Perils of becoming a Placement Committee member

The committee members have to negotiate with the recruiters on various parameters. The process starts with these members pitching to the potential officials about the campus and the batch. Once the partner is convinced, and then negotiation takes place over profiles, salary, and shortlisting criterion. If you think you have good negotiation skills and you can take the responsibility to pitch and negotiate, then you will be able to walk down this path.

Maintain Confidentiality

The most difficult task that members have to undertake is to maintain confidentiality on various grounds. It is ensured that not even the minutest of the information about events, recruiters or rules shall be leaked out. Members often refrain to discuss the insights of the committee discussions. Recessive economic scenario and turning competitive situation tends to ensure this is carried out suitably.

Being unbiased

If you are a part of the placement committee, it is likely that your friends will expect favors from you. It is one of the most dangerous perils faced at the personal level. You have to be truthful to your position and also be loyal to your friends. It is often suggested to be loyal to your position and carry out the work sincerely. In the later course of life friends will be able to comprehend your position.

Being strict

No doubt that since you are a part of the batch, people will often take you for granted. You will have to be strict sometimes for the good of your friends and the people who take part in the process. The weapon that comes to be most handy during this time is “Placement Penalty Rules”.

Slog nights and compromise your studies

In order to do the hectic work of placements along with your studies you will have to slog your nights so that you can give quality output to the work that you have been assigned. You will even have to compromise with your academic performance and sometimes doze off in class. If you have the qualities to exhibit, you can be the desired candidate.

Placement committee gives you a requisite amount of learning experience and unmatched value that you cannot get with any type of work you do. Interfacing with the companies and researching for the potential recruiters gives a considerable amount of repository of knowledge.

Ability to do quality research, sequence out logical thought process, good communication skills, good at team work are some of the traits of a placement committee member. Finally as a member of placement team you are required to be good at task ownership, taking up responsibilities, give out quality deliverables, take up initiative and exhibit your leadership skills.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the Author’s experience, they may vary from one B-school to other. The conclusion has been made largely on basis of talks with placement committee members from several institutes the Author has come across.

- Barleen

Barleen Kaur is currently pursuing her first year PGDM at IIM Indore (Class of 2015). She did her B.Tech degree from GGS Indraprastha University in Computer Science and Engineering and worked as a training manager at a consulting company and also started a coaching center. She has a strong affinity for writing and is an avid orator.

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