As many as 40 per cent students quit their first jobs before the end of a year’s employment. Another 20 per cent leave in the second year, mostly as a result of selecting the wrong subject or getting disillusioned with the market realities.
Within six months, most freshers are unhappy with the assignments handed to them. These are not broad generalisations but conclusions reached by a survey conducted by the CareerNets Campus Compensation and Student Perception Survey 2008.
The largest chunk of these disillusioned students then head to popular segments like IT products and high-end computing. Another large chunk leaves for higher MS course or an additional MBA degree. Although foreign Universities are the preferred choice, Indian educational set-ups too are welcome these days.
Higher expectations
A major reason cited for this trend is that student expectations rarely match with the market realities. Kanchan U believes that her BA graduation degree hasn’t given her an edge.
She is currently pursuing her MA in Psychology from Mumbai University with an additional course in Human Resource. She aspires for a better job profile and pay package compared to those who entered the field immediately after graduation.
Many students are opting for higher education – at times, at the cost of placing their professional lives on hold. Again, this is to get an edge over the competition.
A BSc graduate from Mumbai University, Karen, related well to her first job in the area of food technology. But after a while, there were roadblocks in her promotions. She was told that the top job required a higher qualification than the hers. Karen quit her job and is currently in New Zealand pursuing higher studies.
{{/usCountry}}A BSc graduate from Mumbai University, Karen, related well to her first job in the area of food technology. But after a while, there were roadblocks in her promotions. She was told that the top job required a higher qualification than the hers. Karen quit her job and is currently in New Zealand pursuing higher studies.
{{/usCountry}}Practical help
On-the-job training is vital. Shailaja Sukhtankar, career counsellor, says, “Almost nothing comes close to practical experience. So one needs to know when to take up theory over practicality.”
Yet, there are quite a few reasons to opt for the theoretical side of things too:
The industry you enter demands more knowledge than experience.
Additional knowledge can help fight competition or getter a better pay/profile
The degree can be useful in the long run. Most offices these days demand that their top managers have some management degree or training
Sukhtankar adds that students should see if they fall into one of these categories or need to upgrade their skills.