Page - 1

Since the time I've left my alma mater, I was wondering whether I'd stop writing the journals, which started at the time of entering the hallowed portals of IIM-A. There were many mails requesting to continue writing about experiences post IIM-A and so here I'm, back to scribbling about my first quarter in corporate world.

Actually, it has been quite a happening life since the time I joined the company. Was there to experience first-hand the wrath of monsoon rains on 26th July in Mumbai (To give just a glimpse of my experience, I spent a night in a BEST bus and then walked around 7-8 hours with water level varying between knee level to neck level) and also was present in Amritsar to experience on field the hottest day in Punjab for 2005 with thermometer quietly pointing 46.4 degree C only!

In case you are wondering what I actually do, I've joined a FMCG major which is mainly in soaps & personal care business in India. As of now, I'm in Mumbai for my marketing stint but soon will be in some obscure part of India for my exposure to the life of sales officer. That is a highly unglamorous job of going to around 40 retailers daily and getting orders. Add to that responsibility of handling the distributors, super-stockist and junior sales officers etc., etc., and one ponders why I didn't consider those highly comfortable jobs in IT sector where you just sit chatting on various messengers in air-conditioned office, sip from a cup of coffee, plan for coming weekend and try to do some work if time permits in such a busy schedule.

But that was not the case to be, I was bugged by this love for sales-marketing since 3rd year of engineering. Now that I'm in a career of my choice, there were a lot of learnings to be grabbed on (hey, just because you are out of B-school doesn't mean that you lose the learning focus ). First of all, one is shown the harsh reality of life in sales and realizes the real meaning of terms life "retailer push" and "Demotivated sales force". For example, the sales officer at the bottom of pyramid usually gets around Rs. 4,000/- per month even if he has had 10 years of experience, this figure is less than the daily charges of 5-star Hotel, which my company allowed me to stay in for my business tour. Experiences like this give a new perspective and just makes one realize that how secluded the life was in campus.

Next

* Contributed by: -
Anuj Arora,
IIM-Ahmedabad (Class of 2005),
Currently Assistant Manager in XYZ Company which has high expectations from its MBAs .

Click here to read Anuj's B-school Experiences...