Being strategic and enjoying life
He is a man of few words and one of the few people who focuses on achieving his dreams rather than enunciating them. While growing up, this state-level basketball player aspired to serve the nation. Unfortunately, that did not work out. That’s when his Plan B came to the rescue. Meet Devjit Pal who is currently working with Hindustan Unilever Limited, Mumbai, as their Senior Finance Executive. In a conversation with the Corporate Citizen magazine, Devjit talks about the importance of having a backup plan, his journey so far and shares a few tips on how to prepare for campus placement
Even though Devjit was born in a small town of West Bengal, he had the privilege of traversing through the country-courtesy of his father’s Army background which worked in his favour. “So far, I have changed around 12 schools. Instead of focusing on what I missed, I encashed on the experience. Because of this, virtues such as adaptability, patience and discipline were ingrained in me. It also encouraged me to look at situations with a different perspective, enabled me to try new things and inspired me to take risks,” shared Devjit.
BALANCE IS THE KEY
Throughout his student life, Devjit was able to score good marks even though he spent most of this time on the field. Devjit, a state-level basketball player, never let this passion affect his grades. “Playing different games while growing up gave a purpose to my life. Apart from keeping me fit, playing field games instilled confidence and faith in me. Moreover, it made me a team player and prepared me for the future,” informed Devjit.
He urges students to take up a hobby or invest their time in sports along with studies for better results. “Education is important. But when you have a balanced life, for instance, if you take up any sport during your school days it acts as a catalyst in scoring good grades and helps in overall development,” he said.
THE PLAN B
Turns out, getting into the corporate world wasn’t his first choice. Devjit wanted to walk in his father footsteps and serve the nation or take up basketball professionally. “My dream was to join the Indian Army. With that, my love for basketball was immense and I hoped to take it professionally. However, during my college days, I suffered a ligament injury and had to undergo an operation. Owing to this accident my dream of taking up this sport or getting into the Army became bleak,” said a dejected Devjit.
When things don’t go your way, instead of cribbing over it, you pull yourself together and work on your backup plan. And that’s what Devjit did. “I like to work things strategically. When my dreams of getting into the Army were shattered, I dug out my Plan B. I realised that I had an interest in finance and decided to take this interest forward,” he said, while further adding, “Having a backup plan puts you at an advantage when your original plan fails. It prepares you to be proactive and makes you ready for the unexpected.”
A graduate of Christ University, Bengaluru, Devjit has a bachelor’s degree in commerce. Later, he moved to Pune to complete his master’s degree in Management, specialising in Finance. He aspired to work as a financial expert and in the future intends to be a big-time investor.
“I believe in working smart and hard when needed. Also, I like to focus on achieving my goals rather than talking about it”
- Devjit Pal
DECODING THE SCRIPT
A focused Devjit was certain of the industry he wished to work for. Finance was his speciality, and he was on the hunt for companies that offered a dedicated finance role. Talking about his campus placement experience, he said, “The experience was truly enlightening. My campus placement journey helped me understand myself better. Owing to my aspiration of getting into the Army, I had prepared myself quite well for the aptitude and group discussion rounds. Out of the five companies I sat for, I was not able to clear the personal interview rounds of the first four. And the analysis of the failure was an eye-opener.”
His confidence was only on point, so what went wrong in the personal interview rounds? We asked. Pat he replied, “With all the things happening around, I forgot the thumb rule of getting placed. Brushing up on your basics is a must. Without it, you won’t be able to climb further. As I was mostly focused on sports and a few other things, my technical knowledge took a back seat. With the time in hand for the next company, I gave my best to improve my knowledge that I had already learnt but had partly forgotten.” And this time there was no looking back. He applied his knowledge, and soon he got placed with Hindustan Unilever Limited, Mumbai, as their Senior Finance Executive.
It’s been two years since he has been working with them. And each day he gets to learn new things. So, what’s next on your plate, we asked. Devjit was quick to respond, “I believe in working smart and hard when needed. Also, I like to focus on achieving my goals rather than talking about it.”
As Devjit Pal settles in well in the corporate world, he passes on a few tips for his juniors on how to prepare for campus placement and much more…
Basics first: Before appearing for any exam or interview, make it a point to go through all the matter that is available on that subject. Students usually prepare for the tough questions. However, the interviewer mostly wishes to know how well you have understood the basics and how much you believe in it.
GD with your friends: You do not have to compete with others but yourself. Everyone is unique just like their opinion about different topics. Take some time out in the day and discuss amongst yourself the current topics. This will surely enhance your knowledge and prepare you for the group discussion and personal interview rounds.
Be consistent: Success is not about greatness. It is about consistency and hard work which will lead to success and greatness comes after that. Regular studies will help score well in the exams. Do not study just to pass the exams, study to understand the concepts and eventually you will score well.
Be honest: It is in your best interest, to be honest about your experience and knowledge in the personal interview round. The interviewer has a tremendous amount of experience and can easily catch your bluff. So, if you are clueless about the answer, gracefully accept it.
Always have a Plan B: Sometimes situations fail to favour you. In such cases, you should be prepared with a Plan B. Well, that does not mean that don’t give your 100 per cent on plan A. Implement the backup only when you have used all the strength in achieving your goals, but still failed in it.