Things To Keep In Mind When Applying For Firms In Summers

With the Summer Placements drive around the corner, almost the majority of the students have butterflies in their stomachs. Which firms to apply to, which roles should I apply to. These are some of the daunting questions that go into the mind of any B-School student who is sitting for the process of Summer Placements. It is obvious that such questions will stain the minds of individuals forcing them to take in panic decisions which in reality might not turn to be fruitful but here we are coming to you with an article that will help you prioritise what works best for you and what does not and take decisions accordingly.

Take Part In This Survey And Get Access To Questions Asked During Placements!

I think the biggest mistake that most people make when sitting for the Summers process is to take the first organization that is willing to take them and the story ends there. Now what happens post this is that the candidate realises that this is not something that they aspired on doing and then they are frantic about where to go, what to do, so and so forth. Parameters to be kept in mind when applying for firms in Summers -

Know Your Inclination –
You need to be aware of what you like and what you do not. You must be certain of where you want to see yourself in the future. There might be a possibility that you won’t really know the finer details and that is fine, in such a case you can say that you might want to experiment with a Gen Man type role or a Consulting type role which is more generic and thus provides you with broader exit options in the future. Again, basis what you are inclined towards, you need to apply to the roles that are providing you with this. You might be interested in Marketing and for that reason, you could be inclined towards HUL, but the role offered by HUL would be Corp Fin. Hence this does not work out. You must be extremely specific about the role that you want to do. The reason why I say this, is because in the future when you want to switch, you will be judged by the role you have done and not by the organization you are from, so focus on the role.

Also Read: Things To Keep In Mind For Pre-Placement Talks

---

Start-up Or No Start-up –
There might be individuals who are inclined towards the start-up space - they might want to start something of their own or work with a leading start-up. In such a case, essentially what is required from your end is that you stick to this domain. For someone wanting to move up in the start-up ladder, it is advisable that they start from that level in order to get acquainted with the setup. Another entry point can be in the form of working at the top tier Consulting firms and then making an entry into the start-up space.

Also Read: The Cautionary Tale of the Placement Season

---

Brand –
Brand is important but not at the cost of your role. With brand, we have the recall factor that may be associated which builds a sense of trust and understanding, but that does not mean you will shadow a role with a big brand. Also, be very careful when you are selecting a brand along with the role that is there at offer.

Also Read: Dream Companies At The IIMs And Other Top Indian B-School Campuses

---

Pay –
Some people apply to specific organizations only by looking at the pay. I am just stating one thing upfront, pay will increase in life but the role will be difficult to change. Also, I am not saying that you ought to take up a low paying job but pay should not be the driving factor.

Also Read: What In-Hand Salaries Do MBA Students At India's Top B-Schools Expect? Again, all these points that I have mentioned above are basis the fact that you are vigilant enough to know your calling. If you are not in that position and are up to experimentation, you can pick up whatever suits you the best.

Take Part In This Survey And Get Access To Questions Asked During Placements!