IT companies set sights on IIM grads

AHMEDABAD: Technology is finally clicking at the IIMs. High-end technology firms like Google, Yahoo, Amazon, Trilogy, amongst others, are some of the recruiters who might land up at the coveted IIM campuses to hire candidates during the upcoming final placements. Last year, the big names included HSBC, Goldman Sachs, ABN Amro, Deutsche Bank, Lehman Brothers, BCG Morgan Stanley and Barclays. Tech companies who will now share slots with high-profile recruiters will mark a significant change in the trend at the coveted institutes.

Traditionally, tech companies have never been top recruiters at the IIMs. This is because these firms do not have too many managements posts to offer.

However, with these firms now getting more innovative and the roles offered get more challenging, IIM students are gleefully placing these companies at par with investment banks and consulting firms in the much-coveted slot zero of the placement process.

“Earlier, the management roles at high-end technology firms were not found very challenging. But as market gets more competitive, the scope of work and job profiles offered by these firms are improving. Now, they are offering roles similar to those offered by leading consulting firms and investment banks,” informs a placement committee member at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad.

Also, a significant number of candidates at IIMs have engineering background and have worked in IT/ITeS sector. For instance, in the batch of 2008 at IIM-A, the share of candidates with IT and systems work experience is 35% and around 75% have engineering background. When compared to consulting firms and investment banks, the number of high-end technology firms visiting IIMs is much lesser. However, the number if expected to go up in the coming years.

The roles at high-end technology firms include mainly product development and business development. For the first time this year at IIM-A, a role in operations was offered by Amazon. These firms already visited IIMs during summer placements. “A lot of these firms are coming up with several innovative products. And as the markets are getting more competitive, these companies are investing more in business development and landing up at IIMs to pick up candidates,” said chairperson of placements at IIM-Bangalore Saurav Mukherjee.
IIM-C has not seen a heavy influx of technology firms, but there are a few companies landing on campus to recruit candidates. “A few companies are visiting the campus based on their specific requirements. but there is no such trend noticed,” informs chairperson of placement at IIM-Kolkata SD Moitra.