An Entrepreneur in the Making
He never fails to learn whatever life throws at him. A humble human, Anand Sakpal is an enthusiast and a self-driven person. He envisions taking life headon and making merry while the sun shines. Anand is currently working with PwC India, as an Associate. In a conversation with Corporate Citizen Magazine, Anand spills the beans on his educational journey, his campus placement experience, and shares a few tips for his juniors on how to prep for the campus placement, and more...
"All the paths that I have taken or the roads I have missed lead to one destination, that is to become an entrepreneur. And I feel, the best way to predict the future is to create it"
- Anand Sakpal
Building a good foundation is the single most important thing for any aspiring corporate or individual or anyone, as the matter of fact. And Anand couldn’t agree more. “Be it your exams or campus placement or your professional or personal life, if your foundation is strong nothing can stop you,” said Anand. Born and raised in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, Anand completed his schooling in his hometown, and soon after he finished his Plus 2, he moved to Pune for his further studies.
Anand Sakpal
Understanding the concepts
Before diving into anything, if you take some time out to understand the concept or the foundation on which the subject is built, the rest becomes a cakewalk. While most students tend to mug up the topics before the exams, Anand on the other hand feels understanding the concepts makes life easier. “Growing up, as a student, I got good grades. It was because I worked hard to understand the concepts rather than memorising the topics. I continued with this trend all through my educational life. That gave me the power to write the answers in my language and express myself better,” explained Anand.
Turning point
Anand had the time of his life while completing his graduation where he also learnt quite a few life lessons. Anand moved to Pune to pursue his B.E. (Mechanical) from Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering, Pune. “As kids, we often tend to imagine how our future would be. As did I. I had a perception of engineering. But when I actually set foot in the college. It was nothing as I imagined,” he said. Meanwhile, he began achieving his dreams, and when he came far along, he realised he had become a go-getter. “In life, one has to take risks to reach somewhere. Be a go-getter. If you have something in mind, do your research and go get your dreams.”
Yeh Dil mange more
Fresh out of college, Anand found it viable to get a good job, and settle well and soon in the corporate world. Working with Mahle Behr India Pvt. Ltd seemed like a great opportunity for him. Talking about his experience, he said, “I was fresh out of college, and this job gave me what I was expecting in the beginning, My job was to study and understand the customer requirement by inquiry specification. Overall, it was a great stepping stone. I learnt how to deal with foreign clients.” However, he felt that something was missing. “After enough understanding and gathering the right technical know-how, he realised that if he focused more on his further studies, he would get a better pay package. “This goes on to show that education is bigger than anything in this world,” he said. That’s when he took his MBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management from Pune’s well-known college.
Embracing change
When he entered his MBA college his dream was to learn and gather as much knowledge as possible and get placed in a good company with a great package. “And for that, I was ready to put in my blood, sweat and tears,” said a determined Anand. He even too part in several extracurricular activities and emerged victorious as well. So, when did you start prepping for campus placement, we asked? “You have to prep for campus placement since Day 1 of the college. And my college helped me through thick and thin and prepared me well for exams and campus placement,” said Anand. He also focused on group studies. “We had a big group in college. We divided the subject into various parts, and each friend learnt one topic and explained it to the others. That’s how we prepared for exams and campus placement”.
Anand had to sit for 3-4 companies before getting placed. Finally, he got placed with 3SC Supply Chain Solutions Pvt.Ltd as a Management Trainee, which was a pre-placement offer. Before clearing his final year, he got selected by TCS as their Assistant System Analyst. Soon he shifted to PwC India, as an Associate. So, what is next on your plate? “All the paths that I have taken or the roads I have missed lead to one destination, that is to become an entrepreneur. And I feel, the best way to predict the future is to create it.” He signed off!
Tips to prepare for campus placement
Consistency is the key: The only way to do great work is to love what you do and do it every day. One won’t get good marks or get placed instantly if one studies a day before the campus placement interview. Revise your subjects each day. Trust me, the reward of consistency is outstanding.
Be creative: You don’t have to be perfect, all you need to be is creative. There are hundreds of students vouching for the same spot, and for you to earn that place during the campus placement you ought to stand out of the crowd. Be creative.
Keep yourself updated: All three rounds of campus placement thrive on your current affairs knowledge. For that read the newspaper daily. Download apps that allow you to understand industry trends better.
Learn new skills: In today’s age, organisations look to hire people who are multitalented. Hence you should not restrict your forte to just one beat. Adding new skills diversifies your job options, adds new techniques to your forte and lets you be a part of this fast-changing world.
Don’t procrastinate: Procrastination only harm your body and brings in no good. Especially in students it leads to high levels of anxiety and hampers their score. Instead set small goals, organize your tasks, and believe in yourself. Things will fall in place.