"Corporates Will Need People Who Carry a Holistic Viewpoint on Things"

Interview: Dr Jaskiran Arora

What are the emerging placement trends that you would like to highlight to the MBA aspirants?

Businesses are at a point of inflection and so are their placement processes. Placement trends that are shaping up recently are as follows:

■ Data-Driven Decision-Making Skills - The placement processes for most of the companies and profiles initiate with MS Excel proficiency and data visualisation assessments. Given the Enterprise 4.0 ecosystem, data is becoming the lifeline of all the businesses and thus companies are ensuring that the manpower is savvy working with data. Preference for students with analytical mindset, therefore, is one of the most significant parameters that the companies look for.

■ Storytelling and Presentation Skills - Data analysis must have a meaningful and convincing story to support. That is where one's ability to identify variables comprehensively, connect the various dots and communicate the holistic story is becoming more and more in vogue in the placement drives. Be it marketing, finance, human resources or operations, management graduates need to be able to confidently crack the case studies and present what's happening in the business convincingly.

■ Work Across Different Time Zones and Nationalities - This skillset was always important but couldn't have assumed a greater relevance than now. Odd time shifts and virtual conference calls at anomalous hours have become integral to the work culture. Therefore, companies are seeking individuals who are flexible and agile. Psychometric assessments, testing one's ability to take stress, navigating through challenging times and openness to change is another trend that is being noticed in recruitment processes.