THINK OUT OF THE BOX

Her ‘never give up’ attitude is taking her places. She learned from her setbacks during the campus placement rounds and made amends to get placed in the company she liked. Her splendid performance at the JK Paper during her summer internship got her a job with H&R Johnson, where she is working as their management trainee. Meet Manisha Mishra, who feels-for every problem, there is a solution. ‘Learn to think out of the box,’ she smiled. In a conversation with Corporate Citizen, Manisha shares her internship journey, how to prepare for campus placement and more

On the first day of her internship, Manisha knew this was the start of something beautiful. Being the Corporate Internship Coordinator during her MBA days, gave her the upper hand in finalising the company she wished to intern with. “Internships play a great role in a student’s life. I was quite aware of the fact that this internship would make or break my career. I was ready to give my 100 per cent and hoped for a great outcome,” Manisha said.

She had been eyeing JK Paper, Delhi, for a long time, and the moment she got through her happiness knew no bounds. Talking about her internship experience, Manisha said, “Each day was a great learning experience. I was in it to learn and I wasn’t going to leave a single stone unturned. As part of the internship, I studied the market potential of colour pages in North India. The fieldwork, which included meeting the clients for the research made my journey intriguing. My performance blossomed because I loved what I was doing. The managers were quite impressed. And this played a big role in getting me placed.”

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Although Manisha was born in Uttarakhand, Bhopal is more of her home as she spent her growing up days there. Her father is her inspiration who is a local corporator and on the board of a few companies. Studying without any tension, came easy to her. “Since childhood, I was attentive during the lectures. Mostly because it saved my study time once I went back home. I followed the same ritual when I went to college. And this helped me score good grades. As most of my concepts were clear, I studied only a day before the exams. Hence, I urge every student to attend all the lectures,” said Manisha.

In the first year of college, her major was Science but soon she realised that it was not her cup of tea. Commerce steam felt safe and as she was good with numbers, scoring well in the exams was an effortless task. All through this, Manisha focused on extra-curricular activities as well. “Studies are important but getting involved in a hobby or extra-curricular is a must,” she said. While further adding, “The importance of taking part in extra-curricular activities is immense. Your subject matter knowledge increases, you make new friends and connection and gain transferable skills like communication, teamwork, organisation, time management, and problem solving. More than anything else, it builds your confidence.”

QUICK LEARNER

After her graduation in Commerce, she moved to Pune for further studies where she completed her MBA in Marketing and Sales. Her college was strict, but she understood the intention behind it. “Even during my post-graduation days, I made it a point to take part in several other activities. I was a part of numerous teams and took part in fests which added to my knowledge,” she said.

Her time as the Corporate Placement Coordinator team played a catalyst in shaping her mind. As the companies started coming to their campus, she was quick to join the bandwagon. Talking about the preparation for campus placement, she said, “I used to solve a lot of question papers for the aptitude round. Practice makes a person perfect. Current Affairs is a crucial topic and the newspapers and online portals kept me updated. As I was part of the Corporate Placement Coordinator, I got a chance to enhance my communication skills.”

"Studies are important but getting involved in a hobby or extra-curricular is a must. The importance of taking part in extra-curricular activities is immense"

- Manisha

KEEPING UP THE PACE

Manisha attempted for four companies before getting placed. Something did not click and she knew where she lacked. “I easily cleared the aptitude rounds. Either I faltered at the group discussion or personal interview round. When I analysed my performance, I realised that I lacked confidence. There was no way that I was going to give up,” said a confident Manisha. Her friends played a vital function in finding the way out. And what worked in favour when H&R Johnson visited her campus was her confidence and honesty. “The personal interview round was great. They were happy with my internship performance and my straightforward answers. And somewhere I knew I going to be placed today,” she smiled. It’s been a few months since she has been with H&R Johnson and each day, she gets to learn new things. She hopes to stick with this company for at least two years and wishes that she grow leaps and bounds in the future.

As Manisha Mishra settles in well in the corporate world, she passes on a few tips for her juniors on how to prepare for campus placement and much more…

Attend lectures: School and college lectures are the basis of all your assessments. If you religiously attend the lectures and listen to what the professor teaches, it will cut down on your study time. More than anything else, professors simplify the concepts, give additional clarifications and insights.

Know the basics: Understanding the basics of any subject is the vital reason for scoring good or getting placed. Even during the personal interview, the interviewee gauges your basic knowledge more than anything else.

Solve online papers: Clearing the aptitude round opens new doors, it will get you one step closer to getting placed. There are plenty of papers online. Make it a point to solve one paper each day. Consistency is the key. And don’t forget to keep yourself updated.

Be honest: Above all, be true to yourself. Know where you stand and learn to embrace your flaws. Once you understand where you are lacking, work on it until you shine in the subject. When you know who you are what you want, life becomes easy.

Think out of the box: You know, just like you there are hundreds of students applying for the same company and same post. Why should the company hire only you? Learn to think out of the box and stand out of the crowd to get hired. Learners don’t like to stay inside the box!