2nd January 2013 will forever be etched in the memory of Ankit Seth as the day when Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow delivered on its final promise. It was the day when Ankit earned a coveted placement as Management Trainee at Orient Fans – a legendary brand of the iconic Birla Group.

“This year, the placement season at Jaipuria Institute of Management really took off at the end of November 2012. Recruiters from brands like Luminous Power, Finlace, Orient Fansand Polyplex Corporation Ltd. began making their presence felt. The Orient Fans selection process tested one on all fronts – aptitude, soft skills and marketing insights. The first round aptitude test reduced the field from 90 candidates to 45. This was followed by a Group Discussion, which curtailed the number of students for the primary interview round to 15. This interview was the most challenging that I have ever faced. We had to display astute selling skills and establish a rapport with the stakeholders, who kept changing in quick sessions. Since I was able to do this, I made it to the five finalists.”

The final interview round was with the top managers of the Marketing, HR & Operations departments. Ankit had to pull out all that he had learnt in his two years at Jaipuria Lucknow to get past this gruelling stage.

“Thanks to being the co-ordinator for various LIVE project, running around for sponsorships for the annual events, as well as the summer internship, I finally came good when it counted. I was lucky to have a mentor like Mr.Masood Siddiqui, who guided me during this phase and made me target-oriented. I owe this success to my Marketing teachers, Professor Himanshu Mishra, Dr. Shalini Nath Tripathi and Dr. Shubendu Parihar, who gave me theoretical insights into marketing and taught me the practical implementation too. I had a sales-oriented approach right through the interview, and this is what the top managers of Orient Fans wanted from the candidate.”

During the initial phase of his Trainee Programme at Orient Fans, Ankit will be familiarised with the diversified product segments of the company, the dynamic channel structure with the stakeholders, and the key marketing and sales strategies being adopted by the company.

“Opportunities do not come easily. So when they do, one needs to grab them with both hands. Today I realise that your placement interview is a sum total of your life, and you have to prepare yourself well for that moment. The co-ordination of a LIVE project for Big Bazaar – where I had to manage a 28-member team for the catchment study of a new prospect in Lucknow – to aggressively managing sponsorships for the annual events -all these experiences at Jaipuria helped me develop good relationships in the corporate world. Dr. Phillip Kotler’s book cannot completely teach you marketing; it’s the managerial implementation in the practical world that makes one fit to be a true marketer.”

Ankit Seth is currently waiting for intimation about his joining date at Orient Fans. In the meantime, he is spending a lot of time researching the products of his future organisation, as well as enjoying his last few months at Jaipuria Lucknow.