Recruitment season is probably the most anticipated and anxious period in any third year engineering student’s career. Spirits are high and expectations higher. The critical question changes from ‘To be or not to be’ to ‘Will he or will I?'(speaking about landing the desired job, of course).
The season kick-starts with a much hyped placement talk. Discussions on contentious issues like eligibility criteria, dates of arrival of companies are debated amidst much laughter. Some enthusiasts even volunteer to join the Placement Cell.
The second state in this affair is the filling of forms. Soft copies, hard copies, dry and wet copies, longhand and shorthand, offline and online-you name it and it is there for you to fill. The only confusing criterion in these forms is the ‘Dream Company‘. Nothing to do with dreams or companies any more (though I think that is what they meant when they started the concept). Barring the exclusive Bonds club, this term has come to be used synonymously for whoever offers the fattest paycheck.
Since people like yours truly only deal with nightmares and blackouts, there was nothing much to think about in this regard. So I did the next best thing I could, which was asking my colleagues for advice. This course of action is recommended only to the ultimately confused. Everyone throws in their creative inputs and a very messy chop suey is what you end up with.
The form filling saga is followed by an interesting phenomenon. The previously hibernating club in the college turn shrewdly enterprising and try to capitalize on the racked nervousness of the students. Mock placement tests spring up like mushrooms and there is much ado about, well nothing, as students scamper about taking these tests and attending interviews. (The interviews in themselves are another story for another day where a smug third year undergoes a soul-jarring experience and realizes that three years of technical experience have been completely wasted on him.)
Another interesting observation I made was on how sagacious everyone starts to sound when conversation veers to placement-related topics. IMS Logical Reasoning section and the Barron’s High Frequency List become the latest additions to one’s vocabulary. People discover to their complete disbelief that Shakuntala Devi is not a Goddess in Hindu mythology. And I found out that George Summers is not a rock singer. And that not exploring C++ can have dire consequences.
All in the process is an enthralling experience. One endures a riot of emotions ranging from anxiety to disappointment to resignation to euphoria. There is hesitation in action and inconsistency in thought as everyone strives to bridge the distance between classroom learning and corporate erudition. This is the first fumbling step many will take towards guaranteeing themselves a secure future. However this is just the beginning-a glimpse, a miniature peek into the cosmic opportunities that life will bring forth. So guys, go take on the world. Godspeed!!
About the Author: The author is an ex-Mitian who passed out in the year 2010 and wishes to remain anonymous.
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