“This is war, a war that tests one’s mental and emotional strength.
This is the Game of Placements, that none can escape.”
Summer is Coming
In the land of b-schools, Summers aka summer placements is what robs the student folk of their sleep. In a world where Game of Thrones is evangelising people day by day into its cult, I thought why let the b-school placements be left to their own fate. What better time to merge the world of Westeros and b-school land than now when both of them have gripped the student folk in anticipation and anxiety.
I therefore present to you some of the GoT characters one might come across in their placements :
Tyrion Lannister: Your slot zero candidates. This person will emerge out a winner in any given situation. She/He will completely dominate GDs, he will make the GD look so effortless, others will struggle to catch up. When interviewers bounce questions that Tyrion has no clue of, he will conjure answers out of thin air. He is that jugaadu who will scrape out of any interview/process, leaving the recruiters in awe and flabbergasted.
Samwell Tarly: Your classic under confident hard worker. She/he knows all his MBA concepts, is an ace at problem-solving skills. Sam will know what exactly to say in a GD but constantly struggles with how to say it. Sam is struggling to put on his corporate-ready-out-to get-the-world-face. The pressure of placements might get to him, but he will put up a brave fight. You will notice that he is flanked by his good friends trying to pump him up.
Arya Stark: Arya the outlier. Arya doesn’t take the path less travelled, she draws up a path of her own. Fiercely independent Arya might find the strict placecomm rules a bit too limiting for her free spirit. She/He will be one of those few who will opt out of the placement process to chase her dreams.
Varys: There’s always that networking pro in the class who seems to know just about anyone and everyone. That’s our Varys for you. She/He has contacts in high places and it won’t come as a surprise if he’s placed even before placements actually happen.
Cersei Lannister: Cersei, the sweet looking but evil spewing Cersei. It’s quite easy to spot a Cersei in the placements, it’s that person who has turned the GD into an elocution. Cersei is ruthless, getting the best placement on campus is his/her sole aim. She will go to any lengths to achieve her goal, set up traps, use people as pawns, and make tall claims, the whole damned deal.
Jon Snow: Jon Snow, the dark horse in the college. She/He is not from any of your pedigree Institutes like IIT/NIT etc. but that means nothing for someone of the calibre of Jon. He is a powerhouse of energy, waiting for a platform like the b-school to blossom into a corporate honcho he was meant to be. He is that student in the class who has always lent a helping hand, the one who is admired by all. Jon Snow might not get all the shortlists owing to his humble background, but he will be lapped up the first company he interviews for.
Daenerys Targaryen: Fresher right out of college and one of the youngest students in the batch. She might take her time navigating through the complex maze of b-school land, but once she finds her comfort zone, she is unstoppable. Initially, in the GD Daenerys’ voice could be lost in the background, but as it progresses, assessing her situation, she will slowly and steadily take over the GD, firmly asserting herself. Interviewers will love the genuinity and fresh perspectives she brings to the table.
Author’s Note: Any resemblance to any person living or dead or undead is purely fictional. Oversimplification has never accomplished anything except to induce a couple of laughs, exactly what this article hopes to do. Summer is coming, but then in most of India, summer is the only season. The author sincerely believes in keeping calm and watching GoT. Keep Calm and thou shall excel at your placements too.