Career Dilemma: Campus Placements or Higher Studies

“What if you were wrong? What if everything you ever believed was a lie? What if you missed your opportunity because you didn't know your worth? What if you decided not to go backwards, but forward? What if the answer wasn't to be found in words, but in action? What if you found the courage to do what you really wanted to do and doing it changed your whole life?”

― Shannon L. Alder

Each year, thousands of final year students reach a crucial crossroad where they have to make a definite and defining choice for their careers between being placed through campus or to pursue higher education. It runs down to making a choice of having work experience, financial independence or gaining better perspective and knowledge in a particular field.

This is the time when the student has to keep an open mind towards both options, weigh the pros and cons, consider their interest and prioritize their long term goals.

SET GOALS

Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. ~Tony Robbins

If you want to succeed, you need to set goals. Without goals you lack focus and direction. Goal setting not only allows you to take control of your life's direction; it also provides you a benchmark for determining whether you are actually succeeding. Goal setting is a process that starts with careful consideration of what you want to achieve, and ends with a lot of hard work to actually do it.

MAKE A DECISION

The 5th and 6th semesters are going to be the game-changers of your lives. By the end of the 5th semester, you must be clear enough to choose either of the one: placements or higher studies. Try increasing your CGPA in these semesters if you’re planning to go for higher studies. Make sure that you get a prerequisite knowledge on what you’re going to work upon before going to your internship in your third year for this would be your last chance to delve into opportunities that excite and interest you, learn new skills, gain perspective of the sector you wish to work in, make amends in your attitude and achieve your goals.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Higher studies can, in all honesty cost a fortune; especially if considered abroad. Suppose financial stability is not in your favor and you are looking for a job in the industry, you can consider going through the Placement process. Having hands-on experience unquestionably enhance your skill set which you can further use to leverage yourself in future prospects. At the same time, it will help you gain some financial independence and save for your plans in future which might also entail pursuing higher studies.

However, if you are planning to shape your career in research or teaching, higher education is a must. Higher education trains you in your chosen field, but it also teaches you to understand complex subjects, think analytically, and communicate your ideas effectively. You also learn important skills, such as organization, self-discipline, and how to see a task from start to finish. A higher education helps you become more professional and gives you many work-related skills.

Being a graduate doesn’t necessarily open up the doors to many rewarding careers. These days, the economies have turned from being once manufacturing-based to one that are now knowledge-based. You may not know exactly what you want to do after graduating from college, but you do at least know you want a career that is more rewarding, pays well, and is something you feel secure in and satisfied with. These factors are why many people invest in studies both with their money and time.

For students with a good financial background the dilemma is more complex. You can either opt for placements or go for higher studies. It boils down to what your immediate goal is; to be independent or to pursue your goals in accordance with what you wish to achieve in the long run.

Campus Placements on the other hand give you an early whiff of the corporate structure and the intricacies involved in scoring a job. Everything from the multiple rounds of selection involving aptitude tests, grilling interviews, group discussions help you gauge your potential and push you to do, learn and be better than your peers. Choosing to sit for campus placements saves you a lot of effort in terms of time and money. Also, the students have a better chance of being placed since they face lesser competition in a smaller batch whereas in off-campus placements, they have to compete with a larger pool of candidates with varying credibility to their name. Sometimes, masters in a particular field might also require the student to have a work experience of two to five years and possess only the best of skills and abilities.

It all boils down to what combination of factors suit you and the goals you have for yourself. Once you straighten your priorities, it becomes easier to navigate through the process. Even if you do not get placed, it is not the end of the world. You have to take the rejection not as a setback but as a learning, build upon your strengths and overcome your weak points.

MADE YOUR DECISION?

Once you are definite about your plans, it is time to prepare for the same. It is a human tendency to become complacent once you get placed or have decided to not sit for placements. In this period, it is necessary that you develop skills, keep yourself updated with current happenings, form opinions, learn from your peers, elders or even from someone younger than you. Listen to influential people, grow your network, talk to trustable seniors or teachers about your plans. They might give you some life changing advice. View your life as a continuous learning process and never stagnate your growth. Eventually, success is bound to reach you.

DIDN’T GET PLACED? NO WORRIES, DON’T LOSE HEART!

We’ve all heard about how failures are just stepping stones to success. It is not the end of the world but only the end of the day, so get going and pick yourself up. Here’s what all you can do:

1. Find a suitable Internship.

2. Enroll yourself in short-term courses.

3. Build a skillset.

4. Build a Network on professional platforms like LinkedIn.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” — Steve Jobs