Corporate Expectations From MBA Graduates
Recently I was invited for addressing MBA students at SRMS Bareilly. Not sure of what will really interest students, I choose a topic, which I thought, will be particularly useful to them in days to come with placement season around the corner. I presented a session on “Corporate Expectations from MBA grads” which I think was well received and I am sure will benefit the students in the days to come.
The key take aways from the session were five points that I have learned during my corporate career. Some of these will help you in getting job of your choice; others will help you succeed in the job you get. They are:
An Eye For Detail – be thorough in whatever work that is assigned to you. Often this does not come to many people naturally and therefore comes with experience. However by being cautious and careful this is something that can make a significant difference how you will be perceived in the organization.
Business Awareness – Keep a track of companies in the sector you are interested in working. For example, if Banking & Finance sector interests you a lot – read as much as you can about the Banking Sector, how is it performing in the economy, what are the growth rates, how growth of banking has happened over the years, banking reforms, RBI guidelines on banking, monetary and fiscal policies, credit card business, home loan business etc. Business awareness can be a big differentiator that will distinguish you with other candidates in the job market. When appearing for interviews try to do complete research about the company where you are appearing for interview so that you can add more value to your answers by offering some data and figures.
Problem Solving – companies are looking for people who are problem solvers and not a problem themselves. As a fresher there are many occasions when you might face bottlenecks in your work or problems that you might not be sure of how to address. When faced with a problem, try to generate options in terms of how this problem could best be solved. The problem could relate to relevant skills (that possibly you as a fresher might not have), could relate resource constraints (too much work that it’s impossible to do it in given time frame) or almost anything. Communicate about your problem with your peers and colleagues and seek help. The situation may worsen when you ignore the problem, hide it from others or sit over it without actually doing anything about it. The simplest mantra – when in problem – talk about it! Keeping quite or hiding it will not benefit anyone.
Leadership & Follower ship – While as fresher you might not get an opportunity to take CEO level of decisions; however this does not mean you cannot demonstrate leadership in your job. Small acts of day-to-day life in your organization can determine whether you are leader or not. Always be ready to walk that extra mile, do something extra that over and above your role and expectations and you will create an image of leader in the making.
Also be determined to execute the job assigned to you thoroughly as a determined follower. Ask questions, seek clarifications and then get down as a devotee to execute the task at hand.
Learning from Chaos – Chaos is part and parcel of most organizations and work environment though the degree of chaos and randomness may vary across companies. Chaos can be frightening for new graduates who might have had an entirely different view of the corporate world in their minds. However, all chaos is not bad and therefore there is no reason why you should be frightened from it. Whatsoever be the reason for chaos – the learning that follows from it is vital to groom you for bigger tasks and assignments.
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