Placements ... Rang De

The news of the recently concluded placement season brought back very happy memories from my campus days… It’s been just about a year, but life has taken a sharp turn into monotony… from the night-outs, the drunken parties, and the passionate discussions at 4 in the morning, you straightaway move to 7:00 am alarms, polite small-talk and rigorous reviews. And it’s not till you jump on this road that you realize how pleasant the old road was.

Strangely, the first thought that came to my mind from this situation was of Daljit Singh in Rang De Basanti. I could so easily relate to DJ's fear of going beyond the life of college campus and friends due to the uncertainty on the other side of the college gates and the fear of being just another face in the crowd. For me, it is the relative dullness in life after campus that brings out a craving to go back and live that spirited life forever…

But then you have to move on… because there are bigger issues in the world which have to be tackled and then, a lot of what you treasure from the campus memories, just disappears or dilutes significantly. Friends tread different paths, more often than not sanity prevail, minds have to worry about ‘concrete’ stuff, and transformation is inevitable… whew, what a transformation!

On a different note, what a rocking placement season! A third of the batch getting placed in Slot 0, and processes getting wrapped up early in Slot 2. I guess most of the people would have got jobs they wanted and preferred…or rather, jobs they believed they wanted and preferred (still cannot understand how almost everyone prefers i-banking and consulting). Most people would be happy and celebrating, and thinking that they have finally achieved what they wanted to, when they set foot in campus.

The Investment Bankers would go off thinking that they have got the best jobs in the world, the Consultants would revel at the smart career choice they made when they chose their line over investment banking, the FMCG guys would be happy that they finally landed where they wanted to in-spite of all the peer pressure, the IT people would snigger at how they have been clever at taking up what they were meant to, the Merchant Bankers would take pride in the action involved in their jobs, and the Retail/Corporate Bankers would be pleased that they chose the right sector

One year down the line, the scene changes quite drastically. The Investment Banker frowns at the monotony of his work-life and starts calculating his expected bonus and comparing with his peers and thinking how he can beat everyone. The Consultant sulks at the traveling and wonders where the hell is the opportunity of changing the world which was promised to him… he looks around at the old faces at the public sector client site and wonders how much money the I-banker would be making.

The FMCG guy is totally frustrated by his exploits in rural Tamil Nadu or Bihar, the very adventure in which had drawn him to the job… he would be wondering where is the connection between what Philip Kotler taught and what I am doing, and how stupid was I to not fall trap to the peer pressure and get into one of the banks or consults where my batch-mates are having a ball? The IT guy would question the relevance of someone of his capabilities and qualifications doing what he is doing and crib about the futility of doing an MBA

The Merchant Banker would kick himself at the stupid choice he made by committing to 18-hour days on an ongoing basis and would long for one day when there is peace and quiet and there is no action. He would think about his friends who took up business consulting and who are flying around and ‘changing the world’. The Bankers would think how everyone else is making more money then they are, and how everyone else is not bound by the training and rotational programs that they so unjustly are.

Everyone (well, almost everyone… lets say 75% of the people) would think that they could have done better if they had more information then… and how the other guy is so better placed in life… how one’s own job is so monotonous and frustrating, and how everyone else has got stimulating and better jobs. Moral of the story:

1. Grass is always greener on the other side
2. All jobs are equally bad… or rather equally good
3. Even a fool can be made a genius if he is equipped with hindsight upfront

And most importantly…

4. If expectations are aligned with reality, there would be no regrets

Here’s wishing the Class of 2006 luck over their diverse careers… and hoping that they have their expectations firmly in check

(Acknowledgement : A friend whose writing inspired the Rang-de-Basanti connection)