“My experience with VJIM‘s Public Relation committee helped me crack the all important placement interview. It had taught me how to interact with people, how to co-ordinate a group and a lot more. It also gave me a lot of self-confidence, which I think showed during the interview.” These are the words of Sibin K, student of VJIM, Hyderabad who has bagged a placement with GGK Tech as a Trainee – Business Development. As he has made the transition into a corporate career, he looks back on his student life at the institute and how it shaped the professional in him.

We trace back his journey from the day of the interview when Sibin managed to impress his recruiters on the back of the learning experience he had gained at his B School. He sheds light on the interview process as he says, “In all it took about three hours with aptitude test, 2 HR interviews, assignment test and interaction with the CEO. The most important thing in the interview is to remain confident even when you don’t know the answer. At the end of the day, your confidence levels are what they are looking for.”

Sibin also lets us in on insight he gained through the interview process. He admits that recruiters want to know if you are ready for the industry and that’s where he believes students from VJIM, Hyderabad score highly. “That’s because the institute puts you through paces to be ready for industry challenges. Recruiters also ask you about your SIP report, which is something I was prepared for, having done my project with Associate Décor Ltd. It was a huge learning experience and it taught me how to conduct myself in the corporate world,” he says.

Having started his professional journey with his new employers, Sibin thinks that there is a huge difference between the classroom and corporate life. However he recommends management education from a reputed institute like VJIM for aspirants in the future. “Without the basics I learned at the institute I wouldn’t have been able to handle this corporate life. I would also like to point out that the motivational support I got from my mentors and teachers was crucial in building my overall confidence,” he adds.

Ask Sibin what is the one thing about the learning at the institute that set VJIM students apart and he mentions Economic Times analysis, which prepared him for the placement interview. But he also mentions different initiatives from the institute that offered him an all round learning experience. “I think the experience of working on the PR committee is something I will always draw on in my professional life. When we joined the committee, there were only a few of us and the work load was high. It wasn’t easy but taught us a lot,” he reminiscences.

Sibin is now relishing the prospect of making an impression in his professional life. But he is emotional about the time spent at the institute and all the memories he has made there over the course of two years. He is thoughtful in his parting shot, which is a word of advice to his juniors. “Besides the academics try and participate in the extracurricular activities. There are few academic and non-academic clubs at the institute, which you can benefit from. Make the most of your student days, because they don’t come back,” he concludes.