Career Development Services at SDA Bocconi Asia Center

A quick guide on Placements – Preparation and Process

Objective

Career Development Services (CDS) is dedicated to training, advising, and connecting students to opportunities for industry experiences in order to foster their intellectual, social, and personal transformations. Team CDS is dedicated towards Capabilitybuilding and corporate Relations for the school and students.

Vision

Career development as an integrated component of SDA Bocconi Asia Center’s over arching education delivery system, providing support and a platform to excel in life, exceeding expectations for both students and recruiters.

Career Development Services is categorised into two functions

• Capability Building : Training in Skills, Knowledge, Traits and Tools.
• Corporate Access : Leveraging corporate networks to provide access to industry.

Delivering Career Development “Services”

The two functions provide service in the following three stages of a student

• The First Year : Explore
• The Second Year : Focus
• Life after Graduation : Sharpen

The CDS plays an important part in shaping and helping our International Master in Business students achieve their career goals. Placements at Top Bschools in India, is an important process and at SDA Bocconi Asia Center we approach it in a structured and professional format.

» The First Year : Choices and Confusion. Building the base.

“Choice is the source of Confusion. Given the choices, it is OK to be confused”
Most students take admission into the program, very clear in their minds on the area they want to pursue.
We begin by introducing the panoply of careers, industries and trends in roles and jobs present today. We have guest lectures, alumni events, personal interactions and more to talk about the range of careers available today.
Often this reinforces what they have planned, more often it leads to people to re-evaluate their plans. During this period of reflection we offer opportunities to take on projects and speak to industry practitioners one on one to get more perspective on the choices available.

“Learn Everything”. This is a credo that is instilled in the minds of students that in today’s world not having a thick base of knowledge and information across industries and functions. Finance for Non-Finance, Technology for the non-technocrat are some of the programs conducted to build that base in all.

“Build a Consulting Mind-set”. While roles and industries after graduation will vary, we work towards building a consultative mind-set to Marketing, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain and Finance. Using Case-Study framework models we have practice workshops across formats to apply frameworks to build solutions across the world of Business Problems which include Pricing, Marketing, Acquisitions, Supply Chain, Operations and re-branding

Internship

Prepare : Most students finalize an internship by January of the 1st academic year. Basis inputs from the companies that they are going to be interning with, the industry they are going to do the internship and the role they will be interning for, a learning plan is drawn up for the Jan to March Quarter. A number of common programs discussed above are administered in this Jan to March period.

Perform : The Internship is for a limited period of 2 months and therefore there is often time only for the first impressions to be formed. Not enough time to recover if started on a bad note. During the internship the head of Learning and Development at Career Development Services personally tracks all interns and the companies they are doing it in. Alumni are assigned 2 to 3 students to coach during this period. Often from the same company or industry. Periodic calls are held with the candidates to identify probable gaps between mentors and students and escalate potential issues.

» The Second Year : Narrowing it down

Students have now built experience from internship, live projects, multiple subjects and exposure to industry practitioners. Students are encouraged to identify one to three areas of focus for their careers. Having developed a benchmark level of knowledge and skills across domains, certifications and in-depth workshops are administered during the second year.
Some examples being Tools in Analytics, Technical Product Management, Product Business Management, Six Sigma in Operations and Services, Financial Modelling, Valuations, Case Frameworks etc…
CV Reviews. Advanced Interview Skills. Negotiations Skills. Social Media Presence are some of the tactical skills developed during this period.
This upgrade in skill and knowledge allow recruiters to access people fit for contemporary roles and problems at the workplace.

Final Placement

During Campus placement, there are many who will identify with roles and positions that are presented by companies. We celebrate diversity and have students with specific requirements to companies by leveraging the extensive network of the School including staff, faculty, alumni and fellow students.

» Life After Graduation : Sharpen

After graduation, a change in function, industry and role can be a daunting experience for many.

Phase 1 : Well begun is half the battle. A framework for navigating an organization for the 60 days is administered. We provide coaching services from the Alumni pool to help new graduates transition into their new roles. Lessons in terms of what worked well and pitfalls to avoid are worked upon.

Phase 2 : Quarterly reviews with coaches on progress within the organization and tweaking learning and career goals are worked up.

Periodic Life Long learning sessions are held on campus to provide inputs in key developments in industry and business management.

Alumni are connected on a common platform. Access to career opportunities, Requests for Business Contacts and mutual assistance on frameworks to Problems are shared.