As the sixth semester concludes and students begin their journey of becoming graduates, there’s one word which is heard commonly across corridors and classrooms — placements. Every year, the placement season begins in full swing with professors and placement coordinators shedding sweat and tears trying to place students in their preferred organizations.
However, every year, there are new trends to be observed in the way students are approaching placements and what kind of talent are companies looking for.
The year 2019 has seen the digital sector emerge as the most preferred for the students. Given that it is the sector, among all specialisations, which seems to have the brightest future and provides most scope for their growth as professionals, it is only natural that the youngest and the freshest minds are flocking to the sector.
“I feel the digital space is a less structured space, hence young talent is far more welcome. It’s the small and mid-sized agencies that are okay with undergraduate students entering their space, learning for a few years and then moving on. They want fresher minds for the younger brands as well as to revitalise old brands,” says Johanna Israni, placement coordinator for the Advertising Batch of 2019.
From the recruiters’ point of view, “Companies are looking for clarity and will to learn. They’re also looking for a multi skilled individuals, they want the best they can get,” adds Johanna.
Organizations have come to realize that undergraduates are equally well equipped with skills as postgraduate students. Hence, they aren’t differentiating between the two when it comes to their hiring plans.
Students are approaching placements keeping in mind a larger picture, which combines their interests in a particular field and their desire to start becoming independent in terms of monetary allowances and thus seeking out higher pay packages.
One aspect which I’ve learnt about while working for placements is that I accurately reflect emerging trends in the industry at large, and more importantly, how students perceive and react to them. It’s been a fun ride and I just hope everyone gets the jobs they’ve always wanted to.
Prakriti Arya
Batch 2019
