternoon while watching her sister’s interview. The system sucks…and what sucks more is that I don’t want to do a thing about it knowing very well that I should. I just don’t have the balls…bastard me…!
Sorry for the post…its not my usual…
~a
11 more to go…
Work work work…that’s been the mode for the past 3 days. The numbers r looking good…though there is still a lot of work to be done.
1. Sleep still remains an elusive dream…not more than 4 hours of it…!
2. I am running out of formal shirt…am passing off checks as formals now..!
3. Ties are even worse…wearing a blue tie…with a blue shirt…same shade…! :)
4. Legs are worse hit…who the f was the inventor of formal shoes…and at what point of time exactly was he planning to think on the lines of comfort…!!!!!!!
But largely its all good…is fun going through recruitment data…looking at loopholes and areas of concern…interacting with recruiters…convincing them of stuff…living off juice and sandwich…hanging out at the CAS office at SV1 (I just realized I haven’t been to the academic block for 4 days now!!!)…and what not…!
Things are shaping up…plz keep praying
~a
PS:
Friends Update
1. P got Castrol yesterday…he rocked it…!
2. A didn’t make it to the Castrol list. She has bharti today…so does banno and S
3. E has Hewitt and J&J. hope she makes it to Hewitt…plzzzzzzz
4. B got Irevna at 4 in the morning…! :)
5. S got TCG…and she might take it…!
6. 11 more to go…cmon guys…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
placements…and me…
So…I finally manage the 1st enter post the initial placement days.
The placement period at any campus is truly the most challenging one…at each and every individual level. And it actually goes for even the ones getting placed on the 1st day. ISB wasn’t any different…
The big 2 of consulting…(Mc-Donalds and BombayCG) started their tryst with the students on Friday. Mc was lookin at impressive numbers…and BCG was going strong on the sheer marketing efforts they had plugged in throughout the year. And the shortlist was essentially the who’s who of ISB. All the dean listers…the top extracurricular performers and the uniquely diverse candidates (a doctor turned detective…and a PhD Army Guy…and the likes).
I was part of the BCG shortlist…and was quite prepared. However, the other side didn’t seem to agree and I wasn’t part of the 2nd shortlist, that came about after the initial 2 rounds of interview. But then…I am to blame myself…I really wasn’t my best…!
Nevertheless, Saturday came and both the firms were into their 3rd rounds…! And with the day…came the remaining big consults…and the big FMCGs.
I was interviewing with ATK and Citi. Finally got in through ATK and closed the process by accepting their offer. And am really happy with it. Shall be posted most probably off Delhi…and the work is truly world class and almost similar, if not higher, when compared to the Donalds and the Bombays…! :)
It is such a relief of sorts…u hv been working towards something all this while…and then it finally happens. Forget the fact tht my mom knows shit abt the company…my dad tolds his friends tht I have got through some AT Carnage firm…and R after all my explanations regarding the compensation, role, location etc asks me “so…tell me…would you be now called an investment banker…???”
“ummmm…ATK is one of the world’s largest management consulting firm…so what part of this statement DIDN’T YOU UNDERSTAND…???????”
Offers closing in…VM cracked the highest offer on campus so far…and some really neat offers were made left right and center. Donalds took 10 students…an Indian record…!
Some sad moments also happening…but its awesome fun as part of the PLACOM to be fighting such issues and still reach home at 2 in the morning after a hard day’s work…feeling good about the fact that another 50 odd people and their families shall sleep a very satisfied sleep tonight…!
Waiting for a lot more records to be broken…and a lot more smiles on campus…!
~a
PS: Even though people r after my life for a treat and all tht…i have a list of 19 people who have to get a job before i can even think of celebrating. the count as of today is 7…! hang in there guys…!
love that permeates much beyond a single day…
Never celebrated it…didn’t ever feel the need to…
Never bothered a heck about it…definitely didn’t buy someone a rose for 5K at an auction (and yes…this has happened in front of my own eyes…the very same with which I see…!)
Never thought it was even worth spending 5 microseconds on…there were better…far more important days to consider…
But what the heck…someone (and a marketing genius…would be my best guess)…has created the day…very smartly passed the entire buck onto some St. Valentine (who for all practical purposes was a divorcee…who cares…!)…however has managed (to near perfection) to move an entire generation towards the concept of the same. Impressive…
To this gentleman…and the feeling of love that permeates much beyond a single day…
Happy V Day…!
~a
PS:
- ISB has an awesome candlelight dinner scheduled for this evening. God damn it…I have my BCG dinner as well…! Career 1st…! :)
- Except for a few…many shortlists haven’t yet poured in. with placements starting Friday…I expect the new few days to experience a deluge of announcements. Damn my weak heart…!
god…i loved the…
Scene 1:
Jaliawala bagh… “aapka aagyakaari beta…Bhagat Singh…”
Scene 2:
The tricolor is folded and presented to the mom, at the funeral
Scene 3:
The door-bell rings…mom goes to open the door. 2 soldiers with the trunk of her son
Scene 4:
“itna sab ho gaya aur main sirf dekh raha hoon…saala humhaari kuch aukaad nahi hai…”…(cries inconsolably)
Scene 5:
“…sochta hoon ki humhaare bacche kale honge ki gore…”… “hahahahahaha”… (gun shots)…
5 scenes…5 characters…my eyes…my tears…my feelings…my helplessness…
Rang De Basanti…! Rocking…!
I saw it for the 2nd time today…and the emotions are just the same. Such movies are not really movies…they are an experience…an experience that leaves my mind disturbed. I wish I could do something…I want to do something…but feel bound by so many things. It’s so hard to let go…when there is so much attached to you. But then…that is precisely why sacrifice is so hard…!
Suddenly the placements…this MBA…this anxiety and this ‘survival’ seems so trivial…! And yet here I was…preparing bloody cases and taken personal interviews…at times questioning…why…?
At times…it takes a movie to make you realize your worth…or the lack of it…!
God I loved the movie…
Watch it…!
~a
…keep on moving on…anyway…
Placement prep on in full swing. There is so much to do…and everyday before I sleep I question myself on my ability to make it. It’s scary at times…exciting most often…but the god damn apprehension doesn’t seem to go away ever. Maybe that is what keeps me going on…!
Can’t believe that term 7 is coming to an end…and this is the last week of classes. This term literally flew by…! And surprisingly it wasn’t even half as hectic as I thought it would be. The prep did take its share of time…however academically the term was very chilled out. The courses were fun…and the amount of work needed wasn’t as much. Overall…a fun term. Let’s hope the next one starts with some good news…!
Everyday we get some 15 odd mails from the placement office…about the new postings. So everyday is like another adventure…trying to firstly figure whether you want to apply or not…and if yes…then how do you pitch. Its quite an art though…to customize resumes and EoIs according to the role and company…
Company X: Consulting
Senior Associate:
“…I see my skills sets best suited to a consulting environment. And my interactions with X on campus have given me a very positive vibe with respect to its culture and perspective. I must admit that the prospect of working for BCG is really exciting…”
Company Y: Finance
Associate:
“…I see my skills sets best suited to a financial research environment. And my interactions with Y on campus have given me a very positive vibe with respect to its culture and attitude towards work and ethics. I must admit that the prospect of working for Y is really exciting…”
Phew…! That was tough…!
Graduation day has been decided for the 8th of April. And we have been given a full 12 hours to ‘evacuate’…! By 9th April 1400 hours…everyone person on this campus should be seen with atleast 3 suitcases…and a box full of books…and probably a mouth full of not-so-good-to-hear words…!! Ma and papa r coming 7th night…and leaving on the 10th…! So we shall have to stay outside… (That’s if this evacuation business isn’t resolved) for a day…! Let’s see…!
It’s depressing to think of life after ISB…at times really depressing…!
…keep on moving on anyway…
~a
lets see how it goes…
Almost a week has passed since the last entry…and a lot has happened…(as always). The campus is amazingly different. Its hard to visualize this state when you first enter ISB. You know…you have this… “oh, it will be courses and a lot of work…and then finally a job”…! Somehow…no one can actually predict…or even begin to imagine…the period between one preparing for a job and eventually getting one.
People are talking a different language…suddenly the newspaper is the hottest commodity on campus…CNBC the best channel…10 lakhs is passé…and London/NY is cool…!
The Pre-placement talks got over last evening…and quite a few of the companies are looking really good. They are taking advantage of a bullish economy and I have no reasons to believe that the placements this year shall be much better than last years.
Had the privilege of interacting with the MD of ICICI Securities, Mr. Mukherjee, last evening. Its so amazing to see people who have achieved possibly everything that we at this stage wish to achieve…and yet be the most down to earth and humble people around. During his conversation with his colleagues I overheard him say “Mr. Damodaran called me just when I was boarding the flight. He is really excited about the conference. That’s so nice of him. It will be an honor to meet him” (Damodaran is possibly the most prolific corporate finance professor in the world right now. Teaches at Stern, NYU.). Now, I have a strong respect for damodaran…but then at some level one is led to question whether he can even come close to the power that Mr. Mukherjee enjoys. And yet he chooses to acknowledge Damodaran’s greatness.
Its not an easy thing to do…and I know this…! Truly amazing…!
I guess at some level…the best thing that ISB has offered me…is the chance to interact with possibly the most powerful and smartest individuals all across the world. And realize that if there is one thing that binds almost all of them…its their humility. I would consider myself lucky if I could reach even half of where they are…on this front…!
Anyways…
So…the happenings…! Had a party this Saturday…the last one before everyone plunges into the rat race. Was quite a dud party…not many people turned up…! but then ok…I enjoyed myself…was very tired though from the 4 hours of cricket early in the day…!
ISB’s management, this year, had constituted a new set of awards for overall contribution in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities towards promoting the ISB brand. 4 students were awarded the ISB young leader award and a set of 34 were awarded the ISB Torchbearers Award.
A very nice way of appreciating the efforts of so many people…who in their own little way have played a crucial role in maintaining the honor of ISB. Congrats to the winners…!
The BCG shortlist came out. And the minute that happened there were a series of mails sent across…with mostly the following concerns:
- 23 students find a presence in both the McK and BCG list. Damn!
- What the hell will happen on the 1st day…all these guys will end up with the jobs…and ultimately choose just 1…! Which means disastrous job losses…!
The PLACOM has been thinking on how to handle this…and we met up last night…and this afternoon. A lot was discussed and I think we have a structure in place. It needs to be tested 1st before the actual launch…so the next few days shall be dedicated to the same.
Lets see how it goes…!
Lots to look forward to…! Lots…!
~a
life is happy…
This post will be a little ‘cryptic’…!!!
There is so much happening in life right now…its not even funny. People are telling me all sorts of stories…about stuff…and I don’t know what to do…whether to believe them…feel happy…or feel disgusted…or what…! And if what they say is actually true…then its very unfortunate…at some level unfair…!!!
Allright guys…I am done here…! (aka Krishna Ramaswamy)
And apologize for the incoherence above…!
Ok…so today is republic day. And inspite of being a holiday its been quite a busy one. Had a meeting in the morning and ever since have been studying for the branding exam tomorrow. If people (and logic) are to be believed…then we are required to read 650 odd pages of text for the exam. Most of which shall be new stuff…since class was hardly any concepts. Branding class used to be…
lalalalala…I am entering…lalalalalala…there u see me reading the case…lalalalalala…ok now I am doing CP…alalalalalalala…and here I am reading ET….lalalalalala…oohh break time….lalalalalal…CP again…alalalaa…sleep for sometime…lalalalal…sms people as if fighting for the fastest sms competition…lalalala… “and in the next class we shall deal with how to build brand equity”…wassaaapppp…!!!!
And mind you…this is not just one exceptional class…this is each and every class. That’s why I enjoy it so much…and do so much of CP. Cause the class is effortless…however the exam seems to indicate otherwise…!
The McK guys have formed an anonymous club here at ISB. I have a feeling they have come up with a different language or something…in order to communicate their plans on “how to crack the McK interviews” without shelling out with too much of information to the competition. They are seen dining together…chatting together…in class together…during case preps together. I hope they end up working together as well…!
A is planning a party this weekend…and if everything goes as per plans then the crowd might go thru the torture of bearing me as the DJ…yet again. I am really looking forward to it…desperately want to unwind myself before the big battle…! Plz do it A babu…! Now that my ‘other’ request cannot be fulfilled…wink wink (he knows what I am talking about!)
Rest all good…life is happy…
~a
really exciting time ahead…
The 1st ‘big’ thing happened on campus. And no…its not me getting pregnant…!
The McK shortlist came out on Monday. They have, fortunately for all of us, increased the number to 35 (a jump of 10 from last year) and all the smart people were part of the list (quite possibly the reason why I wasn’t).
What was however a relief of sorts was that not all of them are the ‘top graders’…if I may even dare to say so. Maybe speaks for McK’s conscious decision to interview with people who they think bring more to the table than simply academic excellence…and that too in just a single (maybe insignificant) year of their life…!
Go on guys…rocks the McK guys…force them to take all 35 of you…! :)
A lot of action happening on the PLACOM front. There are concerns from the marketing segment of the batch that there isnt an exciting representation of marketing firms in the registered companies list. Which, I admit, is the truth. However…there is a reason behind it. Most companies have been used to hiring at the entry level…the Management Trainee position. Now for them to undertake a mind shift and start hiring for laterals, requires quite some convincing on our part. More importantly, the BD guys are not even sure whether students of ISB (you know the usual…5 years work ex…etc etc) will be willing to accept MT positions. So…there has been some gap on that front. We are working hard to fill that up…and insha allah…things will work out just fine…
And then the entire tiering process. But then that’s another story altogether…!
Really exciting period ahead…I hope at some level fate allows me to be part of the excitement…!
~a
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